A COMPILATION of memories of life on Dartmoor in the mid 20th century can now be heard on CD at the High Moorland Centre in Princetown.
The Moor Memories oral history project was initiated by the Dartmoor National Park Authority last year to mark the 50th anniversary of the national park.
The aim was to record the story of the everyday life of people on the moor during the middle of the last century.
A compilation entitled Rabbits, Whortleberries and Railways can now heard as part of a new display at the visitor centre.
Among the 13 people interviewed so far are Fred Stoyle, who recalls Foggintor School, where his father was headmaster and which was open from 1915 to 1936 to serve the children of the quarry workers.
The family lived at the schoolhouse on the Princetown to Tavistock road, where there is now a car park, and Fred remembers the harsh winters and deliveries from Princetown by horse and cart.
George Shillabeer was born at Sheepstor and lived at Weir Head Cottage, which is now below the waters of Burrator reservoir.
As well as his memories of that area are his reminiscences of his subsequent 40 years farming at Bellever, with details of the landscape before the forests were planted.
Becky Newell, oral history project officer, said the compilation of memories painted a picture in words of a way of life that endured on Dartmoor for centuries, but has now largely come to an end.
Miss Newell said: 'We can hear how, within living memory, people lived without household electricity and water or motorised transport.
'We hear about the sense of freedom and
isolation in being brought up on the moor, when visitors were virtually unknown and people lived and worked in the same small area as their forebears.'
More interviews will be carried out throughout this year and the recordings will be fully transcribed to form a permanent archive for future historical reference.
The High Moorland Visitor Centre in Princetown is open seven days a week from 10m to 5pm.