The Three Crowns Hotel

The Three Crowns is a thirteenth-century inn on Chagford's market square, one of the oldest functioning hostelries on Dartmoor. The thatched and granite building anchors the square alongside the church and the market hall, and its bar is the natural gathering point after a day on the moor. Stone flags, low beams, an open fireplace, and real ale on handpump create an atmosphere that requires no effort to appreciate.

The food is reliable pub fare elevated by good local sourcing — Dartmoor lamb, Devon beef, local cheeses. The hotel also offers accommodation if you want to stay and extend your exploration of the moor. It fills up on summer weekends, so arriving early or booking a table is advisable.

bars and cafes bar
A story
The poet Sydney Godolphin was carried to the Three Crowns after being shot during the English Civil War and died in one of its rooms in 1643. The inn was already old then — the building dates from the thirteenth century — and the cellar bar where he was brought still functions as a bar today.