|
|
|
|
or email dartmoorlander@aol.com
This website is hosted by
|
January 13th 2012 Hi there, I think your website is OUTSTANDING! My family come from the Okehampton area from hundreds of years back, but I was born in Sidmouth; however the depth of information and research you've collected is staggering and most of it is probably unknown to most locals! When we used to see the piles of little bottles at Meldon when I was little I had no idea about the Aplite etc., although my mother lived there in the 20s!! Thanks again An amazing odyssey. Patience Gent Milford Haven
January 3rd 2012
Hello Tim, Love your web site. Maureen & Robin Vane
December 27th 2011 Tim, just a quick line to wish you a wonderful 2012, and a very big thank you for all the time and effort put into your site. Being one of the many who, for various reasons, have had to leave Dartmoor, I cannot tell you how important your site is, its as close to being home as one can get. Thanks again Tim. Yours Respectfully, Pete Gooch.
December 23rd 2011
Hi there Tim.
December 13th, Hello Tim, You might be interested in a story.....regarding pixies or fairies. As a young boy (aged 6) living in Mary Tavy, late one night whilst laying in bed watching the light from the landing light flicker across the far wall I saw what can only be described as small balls of light making their way through the opening in the door and floating in a line towards the bed opposite me (occupied then by my sleeping brother). As they approached they changed into tiny figures all dressed in the most amazingly colourful clothes. They walked on the bed and settled around my brother (age 4) who was completely unawares and still sound asleep. Each figure no taller than three or four inches....unfortunately no wings or pointy ears! Living in Mary Tavy I was expert at catching newts, frogs, toads, tadpoles and grasshoppers and thought I could catch one of these creatures quite easily...so prepared to pounce only to discover I was frozen solid from head to toe and only my eyes allowed to move. After a few minutes more they reformed an ordered line and walked to the end of the bed and disappeared as they came in small floaty balls of light through the opening in the doorway. As the last light disappeared I was freed from my hold and able to run like the wind to my folk’s bedroom to explain what I'd just seen. To say the least they were not impressed and sent me packing back to bed where I laid planning how I might catch them the next time. A few days passed and my mother suddenly took an interest in my tale and asked me to draw what I saw...apparently she had met the previous owner of the house and in passing happened to recall my tale to her...whereupon this lady quite unexpectedly said she too had seen them...and in the same bedroom! This story has for many years been difficult to tell anyone. My wife embarrassed by it and friends ridiculing me whenever I bring it up. I know it happened and I know what I saw. I’m a logical thinker and can honestly say I have never experienced anything like it before or since.
December 13th 2011 Dear Mr Sandles, It is with much interest I read your webpage on Dartmoor Sheep. In particular the bit about the introduction of the scotch blackface sheep by Mr Lamb. Within my family for many years has been the story that our great great grandfather namely James Hogg (Shepherd) born in Muirfoot, Lanarkshire 1859 was employed by a 'Lady Lamb' and relocated along with his wife and 5 children from Scotland to Dartmoor at some time between 1894 and 1901 living at Round Hill farm near Princetown (property belonging to the Lamb family I assume) bringing with them the scotch blackface sheep and rearing them on Dartmoor as he had done in Scotland. The 1901 census shows James as head of the household and occupation Shepherd. The 1911 census record shows James still living at Round Hill Farm but he is now listed as 'Gentleman Farmer' implying he had sufficient wealth and free time to pursue an area of interest without depending on it for his livelihood....did the move from Scotland to Dartmoor make James a wealthy man? By 1915 he appears to have moved to Rattery and changed occupation to 'innkeeper' at the Church House Inn. My Grandmother (Iris Hogg) recalled James was a drinking man as was his wife Sarah...reason why I guess they took up this venture? The book of Rattery makes reference of them as 'the old Scottish people the Hoggs'. James' youngest son Gardner Hogg married Ethel Squires from Lustleigh (May Queen 1910). Between them they had two sons Maurice and Douglas Hogg. Douglas married Iris Hoar and had daughters Elisabeth (my mother) and Sarah Hogg. Gardner and Ethel owned many farms and pubs including Beardown farm (Princetown), Dowerland Farm (Mary Tavy), The Church House Inn (Rattery), the Burton Boys Inn (Plymouth), and other pubs elsewhere...in Gunnislake and Plympton. Ultimately did James Hogg and 'Lady Lamb' accomplish between them the plans Mr Lamb failed to do as a result of his death? The jump from lowly shepherd to gentleman farmer in a period of ten years is eye opening to say the least. You may be able to shed more light on the matter. Please find attached a photo of James Hogg, dressed in rather fine clothes Kindest Regards, Peter Fitzsimmons.
