DNPA Chair Pamela Woods carrying out the turf-cutting. L-R: NPS South West Project Manager Claire Walkey, DNPA’s Head of Communications and Fundraising Sam Hill, Duchy of Cornwall’s Land Agent Tom Stratton, DNPA Chair Pamela Woods, DNPA Member Andrew Cooper, DNPA Member Mark Renders, Fifield Construction’s Contracts Manager Sheri Noad, Fifield Construction’s Site Manager David Indge.

Turf cutting marks Postbridge Visitor Centre construction start

An new chapter in Dartmoor’s history began today with a ceremonial turf cutting to mark the start of building work at Postbridge Visitor Centre.

The project to extend the visitor centre, built on land leased to Dartmoor National Park Authority by the Duchy of Cornwall, seeks to enhance the experience for visitors and tell the fascinating story of Dartmoor’s Bronze Age past in more detail.

Pamela Woods, Chair of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: “This is a milestone moment for Dartmoor: in committing spade to soil we are breaking new ground and moving forward with our exciting plans to celebrate and share more aspects of Dartmoor’s cultural heritage.

“Dartmoor is the most important area for Bronze Age archaeology in Western Europe. The Postbridge extension gives us a wonderful opportunity to help people understand this beautiful area’s history and connect with the people who lived and worked here thousands of years ago.

“Our ambition is to create a building which, while respecting the past and the moorland environment, will serve people – both residents and visitors - who want to connect with Dartmoor for years to come. We’re very grateful to our partners, in particular the Duchy of Cornwall, for their continued co-operation and support.”

DNPA successfully secured £500,000 in funding from the Rural Development Programme for England to fund the building works. The large, single-storey extension will provide new fully accessible exhibition space with interactive displays, part of which chronicle the archaeological story of the Bronze Age finds at Whitehorse Hill.

Excavations in 2011 revealed a grave containing the cremated remains of a young adult and other items which had been placed in the cist in the early Bronze Age. The objects showed that, far from being isolated, the community had contacts with a wider world and were able to acquire materials such as amber from as far away as the Baltic.

Agent for the Duchy of Cornwall Tom Stratton said: “The Duchy is pleased to be able to support this project which will enhance the visitor experience to Postbridge and the extent and quality of information provided to visitors with, we hope, economic benefit to both the village and surrounding area.”

In May 2019, DNPA opened an improved interpretation offer at Postbridge, telling the story of Bronze Age Dartmoor and the Whitehorse Hill finds. It was funded, in part, through the National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership, Moor than meets the eye [MTMTE].

CAD Architects designed the new centre. Exeter-based Fifield Construction are contracted to carry out the work and NPS South West are project managing the scheme.

Building work will last 32 weeks with the centre due to reopen in July 2020.

Inevitably the work will mean there will be some disruption but every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum. Part of the car park and the toilets will remain open during this period. During Postbridge’s closure, the nearest visitor centre is Princetown.