Towns & cities · South West England
Princetown
Princetown — village in Devon, United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–6 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Princetown is a town, city, village or settlement in the United Kingdom. Address: PL20. Wikidata describes it as: "village in Devon, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 50.5451°, -3.9942°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Princetown is a village located within Dartmoor national park in the English county of Devon. It is the principal settlement of the civil parish of Dartmoor Forest. At the 2021 census, the village had a population of 1,443. The village has its origins in 1785, when Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, then secretary to the Prince of Wales, leased a large area of moorland from the Duchy of Cornwall estate, hoping to convert it into good farmland. He encouraged people to live in the area and suggested that a prison be built there. He called the settlement Princetown after the Prince of Wales. Princetown is the site of Dartmoor Prison. At around 1,430 feet (435 m) above sea level, it is the highest settlement on the moor, and one of the highest in the United Kingdom. It is also the largest settlement located on the high moor. The Princetown Railway, closed in 1956, was also the highest railway line in England: its Princetown terminus was also 1,430 feet above sea level.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1780, a farm was reclaimed on the site of an ancient tenement near the Two Bridges, and in 1785, Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt set about improving the moor at a place which he named Tor Royal (present day Tor Royal Farm), about 1 km south-east of Princetown. A small town grew up near the prison. Two large inns were built during the war – the current Prince of Wales and the former Devil's Elbow / Railway Inn (now the Ramblers' Rest Guesthouse). Many of the prisoners had prize money to come from their own country; many others made their own money in their hammocks at night, even forging Bank of England and local bank notes, which they passed off in the great daily market held in the prison. With the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.5451, -3.9942
- County
- Devon
- District
- West Devon
- Parish
- Dartmoor Forest
- Postcode
- PL20
- Parliamentary constituency
- Torridge and Tavistock
Sources
- wikidata: Q1221024 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Princetown (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Princetown.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Church of St Michael, Princetown
Historic churches · 0.2 km
Princetown War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km
Dartmoor Distillery
Distilleries · 0.2 km
River Swincombe
Museums · 0.3 km
Plume of Feathers Campsite
Campsites · 0.4 km
HM Prison Dartmoor
Other places · 0.5 km
American Prisoner of War Cemetery
Cemeteries · 0.6 km
Prison View
Viewpoints · 0.6 km
H M Prison Dartmoor: Obelisk In The American Prisoner Of War Cemetery
Forts · 0.6 km
American and French Prisoners of War memorial garden
Memorials & monuments · 0.6 km
Dartmoor Prison Museum
Museums · 0.6 km
H M Prison Dartmoor: Obelisk In The French Prisoner Of War Cemetery
Forts · 0.7 km
Princetown is a town located in Devon, South West England. Our guide lists nearby attractions within reach.
At a glance
- Administrative county
- Devon
- Constituency
- Torridge and Tavistock
Things to see in Princetown
123 attractions within 12 km — showing the 24 most editorially-significant. Full guide: things to do in Princetown →
Flagship📷 10National parks · South West England
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is a National park in South West England.
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📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
A prehistoric settlement with cairns and a historic tin mill, streamwork and buildings lying adjacent to the Langcombe Brook
A prehistoric settlement with cairns and a historic tin mill, streamwork and buildings lying adjacent to the Langcombe Brook — archaeological site in Shaugh Prior, South Hams, England, UK.
📷 5Cemeteries · South West England
American Prisoner of War Cemetery
American Prisoner of War Cemetery is a cemetery in the United Kingdom.
📷 5
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📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Broadun prehistoric enclosed settlement, 780m NNW of Archerton
Broadun prehistoric enclosed settlement, 780m NNW of Archerton — archaeological site in Dartmoor Forest, West Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South West England
Childe's Tomb
Childe's Tomb is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic churches · South West England
Church of St Michael, Princetown
Church of St Michael, Princetown — church in Princetown, Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Cist south east of Roughtor Plantation
Cist south east of Roughtor Plantation — archaeological site in Sheepstor, West Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Natural landmarks · South West England
Crazywell Pool
Crazywell Pool — lake in Devon, England, UK.
📷 5
📷 5
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Drizzlecombe
Drizzlecombe — area in Dartmoor of archaeological significance.
📷 5Viewpoints · South West England
East Dart Waterfall
East Dart Waterfall is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and round cairn
Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and round cairn — archaeological site in Dartmoor Forest, West Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South West England
Hendra Camp
Hendra Camp is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement south of Foggintor Quarries, 1140m ENE of Criptor
Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement south of Foggintor Quarries, 1140m ENE of Criptor — archaeological site in Walkhampton, West Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Platform cairn and cist 80m south east of Calveslake Tor
Platform cairn and cist 80m south east of Calveslake Tor — archaeological site in Shaugh Prior, South Hams, England, UK.
📷 5
📷 3Archaeological sites · South West England
Roundy Park prehistoric enclosure and cairn with cist, 560m north east of Archerton
Roundy Park prehistoric enclosure and cairn with cist, 560m north east of Archerton — archaeological site in Dartmoor Forest, West Devon, England, UK.
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📷 3Archaeological sites · South West England
Two cairns and a cist 300yds (270m) NW of Swincombe intake
Two cairns and a cist 300yds (270m) NW of Swincombe intake — archaeological site in Dartmoor Forest, West Devon, England, UK.
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Wistman's Wood
Wistman's Wood — oakwood on Dartmoor, Devon, England.
Nearby
📷 5Historic churches · South West England
Church of St Michael, Princetown
Church of St Michael, Princetown — church in Princetown, Devon, England, UK.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Princetown War Memorial
Princetown War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Museums · South West England
River Swincombe
River Swincombe — a museum in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Plume of Feathers Campsite
Plume of Feathers Campsite — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5Other places · South West England
HM Prison Dartmoor
HM Prison Dartmoor — a other in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Princetown
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Plume of Feathers Campsite
Plume of Feathers Campsite — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5B&Bs · South West England
Tor Royal B&B
Tor Royal B&B — a bed-and-breakfast in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Beardown Farm
Beardown Farm — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Langstone Manor Park
Langstone Manor Park — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Tavistock, Camping & Caravan Club
Tavistock, Camping & Caravan Club — a campsite in england south west.
Places to eat & drink
📷 6Historic pubs · South West England
(White Hart Inn) Public House
(White Hart Inn) Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
Sir Francis Drake Public House
Sir Francis Drake Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South West England
The Cornish Arms
The Cornish Arms — a restaurant in england south west.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
Warren House Inn
Warren House Inn in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
Sportsmans Arms
Sportsmans Arms in England South West, United Kingdom.
More towns in this region
Flagship📷 10Towns & cities · South West England
Shoscombe
Shoscombe — village and civil parish in Somerset, UK.
Flagship📷 10Towns & cities · South West England
Tarrant Keyneston
Tarrant Keyneston — village and civil parish in Dorset, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Towns & cities · South West England
Arne
Arne — village in Purbeck, Dorset, United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Princetown?
- Princetown is in Devon, South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode PL20), in the parish of Dartmoor Forest.
- What is Princetown?
- Princetown — village in Devon, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Princetown?
- Drivers can use postcode PL20.
- Is Princetown free to visit?
- Yes, Princetown is free to enter.
- How do I get to Princetown?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode PL20. It sits within the Torridge and Tavistock parliamentary constituency.