Dartmoor Places

“A rugged path through broken ground, high above the river’s western bank leads to Taw Marsh, a plain of considerable extent, and remarkably level, dotted with masses of granite and surrounded by lofty eminences, with all the features and incidents characteristic of the peculiar scenery of the moor. Here is …

High up on the northern fen at an altitude of 1,841ft. (561m.) rises the river Tavy, first documented in 1125 as the Taui. The infant river trickles out of the peat at South Tavy Head and then makes its way down over a moorland course of about 5½ miles during …

In the words of the famous Cornish philosopher Jethro, ‘now before we start‘, if you look on the Ordnance Survey map at grid reference SX 62155 82471 you will find ‘Statt’s House’. That in itself is fairly unique because look in almost any respected book about Dartmoor and you won’t …

Why would a Spanish Lake be found on Dartmoor? In fact prior to 1588 you could not have found a Spanish Lake on Dartmoor, so what event gave birth to the Spanish Lake? – all will become clear later. On the western slopes of Shell Top on Lee Moor the …

As you travel along the A386 from Okehampton to Tavistock the tiny village of Sourton suddenly appears as the road snakes under the shadow of the high moor. Most people immediately notice the rather flamboyant Highwayman Inn, some will remark on the ancient ‘OXO stone’ stood sentinel beside the road …

In 1853 Dartmoor was in the grip of a harsh winter, the snow lay thick with drifts several feet deep. At this time Dartmoor prison was used to house convicts who were guarded by a company of the 7th Regiment of Royal Fusiliers. The deep snows had cut off Princetown …

There once was a small cott nestled in the valley between Riddon Ridge and Bellever tor. The East Dart river ran close by the homestead which was known as Whiteslade or more appropriately the ‘Snailey House’. Now for some unknown reason, on Dartmoor a ‘snail’ is what is more commonly …

High up on the valley of the river Erme is a small stream that tumbles down the northern flank of Stalldon. This stream is known as the Downing’s House Brook, nothing strange about that. If you walk up the brook you will just see evidence that the old tinners have …

The ‘Sheep Measure’ has always fascinated me and it was only after reading about its purpose that it fascinated me even more. William Crossing, 1990, p. 461, notes the following: “… we come upon the rectangular enclosure known as Lough Tor Pound. The gateway is on the side nearest the …

No this is not about a brave soldier who whilst on guard duty fought off single-handed a hoard of invaders, although it is the story of a battle. The Sentry is in fact a field by the church, originally it was called the Sanctuary Field, time and Devonshire dialect have …