Teachers share their sweetest gifts from students and it's a moving lesson in generosity

Some of the most precious gifts come straight from the heart. A former teacher shared an incredible story of a student's selflessness, generosity and thoughtfulness. Nine years ago, the student didn't have a Christmas gift for her, so he opened up a pack of crayons, gave her the purple one, and said "I hope you love it, I know it's your favorite color." Flex those love muscles; share stories that show you care and recognize heartfelt gestures with admiration 😊

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"She Saved My Life”: Georgia Mom Thanks Teacher Who Rescued Her Son

Dalton Tomberlain, a seventh-grader in Georgia, thought he was going to die. He had been eating a burger at McClure Middle School in Cobb County when something went wrong. “I felt like a soreness in my throat, and then I just could not breathe,” Dalton said. “I thought I was going to die a little bit ... it was just scary.” As the blockage in his throat cut off his oxygen, Dalton placed his hands around his neck—a universal sign of choking—hoping someone would notice. Valerie Hodge did. Although she isn’t Dalton’s teacher, the middle school English teacher didn’t hesitate. “I didn't really even think, honestly,” she said. “I just kind of reacted. I saw a student who was in trouble and ... I just went into action.” She performed the Heimlich maneuver, clearing Dalton’s airway in time. The incident was shared in a video posted by the Cobb County School District. Dalton, safe and breathing again, said simply: “She saved my life, so it’s a big thing.” His mother, Courtney Tomberlain, got a phone call from the school about what happened. “From what I understand, he was turning blue,” she said. “I can’t thank her enough. She took care of business and she didn’t think twice, and I don't know what the outcome could have been; it could have been a tragic situation for our family.” Instead, Dalton was able to go home that day. The school district’s post highlighting Hodge’s quick actions has drawn praise from the community, with parents and staff calling her a hero. But Hodge herself downplayed the title. For her, it was instinct. A student needed help. So she helped.

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Two Strangers Pulled a 9-Month-Old Baby from a Burning Car, Just Seconds Before It Exploded

A mother in Wales is calling two strangers her heroes after they rescued her baby daughter from a burning car—just moments before it was completely engulfed in flames. Alex McClean, 21, was driving through Ebbw Vale on January 14 when she noticed smoke coming from her car around 1:20 p.m. She immediately pulled over and jumped out of the driver’s side, but when she ran to the back door to reach her 9-month-old daughter Lilah, the door wouldn’t open. “I was panicking trying to open the doors,” McClean told the BBC. “I thought everything was just locked. I was hysterical and had no idea what was going on. I thought I was going to lose her.” She screamed for help as cars passed by, trying desperately to smash a window with her keys. That’s when Wesley Beynon, 39, and his uncle, Marc Willding, 58, happened to be driving by and saw the smoke. “It was horrifying,” Wesley said. The two men pulled over and rushed toward the vehicle. Wesley managed to climb in through the driver’s door and reach Lilah, carefully passing her to Marc through the front seat. “There were flames visible when we got in the car,” Wesley said. “I could see them through the windshield. It was pretty terrifying, I’m not going to lie.” Just 30 to 60 seconds later, the entire car was in flames. “If they weren’t there, it would have been so bad,” McClean said. “It was such a relief to get her out of the car. I’ve never been so appreciative of someone helping me. There were so many other people that didn’t bother stopping.” The two men said instinct simply took over. “We’d have tried to save her any way possible,” said Marc. Wesley added, “I couldn’t bear to imagine what they would have gone through if we didn’t get the baby.” McClean later reunited with the pair to thank them in person, calling them “real lifesavers.” She said she will make sure Lilah grows up knowing exactly who they are and what they did for her. “I’ll never forget them,” she said. Wesley hopes their actions serve as a reminder. “Just stop and help,” he said. “You could potentially change somebody’s life—as we have just done.”

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Virginia High School Students are Fixing Up Cars and Giving Them to Single Moms in Need

Every few months, a garage door opens at Louisa County High School and a single mom is handed the keys to a newly repaired car—complete with a big red bow and a round of student applause. For eight years now, students in the school’s automotive technology program in Mineral, Virginia, have been doing more than just learning how to fix cars—they’ve been changing lives. Each semester, around 20 students work together to refurbish donated vehicles, which are then gifted to single mothers in the community. “The whole class is very rewarding,” said 16-year-old Holden Pekary, one of the students in the program. He recalled the moment he saw a mother holding a baby while receiving a car. “It gives you more of a purpose.” The course, taught by Shane Robertson, trains students in real-world vehicle maintenance—everything from brake repair and battery testing to tire changes and heating system fixes. But the lessons go far beyond the mechanical. “They get the real-life grit behind why they are really doing a task,” Robertson told ABC. “This is somebody’s real car and you’re really making a change in the world.” The program is a collaboration with Giving Words, a nonprofit started by Eddie Brown and his wife—both of whom were single parents themselves. Their goal: to help other single parents navigate transportation hurdles that can upend work schedules, school drop-offs, and daily life. “So far, we’ve given over 60 cars away, and repaired more than 260,” Brown told WTVR. One of those success stories is Jessica Rader, a single mom of three who overcame addiction and was relying on friends and family for rides. When the students presented her with a refurbished 2007 gold Toyota Prius, it changed everything. “It’s not just about the car, it’s about community,” she told The Washington Post. “Kids who never met me cared about me enough to put hard work into a vehicle to make sure myself and my kids were safe. I got to meet all of them. It was breathtaking.” Since receiving the car, Jessica has gone from part-time work to full-time employment. A reliable ride helped her reclaim independence and stability—proof of what a little under-the-hood kindness can do. Giving Words continues to work with repair shops and local donors to expand its reach, but the heart of the program remains the students at Louisa High, where the sounds of ratchets and tire irons double as the soundtrack to something much bigger. “It’s a helping hand,” Jessica said. “And a reminder that kindness can be delivered at any age.”

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New App Uses Drones and AI to Pinpoint Plastic Waste on Beaches

Volunteers cleaning up plastic waste from beaches now have a high-tech ally: drones powered by artificial intelligence. A research team at the University of Limerick has developed a mobile app and drone-based system that identifies plastic debris along coastlines and sends precise GPS coordinates to cleanup crews. The app, which is free to use, helps volunteers head straight to where trash is actually piling up—saving time, energy, and guesswork. The system was created to solve a common frustration in beach cleanups: not knowing where to go. Plastic rarely spreads out evenly along the shore. Instead, tidal flows and nearby waterways create concentrated “hot spots” of waste. Without good data, cleanup crews often end up covering the same low-impact areas while missing the worst offenders. By mounting machine-learning software on drones, the researchers taught the system to distinguish bits of plastic from natural materials like seaweed, driftwood, or rocks. That process took months of testing along Ireland’s rugged coastline. Early versions of the system struggled with shadows and false positives, but now it can detect plastic as small as one centimeter across from the air. “It has already been tested with five community groups around Ireland with positive results, averaging 30 plastics spotted per 10-minute drone flight, varying by location,” said Gerard Dooly, assistant professor in engineering at the University of Limerick, in an interview with The Conversation. Ireland’s coastline spans more than 3,000 kilometers, and plastic pollution is a growing problem there. A 2018 study found that 73% of fish in Ireland’s deep waters had ingested plastic. At least 250 species in the region, including seabirds and marine mammals, have been documented with plastic waste in their systems. Globally, the problem is staggering. The United Nations estimates that up to 23 million tonnes of plastic enter rivers and oceans every year. The new app makes it easy for volunteers to make an impact. Anyone can download it, receive drone-sourced coordinates, and head straight to the plastic. Users can also upload their own drone footage, creating a kind of crowd-sourced cleanup map. Community groups that have tested the system say it’s also turning into a fun, family-friendly experience. With GPS directions and a real-world goal, some have compared it to a treasure hunt. That gamified element is drawing in new participants—including children who enjoy tracking down the targets. The hope is that the combination of cutting-edge tech and grassroots participation can shift the odds in favor of those trying to protect coastlines. And with a drone’s-eye view, the plastic can no longer hide.

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Scientists Discover Promising Alzheimer's Treatment Using a Natural Compound

Singapore may boast one of the world’s highest life expectancies, but for many, the final decade of life is marked by poor health and cognitive decline. Now, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) say a naturally occurring molecule could offer new hope—not just to treat Alzheimer’s, but to delay the aging process itself. In a study published in Aging Cell, scientists from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, led by Professor Brian K Kennedy, discovered that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (CaAKG)—a compound already found in the body—may help restore brain functions that are lost in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest that CaAKG could play a key role in protecting memory, improving neuron communication, and even promoting healthier brain aging overall. “Our findings reveal the exciting potential of longevity compounds in addressing Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kennedy, who also chairs the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine. CaAKG is a derivative of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a metabolite known for its links to cellular health and longevity. Levels of AKG naturally decline with age, and scientists believe that replenishing it could help counter the physical and cognitive effects of getting older. The team set out to see whether CaAKG could restore learning and memory functions in the Alzheimer’s brain, particularly by improving “synaptic plasticity”—the brain’s ability to form new connections. That ability is one of the first to deteriorate in neurodegenerative disease. In Alzheimer’s disease models, the compound had a notable impact: it repaired disrupted communication between neurons and restored associative memory, the function that allows people to connect experiences and form new memories. The effects extended beyond memory. CaAKG boosted long-term potentiation (LTP), a process vital to how the brain encodes learning. In healthy brains, LTP helps strengthen the link between neurons. But in Alzheimer’s, that connection breaks down. CaAKG appeared to restore LTP to normal levels. The compound also stimulated autophagy, the brain’s built-in system for clearing out damaged proteins. This internal “clean-up” process is crucial for keeping neurons healthy and functioning well into old age. Unlike other Alzheimer’s treatments, CaAKG bypassed the brain receptors commonly impaired by amyloid buildup—a hallmark of the disease—and instead acted through a newly identified signaling route involving calcium channels and AMPA receptors. This pathway helped increase neuronal flexibility without triggering damage-prone mechanisms. One of the study’s most promising discoveries was that CaAKG restored synaptic tagging and capture, a complex memory-building process that links separate experiences together. That mechanism is essential for higher-level learning and is among the first to decline in Alzheimer’s patients. “For us, the goal was to determine whether a compound originally explored for extending healthy lifespan could be helpful for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Sheeja Navakkode, the study’s first author and a research scientist at NUS Medicine. “Understanding the cellular mechanisms of how CaAKG improves synaptic plasticity sheds light on new ways to protect memory and slow brain aging.” Rather than treating Alzheimer’s as a standalone illness, the NUS team is part of a growing movement focused on geroprotective strategies—therapies that target the underlying biology of aging. The idea is to intervene before disease symptoms even appear, by delaying the deterioration that often accompanies age. Because AKG is naturally present in the body and already widely studied, researchers believe it could offer a safer and more accessible path forward than conventional drugs. Kennedy said compounds like CaAKG may one day be used alongside existing treatments to reinforce the brain’s resilience to decline. Clinical applications remain on the horizon, and more research is needed to explore how these findings might translate to humans. But the results offer a glimpse into a future where living longer doesn’t have to mean living with decline—and where the biology of aging itself could be the next frontier in fighting diseases like Alzheimer’s.

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How a Community Rallied To Save This 400-Year-Old Historic Barn

