Explore Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl with HistoryScapes

Black and white image of bearded George Mayes standing in front of the broom squires cottages in1907 — George Mayes and the broom squires' cottages, 1907 | © The Francis Frith Collection

In partnership with the University of Exeter, we’re delighted to introduce HistoryScapes, which features a new audio-guided walk at the Devil's Punch Bowl. Download the app and take a walk in 1925 with George Mayes, a broom squire who lived in the Devil’s Punch Bowl and made his living from the land. Follow his story as you explore the rich history of the landscape of Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl.

What is HistoryScapes?

The HistoryScapes app aims to connect us to our landscapes and their social and cultural histories through immersive storytelling. The Hindhead Commons and the Devil’s Punch Bowl story is one of three National Trust properties selected to participate in this pilot project, alongside Saltram House and Quarry Bank.

Each trail is led by a historical guide character based on a real individual, all people who have left few traces in the archives. Their voices bring to life ordinary, often easily overlooked, perspectives. At Hindhead Commons we hear from George Mayes, one of about 50 people who still lived in the Devil's Punch Bowl in the early twentieth century.

Meet George

George Mayes is a keeper of animals, a milkman, and above all a broom maker - a cottage industry now on the decline. He's lived in the Devil's Punch Bowl his whole life and he's witnessed Hindhead, once seen as a forbidding backwater on the London to Portsmouth road, become a place celebrated for its open heathland and wild beauty, an alluring and accessible destination. Take a walk along the old turnpike with George, and discover a landscape marked by centuries of change.

The turnpike road in the 1920s | © The Francis Frith Collection
The turnpike road today | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

How to use the HistoryScapes app

Using the HistoryScapes app is easy:

1. Download the app: Head to your app store and download the HistoryScapes app, or scan the QR codes available on our information board in the car park at the start of the walk. You can download the app from the Google store here and from the Apple store here. It is advised to download the app on your home WiFi before your visit although you can download it using the free WiFi at the café. Once the trail is downloaded onto your phone, there is no further network connectivity required.

2. Start your journey: Go to the HistoryScapes information board. Launch the app, tap start, and listen to the prologue to begin your journey. The walk starts at the main viewpoint.

3. Explore HIndhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl: The app features a self-guided trail which takes you along gentle trails and is around 2.2miles (3.5km long). Use the on-screen map to navigate, and the app will automatically notify you when you reach each information point.

4. Immerse yourself: Listen to George's stories and learn about Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl's rich history as you walk through the beautiful landscape.