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Budleigh Salterton’s Fairlynch Museum unearths a talent young archaeologist!

Thursday, 25 June 2026 08:00

By Julie Green

A young Devon archaeologist has been recognised by Budleigh Salterton’s Fairlynch Museum for her work researching, studying and discovering Devon’s past.

Lilian Threlkeld was this year’s recipient of the Colmer Prize. She was selected for her work on the way the region’s prehistoric coastal inhabitants used the resources of the sea. Lilian, who’s 22 and comes from Hartland in North Devon also made a significant contribution to the University’s field school at Halberton Roman Villa near Tiverton.

The annual prize was set up in honour of the Fairlynch Museum’s benefactors Tony Colmer and his wife Angela. Until Angela’s death in 2007 and Tony’s in 2011 they worked tirelessly for the Museum, developing the archaeology collection and championing the area’s history. The award is funded by the Museum and made in conjunction with the University of Exeter.

Lilian explained, “I’m delighted to have been chosen for the award and it recognises the rich history we have in the area. So much of the coastal area I looked at is now underwater following the last Ice Age but so much information has been left behind in the shell middens, for example. The shells themselves were very useful at the time but are even more important to people like us trying to piece together how they lived 10,000 years ago.” She’s now finished her degree but is staying on to take an MSc, a master’s in Zooarchaeology.

Susan Greaney, who lectures in Archaeology at the University of Exeter. said, “Lilian’s work was outstanding and she has played a key part in building a sense of community in the archaeology department, particularly working as a student intern assisting our technical team.”   

The Fairlynch Museum’s chairman, Trevor Waddington, said, “The sort of work that young archaeologists like Lilian undertake really enriches our understanding of the past. We pride ourselves on our archaeology gallery. It is so important to reveal fresh secrets and the award pays tribute to the work that Angela and Tony did for the museum and encourages a new generation of archaeologists. “

The Fairlynch’s Curator of Archaeology, Jan Oke, was the first recipient of the award in 2016. She said “Lilian is the ideal recipient of the award and it’s good to see it in such good hands!”

The Fairlynch is open from Easter to the end of Oct from 2.00 - 4.30 Tuesday - Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays.

Entry is free to Friends of Fairlynch and children under 16. £2.50 to everyone else, every penny helps to keep our beautiful museum open

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