Prison Type Convict Prison
Date opened 1850 [1809]
Date closed post 1900 (still open)
Location Princetown, Yelverton Princetown
Map location exact or closely approximate
County Devon
Originally built 1809 and first used for prisoners of war until c1816. Reopened as a male convict public works prison in November 1850. Within five years the prison became reserved for less able-bodied convicts, and on the closure of Parkhurst as a juvenile prison received the remaining boys from that establishment. With the closure of Pentonville Prison (ID 1001) in 1885, Dartmoor was selected to receive male convicts for their probationary stage (separate confinement).
Prison Type Convict Prison
Date opened 1850 [1809]
Date closed post 1900 (still open)
Location Princetown, Yelverton Princetown
Map location exact or closely approximate
Lat. 50.549722 Long. -3.996111
County Devon
Originally built 1809 and first used for prisoners of war until c1816. Reopened as a male convict public works prison in November 1850. Within five years the prison became reserved for less able-bodied convicts, and on the closure of Parkhurst as a juvenile prison received the remaining boys from that establishment. With the closure of Pentonville Prison (ID 1001) in 1885, Dartmoor was selected to receive male convicts for their probationary stage (separate confinement).
Year 1853
Annual Confined - 1611
Daily Census - 1128
Year 1858
Annual Confined - 1654
Daily Census - 1198
Year 1863
Annual Confined - 1218
Daily Census - 742
Year 1868
Annual Confined - 840
Daily Census - 628
Year 1873
Annual Confined - 1136
Daily Census - 934
Year 1878
Annual Confined - 1186
Daily Census - 960
Year 1883
Annual Confined - 1454
Daily Census - 1122
Year 1888
Annual Confined - 1217
Daily Census - 1000
Year 1893
Annual Confined - 1531
Daily Census - 1075
Year 1898
Annual -
Daily Daily average - 881
Archive name: Dartmoor Prison Museum
Catalogue ref: None
Collection: None
Description: Miscellaneous small account books, mainly relating to food supplies to the Prison, weights of wool fleeces
Dates: late 19th century - mid 20th century
Archive name: Dartmoor Prison Museum
Catalogue ref: None
Collection: None
Description: Spirits book
Dates: 1896-1910
Archive name: Kendal Archive Centre
Catalogue ref: WDX 955
Collection: None
Description: Dartmoor Prison. Miscellaneous papers, including letter relating to conditions in Dartmoor Prison.
Dates: 1898
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/223
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Warrants constituting and appointing Convict Prisons etc. Dartmoor
Dates: 1853
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/213
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Visiting Committees and Boards of Visitors. Dartmoor. Frequency of meetings and rota of visitors.
Dates: 1899
Archive name: Dartmoor Prison Museum
Catalogue ref: None
Collection: None
Description: Governors' journals
Dates: 1852-1875
Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
Catalogue ref: 1330/7
Collection: None
Description: Dartmoor Prison, book. Volume entitled 'Dartmoor Prison, past and present' by Captain Vernon Harris, Governor. Includes photographs, also verse written by a young prisoner trying to escape 'the dungeon'.
Dates: c.1890
Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre
Catalogue ref: 2301 C
Collection: None
Description: Princetown County Primary School, formerly Dartmoor Prison Officers' Boys, Girls and Infants Schools. log books, admission registers, punishment book, minute books.
Dates: 1863-1956
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: HO 8/106-207
Collection: Home Office
Description: Quarterly returns of prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons, Dartmoor, DevonÂ
Dates: 1850-1876
Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre
Catalogue ref: DEX/4/a/TM/Dartmoor Forest
Collection: None
Description: Dartmoor Forest tithe map. Depicts the Prison of War.
Dates: 1840
Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre
Catalogue ref: QS/DP/37
Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions
Description: Railway or tram road from Dartmoor Prison to Crabtree, showing the Prison
Dates: 1818
Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
Catalogue ref: 4/346/4
Collection: None
Description: Map of Tor Royal Estate. Also showing Dartmoor Prison, part of Princetown and the surrounding lands
Dates: 1828
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/108
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Land. Dartmoor Prison. Construction of bridge over Devonport leat.
Dates: 1893-1894
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/109
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Land. Dartmoor Prison. Farm lands, leases held by Directors of Convict Prisons etc.
Dates: 1890-1900
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/3
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Accommodation, cells, construction of, replacement of sleeping berths (corrugated iron cells) by larger cells at Dartmoor and Portland
Dates: 1894
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/376
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Water supply, Dartmoor Prison
Dates: 1892-1912
Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre
Catalogue ref: T1258M/E/85-86
Collection: None
Description: Letter from Prison Governor at Princetown about, and agreement concerning, telegraph poles
Dates: 1862-1863
Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre
Catalogue ref: 6856M/1
Collection: None
Description: Photograph album. Includes photos of main gate of Dartmoor Prison.
Dates: 1870s
Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
Catalogue ref: 643/1
Collection: Frith Photographs
Description: Dartmoor Prison, photographs
Dates: 1889-1896