Aloha to Princetown - A Dartmoor Village (Devon, England)

The setting is a worthy one, if the devil did desire to have a hand in the affairs of men.

In 1901, Arthur Conan Doyle stayed at the Old Duchy Hotel in Princetown, Dartmoor, to write a new adventure for Sherlock Holmes. He incorporated a centuries old ghost story about a hell hound while drawing upon a real hell hole - the Dartmoor Prison. 

The Dutchy Hotel is now the National Park Visitor's Center with exhibits about Arthur Conan Doyle ...

... and Dartmoor's history, including this long stone from a Bronze Age site.

Outside is the War Memorial with many tributes, including silhouettes (top) and crosses (below). 

Walking northwest, I discovered the Church of St. Michael and All Angels.  It has a unique connection to the American military.  From the Church Conservation Trust (link),  

This simple, slender-towered Dartmoor church was built between 1812-14 by prisoners captured in the Napoleonic Wars with France, and the War of 1812 with the United States - they were held at Dartmoor prison.

The east window contains stained glass of 1910 in memory of the American prisoners who helped to build the church.

Although the church does not host regular services, it is still open for those seeking a quiet place.

Nearby is the actual prison which is still used today.  Signs state it is prohibited to take photographs of the granite building.  But I met a guard locking up his Mini .... 

... I commented on the patriotic roof!

On the day of my visit, Princetown was hosting an community event with fire rescue, including the new female recruit!

Emergency services also honored its "oldest" member - the chocolate lab. 

Despite its "grim" history, Princetown blooms with flowers like other Dartmoor Villages.

Princetown offers a variety of hikes along the former granite tramway to panoramic vistas of the tors (hills) surrounding the village.  No doubt these hikes include a hut cirlce or two.


Mahalo,

Kim

Next:  Hound Tor and Bowerman's Nose.

Aloha to Grimspound - Bronze Age Settlement on Dartmoor (Devon, England)

There rose ever, dark against the evening sky, the long, gloomy curve of the moor, broken by jagged and sinister hills. 

The sinister hills in THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES are home to Grimspound.  From English Heritage (link),

The best known of many prehistoric settlements on Dartmoor, Grimspound dates from the late Bronze Age (about 1450–700 BC). The remains of 24 stone roundhouses survive here, within a massive boundary wall about 150 metres in diameter. 

Let's go with an extra large with an image from Vince Hogg on Wikipedia. 

Here is an entrance to perimeter. 

Imagine living in one of the stone homes (with a thatched roof).

I am amazed that archaeologists can look at stones and understand their purpose.

  
The animals which graze on the open moorland don't pay attention to the history ... or the tourists.

When I returned to my car, I bumped into a "hen" party biking around Dartmoor!  They had electric bikes to help them up the hills. 

I recently read DEATH ON DARTMOOR by Robin Paige.  I was curious to read how the author captured Dartmoor.  Let me say she succeeded, including scenes in and around Grimspound.  I even sent an email to the author to tell her that!  

I know Stonehenge is a bigger draw, but I recommend Grimspound and other prehistoric sites on Dartmoor as they are more intimate (and less crowded) to explore.

Mahalo,

Kim

Next: Princetown

Aloha to Chagford - A Market Town on Dartmoor (Devon, England)

Villages on Dartmoor rely upon the larger market towns .... and the winding land from Gidleigh took me to Chagford.  As a market town, it dates back to the 1200s.  In 1305, it became one of four stannary towns authorized by the Crown to weigh and collect tin mined on Dartmoor.  No doubt the town endured good and bad times ... but through it all, flowers bloomed! 

Flowers are abundant in the private gardens along the streets ... 

... in rainbow colors.

I like this pub's name ... 

... and it's welcome to dogs! 

A family friend is the proprietor of The Dartmoor Shepherd.

After refreshing myself in Chagford, I was ready to hunt for prehistoric sites again.

Mahalo,

Kim

Next:  Grimspound - Dartmoor's largest Bronze Age settlement. 

Aloha to Gidleigh - A Dartmoor Village (Devon, England)

Back in August 2018, I was traveling around Devon, England with my mother.  She spent one weekend with friends, giving me the opportunity to explore Dartmoor on my own.

