THE Prince of Wales made a private visit to Princetown to see Duchy property on Dartmoor last Friday.

He discussed the Moor Care project — run by the Dartmoor National Park Authority — which aims to repair, maintain and enhance the national park's landscape.

While in Princetown the Prince was particularly keen to meet Jack and Ann Palmer who have invested heavily in the new Lord's Restaurant in the village.

A delighted Mr Palmer said the Prince was due to stay for 20 minutes but remained on the premises speaking to staff and customers for 40 minutes.

'He was very interested in the project,' said Mr Palmer.

'He said he had been waiting to see this done for some time. He thought how wonderful the work on it had been.'

Mr Palmer said the Prince spoke to every member of staff.

'He didn't leave anyone out. He spoke to some of the customers and he spent some time with the head chef — my son-in-law Kevin Ball — in the kitchen.'

The Prince asked Mr Palmer to show him the whole of the building and while he was there he enjoyed a tot of his favourite malt whisky.

'He told me I was a brave man to have taken on a project this size and to do it up in the style that we have done it,' said Mr Palmer.

Before he left the Prince signed the visitors' book.

Mr Palmer said the renovation of the Lord's Restaurant has been a long time coming.

'But we are there now and the good thing is that people are coming here and returning. There is already repeat business.'

As well as popping into the restaurant the Prince learned first hand of the work of Duchy farm tenants, English Nature, the Environment Agency and the Park Authority in the new Dart Biodiversity Project which, through the Duchy, he has financially supported.

He also saw the restoration programme, also financially supported by the Duchy, of the old Powdermills site which in the 19th century manufactured gunpowder and visited the Powdermills Pottery.

The visit included seeing the work of the Dartmoor Pony Moorland Scheme which is strengthening the native breeding hardy stock on the moor.

The Prince discussed with some farm tenants their recent activities in diversification such as bed and breakfast aimed at groups such as walking clubs and language schools.

Prince Charles also spent 40 minutes casting an expert eye around Brimpts Farm at Dartmeet where the Bradford have been busy with a major farm diversification project.

The pair run beef cattle, a tea-room and restaurant on the 700-acre farm which they lease from the Duchy. But because of the beef crisis they began to look for funding to convert a granite barn into a multi-function centre.

'The Duchy helped us finance the project and I think the Prince wanted to see for himself where the money had gone,' said Gabrielle Bradford. 'He said it was tremendous — the new barn with its big room, the hay store, can be used by rambling groups or by daily delegation groups.'

The Prince paid particular attention to the joinery on the barn conversion which was made and installed to Duchy specification.

'Lovely to see the original beams in place,' he remarked.

He also expressed interest in plans to convert a remaining redundant bullock shed into a farm interpretation centre.

Cook Jenny Dawe spent ten minutes with the Prince in her kitchen discussing the day's menu. Her coffee and walnut cake mixture came under royal scrutiny and the old flag floor was given the royal approval.

'He was very positive and signed our visitors' book,' said Gabrielle. 'It all seemed very surreal. We wanted him to see a water-wheel we have restored. He didn't have the time but promised to come back.'