16 November 2005
Click on Virtually Dartmoor and enjoy a visit to the National Park
In partnership with the Dartmoor Trust, and funded by the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund and English Heritage, the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) has created an innovative new website to be launched on 25 November 2005.
Virtually Dartmoor provides a unique opportunity to explore aspects of Dartmoor’s heritage through immersive multi-media interactive tours, combining 360° panoramic images, the spoken word, and archive photographs. The site will be launched with an interactive visit to Higher Uppacott - a Grade I listed medieval longhouse, owned by the DNPA since 1979 - but will eventually include visits to a number of other locations, including Princetown, Haytor and Bellever.
Becky Newell, Oral History Project Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority said:
‘This distinctive new website was born out of the Authority’s “Moor Memories” oral history project which has identified strong links between people and places on the moor; we have found that recorded memories, combined with photographic images, can create a very powerful means of bringing a place to life. Higher Uppacott is one of the few remaining longhouses, a medieval farmhouse which accommodates both people and cattle, with its 14th century shippon, or cattle shelter, still intact.
The interactive visit to Higher Uppacott allows you to experience the house in the company of those who have an intimate knowledge of it, combining the memories of people who knew the house in the early part of the 20th century with archive photographs, contemporary 360° images of the house, and the voices of a variety of experts, who explain its historic development and special features.
Virtually Dartmoor was designed and built by Ashburton based web design company Integralvision. Integralvison has been involved with building a number of high profile web sites recently, including the new Broadband4Devon site.
Jack Maclachlan from Integralvision said:
‘We were extremely pleased to be asked to work on the Virtually Dartmoor site. Our offices lie within Dartmoor National Park and we are all keen to bring aspects of the moor to a wider audience. The virtual tour idea is a perfect way to use new technology to encourage interest in our local heritage.
We are used to building web sites that reflect our clients businesses, but there are always commercial considerations. Working on a web site project that is free from these constraints is exciting and rewarding, with many design decisions based on accessibility and aesthetics rather than business-related concerns.’
Visit www.virtuallydartmoor.org.uk from Friday 25 November 2005.
Ends
For Further Information
Becky Newell, Oral History Project Officer
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
For Further Information from Integralvision
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are now available on the Authority's website
You can receive an e-mail notification each time a News Release is issued by the Dartmoor National Park Authority (see www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk and click on News).
News Releases from all UK National Parks
Notes for Editors
The launch will take place at Dartmoor National Park Authority headquarters, Parke, Bovey Tracey, on Friday 25 November at 3.00pm. There will be cream teas, an opportunity to be among the first to visit the site, and a chance to meet the people involved in the creation of Virtually Dartmoor. Media representatives wishing to attend should contact Becky Newell.
Immersive, panoramic and selected still images used on Virtually Dartmoor were taken by Sphereworks Ltd, specialists in high quality photography. www.sphereworks.co.uk
The Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund was set up to encourage innovative sustainable development projects that help to improve the quality of life for current and future generations. The fund supports proposals that focus on environmental, economic, social and cultural aspects of life. The scheme is funded by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and managed locally by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. For further information contact Peter Joyce, Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority on (01626) 832093. Online information on the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund
English Heritage is the Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment and is responsible for protecting and promoting England’s unique legacy of historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites for the benefit of this and future generations. It also manages over 400 sites and welcomes more than 11 million visitors to these each year.
For full details please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk (external link, opens new window) or contact English Heritage customer services on 0870 333 1181.
Because of its location and the nature of its surroundings, Higher Uppacott is not routinely open to the public. However, Dartmoor National Park Authority organises guided walks to the property. The guided walks programme can be found on the Authority’s website or in its free newspaper, the Dartmoor Visitor. Groups of six or more people may arrange a visit through the Authority’s Guide Hire Service. Contact Dartmoor National Park Authority at Parke, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 9JQ. Tel: (01626) 832093
National Parks cover 10% of the land area of England, Wales and Scotland. They are of special value to the whole nation because of their great beauty, their wildlife and cultural interests and the opportunities they offer for quiet enjoyment. However, they are not nationally owned - the land is in the hands of many landowners or occupiers including farmers. Over 33,000 people live inside the Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
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This page last updated 16 November 2005
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