A 400-year-old barn in Lancashire is getting a major facelift. The Grade I-listed great barn at Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham is undergoing a £1.35 million roof restoration, part of a broader effort to revive the historic estate. Built in 1605, the 30-metre-long barn has weathered centuries of use and decay, and its leaky roof is finally being overhauled after years of patchwork fixes. Specialist conservation teams are restoring the structure using traditional heritage techniques, including oak timber repairs and stone slate roofing. Many of the original slates are being carefully removed and reused, one by one, to maintain the barn’s authenticity. Dan Taylor, general manager for the National Trust in South Cumbria and Lancashire, said the barn’s original roof structure is “jaw-dropping” and that its restoration opens the door to new uses for the community. “It soars above a structure which includes some of the earliest dated ox stalls in Britain,” he said. The barn has had a long and varied life. Once used for agricultural storage, it later served as an indoor training area for Burnley Football Club and more recently operated as an arts and exhibition space. But it has been closed to the public since 2008. The roof project is just one part of a wider plan to reimagine the site. The barn’s coach house and toilet block are also being worked on, and the restoration offers opportunities for local craftspeople to train in heritage skills, including stone pointing and timber construction. There are environmental benefits too. The barn is home to colonies of brown long-eared and pipistrel bats, and the improvements will make the space more suitable for breeding and hibernation. Ranger David Bevis said the Trust is gathering ideas for how the restored barn can serve the local community. Suggestions include craft markets, weddings, pop-up food events, and even medieval banquets once the building reopens in the summer. The restoration is also the first step in a larger, long-term development plan for Gawthorpe Hall itself. The Elizabethan mansion was built between 1600 and 1605 for the Shuttleworth family, and later redesigned by Sir Charles Barry—best known for the Houses of Parliament and Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey. Gawthorpe’s interiors remain a snapshot of Victorian life, shaped by the Kay-Shuttleworth family who lived there for nearly four centuries. The hall famously hosted Charlotte Brontë in the 1850s, and has since inspired authors like Elizabeth Gaskell and, more recently, Stacey Halls, who set her bestselling novel The Familiars at the estate. Once the roof is complete and the barn reopens, the National Trust hopes it will become a hub for both heritage and community—a place where the past supports the future.

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UPS Driver Saves 101-Year-Old Woman From Burning Home In California

When a fire broke out in a Santa Ana home last week, it was a UPS driver—not emergency crews—who first rushed in to save a 101-year-old woman trapped inside. The fire started on the afternoon of January 15 in the kitchen of Ann Edwards’ home, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Neighbors were the first to notice smoke pouring from the house. Several of them ran over and tried to help, banging on the door to get Edwards’ attention. But she was hesitant to leave. That’s when they spotted a UPS truck nearby. The driver, Willy Esquivel, had been making deliveries on the street. Without hesitation, he ran to the door, picked up the elderly woman, and carried her to safety. “I just did what I thought was right,” Esquivel later told KTLA 5. “At the end of the day, she’s someone’s mother, someone’s grandmother, great-grandmother.” Esquivel said he doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I’m just a UPS driver who was in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’m just glad I was able to lend a hand when it was needed. I hope she has a quick recovery.” Neighbors didn’t stop there. Some grabbed fire extinguishers and tried to put out the flames that had erupted in the kitchen. One, a roofer by trade, grabbed a ladder, climbed onto the roof, and sprayed water into the kitchen vent using a garden hose. By the time firefighters arrived, the flames had spread into the attic, but the worst had been avoided. Emergency crews extinguished the rest of the fire, and Edwards was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. According to the fire authority, the damage could have been far worse. “A remarkable outcome made possible by quick action, teamwork and people looking out for one another in a moment of need,” the department said in a statement. Edwards’ son, Rick, was deeply moved by the rescue. “Thank you, because I bet you it took a little bit to get my mom out of there,” he said to Esquivel during an interview with KTLA 5. “God bless you, man, for sticking with her and getting her out of there.” The fire department hasn’t released further details about the cause of the blaze, but praised the collective effort of neighbors and Esquivel for preventing a tragedy. As for Esquivel, he was back on his delivery route the next day. Quietly, like always.

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Could a Few Small Lifestyle Tweaks Extend Your Lifespan? A New Study Says Yes

You don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul to live longer—just a few small tweaks. That’s the takeaway from a new study that suggests tiny improvements in sleep, diet, and exercise can add years to your life and health span. According to researchers who tracked nearly 60,000 people in the UK for eight years, getting five extra minutes of sleep, walking for two more minutes, and adding a few tablespoons of vegetables to your day could translate into one more year of life. If that sounds surprising, it’s because we’re often told that improving health means major commitments: strict diets, strict routines, or strict gym schedules. But lead author Nicholas Koemel, a dietitian and research fellow at the University of Sydney, says that’s a common misconception. “We always think that we need to make these massive overhauls, especially at the beginning of the year with New Year’s resolutions,” Koemel said. But, he adds, “tweaks add up to make something meaningful. And that might make us be able to sustain them much further in the long run.” The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, pulled data from the UK Biobank and tracked participants’ sleep and physical activity using wearable wrist trackers, alongside self-reported dietary habits. The team analyzed how minor adjustments impacted both lifespan and health span—the number of years people live free from major chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia. The results were clear: small, realistic changes helped. For people with lower baseline health habits, getting just 24 more minutes of sleep, four extra minutes of exercise, and one more cup of vegetables per day extended their healthy years by an estimated four years. For those doing even more—getting seven to eight hours of sleep, exercising for at least 40 minutes daily, and eating a high-quality diet—the gain jumped dramatically: up to nine additional years of life and health span. What mattered most, Koemel says, wasn’t any one behavior, but the combination of sleep, diet, and physical activity. Making progress in only one area—say, sleep—required far greater effort to achieve the same benefit. In fact, the study found that to get the same longevity benefit by improving only sleep, people would need to increase their sleep by 60 percent per day. Another study, published the same day in The Lancet and led by one of Koemel’s colleagues, backed up the core idea. It showed that even a five-minute daily walk at a moderate pace could reduce mortality risk by up to 10 percent. That study included data from the UK, U.S., Sweden, and Norway. “What strikes me is that we converged on this idea that small changes make a difference without even talking to each other about the individual studies,” Koemel said. “Something that has resonated with a lot of the field is: moving the goal post closer to us makes it more accessible, makes things more practical—and, most importantly, makes healthy habits sustainable.” Amy Jamieson, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who was not involved in the study, called the findings encouraging. “The results are promising and align with my view about holistic health and lifestyle habits,” she said. “I do believe that small changes can make major impacts.” Jamieson added a note of caution: while the data is encouraging, it’s also heavily UK-centric. The average U.S. diet is higher in ultraprocessed foods, and differences in health care systems, environmental exposure, and access to care also play a role in longevity outcomes. Controlled clinical trials would be needed to confirm the findings globally. Still, for anyone feeling overwhelmed by lofty health goals, the message is reassuring. You don’t need to train for a marathon or adopt a perfectly clean diet. Sometimes, just grabbing a banana, getting a few more minutes of rest, or going for a short walk after lunch can begin to shift your health trajectory. “This doesn’t give you a magic button for longer life,” Koemel said, “but it could kickstart healthy habits that stick.”

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He Climbed Mont Blanc to Find Himself. Then He Saved a Stranger’s Life.

