A moorland village will be visited by Prince William on Tuesday (September 15) as he offers a new fund to help give residents fresh hope after weathering a difficult time economically.

As the Duke of Cornwall, the heir to the throne is the head of the Duchy of Cornwall estate, the major landowner in the area.

He is visiting Princetown, to launch his new Princetown Community Fund while visiting residents, businesses and community leaders.

The new fund will make at least £250,000 available to support locally led projects delivering social, economic and environmental benefit to villagers and visitors.

The Prince has previously promised to reinvest rental income from the currently closed Dartmoor Prison, £1.5 million a year, back into Princetown, following fears for the future of the village because of the importance of the jail to village hospitality businesses.

The jail’s closure in 2024, due to the presence of radon gas, and that of the former Dartmoor National Park visitor centre last year cast a cloud over the socio-economic health of the village. The royal gesture, which comes as the prison remains empty, could help turn the tide, residents hope.

It comes as the future of the prison, rented by the government from Prince William’s Duchy Estate, remains uncertain.

The Prince will visit the newly reopened visitor centre, now called Gather & Moor, a new community, visitor and cultural hub, where he will meet representatives from local business Princetown Press to learn more about their heritage craft.

The Duchy is invested in breathing new life into the centre, which the Duchy owns, which was previously occupied by Dartmoor National Park and brought in visitors from across the country.

The Duchy and other partners have spent the past 12 months consulting the community, asking for their ideas and priorities for ensuring a thriving future for the village which already has a strong healthy community on which to build.

The royal visitor will meet residents, community leaders and organisations playing a key role in developing a shared vision for Princetown and discuss the findings of the consultation, held online and at the old visitor centre, and how the fund can support them.

He will also Princetown Youth Club to meet young people and see how Duchy funding has helped improve its meeting hall and helped it expand activities for local children and young people.

The launch of the new fund follows the Prince’s announcement in June of a £1.5 million investment package for Princetown and Dartmoor to support recovery, innovation, job creation and visible improvements.

Delivered by the charity Devon Communities Together, the £250,000 fund is part of this package. It is being offered to community organisations, charities and social enterprises undertaking projects that strengthen the community, create local opportunities and enhance the environment.

Grants ranging from £500 to £40,000 will be available, with advice for those organisations who would like to apply.

Residents and businesses have welcomed the long-term investment in their future. They say it will help build a more sustainable future for the village.

They hope to replace what has been lost and build a more resilient and diverse future for Princetown, one embracing education, environmental stewardship, scientific innovation, sustainable tourism and meaningful employment.