Dartmoor's Archaeological Heritage

Dartmoor’s archaeological heritage is quite outstanding in terms of the quantity and the quality of the archaeological remains which can be found all over the Moor. These remains are astonishing evidence for the way in which, over the last six thousand years, people have lived, worked, defined and divided the moorland; quarried, mined and exploited its natural resources; practised their beliefs and buried their dead over many millennia.

The survival of this wealth of archaeology is due in part to the robust nature of granite used for their construction and in part because of the relative lack of exploitation of the Moor in more recent times.

A Guide to the Archaeology of Dartmoorbooklet is available from the High Moorland Visitor Centre or from the online shop.

There are over 1,200 scheduled sites on Dartmoor, these are sites , often privately owned, which because of their national importance are protected by law. Any proposal of work or other activities which will affect them needs prior permission from English Heritage, the national body responsible for advising the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on such matters. English Heritage (external link, opens new window)

Further information and advisory leaflets can be found on the HELM (Historic Environment Local Management) site: www.helm.org.uk (external link, opens new window)