A SERIES of historic blogs is being launched to mark the 70th anniversary Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA).

ENPA’s historic environment record officer Dr Lucy Shipley is highlighting 70 of the national park’s special sites which help to tell the story of Exmoor. 

The Exmoor Historic Environment Record (HER) keeps track of more than 10,000 archaeological sites and historic buildings to be found within the national park boundary, recording their history and current condition, and keeping abreast of new discoveries.

Dr Shipley said: “We were really excited to highlight 70 of Exmoor’s special sites, some of which are very famous, while others are little known.

“They are all fascinating, however, and all help to tell the story of Exmoor.

“The question is, where do you start telling Exmoor’s story through its sites?

“Well, for me it is best to start at the very beginning with some of the oldest archaeology on Exmoor - the Mesolithic.

“It is a period of fairly ephemeral remains, usually dated to c.9600 to 4000 BCE, reflecting hunter gatherers moving around the Exmoor landscape.”

The first two blogs cover the Mesolithic era and ‘Exmoor Stone Circles’, with more to follow as the ENPA leads up to Exmoor Day on October 19, which will be the official 70th birthday of its designation in 1954.

The blogs can be found online here.

The national park covers 267 square miles of coast, moorland, woodland, valleys, and farmland, and has more than 800 miles of rights of way.