Many thanks Peter for this
fascinating information, to see a photograph of James Hogg - click
HERE December 4th 2011 To whom it may concern, I read with great interest your information on the Duchy Hotel. I would just like to add that whilst researching my family history I found my great great-grandfather living in the building (Barracks Officers´ Pavilion) in the 1841 census. He was called John Herring and was a blacksmith from Calstock. He is there with his wife Catherine and three children. He died in three years later in 1844 (registered at Tavistock ) aged 44. I assume he died in Princetown and could be buried there. The building appeared to be used as lodgings for tradesmen who came to the area. Are you aware of any large work projects at Princetown that might have caused him to have been employed in there. yours faithfully, W.F. Clive Herring.
November 25th 2011 John Chudleigh's Antiquities 1893 mentions the kist on his foldout map. It's a great page, just thought you needed to know it was found over a hundred years ago!!!!!! All the best Roland Harris. Thanks Roland for pointing this out, the Whitehorse kist web page has now been updated with this info
November 27th 2011 You are probably very knowledgeable! In the early 80s I was walking along a lane towards the village, with my small son. We spotted the back half of a black Labrador, tail wagging, front half hidden in the bracken. I saw it for 2 or 3 seconds. Then it disappeared. It didn't dive into the bracken, it was as if the slate was wiped. I told my pal who used to live near Belstone, and she said, Oh yes, lots of people have seen him. The dogs that make it into the papers are always threatening, and have eyes as big as saucers etc etc but this one was entirely jolly and Labrador-like. I wonder whether these things are maybe quite common, but people don't go on looking and actually registering what they have seen. Best wishes, S Wheatley.
November 25th 2011 Good morning, Tim. I wondered if you might update your information with regards to the Dartmoor Archive below. I take no objection to your opinion and it is nice to see someone who is willing to be honest online in the World of bland PC culture. We endeavour to be as accurate as we can but there are no doubt gaps in the information, if you see any errors then please do let us know. I took over this project three yers ago and was disgusted in the quality of the information, we are slowly improving it as time goes on. We do now have 15,000 images, rather than 6,000. It would be nice to have the image numbers updated if you get a moment. I appreciate your comments nonetheless. Kind regards, Jamie Dunbar
November 21st 2011 Hi Tim On the Tors of Dartmoor page you have a Rough Tor at SX 579 685. I was there today to check it out and there is nothing there but a steep sloping field (and the same all around) filled with bracken with a bit of moor stone here and there. A few days ago a friend and I went in search of this tor and we found it at SX 5473 6855, about 500 metres away. The full story can be seen on www.dartmoorcam.co.uk The main point is that the “tor” we found fits the description and has the summit pan described by Hemery, High Dartmoor, page 163 (in my edition). Cheers – Keith. Thanks Keith, I have amended the co-ordinates, much appreciated.
November 16th 2011 Tim, I produce a small magazine “Stonechat” I’ve been covering various aspects of dry stone buildings and have been looking for information on Ash Houses and came across them on your site (having just discovered it vis vermin traps which I have been researching for the current edition). I was wondering if it would be possible to include the ‘article’ on your site. I was also wondering if you had any more information/photos that might flesh it out a bit. Thanks I look forward to your advice Sean Adcock
November 15th 2011 Dear Tim I love your legendary Dartmoor website and refer to it regularly. I'm not sure if you still add to it but I wanted to send you my simple little story in case you do and in case you felt like just adding it Smile. I am a writer with articles and stories published in magazines. I write for a magazine in Plymouth and am a teacher of Psychology and Law. I also write educational resources for colleges. I read on your site about Margins magazine and I had an article published in the magazine about Morwellham. I must say I'm not surprised at your work being so unceremoniously pinched that way but I haven't seen the magazine again for ages. I did send an article to but she never replied. I hope you may like my story; it is very simple and an easy read and is a slight 'twist' on the legend of Wheal Betsy. Look forward to hearing from you, best wishes. Becky. Thanks for your story which can be found - HERE
November 14th 2011 Dear Sir I felt I must contact you and tell you of a something that occurred this morning October 2nd 2011 whilst I was walking on Dartmoor. I was walking alone around 0900 hrs and returning from a visit to Wistman's wood. I had just phoned a friend to tell him what a fantastic place the wood was and was looking down at the thicket at the other side of the stream at Grid 609755. I suddenly noticed what seemed to be a large cat walking into the thicket, I watched the creature for about 10 seconds until it went out of sight, all the time giving my friend a running commentary. It was about the size of a German Shepherd but was certainly not a dog. My friend convinced me that what I had seen was a black sheep and I finally agreed he must be right, however the more I think about it the more I am sure that what I saw was a large cat. I would like to add that I have always been a total disbeliever in large cat sighting even though whilst serving in the Royal Marines in 1983 I spent a week with several other marines stalking the 'Beast of Bodmin' without seeing any trace of a cat like creature. I cannot say 100% that what I saw was a cat but neither can I say 100% that what I saw wasn't. I certainly would not go to the press as I feel I would be ridiculed but it has certainly given me food for thought on the subject of cat sightings in Britain. Yours faithfully, Jeff White
