Things To Do near Shapley Common
Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement (English Heritage), Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Explore Dartmoor and you'll encounter a high number of abandoned sites dating from the medieval period. The most famous is English Heritage's Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement. A hamlet, Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement consists of eleven buildings including longhou...
The Green, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
The Green is the focal point of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Surrounded by shops, cafes, pub, church and its associated buildings, the village green is a great place to relax after a wander. A local information board provides a historical perspective. 'The Village Green was once known as 'butte pa...
Bonehill Rocks, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Bonehill Rocks and nearby Hound Tor are two of the most popular places on Dartmoor to enjoy bouldering. When visiting, you're likely to see people climbing the rocks without ropes using a cushioned mat on the ground for protection. Bonehill Rocks overlook Widecombe-in-the-Moor so the area gets bu...
Moretonhampstead Public Art/Sculpture ('Dartmoor Flight'), Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
One of the highlights of Moretonhampstead is its public art/sculptures. From a sparrowhawk to Dartmoor ponies, barn owl to relief panels, the town is full of creative goodness. These beautiful works were created by a group of artists lead by Roger Dean as part of a project called 'Dartmoor Flig...
Hunter's Tor Hillfort, Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
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...
The White Hart, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Gateway to Dartmoor There's a cluster of pubs, cafes and restaurants around the town square in the heart of Moretonhampstead. The White Hart is one of them. It's a great place to stop for lunch when exploring the surrounding area. Eat in the restaurant or bar. Menus are available on The Whit...
Houndtor Down, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Houndtor Down is home to Hound Tor, Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement (English Heritage) and Holwell Lawn. The latter has one of the best bluebell showings in Dartmoor National Park. Houndtor Down was used for crops and livestock during the medieval period when the abovementioned settl...
Widecombe Fair, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Whilst not the biggest, Widecombe hosts arguably the most famous of Dartmoor's many fairs and shows. It takes place on the second Tuesday of September so in 2016 Widecombe Fair is on Tuesday 13th September. The fair is synonymous with the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair which is celebrated in sign...
The Old Inn, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Dartmoor's most famous village Widecombe-in-the-Moor is Dartmoor's most famous village. Easily accessible and located below some of the most beautiful moorland in the National Park, the area is packed with things to do and places to visit. Build your day around a pub lunch or cream tea in The Old...
Dartmoor North To South Walk In A Day, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
You can walk from Belstone near the northern border of Dartmoor down to Ivybridge on the southern border of the National Park in a day. Providing you don't get lost, it takes roughly twelve hours so you'll need to do it when there are sufficient daylight hours unless, of course, you want to walk by...
Sextons Cottage and Church House (National Trust), Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
A sexton maintained church buildings and the graveyard. The sexton's cottage was his home. The 'church house was the medieval equivalent of the church hall. Its chief purpose was to house the festivals and church ales which raised funds for many an English parish church until the rise of Puritanism'...
1638 Thunderstorm, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Inside Widecombe St Pancras Church, at the base of the tower, are four wallboards telling the story of the 1638 Thunderstorm. The following transcription was taken from photos. 'It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lam.III.2.2. The merciful a...
Widecombe St Pancras Church, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
The 'Cathedral of the Moor'. In East Dartmoor, and dominating the popular moorland village of Widecombe in the Moor, Widecombe St Pancras Church dates from the 1300s. Wallboards within the church tell a story of a fire-ball passing through the church and killing four people as a result of a light...
Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
[Main photo: the entrance to Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre] Whitehorse Hill excavation and Dartmoor’s remarkable prehistory In 2011, on Dartmoor’s north moor close to the headwaters of the Dart and Teign, a team of archaeologists excavated a rare prehistoric burial site...
The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
When visiting Widecombe St Pancras Church, look out for The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse. Inspired by the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair, 'in the late 1950's a retired sailor from Drewsteignton made a mechanical model of Uncle Tom Cobley and the Grey Mare. The automation was exhibited at Widecombe Fair...