Born in St Austell, Cornwall, Richard Elliot is the longest living letterboxer. Collecting his first stamp in the 1960’s, Where the Hand of Man Hath Never Trod celebrates his dedication to this unique community. Searching for letterboxes with his friend Linda, the film follows the two across the vast, rocky plains, accompanied by a dialogue of Richard’s reflections on his lifelong hobby.

Little boxes, little pots, hidden under rocks, banks and roots of trees. Letterboxers have been placing and searching for these hidden treasures across the vast landscape of Dartmoor, Devon, for over one hundred and fifty years.

Born in St Austell, Cornwall, Richard Elliot is the longest living letterboxer. Collecting his first stamp in the 1960’s, Where the Hand of Man Hath Never Trod celebrates his dedication to this unique community. Searching for letterboxes with his friend Linda, the film follows the two across the vast, rocky plains, accompanied by a dialogue of Richard’s reflections on his lifelong hobby.

Each of these boxes contain a rubber stamp and visitor’s book. Upon discovery, an impression of the rubber stamp is taken using an ink-pad and stamped onto either a book or postcard. The visitor either signs the visitor’s book, or mark their own personal stamp.

Alongside the short film are accompanied by two supporting publications, archiving Richard’s personal stamp collection of every walker he met over the years and a book of prose, written by himself and fellow walkers.

Oscar Fox, Film maker and Designer
Richard Elliot, Author and starring in the film
Linda, Starring in the film
Tom Davison, Music