November 7th 2011 Good Morning, I have received an article for publication in Funeral Service Journal about Dartmoor and death rituals. The author makes references to image on your website and I wonder if it would be in order to use a few of these to accompany the article? The images are: Kitty Jay’s grave, The Lych Way map, Coffin stones split in two and the Ted Hughes memorial stone
I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Brian Parsons
November 7th 2011 Hi Tim, I see in your Legendary Dartmoor ‘Travellers Ford Cross’ page that you make reference to “a small metal plate with a cross on it just above the old Huntingdon Warren”. This incised cross was sited by myself and, having read your book (A Pilgrimage) and looked at your site, I wondered if you would like some info. It is a memorial cross for the American crew of the Douglas Dakota that crashed nearby in bad weather on 13th October 1945. I made it when I was sixteen in my school workshop from a hefty block of Aluminium cut on a milling machine. It was buffed up to a very shiny finish which has suffered a bit in over 25 years. Placed on the moor in the summer of 1985 by myself and my father – cutting the socket hole blunted two chisels and took nearly three hours! I usually visit the site every year and give it a polish – for the first few years I found black ink on it –I think people were using it as a letterboxing stamp? I see someone has bashed it with a rock but it is well set in, being about 40 mm deep. Hope this has shed some light, yours, Brett Sutherland - see photo HERE
November 4th 2011 Hi I need a really good ghost story for an English project Im doing but it has to be a local story, so i was wondering if you knew any really good ones i could use. please reply soon - anonymous. Sorry, tried emailing anonymous and it was returned, maybe next time your name would help get a reply.
November 3rd 2011 Hi, I'm a huge fan of your website, and I'm wondering if some of your readers might be interested in coming along to an "Evening of Dartmoor Stories" at the Lydford Country house Hotel one evening in December? I'm just quickly doing a feasibility check here, so details to be confirmed, but I notice your website reaches thousands and I'm only looking for about 50 people to come along. It's an evening of stories mainly from my new book "The Devil Comes to Dartmoor" just about to be published by the History Press. It's the true story behind the ghost story of Lady Howard who as you know haunts the roads between Tavistock and Okehampton in a spirit coach. I'm also very happy to promote any other works by other authors or other websites. Any advice or information you could offer would be most welcome. With best wishes, Laura Quigley
November 2nd 2011 Dear Tim, I owe you a deep debt of gratitude having found via your website, after many years of searching (not easy from Lancashire), what is undisputedly the finest hogs pudding in Devon. There is a long story attached to this and that is the subject of my blog today which I know that you will enjoy. I can be found at http://onemanandhismog.blogspot.com Kind regards and thank you once again. Yours sincerely, Chris Gleave
November 1st 2011 Dear Tim, I discovered this kistvaen some 14 - 15 years ago. I did show it to someone who collected 'kists' and he said he would add it to his list. I never heard from him again !!! Six months later I saw theodolite marks at the site - 3 holes in the ground made by a tripod. I first published the info in the Dartmoor Magazine, before the guy was shown the site. He contacted me from the magazine article that was published. The kist is some 120 'steps' - (its down hill so no paces!), down the path towards Windy Post Cross, from the very crest of Barn Hill. There is a small flat rock resting against the crest making a small triangle. From that point go 130 steps point down the path towards Windy Post . At the 130 steps point here is a largish LOW flat rock to the left. Stop here. Turn right through 90 degrees to the path, ending up with your back to Hessary mast. and walk some 25 - 30 paces towards the kist. The photo has approximate grid reference - I hope :-) It is more overgrown at the moment. Let me know if you find it. Thousands of people must have walked past it and never noticed it. Happy hunting. Best wishes, Gerry Sargent. See photo - HERE
October 25th 2011 Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing from The History Press to make you aware of one of our most recent publications titled ‘The Devil Comes to Dartmoor’. Written by local author Laura Quigley, this new book looks at the haunting true story of Mary Howard, Devon’s ‘Demon Bride’, a story of love, treachery and revenge in seventeenth-century Devon. More detailed information on the book is in the attached information sheet.
As a website dedicated to the history of the area I am enquiring as to whether you would like to review it or feature some extracts in any of your publications or on your webpage. I would be more than happy to provide you with any material that you might need in order to create an interesting feature. I think this is something that could be mutually beneficial, giving your members some highly relevant content while helping us promote the books publication. I hope this is of interest to you, and look forward to your reply.
