RESIDENTS of Horrabridge and the surrounding area turned out in their hundreds to spend time at the 'History of the Horrabridge' exhibition held in St John's Church over three days last weekend. They were joined by visitors to the area who were fascinated to learn that the bridge which gave the village its name dates back to the 13th century, and that in the 19th century Horrabridge was a thriving mining centre, producing thousands of tons of tin and copper. The exhibition was arranged by the Friends of St John's Church, a small group of volunteers from the village, to raise funds for refurbishment projects in the church. They were supported in the venture by Jinks and Jill Fitzsimmons who made available the vast archive of historical papers and local photographs that they have accumulated over the years, members of the Parochial Church Council, and the Horrabridge Cavaliers. Visitors were able to view the exhibits on display and then to delve further into specific subjects of interest by thumbing through more than 70 files detailing historical industries, activities and events that have featured in the village's history. Many of the visitors became so absorbed that they stayed for hours at a time. Chris Tear, chairman of the Friends of St John's, said: 'The response from the community and visitors certainly exceeded our expectations, and enabled us to raise over £950 towards the refurbishment projects planned for the church.'