A cheque has been given to Loddiswell Primary School from “Iron Age people” living at Blackdown Rings.

The cheque, for £1,025, was given to the school from the Arundell Trust, who look after the Iron Age site of Blackdown Rings in Loddiswell.

Paul Harvey, trustee of the Arundell Trust, explained to the children that “the money comes from a long time ago”.

He said: “Blackdown Rings is the oldest place where people lived, before Loddiswell even existed, and every year, if there is money left over from looking after Blackdown Rings, we put the money back into the parish.”

Previous organisations to benefit from the Arundell Trust from the last few years include the playing fields, the village hall and the church. This year the donations will go towards more books for the new library when the school moves to their new site in April.

The books that the school is using the donation for are phonic books, helping younger pupils to learn to read phonetically, which fall outside the funding from Devon County Council.

Paul added: “People from all those years ago are helping out people today. So you are receiving this cheque from Iron Age people!”

Lilia and Arthur from the school council accepted the cheque on behalf of their fellow pupils. Louise Nicholls, head of school, said: “A big thank you for helping is provide such a vital resource.”

Blackdown Rings was owned by the church, but following the English Reformation, it was purchased by Sir Thomas Arundell. In 1591 he gifted it to the Arundell Charity “for the use, good and behoof of the parishioners of Loddiswell”.

Loddiswell Primary are also looking for their old time capsule to dig up before they move to their new site, but no one is sure where it was buried. If you know, contact the school on 01548 550295.