History & Heritage in Dartmoor National Park
North Bovey St John's Church, North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park
St John's Church is situated in the heart of the village near the green and local pub. Dating from the 13th and 15th centuries, along with many other churches in the UK, it was restored in the 19th century. When visiting, buy a copy of the church guide for further information. There are many...
Dewerstone Fort/Neolithic Enclosure, Shaugh Prior, Dartmoor National Park
In his superb 'The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor', Phil Newman writes: 'Two somewhat enigmatic sites that may offer evidence of a Neolithic presence, apart from burial monuments, are the stone tor enclosures at Dewerstone and Whittor.' Nemwan notes that 'a curving double stone wall enclos...
Cranbrook Castle Hillfort, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
The National Trust's Castle Drogo dominates the western end of the Teign Gorge. Move east through this exceptionally beautiful area of high gorge walls and steep-sided wooded valleys from the Teign Gorge into Fingle Woods and you'll be passing three other 'castles'. Dating from the Iron Age, these '...
The Dewerstone Carrington Inscription, Shaugh Prior, Dartmoor National Park
Nicholas Thomas Carrington, or Nicholas Toms Carrington, was a poet. Born in Plymouth in 1777, he is known for two long poems called 'The Banks of the Tamar' and 'Dartmoor'. His name and the date of his death are cut into a rock at the top of Dewerstone Hill above the Dewerstone Crags. As you can se...
Longstone Manor (Ruins), Sheepstor, Dartmoor National Park
An information board on site reads: 'These are the ruins of the manor house at Longstone, the ancestral home of the Elford family, who were Lords of the Manor and Free Hamlet of Sheepstor and lived here until the middle of the 18th century. It has been suggested that much of the present building...
Cadover Bridge, Shaugh Prior, Dartmoor National Park
Cadover Bridge is a very popular visitor location near the south western border of Dartmoor National Park close to Plymouth and the South Devon coast. The local area is packed with things to do from walking to wild swimming, picnics to a pub lunch. We've positioned Cadover Bridge on Google m...
Haytor Granite Tramway, Haytor Vale, Dartmoor National Park
Up on Haytor Down, near Haytor Quarry, is a big lump of granite into which are carved the words Templer Way Haytor - Teignmouth. The Templer Way is a modern recreation trail following the route of the old Haytor Granite Tramway on which granite was transported from the high moor down to the...
Dartmoor Giant Chair, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park
[Sadly, Dartmoor Giant Chair is no longer on Dartmoor. This listing provides information about its creation, placement on Dartmoor and current location.] 'If you look west through the wrought iron gate' in The Manor Garden at Cranborne Estate in Dorset, 'you will see a wild flower garde...
Holwell Tor Quarries, Haytor Vale, Dartmoor National Park
When exploring Holwell Tor, you'll see quarries cut into its rocky outcrops. The granite extracted from these quarries was transported on the Haytor Granite Tramway down to Stover Canal where it was taken by water to Teignmouth at the eastern end of the Teign Estuary. We've positioned Holwel...
South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Dartmoor National Park
Family attraction. The River Dart rises as two rivers on the high north plateau of Dartmoor before joining at Dartmeet and then flowing down to the border of the National Park. From there, it meanders to Totnes and Dartmouth on the South Devon coast. The South Devon Railway follows the course of...
Holwell Tor Quarries Hut, Haytor Vale, Dartmoor National Park
You often see a line of schoolkids following the Haytor Granite Tramway to Holwell Tor. Whilst their teachers are introducing them to the history and beauty of the area, they are also taking their pupils to see the quirky Holwell Tor Quarries Hut. Quarry workers sheltered in the hut when using...
Moretonhampstead 1 and 2 The Almshouses, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park
One of the most impressive buildings in Dartmoor National Park, Moretonhampstead 1 and 2 The Almshouses are owned by the National Trust. If you're looking for historical information, visit the Moretonhampstead History Society website to which we provide an external link. 'Recorded as 'new' i...
Moretonhampstead St Andrew's Church, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park
Walk the high moorland, wooded valleys and rolling countryside of the east and north east sections of Dartmoor National Park and the tall tower of St Andrew's rising high above Moretonhampstead becomes a familiar sight. It's as distinctive a landmark as the more famous Widecombe St Pancras Chur...
Drewsteignton Holy Trinity Church, Drewsteignton, Dartmoor National Park
There's a large square in the middle of the Dartmoor village Drewsteignton. The church tower rises to the east of this square and dominates the village. 'Built mostly from the fifteenth century in the Perpendicular style' (source: the Drewsteignton parish website), the church is situated next to The...
Mardon Down Giant's Grave, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park
According to Phil Newman in his excellent 'The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor', 'it was Dean Jeremiah Milles of Exeter, President of the Society of Antiquaries, who first undertook archaeological fieldwork on Dartmoor barrows in 1752 on Mardon Down (Grinsell 1978, 87), and the literature of the early...