Dartmoor - Princetown Prison

Princetown, the largest community on Dartmoor, is also the site of Britain's best known prison. Built in 1806 by French prisoners of war, it has served since 1850 as a penitentiary for 'lifers'. Details of the prison's history are available from the information office in Princetown Town Hall. St Michael's Church (completed 1813) was built by inmates of the prison. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in what was then the Dutchy Hotel, now the Nature Conservancy Council's information center.