Sorting documents in 1996 in North Street, Crediton The Society was founded in September 1984 at an inaugural meeting called by an enthusiastic local history scholar, Rev. Christopher Gillham, the then incumbent of the Crediton Congregational Church. At this meeting 28 people agreed to form a Society amongst them being Mrs Rosemary Parker of Downes near Crediton [ the home of the late General Sir Redvers Buller of Boer War fame] and thus forming the first link between the Society and the Buller family which was to result five years ago in the transferring of our archives to the erstwhile Downes estate office. The aims of the Society - a registered charity - are to advance public education in the history of Crediton and the surrounding area by means of talks, exhibitions, meetings etc. as well as the provision of a museum.

1999 Exhibition "Within Living Memory" The Society's first exhibition 'Waterloo to the Great War' was held at Downes in 1987 These exhibitions became almost yearly events at different venues within Crediton and have included the Bayeux tapestry [from Reading Museum] in 1990 to 'Within Living Memory' in 1999 to celebrate the Millennium. Our last exhibition was held in June 2002 at the Boniface Centre Crediton when it featured "The 1950's" including the Festival of Britain and the Queen's Accession to the Throne and Her Coronation.