Kind Regards, Ross
October 20th 2011 Dear Ian, I'm looking to do a tour of Dartmoor spring 2012 to include Hound tor, Merrivale and Grimspound. I am familiar with your name as some what of an expert on the moors. It's specifically the ancient sites I'm interested in covering and would like to know if you're interested in being involved in some way. Please contact me via this email address in the first instance. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours Sincerely, Sally Here's a lesson on making sure you send an email to the right person, sadly I am not the 'expert on the moors' she is talking about.
October 20th 2011 Hi Tim, I am working on a geology series for BBC1. I'm interested in doing a short sequence about Conan Doyle and how Dartmoor has influenced his story Hound of the Baskervilles. You seem to have a great knowledge of the subject. It would be great if you had a bit of time to talk about the story. Let me know a number and when would be good to chat and I'll give you a call. All the best for now, Kate.
October 16th 2011 Hi, my name is Anna Curnow and I am a keen amateur landscape photographer living in Okehampton. I have just had a website created for me and would be very grateful if you could add a link to it on your link page. I will gladly return the favour and put a link back to you on my site. My website is www.asc-photography.com and it contains stunning images of Dartmoor landscapes. If this is possible, please let me know and I'll put the link online. Thank you, Anna. Well worth a click, some stunning photos.
October 2nd 2011 Dear Sir I felt I must contact you and tell you of a something that occurred this morning October 2nd 2011 whilst I was walking on Dartmoor. I was walking alone around 0900 hrs and returning from a visit to Wistman's wood. I had just phoned a friend to tell him what a fantastic place the wood was and was looking down at the thicket at the other side of the stream at Grid 609755. I suddenly noticed what seemed to be a large cat walking into the thicket, I watched the creature for about 10 seconds until it went out of sight, all the time giving my friend a running commentary. It was about the size of a German Shepherd but was certainly not a dog. My friend convinced me that what I had seen was a black sheep and I finally agreed he must be right, however the more I think about it the more I am sure that what I saw was a large cat. I would like to add that I have always been a total disbeliever in large cat sighting even though whilst serving in the Royal Marines in 1983 I spent a week with several other marines stalking the 'Beast of Bodmin' without seeing any trace of a cat like creature. I cannot say 100% that what I saw was a cat but neither can I say 100% that what I saw wasn't. I certainly would not go to the press as I feel I would be ridiculed but it has certainly given me food for thought on the subject of cat sightings in Britain. Yours faithfully, Jeff White
September 30th 2011 Hi Tim
I've been looking at your Dartmoor Legends website as I was trying to find some history about Gold and mining in the south west Dartmoor area - for an article in Moor Links Christmas issue. Would you be able to help further?
As it will be the Christmas issue we have a financial article all about investing in Gold and I thought it may be fun to link it in our local 'A little bit of History' section, too. However, my history knowledge is practically zero and would need someone who knows a thing or two - to write the article.
(If you visit my website and click on 'latest issue' you can scroll through the pdf to the 'A little bit of History' article - towards the back - to give you some idea of what I'm on about!)
I look forward to hearing you.
Kind regards, Lizzie Watt
September 27th 2011 Dear Sir, I visited Fice's Well today and decided to look up some information about it on the web when I got home. Yours was the first website I got to and I thought it was very well done and informative. However, in the piece on Fice's Well, I thought you'd want to know that the date cited as being inscribed on the lintel of the well is incorrect. The date is discernable as 1568 yet you have 1582. Kind regards, Graham Brown Thanks Graham, I've now rectified the typo
September 20th 2011 Hi Tim, Thank you so much for your Legendary Dartmoor site - it is such a treasure and I wanted to show my appreciation for your work. I can tell it is being done with love and passion. I am planning a weeks holiday on Dartmoor for us and our guests. We are staying just outside Chagford and I am looking up interesting ancient ceremonial/archaeological sites (with their stories) and just plain beautiful places to visit as well as browsing the (ghostly) legends on your website for stories to tell around the Halloween fires. Wistman's wood is must definitely on my list, as is Lydford Gorge and the Devil's cauldron. There's so much on the website that it is hard to decide which places we will visit (preferably all but that would definitely take longer than one week). Any tips or suggestions of MUST SEE's are welcome. I read you have lived near Chagford so maybe you know some of the enchanting places to visit near Chagford and beyond. Kind regards, Natasha
September 3rd 2011 Hello ,I do hope you can give me some practical advice .I have 4 Labradors who I exercise on dartmoor. T hey are all livestock friendly, as in they don't chase sheep or ponies. When it comes to cows I try and avoid them at all costs, whether they have calves or not. Last week I had been on a really lovely hike, it was a hot day and I was glad to get back to the car. however, when I approached my car I could see it was entirely surrounded by cows who had been drinking at the nearby stream. Not wanting to go anywhere near them with my dogs I sat and waited, or rather hoped, that they would finish drinking and shove off. Not so, I sat out of sight where i could see them but they couldn't see me. In the end I decided I could only ring my husband and get him to come out, get my keys and reverse over the moorland to me so I could get the dogs in the car without the cows seeing them which is exactly what I did. I know that if you feel threatened to let the dogs lead go, I know all the right things when it comes to cows and what not to do. My worry is what if this happens again? I have never had it happen in 21 years of walking on the moor. today I went to the low moor where i know there are rarely cattle grazed and guess what? a bloody herd was there, I feel there's no getting away from them at the moment. I am aware of grazing rights but what about the rights of the general public? I have in the past been chased by a cow when I was more than a quarter of a mile away from them. yet I have also sat high up on a rocky outcrop and watched as a walker with a dog walked right through a bunch of cows with calves and the cows did nothing. hence there unpredictable tag. Are the cows grazed on dartmoor generally of a placid nature? Not that I plan on getting better acquainted with them, would you have done what I did when faced with an entire herd surrounding your car? I counted at least 45 cows. your advice would be of interest to me. Many thanks Beverley Morris (Mrs).
