AN extended visitor centre at Postbridge, built to share and celebrate Dartmoor’s incredible Bronze Age heritage, is opening today.

The doors to the new look, fully accessible energy-efficient building are opening for the first time since last September, following a £500,000 extension.

Double in size, the state-of-the-art centre features the latest technology to bring history to life in amazing detail, giving people a unique and special experience.

One of the highlights is the story of the internationally significant Bronze Age finds at Whitehorse Hill.

Dartmoor is the most important area for Bronze Age archaeology in Western Europe. There are more than 1,500 burial cairns on Dartmoor and more than 4,000 hut circles.

In 2011, a cist was excavated at Whitehorse Hill when one of the stones fell out of the peat mound covering it. Due to the unusual environmental conditions, amazingly, cremated human remains and other organic material had been preserved for thousands of years.

It’s believed the remains were those of a high-rank young woman. She was buried with a number of personal items including a woven basket containing beads, (probably a necklace), a leather and textile band and a finely woven bracelet with tin studs. There were also four finely turned wooden studs which may have been worn in the ears or lip.

The centre tells the story of who she was and how she lived, through her own eyes. 

Replicas of the items will be on display alongside a handcrafted roundhouse. 

Dartmoor National Park Authority’s head of communications and fundraising Sam Hill said: ‘Our vision for Postbridge was to create a visitor destination where people could immerse themselves in Dartmoor’s story and feel inspired to look after it in the future.

‘We’re are so excited to be able to show it off and help people understand why this national park is such a special place.’

More than 135,000 people visit the Postbridge area each year with 58,000 using the visitor centre. It’s popular for coach tours, including overseas operators.

The single-storey addition has a new reception area for visitor information together with the exhibition spaces. It uses a mix of traditional and modern materials such as steel framing, natural granite walls — sourced from a local quarry — zinc roofing, aluminium windows and Douglas Fir cladding, the timber of which was grown indigenously.

The design reflects the local vernacular agricultural buildings found on the moor and high level windows provide natural daylight, keeping walls free for exhibition displays.

The building can now accommodate events, activities and school visits; encouraging people to stay longer and visit local shops, cafes and pubs, supporting the local economy. Exhibitions and displays link seamlessly into the landscape helping people to confidently explore the surrounding area’s amazing cultural heritage. 

CAD Architects designed the centre. Exeter-based Fifield Construction carried out the work and NPS South West project managed the scheme.

The visitor centre is leased to the DNPA by landowner the Duchy of Cornwall.

Tom Stratton, for the Duchy said: ‘The Duchy of Cornwall is delighted to have been able to play a part in helping to enable the expansion and enhancement of the visitor provision at Postbridge via this excellent new facility; one which we are sure will be of benefit to all visitors and the local economy.’

The centre closed its doors last September and building work started the following month. Incredibly, the modernisation project only needed an extra six weeks to complete despite work being significantly impacted by measures limiting the spread of the pandemic. It is testament to the team involved.

CAD Architects architectural director Ross Edwards said: ‘We’ve been delighted to work with Dartmoor National Park and others to deliver the visitor centre extension. 

‘When proposals were unanimously approved by the authority’s development management committee, members complimented the team on producing an attractive and appropriate design that not only satisfied the brief, but was endorsed by landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall.’

Fifield Construction’s Jack Wayland said: ‘Fifields Construction have thoroughly enjoyed working on this exciting project. We hope Dartmoor National Park staff and their visitors enjoy the new building and exhibition space for many years to come!’

NPS South West project manager Claire Walkey said: ‘NPS were delighted to be involved in the new extension at Postbridge. The project overcame a number of challenges including weather, the national Covid-19 pandemic and availability of building materials.

DNPA secured £500,000 from the Rural Development Programme for England to fund the building works; this helped expand on the already improved offer at Postbridge which was funded, in part, through the National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership, Moor than meets the eye [MTMTE].