A SPECIAL exhibition in Exbourne this weekend will conclude a year-long investigation into some of the oldest houses in the parish.

The 'Story of some of the 18th Century Houses and Farms in Exbourne Parish' project has encouraged house owners to explore the history of their own property using material from local and national archives, their own documents and oral history from Exbourne residents.

Some of the participants had never used archive material before, so a visit to the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter was arranged. Participants were shown how to use the search room and finding aids.

The project was funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund's All Our Stories programme. The scheme is a small grants funding programme enabling groups to explore their area's heritage and share their findings with others. The programme was launched in support of BBC Two's 'The Great British Story' aired in 2012, and has been designed for everyone to get involved in their heritage.

The exhibition in the village Hall will be opened by the mayor of West Devon Cllr Bill Cann at 2pm on Saturday, January 18, and runs until 4.30pm. Entrance is free —refreshments available.