Pictures of Lydford

About Lydford

This delightful town lies on the fringes of Dartmoor. It was fortified by the Anglo-Saxons against the Danes, and it was one of four places in the county of Devon to mint coins. Lydford in the Middle-Ages was perhaps best known as the headquarters of the tin-miners who virtually ruled Dartmoor.

One of the town's most fascinating features is the strong fragment of a castle of the late 12th century. The castle was built on the orders of King John and given to William Bruere, later it passed to King Henry III who gave it to his brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall in 1337. The fortunes of the castle fluctuated and in 1512 it was described as "one of the most heinous and detestable buildings in the realm" at this time it was being used as a prison. Amongst it inmates was Richard Strode MP, thrown in by the tinners through the introduction of a bill not to their liking. The ruin is now in the care of English Heritage and is open to public view.

The stunning countryside surrounding Lydford is mostly lovely pastoral countryside which hides a wealth of historic farms and cottages. Its leafy lanes offer peaceful walks, but the main attraction continues to be magnificent Lydford Gorge and the relic of Lydford Castle. The church though is worth more than a second glance, this has a wonderful screen from 1904, carved bench-ends and a graveyard covered with graves and tombs of centuries.

Lydford makes a pleasant place to stay whilst exploring the wonderful landscape of the Dartmoor National Park.