Granite Tramway

Turnout at a passing place on the upper reaches of the Haytor Granite Tramway.

The Haytor Granite Tramway was opened in September 1820 by George Templer to carry stone from his quarries around Hay Tor down to the Stover Canal for onward shipping. It is remarkable for the rails being made of the same material as its intended traffic. It operated until the late 1850s when competition from rail served quarries caused a significant decline in demand.

The large L shaped pieces of granite used for rails remain in situ and on the upper section owned by the Dartmoor National Park the line is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument.