The name Yelverton is believed to be a corruption of the original name of this large village one the very edge of Dartmoor. The earlier name was said to be Ella’s Ford Town later contracted to Elfordtown. The story goes that when the Great Western Railway opened a station here in 1859, the officials misheard the name of the place and wrote it down as Yelverton… a nice story but perhaps one to be taken with a pinch of salt.
There have been settlements in this area since prehistoric times and many standing stones, stone circles, burial chambers and hut circles still survive around Yelverton. There are lovely views across the Walkham Valley towards Brent Tor. The church, which is perched 1,100 feet high on the summit of the tor, can be seen on a clear day.
Yelverton Paperweight Centre may be of interest to the visitor. Not only does it have an extensive collection of glass paperweights but also an interesting collection of paintings, mainly by local artists. There are several eating places around the village and plenty of accommodation for those wanting to use this as a centre from which to explore Dartmoor.