Get ready to take a walk through the past at the Devil’s Punch Bowl. The Hindhead beauty spot is one of three National Trust properties that have partnered with the University of Exeter to launch HistoryScapes, a free app that offers an immersive experience, allowing visitors to explore the rich histories of the estates through the eyes of ordinary people.
The app brings history to life by guiding users through GPS-triggered trails. Each trail is led by a historical figure – a broom maker, a carpenter, or a mill worker – based on real individuals from the past.
The app offers a ‘living history’ format, where visitors can experience the landscape and its changes from the perspective of those who lived and worked there. At the Devil’s Punch Bowl, users follow George Mayes, a broom maker from 1925, as he guides them through the evolving landscape. Once an isolated and daunting area, the Devil’s Punch Bowl later became a fashionable destination for the middle class in the early 20th century.
Each trail on HistoryScapes consists of eight stops triggered by GPS, with accompanying ‘Discover More’ audio commentary from National Trust experts. The app also features historical images from the Trust’s collections.
Shannon Hogan, Archaeologist for the National Trust, said: “There are many documents and archives representing landowners and the wealthy families who created and lived in some of the Trust’s most lavish houses and estates, but far less is known about the people who laboured there and kept them going. It is their stories that we are connecting with through HistoryScapes and imagining both their inner thoughts and the conversations they had as part of their day-to-day lives.
“We hope that visitors will enjoy immersing themselves in these stories as they make their way around the estates, following in the footsteps of these fascinating historic characters.”