MANY people have stopped to enjoy a drink here. They have delighted at the atmosphere, admired the views and wanted to know more.

The Warren House Inn is a Dartmoor landmark. Set on the high moors between Postbridge and Moretonhampstead it looks across a rugged landscape carpeted in summer with purple heather interspersed with bright yellow splashes of gorse. In winter the same scene can be shrouded in mist or blanketed by snow.

The pub and its isolated location is the sort of place that stimulates more questions than there are easy answers.

But now a fascinating new book co-written by Dartmoor writers Tom Greeves and Elisabeth Stanbrook reveals all.

'The Warren House Inn, Dartmoor' (Quay Publications, Brixham £4.95) records the history of what is England's third highest pub. The book traces its story, its publicans and many of its colourful customers down the years.

It also covers the history of its predecessor — New House — which was sited on the other side of the road.

The current pub is famous for its fire that has reputedly been burning continuously since the Warren House Inn was built in 1845.

The authors have brought together original research in Devon and London which has been spread over many years to create an invaluable record of this fascinating moorland hostelry.

There are some extraordinary stories — about the salting in of a corpse, a romantic packhorse driver, fights among tin miners, wartime and winter conditions, of a disappearing pantechnicon and much else.

We are introduced to some of the characters that were pub regulars. There was 'Silvertop' Harry Warne, a tin miner who told yarns to visitors in return for free beer. He wore a bunch of lucky white heather in his jacket.

When asked to sell it, he would refuse — until being persuaded to do so in return for a drink. Once the visitors left he produced a replacement bunch of heather. Rumour had it he used to blanch purple heather by placing boxes over it.

A well-to-do-couple from Torquay drove across the moors to the inn from Torquay every Sunday night in a Rolls Royce. Two less welcome visitors were escaped prisoners from Dartmoor Prison who broke in one dark night.

A commercial rabbit warren once existed immediately south of the site of New House and at some time the warren was apparently known as 'New House Warren'.

l The book, excellently researched and with some fascinating pictures, is available from all good bookshops and from the Warren House Inn itself.