Driving around Dartmoor is not for the faint heart - the secondary roads to the small villages wind around hedgerows.  Often times, the road can only accommodate one vehicle - be prepared to back up to a passing area to let the oncoming tractor to pass!  Even though my mother grew up in Devon, she did not like the winding roads.  Hence, I used my "weekend off" to find those charming hamlets tucked away on Dartmoor National Park - an open moorland with granite outcrops overlooking picturesque valleys.

As I searched for prehistoric sites, I noticed signs for "Afternoon Tea" at the Gidleigh church. 

Gidleigh overflowed with gorgeous flowers.

I was delighted to see the sweet treats offered for Afternoon Tea - a monthly fundraiser for the church.

The fifteenth century church was surprising bright inside the granite exterior.    

The young people volunteering for the tea fundraiser demonstrated their community spirit.

I love the fresh flowers everywhere on Dartmoor!

What is your favorite treat for Afternoon Tea?

Mahalo,

Kim

Next:  Flowers in Chagford

Aloha to Belstone - A Dartmoor Village (Devon, England)

It's been some time since I posted on my travel blog - life was busy with a high school student! Alas, he graduated and headed off to Florida. I "retired" from the PTA and went back to work full time. The college freshman is home for self quarantine ... and I am working from home.

I finally downloaded pictures from two trips to England in August 2018 and August 2019. For both trips, I escorted by aging mother back to her "homeland" - Devon, England. I had a day here and there to myself.

One of my favorite places in Devon is Dartmoor National Park. From its website at dartmoor.gov.uk:

Dartmoor is beautiful, wild, and full of incredible places to explore. The granite that forms it was produced, in the depths of the earth, over 300 million years ago, and humankind has shaped it over the last 10,000 years. Together, they have made Dartmoor into a wonderful landscape, full of varied habitats, from wooded valleys and haymeadows to magnificent mires and the wild open moor.

Numerous "quintessential" villages are located on and around Dartmoor ... and let me introduce you to Belstone.

From the Belstone website at belstonevillage.net:

Nestling 1,000 feet up on the northern edge of Dartmoor, above the Skaigh Valley, where the river Taw tumbles over the rocks, lies a little haven of peace – Belstone. A village of only 250 inhabitants, this close and friendly community ranges in age from toddlers to those in their nineties.

I parked in Belstone with the intent of hiking out onto the Moor to see the "Nine Maidens" stone circle on the nearby moor. I stopped in the Tors Inn at thetorsinn.co.uk for directions. I spotted the cat above and the dinosaur below in the windows.

On the way to the moorland gate, I spotted this former telegraph office ... 

... I don't know if it found a new purpose ...

... but the telephone box did! How clever to become a defibrillator location!

Once on the moor, I walked along the bridle path in the direction of the Nine Maidens ... but the fog came over the rolling hills. I followed another couple back to Belstone so I would not become lost. You can learn more about the Nine Maidens at this link - I will have to meet them on another trip.

Back in the village, I popped into the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Like many churches on Dartmoor, it was built from the gloomy granite that actually ensured it stood for centuries to come. I found the Coat of Arms for Charles II on the wall.

On my way of of the village, I found a cottage ...

Determined to find some prehistoric stones, I followed the moorland map through winding lanes to hut circles in the direction of Gidleigh. Along the way I spotted a "local" enjoying the fresh air.

I pulled into the designated parking area and met Sue - she raises llamas for their wool. She and her dog led me the hut circles encased in the overgrown bracken.

What is a hut circle? From Legendary Dartmoor at legendarydartmoor.co.uk:

It is estimated that on Dartmoor there have been about 5,000 round houses identified so far. The majority of these features date to the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) which would date them to between 1400 to 1000BC.

I know it doesn't look like much, especially with the overgrown bracken. But I walked through the entrance and envisioned a prehistoric family living inside the rocks with a thatched roof. I'll share better pictures later of hut circles and stone rows from Grimspound - the largest prehistoric site on Dartmoor.

Have you visited any prehistoric sites?

Mahalo,

Kim

Next:  Afternoon tea in Gidleigh.