The story of Dartmoor peatland restoration is closely tied to an unexpected chapter in the South West’s industrial past. In the 19th century, prisoners from Dartmoor Prison were sent onto the surrounding moorland to cut peat for fuel. Today, the same landscape forms a crucial part of the water catchments that supply drinking water to communities across the region.
Across Dartmoor’s remote uplands, faint lines still run across the moorland. At first glance they resemble abandoned railway tracks, but they are actually the remains of tramways built nearly two centuries ago to transport peat cut by prisoners from Dartmoor Prison.
According to the South West Water-supported South West Peatland Partnership, research into these historic sites has helped reveal how industrial activity once reshaped areas that now play an important role in regional water systems.
“Visitors to the remote uplands of Dartmoor might not be aware that these were once busy industrial areas,” said Jo Higgins, Historic Environment Officer with the South West Peatland Partnership.
“Peat-cutters, tin-streamers, miners and military activity have all shaped the South West’s moors into what we see today. Research commissioned by the South West Peatland Partnership as part of peatland restoration works helps to enhance understanding of historic and archaeological sites left by people on the moors.”
Peat cutting and the origins of Dartmoor’s water landscape
One of the most striking examples of this industrial activity is linked to Dartmoor Prison. In the summer of 1853, prisoners cut and secured around 1,920 tonnes of turf in just five months. Official reports from the period stated that the peat was used as fuel and for generating gas to light the prison.
At the time, the work was considered economically valuable. The peat harvested that season was estimated to be worth around £800 at local prices.
Graham Edmondson, curator of Dartmoor Prison Museum, said historic reports described the fuel’s potential in glowing terms.
“The peat which abounds near the prison will furnish heat… will generate gas of the purest quality, producing an effulgent light,” an archive report states.
Peat was transported using horse-drawn tramways across the moor, including routes such as the Omen Beam line leading to the Dung Hills. Convict labour was also used to reshape marsh ground and redirect land to receive sewage from prison buildings.
The prison itself opened in 1809 as a war prison holding thousands of captives from the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. After closing in 1816, it stood largely unused before reopening in 1850 as a convict prison where peat cutting became routine work.
Why Dartmoor peatland restoration matters for water management
Modern Dartmoor peatland restoration efforts highlight how these historic landscapes now play a critical role in water management and climate resilience.
Healthy peatlands remain waterlogged, allowing them to store carbon and regulate the flow of rainfall into streams and reservoirs. This gradual release of water helps stabilise river systems and supports drinking water supplies.
Rainfall falling on Dartmoor today feeds reservoirs such as Burrator Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to communities served by South West Water.
Morag Angus, Manager of the South West Peatland Partnership, said restoration efforts are transforming land once heavily exploited for fuel.
Restored peatland habitat on Dartmoor following rewetting and ecological recovery efforts.
“It’s an amazing project and partnership to be part of, making our peatlands wetter and better for wildlife, water, people and the planet. Dartmoor’s peatlands are rich in archaeology and contain so much history,” Angus said.
“We’re working together to stop the peat from degrading further, carrying out surveys with our in-house archaeologists and commissioning research to learn more about these natural archives of human industrial activity.”
Restoring peatlands to protect water resources
Across the South West, restoration projects are now reversing decades of peat degradation. Work typically focuses on blocking historic drainage channels, reshaping exposed peat and encouraging sphagnum moss to return.
These measures help retain water higher in the catchment, reduce erosion and improve raw water quality.
More than 5,000 hectares of peatland across the South West have already undergone restoration work designed to slow water flow, restore habitats and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
“There’s still so much more to be done, and there’s no time to lose,” Angus added.
“Some benefits from restoration are immediate for wildlife and water, such as dragonflies breeding in newly restored pools. But carbon-rich peat will take much longer to form again in some places.”
For Edmondson, the historical contrast remains striking.
“The prisoners weren’t thinking about climate or hydrology. They were cutting fuel under orders and the moor was seen as a resource to be used,” he said.
“The idea that those blanket bogs would today be recognised as a vital, living system that stores water and supports resilience wasn’t part of their conversation as they marched onto the moor.”
