Dartmoor National Park Authority

Many of Dartmoor’s ancient tracks are marked by granite crosses, some mark the routes between the medieval abbeys. Other crosses were set up in villages or churchyards. Most are just a simple cross-head with short arms, some also have crosses incised upon them. Read about the microchipping project.

Other styles of granite stones, have been set upright on Dartmoor for many hundreds of years. These served many purposes: from defining parish and manor bounds to marking the military ranges. Guide stones mark routes between ancient settlements and milestones mark the distance between two or more places.

Clapper bridges are one of Dartmoor’s best loved features and are composed of slabs of granite (clappers); they vary from a single clapper laid from bank to bank, over a stream to those comprising several clappers supported by stone piers midstream.

Advantage was taken of the abundant supply of water on Dartmoor for human and animal use and to supply power for various industrial processes. Leats were dug to carry water from the streams and rivers, these followed the natural contours and there are numerous examples still to be seen today, some still carrying water, whilst only the dry beds of others remain. The longest leats were those built to bring water to the expanding towns of Devonport and Plymouth

See also Historic Features