August 31st 2011 Hello I have just been on your site and read about Wheal Betsy, I have information that the mine started about 1720-25, although it was reputed to have started earlier. The report I found was in the Kalmeter Journal transcribed by Justin Brook, there is also another reference in the Brook index which he says could relate to Betsy around 1720. Hope that is some help for you, A friend and myself are doing a publication on Friendship and Betsy. Regards Greg Bradbury
August 28th 2011 Hi Tim, Just to say thanks for your fantastic Legendary Dartmoor website. It's my #1 place to find a huge amount of really excellent and invaluable info!! I spend quite a lot of time on the moor, either wild camping with mates or visiting on daytrips with friends and family, and use your site all the time for finding interesting places to visit or for taking GPS co-ords to plan routes etc. Really interesting too just to hunt down some info behind local features or well/lesser-known landmarks. Dartmoor is such an addictive place and the more I know about it the more I want to go back and check things out. I love the 'history and mystery' tag for your site too - that's what Dartmoor is all about for me. That, and dramatic old pictures like the one on your homepage. I was out this weekend and the scenery around Oke tor and Steeperton wasn't far off (with a pinch of imagination) with the stormy clouds and changing light. Great stuff! I'm sure you've got stacks of pics but if you ever want more...! I'm a 'friend' via your Facebook site too and enjoy getting the updates on new stuff. Keep up the good work - it's much appreciated. Many thanks Iain.
August 23rd 2011 Tim, I'm attaching a picture of a small cross which has recently come to my attention. I found it on Stoneslade Tor at GR 709783 after seeing a picture of it on Flickr by someone called Bridgemaker Tim. I don't know anything about it and wondered if you do. I didn't measure it but it is smaller than any other that I've seen. Fran - see HERE Sorry, I have no idea who, what or why - any information gratefully recieved.
August 22nd 2011. Hello Tim, My name is Jo and I run a group in Plymouth called Skeptics in the Pub, we are part of a larger international network of groups that hold monthly events. Every month we have a get together at a local bar with a speaker and I was wondering if you would like to come and impart some of your amazing knowledge of Dartmoor and it's myths and legends? We cannot unfortunately at this time offer a fee for speaking as we work entirely on donations, but we do endeavour to cover any expenses, dinner and a drink or two, it's a very relaxed atmosphere. I hope this has piqued an interest and we can work something out, our website can be found here where details of our upcoming and past events can be found and we have an active group on Facebook Hope to hear from you soon, Kind regards, Jo
August 20th 2011 Hi Tim, I just came across 'Legendary Dartmoor' whilst googling for info about Combestone Tor. I actually already have your website addy in my 'local history' folder from a visit several years ago, but like many shortcuts, I forgot I that had it amongst all the other stuff! Anyway, I just wanted to show my appreciation for all the knowledge and hard work that you've put into your site. Also, I have put a link to it in my own website 'Past Remains', which mostly consists of architectural, historical and derelict sites in East Devon & West Dorset (amongst a few others further afield). Like yourself, I enjoy adding personal anecdotes and the way that I see things from my own personal viewpoint...something that I really enjoyed reading in your site. I loved the story of the old man who sat by you at Combestone Tor. Enough wittering! lol. Just a thank you and hello. Cheers, Eileen
July 31st 2011 Hello. Just read your page on the Mary Line. We believe that on its way from Gidleigh to Spinsters Rock it runs through the village of Murchington. In Murchington there is a small enclave of houses called St. Olaves. I recently laid a ruler across a map from St. Michaels Mount through Glastonbury. This line runs near enough through Murchington - but here is the strange thing. Where the line breaks out of the East Coast of England between Gt Yarmouth and Lowestoft, it passes through a small place called St.Olaves. Coincidence or planned? John W. West
July 26th 2011 Dear Mr Sandles, I am a thirteen year old boy with a passion for history, especially Dartmoor's. I was wondering if you knew of Snailey House, and if you were aware if there are any books on the subject. Regards, Kieran Landregan P.S. I have also created a site on Dartmoor, it is new, so there is not much on there, here's the link: www.historicdartmoor.webs.com
July 25th 2011 Hello,
Thank you so much for your lovely information about Sheepstor Church. My family came from there many many years ago and your description brought it to life for me. The family was George Luscombe in 1827. I went on to look at the Piskies cave photo and the link no longer works – I just thought I would let you know.
