10 July 2007
Free Dartmoor stone walling event
 | If you would like to learn about the skills needed to maintain Dartmoor’s dry stone walls – then make a note in your diary for Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 July 2007. Dartmoor National Park Authority has organised two free demonstration days where Master Craftsman Dave Hannaford will be showing how to repair and rebuild dry stone walls. The demonstration days will be held at Ditsworthy Warren House, near Sheepstor, between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm each day. |
This is a great opportunity to see a working demonstration by Master Craftsman Mr M D Hannaford, an experienced instructor and founder member of the Devon Rural Skills Trust, as he carries out repairs to a historically significant wall (part of the boundary to Ditsworthy Warren House - the farmhouse to the former rabbit warren at Ditsworthy, where rabbits were bred commercially from late medieval times to the mid twentieth century). The site is on land owned by the Maristow Estate, who have kindly given permission for this event.
The demonstration will also be a chance to find out more about the dry stone walling training course that the Authority will be running in September 2007.
Those visiting the demonstration on Wednesday 18 July can also learn more about the history of rabbit warrening at Ditsworthy (which was the largest rabbit warren in England) on a free 3 hour guided walk led by a Dartmoor National Park Authority archaeologist.
The walk will also visit Drizzlecombe, one of Dartmoor’s most impressive and important prehistoric ceremonial/ritual sites, which contains 3 magnificent stone rows, believed to be over 4,000 years old. The Drizzlecombe area also contains a number of prehistoric round houses plus some medieval archaeology, including the longest longhouse on Dartmoor.
Parking for the demonstrations and the walk will be at the car park close to the Scout Hut at Ordnance Survey grid reference SX 5785 6729. The route to the site, which is about a fifteen-minute walk along a stone track, will be signposted. Those wishing to join the walk on Wednesday 18 July should meet at the car park at 2 pm.
Visitors to the demonstrations are welcome at any time between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm on either day (but please avoid the lunchtime break at around 1 pm).
For more information please contact Jane Marchand, Archaeologist, Dartmoor National Park Authority on (01626) 832093.
For Further Information
Jane Marchand, Archaeologist
Sue Halse, Land Management Officer
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are available on the Authority's website. The Agendas are placed on the Authority's web site 7 days in advance of the meetings.
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 In the news).
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Notes for Editors
Dartmoor’s stone walls are an integral part of the landscape, providing shelter and security for livestock and wildlife as well as being significant historical features. Their maintenance is only possible with the help and skill of local people. The Authority's very successful rural skills courses, run over the last 10 years, have provided new or more advanced training to over 150 trainees. Anyone is welcome to attend the demonstration days but priority for the training courses will be given to young farmers who live and/or work on Dartmoor and who will make use of their skills.
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 33,500 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 10 July 2007
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Page updated 9 July 2007
