Peoples Republic of South Devon

The Story of Dartmoor

August 16th, 2008

Chris Chapman and Kate King are working on a film telling the story of the history of Dartmoor, give that it’s quite old, this is a fairly hefty task. Lee Morgan spoke to them to find out more

There’s a film of David Alford playing the bones – rattling out an upbeat percussion to Mark Bazeley’s melodoen. It’s a clip which was filmed through the making of Chris Chapman and Kate King’s The Story of Dartmoor, and might not even make it into the final edit, but it highlights that Dartmoor is not just about the landscape and it’s not just about the people. It’s about both of these elements working together, shaping each other.

Chris has spent years documenting the environs of Dartmoor, and teaming up with Kate to make a documentary on its history seemed like the logical, if giant, next step.

It would be easy to skirt over the subject, paying tribute to the breadth of the story, but Chris and Kate, who both live on the moor, are looking to include the depth of the story as well. The object is to tell Dartmoor’s tale and be both entertaining and educational.

The film opens with geologist Dr Kevin Page talking to camera. “It’s a beautiful day on Dartmoor,” he says, “and four hundred million years ago it was also beautiful day, but although its hard to believe now there were no rocks – this was once a warm tropical sea.” He goes on to explain the formation of the moor, which is fundamental to its usage and appearance, and is central to man’s relationship with it, through agriculture and industry – tin and clay mining. The longevity and depth of that involvement is paid out by Dartmoor being one of the most concentrated sites of archeological interest in Western Europe.

But the moor is not a museum. It is a living, breathing environment where generations have earned their living. And part of the project is to record this.

“It’s a big thing,” said Chris. “We care a great deal about this place. Its been important not to skim the surface. We set out on this project knowing it would require a lot of effort and take a long time, but we think the result will be worth it.”

The debate about the landscape is ongoing, and the film doesn’t look too far into the future but rather highlights the past of the landscape and the people, posing the question of sustainability. Alice Oswald’s poem Dart, with lines read by Alice Oswald herself, will be woven into the film. “This is a real coup and we are extremely pleased,” said Kate.

As a history goes, the moor holds some surprises. In 2004 a previously unrecorded stone row, lying fallen or perhaps never erected, was found on Cut Hill – one of the highest regions of the moor. Plymouth University Geography Deparment investigated further with a GPS linked probe and found another stone floating in the peat. Pollen analysis around this stone indicated a date of approx 3300 BC, placing Cut Hill stone row on a par with the earliest building phase of Stonehenge.

The film follows the seasons, as does life on the moor – stallion selection, lambing or even Widecombe Fair are events which mark out the time. Other events are more imptromptu. “It helps to keep your ear to the ground and know as many people as possible,” said Chris.

Even in 2008 there’s always something new to be discovered and it helps for the artists to be members of the community. Being ‘immersed in the reality of here’ has been key, and word of mouth has been the real way of discovering new events.

And a soundtrack from established moor musicians has been a bonus. The film has been made with the music of Nigel Shaw of Seventh Wave Music, also based on Dartmoor.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have access to music written on the moor,” said Chris. It’s all part of belonging to the culture of the area.

Knowing where to go is vital for a filmmaker – with hours of trekking and waiting for the right shot, surrounded by the movement and stillness of the moor. And the music is important for its empathy to the environment.

It’s been a labour of love and has been a challenge on a tight budget.

“People can be forgiving if the content is good, and you maintain your integrity,” said Chris. And for the renowned photographer this project has seen the best photography he’s done.

“I’ve learned so much over the course of this film,” he said.

Even with the incredible network of contacts, the research and planning of the film has been considerable. The film on the history of Dartmoor and followed on from the short films Chris and Kate made on the subject of small schools in Devon. But condensing the story of generations has been a task in itself, let alone following up the new ideas and opportunities that the making of the film has unearthed.

“The Dartmoor film has taken its own trajectory and other films have grown out of it as a response to what people have said. It’s been an embryonic project that could lead to other things, like a film on the history of tin mining, or the quarrying industry or even more of the landscape and its people,” said Kate.

As part of the project, students from South Devon College have shadowed the team to pick up techniques and watch the film develop. One of the students, Amanda Cornish, who joined the team through an initiative by Devon Artsculture, has followed the filmmaking intently.

“Amanda has been with us since the beginning,” said Chris, “and she’s been really clued up and energetic. It’s wonderful to work with someone who’s grown up in the digital age.”

And the changing ages, the varying approaches and the rhythm of life on the moor is what the film is trying to capture. In the blurb it says: ‘the 12-month assignment will tell the story of Dartmoor from its geological beginnings, revealing its rich archaeological heritage, the development of its resources, its farming, future and potential for sustainability’. Integral to The Story of Dartmoor is the story of communities and the story of people.

• To find out more about The Story of Dartmoor, which is due to be released around Christmas with running time of around an hour, visit the website

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Entry Filed under: Arts, Environment, Society