24 May On this day in 1809: Dartmoor Prison was opened to house French prisoners of war. From 1850 it was used for convicts.

TWENTY ONE YEARS ON DARTMOOR

The judge said, “Stand up, boy, and dry up your tears.
You're sentenced to Dartmoor for twenty-one years.”
So kiss me goodbye, babe, and say you'll be mine,
For twenty-one years, love, is a mighty long time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duO5vZyBXaw 21 Years

Tim van Eyken sang Twenty-One Years on Dartmoor in 2004 on Waterson:Carthy's fifth album, Fishes & Fine Yellow Sand.

Martin Carthy commented in the liner notes: The album is topped and tailed by Goodbye Fare You Well and Twenty-One Years on Dartmoor. […] Tim learned the latter from a recording of the lovely London born, Sussex dwelling singer Louie Fuller who sadly died just this year. It's great to come upon an old American song which has made the crossing the other way for a change and this is one which has been given a real working over into an English vernacular. Mainly Norfolk

---

Dartmoor (For 21 Years) - Jim Carroll and Tony Reeves     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ-bUM4uCgA
Many recordings of "21 Years" on Youtube     https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=21+years+irish+song
Information and full lyrics from Mainly Norfolk: Twenty-One Years on Dartmoor    https://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/twentyoneyearsondartmoor.html
MUDCAT Lyr Req: Twenty-One Years     /thread.cfm?threadid=23631