Dartmoor Prison Museum - Prisoner of War Cemetery Tour

Dartmoor Prison opened on 24th May 1809 as a prisoner of war depot to take prisoners from the war with Napoleon. On 18th June 1812 Britain found itself at war with the United States so on 3rd April 1813, Dartmoor began to receive prisoners from this war. Dartmoor remained a prisoner of war depot until February 1816 and during this time nearly 1500 perished within its walls, to be buried in shallow graves out on the moor. It was not until 1866 that plans were made to collect the remains of these prisoners and have them interred in specially constructed cemeteries. These burial grounds still stand today.

Join Curator of the Dartmoor Prison Museum, Paul Finegan for an entertaining and informative guided walk to the cemeteries, where you will also hear some anecdotes about the prison itself and see the sites these tales occurred.

Timings

Sunday 13 September:

1200

Location & directions

Dartmoor Prison Museum, Tor View, Princetown, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6RR

Directions:

The Prison Museum is located 250 yards from the main prison. It has its own car park.

Contact on day:

Paul Finegan

Telephone number:

+447734058760

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking preferred

Booking conditions:

Due to limited numbers you are advised to pre-book either by email, phone or in person at the Dartmoor Prison Museum.

Booking contact name:

Paul Finegan

Booking telephone number:

+447734058760

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

01 Jun 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

10 Sep 2026 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

The weather in Princetown can be unpredictable so it is advisable to wear warm, waterproof clothing and appropriate footwear. The walk itself mainly on a tarmac surface although the ground can be soft in the cemeteries themselves.

Additional information

There is an opportunity after this event to join in the tower tours of St Michael's Church in Princetown. As a follow on, you can tour the churchyard and see the sites of convict burials of those who died at Dartmoor convict prison.

Max number of people:

30

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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