Castles & Fortifications in Dartmoor National Park
Castle Drogo (National Trust), Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Family attraction The last castle to be built in England, Castle Drogo is located on a spur of land at the mouth of the magnificent Teign Gorge (National Trust) in the north east section of Dartmoor National Park. Chagford is to the south west. The pretty village Drewsteignton is nearby. Castl...
Okehampton Castle (English Heritage), Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park
Family attraction Okehampton Castle is an English Heritage property located on the north west border of Dartmoor National Park. The castle is situated near the only two mountains in southern England. To visit, head for Okehampton. Once you are in the town, the castle is well signposted. We've...
Brentor Hillfort, North Brentor, Dartmoor National Park
Brentor Hillfort is one of Dartmoor National Park's many attractions and we'll be adding more information shortly.
Hembury Hillfort, Buckfast, Dartmoor National Park
Hembury Hillfort is located at the top of the National Trust's Hembury Woods near Ashburton and Buckfastleigh. A National Trust information board by the northern entrance to Hembury Hillfort states that 'Hembury Castle was built in two phases, an Iron Age hillfort followed by the construction of...
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 '...
Nattadon Hillfort, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor National Park is known for its rich prehistory. From burial chambers to stone rows, standing stones to enigmatic stone circles, visitors come from around the world to see its ancient monuments and settlements. There are also many interesting features from later periods. If you like walking,...
East Hill Hillfort, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park
By the north border of Dartmoor National Park, at the northernmost point of the moor where the land sweeps down to Okehampton and the Mid Devon countryside, is a spur of land above the place where the East Okement River meets the smaller Moor Brook. Marked as a 'Settlement' on the Ordnance Survey Ex...
Prestonbury Castle Hillfort, Drewsteignton, Dartmoor National Park
There are four 'castles' in the Teign Gorge/Fingle Woods area of Dartmoor National Park. The National Trust's Castle Drogo guards the mouth of the gorge. South of the River Teign, overlooking Drogo, is the Iron Age hillfort Cranbrook Castle. Downstream, towering above the Dartmoor beauty spot Fingle...
Wooston Castle Hillfort, Drewsteignton, Dartmoor National Park
Look at the location of Wooston Castle Hillfort on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map and you'll see that it appears to occupy a strange site in woodland about half way up a valley wall in Fingle Woods (National Trust/Woodland Trust). Visit and you'll be rewarded with exceptional views...
Gidleigh Castle (Landmark Only), Gidleigh, Dartmoor National Park
An information leaflet from the church next door to the castle reads: 'Gidleigh Castle dates from about 1324 and was built over an earlier castle by William le Prouz, a powerful knight and overlord in the district. It was never a true castle in the military sense, but rather a fortified manor hou...
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...
Lydford The Norman Castle, Lydford, Dartmoor National Park
An information board on site reads: 'The earthwork is all that remains of a small Norman castle which was probably built in the late 11th century in the years of consolidation after the Norman conquest. It holds a dominant position in the corner of the defended Saxon town. The castle was a 'ri...
Lydford Castle (English Heritage), Lydford, Dartmoor National Park
Lydford Castle is an English Heritage property at the heart of a beautiful and historically important village on the western border of Dartmoor National Park. According to English Heritage, 'Lydford Castle was probably built about 1195 to serve as a prison'. During the medieval period, conditions at...
White Tor Fort/Neolithic Enclosure, Peter Tavy, Dartmoor National Park
If you're interested in the history and prehistory of Dartmoor National Park, buy a copy of Phil Newman's 'The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor'. In chapter 2, which covers the 'Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age', there's a section on tor enclosures. Newman writes: 'Two somewhat enigmatic sites that ma...