Dartmoor Prison Museum, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
Two of the most grim yet fascinating visitor attractions in the Westcountry can be found on its high moors. On Bodmin is Bodmin Jail. On Dartmoor is Dartmoor Prison Museum.
Dartmoor Prison dominates Princetown. Just up the road from the prison's famous main entrance, in a building that was once the old prison dairy, is Dartmoor Prison Museum. The collection is packed into a relatively small space and tells the story of Dartmoor Prison from its beginnings as a prisoner of war camp to modern times.
Displays provide information on the lives of famous inmates and objects found in the prison including a number of homemade weapons. Downstairs, you'll see cells and an A frame used for corporal punishment. The low risk inmates today take the place of some of the UK's most violent and hardened criminals of the past.
There's parking outside the museum. You can also wander up from Princetown's main car park by Princetown National Park Visitor Centre.
Plan for a couple of hours as there's a lot to see and read.
We've positioned Dartmoor Prison Museum on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location.
Photo Gallery
