Note.—The authorities for the historical facts in this paper are Dr. Oliver, Rev. S. Rowe, and Mr. Cotton.
From a Drawing by S. Prout, Jun.]
[Engraved by Neele.
The “War Prison” on Dartmoor, 1807.
FRENCH PRISONERS ON DARTMOOR.
By J. D. Prickman.
In the early part of the nineteenth century Mr. Thomas, afterwards Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, who held the office of Lord Warden of the Stannaries under the then Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., originated the idea of building a prison on Dartmoor for the numerous prisoners of war then in Great Britain, who were at that time mostly confined in hulks and military and naval prisons. The Government of that day took up the idea, and, adopting the plans of Mr. Daniel Alexander, proceeded to carry them out, the first stone of the prison being laid by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt on the 20th March, 1806.
The site of the prison—about seven miles east of Tavistock and about fifteen (straight across the moor) south of Okehampton—was granted by the Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall and Lord of the Forest of Dartmoor.