DEVON remains one of the richest counties in England for examples of cob building both new and old.

A legacy of historic cob buildings exists, such as Bowhill in Exeter, most of the Broadhembury estate near Honiton, Regency villas in Dawlish, and even a chapel in Collumpton, yet new innovations in cob building have helped to ensure that the tradition still thrives in our county.

Conservation architect Linda Watson, will be sharing her knowledge of cob building history in an illustrated talk at the Devon Rural Archive on Thursday, June 2, at 7pm, entitled: ‘Devon’s Cob Building Tradition’.

In her talk she will investigate the advances in this building technique that have occurred to meet changing architectural aspirations and to ensure that the tradition survives.

‘Linda will be looking at advice given by TJ Joce in a recorded talk in Tiverton in 1919, for example, who recognised the merits of cob, but proposed an improved technique from East Anglia using blocks,’ explained Abi Gray, Resident Archaeologist at the DRA.

‘This is one of the techniques that has helped ensure that Devon’s cob legacy is still thriving, and is the envy of the global earth world.’

A member of the Devon Earth Building Association Working Group, Linda is an architect who has spent her working life in building conservation education and research and has lectured widely across Europe on Devon’s cob buildings.

The talk will take place in the lecture theatre at the DRA, Shilstone near Modbury, PL21 0TW, at 7pm and refreshments will be available from 6.30pm. Booking is recommended, please call Abi on 01548 830832 or email: [email protected]. For further information visit www.devonruralarchive.com.