Thanks again, Di Woodstock, Queensland Australia
July 16th 2011 Hi Tim, I wrote to you previously about my new (ish) Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks site. The immediate aim of the website is to give brief information on how to locate prehistoric sites using public transport (a section possibly added since I was last in touch on that subject) and give some photos and a very brief description of the sites. When I get time - may take a long while - I would like to expand the descriptions to delve a bit deeper in archaeological terms. In the mean time I thought you might be interested in the following pages recently expanded (or added) which attempt this: Spinsters' Rock http://www.dartmoorwalks.org.uk/site/spinsters.html My interpretation is that Swete observed cairn circles - but I'm not an expert! I would welcome a second opinion from yourself or anyone! Either way, I think it is good evidence that there was once prehistoric remains on Shilstone Common possibly a "ceremonial complex". The other page that might be of interest is: Lakehead Hill Cairn Circles, Cists and Settlements http://www.dartmoorwalks.org.uk/site/lakepics.html Keep up the good work! cheers, Dave Parks Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks
July 11th 2011 My mother claims that my Father wart charmer. Something to do with local Suffolk folklore! He did have the tendency to catch a lot of eels when I was a young lad ,but I regarded this as a food source, as they have a particular pleasant taste. Unfortunately my father has since passed away ,so we will never know! If he was he was not a good one!
July 11th 2011 I emailed you some time ago about the above and my husband has recently found the following information at Greens onscreen: complete history of Plymouth Argyle Author Roger Walters 1888-89 "Home ground at Mount Gould Charles Edward Brittan joined the Argyle Football Club for the 1888-89 season Brittan became a very good footballer for the club and was soon to become famous as an artist of Dartmoor and Scottish landscapes. Queen Mary, wife of King George V bought a number of his Scottish paintings and has illustrated an edition of the novel "Lorna Doone" 1890-91 Argyle in decline The ground at marsh Mills was not secured for this season but a 'home' was found on land next to Cattedown Road, on the corner of where South Milton Street was later built. The elected Captain was argyle's speedy top goal scorer Alfred Hole Shilston and Vice captain was Charles Edward Brittan They must have been very good friends; Brittan married a member of the Shilston family Hope that this will be of interest to you regards Thelma Grunnell, July 8th 2011 hello my name is jenny and i along with a lady called Mary run a dartmoor hill pony rehoming rescue. we are in the middle of building a website for ourselves and i was wondering if I may be cheeky to borrow a bit of info off your site on the dartmoor ponies. it is so well written. I would also like to put a bit on the page suggesting to have a look at your website as I have done links before to your website when we did our last appeal on facebook for name ideas for the ponies that got saved. I look forward to hearing from you Jenny - H.O.P.E Dartmoor hill pony rescue
June 29th 2011 Hi, to the webmaster, Thanks for the listing in your comments page, re., my web/blog > www.heartsymbol.info I wish to add a link from my site to your site, as I am getting many visits each day now. Will this be OK with you? Regards from Robin.
June 29th 2011 Hi Tim,
I hope you’re well. My name is Jason and I’m the Assistant Producer on an upcoming E4 comedy series called Show & Tell, which will air on UK television in September. The premise of the show is that each week three comedians will bring things to show the audience and then tell them about (pretty self explanatory!). As it happens, one of the comic guests has asked if his show and tell can be about Dartmoor myths and urban legends, as he was raised in the area. One of the myths he wanted to reference was the story of the devil visiting Dartmoor and he wanted to show the following still of the four fields where a gambler apparently dropped his cards
I am writing to you then to ask for your written permission that you are okay with use this still on the show. If you can let me know whether you wish to grant us this permission and the production manager will email you a release form which we will ask you to sign and send back.
If you have any questions then please contact me.