Madalin “Cris” Cristea didn’t set out to become a hero. He just wanted to feel something again. In early 2016, Cris was stuck in a rut. He was in his twenties, living in London, working as a lifeguard, and feeling aimless. Originally from a small Romanian town, the city didn’t quite feel like home. And one cold morning on his way to work, a joke he had made months earlier suddenly turned into a plan. He and his girlfriend Viv had been window-shopping in Barcelona when they passed a Montblanc boutique. Cris admired the watches but knew they were far out of reach. “Do you reckon if I went and climbed Mont Blanc, they’d give me a discount?” he quipped. Viv laughed. Back in London, the question kept bouncing around in his head. Then came the decision: I’m going to climb Mont Blanc this year. He had no real mountaineering experience — just one previous climb, Mount Olympus in Greece, done in summer without snow, crampons, or altitude. Climbing Mont Blanc without a guide is risky even for experienced climbers. Cris didn’t have the money for a guide or formal training. But the mission gave him energy and direction he hadn’t felt in a long time. Viv was understandably terrified. She couldn’t stop him, but she couldn’t support it either. Cris buried himself in preparation — watching videos, reading about the dangers, studying the route like scripture. By August, he was in Chamonix, staring up at the tallest peak in the Alps, repeating the promise he’d made to Viv: I’ll only go as far as I feel capable. I won’t take unnecessary risks. A Turnaround — and a Split-Second Decision On his climb, Cris reached a ridge near 4,600 meters. The winds picked up. He was exhausted, alone, and questioning his limit. That’s when he spotted two other climbers — a British father and son — also debating what to do. “This is a really bad idea,” the son told him. Cris took it as a sign. “Screw this. Let’s go back,” he said. They began descending together. Then, without warning, the father, James, lost his footing and began sliding down the slope — roped to his son, Matt, who was about to be pulled down with him. “I was in a state of shock,” Cris said. “Your whole spine lights up with fear.” He reacted instantly. He leapt toward the rope, jammed his ice axe into the snow, slammed his boot spikes into the slope, and held on. The rope went taut. Cris felt a violent yank in his arm. Then stillness. James had stopped sliding — just ten meters above a deadly drop. Other climbers arrived and helped pull James back up. He was uninjured, but shaken. All three men knew how close it had been. “If he hadn’t have been there, I think it would have been a terrible end,” James said later. “I’d have probably pulled my son to his death as well.” They got off the mountain safely. That night, James treated them to dinner in Chamonix. He sat with his back to Mont Blanc, unable to look at it. Before they parted ways, he handed Cris and Matt £50 each and said: “Go and get drunk, boys. You deserve it.” What Mont Blanc Gave Back For James and Matt, that was their last mountain. They’ve never returned to the high Alps. For Cris, it was the start of something bigger. Even though he never reached the summit on that trip, the experience changed him. It deepened his respect for the risks, and it set him on a new path. Two years later, he returned to Mont Blanc, far better prepared, and finally made it to the top. He’s now climbed mountains all over the world — many of them with Viv, now his wife and mountaineering partner. She’d grown tired of waiting anxiously at home, so she started climbing too. Years later, on a tipsy night in Italy, Cris spotted another Montblanc store and finally walked inside. He told the attendant the full story — how the mountain changed his life. Then he asked if he could get a discount on a watch. The answer? A flat, unimpressed “Sorry, sir, I don’t speak English.” Still, Cris says he doesn’t regret a thing. He never got the watch, but he found what he was missing: direction, resilience, and a sense of purpose. He still keeps in touch with James and Matt. They’re planning to reunite soon for what James calls a “survivors’ reunion.” “It’s a bit like old soldiers meeting after a war,” he says. As for Cris, he’s focused on a new goal — climbing the world’s highest peaks from sea level to summit. But no matter how far he climbs, Mont Blanc — and the people he met there — remain close. “When I reflect on everything that happened,” Cris says, “in a way, I feel that they saved my life.”

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Extremely Rare 1586 Tudor Map of Kingsbridge to Go on Display in Exeter After Centuries Hidden

A rare Tudor-era map of a Devon town is set to go on public display for the first time in over 400 years. The 1586 hand-drawn map of Kingsbridge, described as “extremely rare” by historians, has been secured by the South West Heritage Trust after centuries in private hands. Thanks to a £17,691 grant from the Friends of the National Libraries, along with support from the Friends of Devon Archives, the map will be housed at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter. “This is an exceptional example,” said Geordie Greig, chair of the Friends of the National Libraries. “Estate maps of the 16th century are extremely rare, and this sort of view even rarer.” The map offers a remarkably detailed glimpse into Elizabethan life in a provincial English town. It features illustrations of key landmarks including the parish church, a pillory, and the ‘Cheape House’ — a prominent building on the town’s main street that served as the manor court until its demolition in 1796. Despite being more than four centuries old, the document is in “outstanding condition,” according to the trust. It was likely commissioned by Sir John Petre, lord of the manor at the time, and maps land belonging to the Petre family — a powerful name in Devon’s history. Sir John’s father, Sir William Petre, held senior political roles under four monarchs, serving as Secretary of State to Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and briefly under Elizabeth I. “Contemporary visual representations of provincial towns from the Elizabethan period are remarkably scarce,” said Scott Pettitt, head of Devon archives and local studies. “Illustrations of smaller towns from this era are seldom found.” The trust said the map’s arrival at the Devon Heritage Centre means it will now be preserved and made accessible to academics, local historians, and the public. “We are delighted that this important piece of Devon’s past will now be preserved and made accessible for everyone,” Pettitt added.

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