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| An independent voice and a forum for debate for those who find Dartmoor a source of livelihood or inspiration |
The following events have been organised over the next few months. More details can be found in our Newsletters. New events are normally added to the website to coincide with Newsletters being posted.
Please use the Book Now buttons to book places and pay online.
If you are a Dartmoor Society member please sign into the Member Centre beforehand so you can book places for members-only events and not need to enter all your contact details every time.
When our events are over-subscribed, waiting lists are created. If you find that you cannot attend an event you have booked for, please email events@dartmoorsociety.com as soon as possible. Your place can then be allocated to someone else.
Wednesday 15th February, 2:00pm – 4:45pm
Ashburton Museum, 1 West Street, Ashburton, TQ13 7DT
Members and guests only – please sign in to book.
Following the success of our visit to Okehampton Museum in February 2022, we have planned a visit to Ashburton Museum this time. Ashburton is one of Dartmoor’s four Stannary towns that administered the Dartmoor tin industry. The museum lies in the heart of Ashburton in a listed building formerly a brush factory. This will be followed by a tour of the town, guided by architect Brian Lewis.
2.00pm Ashburton Museum.
3.15pm A walk around Ashburton with local expert Brian Lewis who will introduce us to the architectural gems of this fascinating town. Ashburton prospered from tin and wool and from its strategic position as a coaching stop placed half way between Exeter and Plymouth. Known for its slate facades and its charming mix of historic buildings, there is a lot to see and little has changed since the 19th century.
4.45pm Finish.
Book online or phone Bill Murray on 01647 231297.
Saturday 15th April, 2:00pm – 4:30pm
The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock, PL19 8BB
We look forward to welcoming members to the historic Bedford Hotel in the centre of Tavistock. This year we will be discussing and voting on some changes to the constitution, and introducing a new category of student membership.
Our speaker will be Helen Booker, senior conservationist with the RSPB. Helen has kindly agreed to talk about her work on Dartmoor.
Please book if you will be attending as coffee and biscuits will be served. If you are unable to book online please phone Bill Murray on 01647 231297.
Wednesday 10th May, 2:30pm – 4:30pm
TQ13 7PP
Members only – please sign in to book.
On our farm visit this year we will be the guests of Charlotte Faulkner. Charlotte is chair of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association and in 2011 she was presented with the the Dartmoor Society award for successfully raising the profile of the Dartmoor Hill Pony both nationally and internationally. In 2013 she was a key speaker at our debate ‘What Future for Hill Ponies on Dartmoor?’.
More recently the DHPA have undertaken research to obtain better recognition of the value of Dartmoor hill ponies that can sustain themselves through Dartmoor winters. It is part of the move to find financial incentives for farmers to keep them and to raise awareness of their rare and valuable genetic qualities.
In October 2022 genetic testing was carried out at selected Drifts in the Western quarter of the moor and the Dartmoor Society contributed to the cost of this which was in association with Aberystwyth University. The testing is carried out at Neogen labs in Scotland. The grant was specifically for genetic testing of ponies that remain outdoors on Dartmoor all year round, to identify the unique gene pool that allows them to survive in harsh conditions, thrive on inferior pasture and stay in good condition in these environments.
We will be given a tour of the farm where much of the practical work with Dartmoor Hill Ponies is carried out and the event will be rounded off with tea and cake.
If you are unable to book online please phone Bill Murray 01647 231297.
Sunday 18th June
Our June event will be a walk and talk incorporating a visit to one of the churches along this new and beautiful route. The Devon Pilgrim website describes the route:
Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims past and present on The Archangel’s Way across the north of Dartmoor, from towering St Michael’s church atop Brentor to St Michael the Archangel’s in Chagford, a bustling market town. Throughout the route there are indications of how man has connected with the unique landscape to live as an interconnected part of it, from the Neolithic stone circles and ancient wells to more recent industrial past. The Archangel’s Way invites you to breathe deep, become more conscious of your spirit and spend some time to re-connect.
Tuesday 3rd October, 7:30pm
Ashburton Arts Centre, 15 West St, Ashburton, TQ13 7DT
We are very pleased that Tom Greeves will be returning to Dartmoor to give a talk on Francis Bedford, one of the earliest Dartmoor photographers.
Francis Bedford (1815–1894) was one of the finest landscape photographers of the Victorian era. He had a national and international reputation, having been commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1862 to accompany her son Edward (later Edward VII) on a tour of the Middle East. He also documented several parts of England between about 1865 and 1875, including Devon and Dartmoor.
Tom Greeves has studied and collected early photographic images of Dartmoor for more than twenty years. His book Dartmoor’s Earliest Photographs – Landscape & Place 1860–1880 was the first compilation of these. (Published in 2015 by
Twelveheads, ISBN: 9780906294802)
The talk will explore the significance of these earliest images of Dartmoor and will reveal several newly discovered examples not seen for 150 years.
More details and online booking to follow.