Many Thanks, Jason
June 25th 2011 Dear Tim , Out of courtesy just thought I'd let you know I've linked to your site from the Dartmoor Musts section of my site Really enjoy your site Regards, Mark
June 20th 2011 Hi there, Do you know if swaling on Dartmoor took place during the Second World War or if it was forbidden due to alerting the Luftwaffe to targets. Thanks C Dugmore
May 29th 2011 Hi Tim, Congratulations on a fantastic website. There are so many things i did not know about Dartmoor, and i have lived on it's doorstep all of my life. I am a keen photographer, Dartmoor being a favourite subject. Have walked the Abbots Way a couple of times, a pretty tough trek. Regards Steve Hicks.
May 22nd 2011 Dear Tim I am doing some research on a picture I have and it is by an artist F J Widgery and titled Cross on Dartmoor. I have done some research and discovered that there are many crosses on Dartmoor. Given you are clearly an expert in this area, I was wondering if you could tell me which cross this is? Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. Yours sincerely, Darren McMillan
May 21st 2011 Hi, Just to say thank you for the website - found it enchanting and so informative, plus as I’ve not been living here for very long it has given a lot of inspiration for Dartmoor walks, and explained such a lot of the local heritage and history.
Liz Hobson
May 19th 2011 Hi went on your site to have a quick dartmoor dash for three days....feeling where to visit.........i used to live in Princetown for ten years....... now in Longrock, Penzance.......your site is brilliant, so much stuff on it .WELL DONE ITS STUNNING....LOTS OF INFO........IMPRESSIVE. enjoy your walking, sure there is still plenty of years in you yet...........take care sue x
April 26th 2011 I was pleased and surprised to discover your website. The section about the WWII crash sites was most interesting for me personally. My uncle, Samuel L. Craig, lost his life in the B17 crash on December 25, 1943. I was quite touched to see the picture of the plaque with his name and the names of his crew members. I am curious if you know who would have had the plaque placed at the crash site. Thank you so much for sharing this tribute. Regards, Jane Craig Sullivan
April 13th 2011 Hello, I am interested in the piece on your website about simnel cake. Can you tell me more about it please? If you could give me a call as soon as you can I would be really grateful, Thanks Amy - Researcher The One Show, BBC1
April 8th 2011 (Warts) Hi We have a horse with sarcoids which is having to be destroyed because they are so bad. Is there any way you can help? Please contact Wendy
April 5th 2011 Dear Sir/Madam
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the information about Okehampton Castle on your site. Could you please tell me the name of the author of these notes.
Thank you, Geoffrey Smith
April 4th 2011 To whom it may concern; I'm casting for a new ITV1 cookery series titled There's No Taste Like Home. It's a programme where the stories behind the dishes are key. I thought there may be a traditional Dartmoor Veal dish or some other animal that inhabits the moor. Please do get in touch if you yourself have a dish or you know of anyone. Best regards, Michael
April 3rd 2011 Hi Tim, I've just found your website by chance when doing some research on Clarence Spooner. Very interesting and obviously something of a labour of love! I should explain that the research relates to my desire to write a history of hunting on Dartmoor as a retirement project. I was landlord of the East Dart Hotel for just short of ten years and used to hunt with all four packs of hounds on Dartmoor. Having sold the EDH in 2007 I presently own Dartfordleigh, just up the lane behind the hotel. Needless to say I know Tom and Liz very well and you'll probably be interested to hear that a great deal of the information for Tom's "Dartmoor Tin Mines and Miners" was garnered from my relatives. My grandfather Freddie Warne, all my great uncles, my father and his brother Gillie Warne all worked in the mines. I have copy of an article written in 1961 about my grandfather entitled "The last Tin Miner leaves Dartmoor" which I would be glad to provide you a copy of. He ended his work as a miner working at Hensroost Mine, Hexworthy, until the day it closed in 1935. I also had the pleasure of hosting the launch for Reg Bellamy's book I note your interest in Dartmoor memorabilia and have some pieces at home which I doubt you'll have seen before. Two cups, saucers and plates, hand painted and identified as Dartmoor Ware, two very good quality chine mugs, one showing an illustration of the East dart Hotel and the other the Clapper Bridge. My assumption is that they were commissioned by my great uncle Soloman Warne when he had the EDH in the 1930's. Best Regards Alex Warne
March 31st 2011 Hi. I thought you may be interested in my 'Ancient Heart Symbol' study as it relates to an interpretation of the 'Merrivale Ceremonial Centre' which you have featured on your own web site. For information on my study please visit > http://www.heartsymbol.info Kind regards from Robin Thanks Robin, an interesting theory, I wonder if it can be applied to the other ceremonial complexes dotted around the moor?
March 30th 2011 Hi, just reading about the Powder Mills as there is a webcam there showing, for me, the weather in the area. I note you have a picture of a bill for powder to Steeperton Tor Tin Mine. The website says it shows the cost to be 40/- for 25lbs of powder but actually it shows the cost as 40/- for 100lbs of powder and thus the cost for 25lbs was 10 shillings and the cost of the 50lbs was £1 ( maybe you are too young to remember that there were 20 shillings in a pound ) Keep up the good work. Best regards, Sally Moore Thanks Sally, the page is now amended.
