Princetown is a small village of about 1,500 people sitting high on Dartmoor in Devon, roughly 15 miles from Plymouth and within easy reach of Exeter. It started life as a settlement in the late 1700s, and its identity has been shaped ever since by one very famous neighbour: Dartmoor Prison. The prison, finished in the early 1800s to hold prisoners of war from the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, temporarily closed in 2024 after reports of prolonged radiation exposure, and its long-term future remains uncertain. The Dartmoor Prison Museum, however, is still open daily — and dogs are welcome. Housed in the former prison dairy, it covers everything from wartime inmates and WWI conscientious objectors to modern incarceration, with displays including antique keys, confiscated homemade tattoo guns, and artwork made by prisoners.
The prison's influence runs through the whole village. St. Michael's & All Angels, a 19th-century granite church a few minutes' walk from the museum, was built with prison labour and has a stained glass window commemorating American prisoners who died at Dartmoor. Then there's the beer. Dartmoor Brewery, founded in 1994, brews Jail Ale — a citrus-and-caramel pint that took gold in the premium bitters category at CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain Area Awards for 2026. The Prince of Wales pub, dating to 1852, is where the brewery started and where Jail Ale and the malty Legend are on tap, alongside a beef and ale pie made with Legend. The Plume of Feathers, possibly the village's oldest building and older than the prison itself, pours local beers too — and has a grassy campsite behind it for tents and motorhomes, so the brewery is literally at your tent flap.
Princetown's real selling point is what surrounds it. Dartmoor National Park covers 368 square miles of moorland, granite outcrops and woodland. Wistman's Wood, one of Britain's oldest forests and a place with more than a touch of legend about it, is a 10-minute drive away — go prepared, as the terrain is rough and muddy. Foggintor Quarry, just over two miles on foot from the village, has moss-covered cliffs and stone remains from its quarrying days, which ended in the early 20th century. Anglers can get a permit for the trout fishery at Burrator Reservoir, built in 1898, which also has walking paths and a Discovery Centre; cyclists can reach it via the old Princetown Railway route, though it's a demanding ride. Lydford Gorge, with its waterfall hike and the bubbling "Devil's Cauldron" pool, is about 30 minutes away.
Princetown suits travellers who want moorland walking, a bit of odd history and a proper pint at the end of the day, without crowds. A car makes life much easier — take the train to Plymouth or Exeter and hire one there. Sleep options range from cosy B&Bs to that pub campsite, keeping the trip firmly budget-friendly.
