History & Heritage in Dartmoor National Park
Teignhead Farm (Ruins), Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Whilst chatting to a local farmer on Thornworthy Tor, we were told that two farms lay in ruins or were submerged by water in Fernworthy Forest and Fernworthy Reservoir. Another ruined farm lies just west of the forest near Sittaford Tor, Quintin's Man and the source of the North Teign River. This is...
Teignhead Farm Clapper Bridge, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
The North Teign River can be a formidable natural barrier preventing you from walking to Dartmoor's north plateau from the Chagford, Fernworthy Forest and Postbridge areas. Thankfully, there are a number of clapper bridges providing safe passage over the water. The most famous is Teign-e-ver Clapper...
Whitehorse Hill Peat Passes and Memorials, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor's north plateau consists of rough cut moorland that can be difficult to cross. Peat passes help. There are a number around Whitehorse Hill. If you are walking to Whitehorse Hill from nearby Hangingstone Hill, it's likely you'll follow the peat pass on the eastern flank of the hill. By fo...
Whitehorse Hill Cist, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park
Whitehorse Hill is a remote, shallow-domed hill on Dartmoor National Park's north plateau. A cist is a prehistoric burial chest made from slabs of granite. In 1999, a cist was discovered on Whitehorse Hill. In 2011, this burial chest was excavated. It was the first excavation of a prehistoric burial...
Zeal Tor Tramway (Dismantled), South Brent, Dartmoor National Park
In his 'Guide To Dartmoor', William Crossing wrote: 'This track is really an old tramroad, over which peat was once conveyed to some naphtha works at Shipley, on the verge of Brent Moor. It has been disused for a very long time, but I can remember when the rails, which were of wood, bolted to blo...
Dunsford St Mary's Church, Dunsford, Dartmoor National Park
According to the 'Village of Dunsford' website, 'there has been a place of worship here since Saxon times. The present building dates from the 1420s'. Using information provided by English Heritage, the 'British Listed Buildings' website states that the 'church was dedicated in 1261 but the prese...
Christow St James' Church, Christow, Dartmoor National Park
According to the church's website, 'the origins of St James Christow go back to the 13th century, with the present building dating largely from the 15th century, with substantial repairs in the 17th and 19th centuries'. One of a high number of churches in and around the Teign Valley on the north...
Rattlebrook Peatworks (Disused), Lydford, Dartmoor National Park
In his 'Guide to Dartmoor', William Crossing wrote: 'These works were established in 1878, and the railway from Bridestowe Station for the conveyance of the peat was cut in the following year. Operations did not continue very long, nor have the endeavours to re-start them that have more than once...
Rattlebrook Peatworks Railway (Disused), Lydford, Dartmoor National Park
Rattlebrook Peatworks (Disused) was a commercial venture selling peat from Dartmoor's high moorland. Rattlebrook Peatworks Railway (Disused) was built to transport this peat from the moor to Bridestowe. Today, the disused trackbed of the peatworks railway provides safe and easy access to Dartmoor's...
Norsworthy Bridge, Yelverton, Dartmoor National Park
We include Norsworthy Bridge as a point of reference. Located at the eastern end of Burrator Reservoir, there's a large car parking area by the bridge. It's on a ring road that runs around the water. Norsworthy Bridge is a great place from which to walk to Down Tor and Down Tor Stone Row (Hingsto...
Fernworthy Cairn Circle and Cist, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Superb example of a burial chamber, or cist, on the edge of Fernworthy Reservoir. We've positioned Fernworthy Cairn Circle and Cist on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location. To visit, we'd recommend starting from the car park at the entrance to Fernworthy F...
Hunter's Tor Hillfort, Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park
Zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting of the accompanying Google map and you'll see the outline of an Iron Age hillfort next to the rocky outcrop Hunter's Tor. On the ground, these earthworks are heavily weathered and are best seen when the sun is low in the sky. Winter is a great time to explore the a...
Fernworthy Hut Circles, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Fernworthy Forest and the surrounding moorland are home to a high number of prehistoric sites. Highlights include Fernworthy Stone Circle and Hurston Ridge/Chagford Common Stone Row. The most common prehistoric sites you'll see are hut circles. There's a particularly good example just off...
Erme Pits, Sheepstor, Dartmoor National Park
Follow the path marked Abbot's Way on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map from either the east or west and you'll cross the heart of Dartmoor's south plateau. Where the Abbot's Way crosses Erme Head Ford by Erme Head are a number of very deep pits known as Erme Pits. These are the...
Foxworthy Bridge, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park
Foxworthy is a hamlet at the top of the Bovey Valley. There's a good, stone bridge spanning the River Bovey here. Foxworthy Bridge is the most convenient way to get from Manaton to the stunning Lustleigh Cleave and Hunter's Tor or vice versa. Note that you can cross the River Bovey downstrea...