DARTMOOR’S amazing history is being celebrated in a new heritage day. 

Saturday, July 16, is dedicated to the National Park’s rich cultural heritage and a range of activities, events and talks are planned so people can get hands-on and closer to history.

Dartmoor Heritage Day is focused around ‘prehistoric Postbridge’ and is free to attend. People can drop in at any time although guided walks need to be booked in advance. 

Organiser Dartmoor National Park Authority is delighted to be joined by other organisations including Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group, Grimspound Border Morris, Dartmoor Heritage Pony Trust, Dartmoor Prison Museum, MED Theatre, plus many more.

People can learn more about prehistory in a guided walk with Archaeologist Dr Lee Bray, have a go at tin panning, learn about life inside one of the country’s most famous prisons and learn more about the most iconic of moorland animals, the Dartmoor pony. 

The event is part of a summer-long programme aimed at helping people explore Dartmoor, learn about its special qualities and understand how important it is.

Visitor services manager Rebecca Martin said: ‘We’re excited to bring people a new event that celebrates Dartmoor’s incredible heritage and find out about the history around us – history we’re still learning about today.

‘As well as guided walks and entertainment, people can pick up maps of trial guides from our visitor centre and go off exploring with their family or on their own.’

Dartmoor Heritage Day coincides with the Festival of Archaeology, an annual celebration of archaeology, running between July 16 and 31.

‘Dartmoor’s history and heritage is of national and international importance and is one of the reasons why it was designated as a National Park in 1951. Wherever in the National Park you are, you are never more than a few metres from an archaeological treasure whether that be a stone row, a medieval reave system, tumbled down tinners huts, quarries, old railway lines – even remains of an ice factory.’

‘The result is an important archaeological landscape preserving abundant remains of numerous types of industries which, alongside farming, have shaped Dartmoor over many centuries.

‘People can step inside a medieval longhouse, a rare surviving example of its type, with a guided visit of Higher Uppacott, or they can pick up a leaflet from any one of the three National Park Visitor Centres and explore granite tramways, tin mining and Bronze Age antiquities. 

Lots of other events and activities are planned throughout the summer, all of which celebrate different aspects of Dartmoor’s wildlife, nature and heritage including the return of Meldon Wildlife Festival on August 23. 

Check the website for most up to date information about the heritage day, future events and for tips on how best to plan a visit https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/enjoy-dartmoor/events/events-list/npa-events/prehistoric-postbridge