March 29th 2011 Hi I’ve being looking on your web site about Bennett’s Cross as it appears in a manuscript of my Grandfathers life on the moors in the 1950’s as a mobile greengrocer. If I get it published, can I use the photo and copyright as detailed below?
I’m also looking for any old photos of the area, in particular their home which was called Kings Oven and about ¼-mile from Warren House Inn – I have attached the only photo I have
Thanks, Mark Winterburn
March 26th 2011 Hi I was recently walking on North Dartmoor near Okehampton, up the Meldon valley towards Lint Tor, west of High Willhays when I came across some aircraft wreckage. It appears to be quite old, including parts of wing, fuselage & a substantial radial engine. On returning home I did some research & came across your interesting website. I didn't know if you were aware of this crash site plus I also took some photos which I wondered if you may be interested in for your website? Regards, Charlie Molyneux
March 23rd 2011 Hi Tim,
Last year I was driving across Dartmoor to Princetown (after missing a turning on the road I decided to drive through Dartmoor the long way following my sat nav)....and I witnessed a open carriage with at least 4 maybe 6 horses appear from nowhere and towards me....now I was scared and thought this was not right...they glowed a silver grey but had no lights or hi-viz night riding jackets etc....knowing it was a ghostly experience I could not explain rationally why a horse and carriage would be out in the dark at night.....I stared straight ahead so as not to see it as it went past (I felt it pass and was glad it stayed to the LHS side of the road and did not pass through me as I feared/dread would happen ) and dared not to look in my mirror....deciding not to tell anyone I kept my speed up (concentrating on the road...I did not want to be stuck on the moors that night) til arriving at Plume of Feathers in Princetown.
Strangely I was not scared (having lived as a child in Smarden, Kent) but it did freak me out and it is still a vivid memory....
Is this a regular siting on Dartmoor? Can you offer any rational explanation? Do grey horse drawn carriages really ride along Dartmoor at 10:30/11pm at night?
Kind Regards, Mark Barton
March 22nd 2011 Hello Tim Did you the Travellers Ford Cross has gone missing. It has been missing for about a month. All the best Paul
March 16th 2011 Hello Mr Sandles, We are university students making a documentary at the college of St mark and St John in Plymouth about dartmoor legends, focusing on Jays Grave, hairy hands and the devil in Widecombe. We have read through your web page on Jays grave and find it very interesting and relevant to what we are trying to achieve in our documentary and filmmaking module. We would very much appreciate your time as an expert on these topics to meet up for a chat that would feature in our documentary. Is this at all possible and may we ask where you are located? Many thanks, Thomas Isherwood
March 8th 2011 I am currently doing a photography project on unknown creatures around Britain. I have done a few now but really want to focus on the many sightings around Devon which I have found on your website and heard about. Do you know any contacts, or how I could get in touch with someone who could help. Thank you Charlie
March 8th 2011 Greetings from Patty in Australia! I find your website most fascinating and informative. Thank you for covering so many aspects of Dartmoor in such an interesting and entertaining way. You are doing an excellent job! My sister lives in Tavistock, and she shows me the stunning beauty of Dartmoor each time I visit her. I have gotten to know parts of the Moor like an old friend. At this point, I've decided to venture beyond its beauty and learn a little about its history. Is there anyone at Dartmoorlander who can tell me how and when the tors got their original (ancient) names? It would be interesting to know exactly who named them, if this can be found out. Also, did King Henry III commission such thing as a map to be drawn up, following the 1210 Perambulation? If so, it's likely to have been the forerunner of all other maps that have been produced of this area. Any info on these subjects would be gratefully received, and I thank you in anticipation. Have a good day! With best wishes from Patty Van der Heyden (Mrs).
March 4th 2011 Hi My wife and i went to Hensroost Mine the other day and found this small cross with a persons name and dates of birth and death on a piece of copper sheeting have you any idea who this person might be, one of the miners perhaps who lived to 104 ,and who put this cross there thank you for any help S Thomson
March 2nd 2011 Hi When we last visited Hensroost Mine we came across a small wooden cross inscribed on a bit of copper sheet the name and date of a man who was of great age. Any ideas who this man was and who put the cross there Steve Thomson
February 22nd 2011 Hi can you give directions from A30 to Moute's Inn - Does the pub have a phone number? Thanks Rod Sumpter Yes I can, park in any lay-by and head south, sadly the Inn has no phone and they are waiting for Virgin Media to install the cable before they can converse with the outside world.
February 20th 2011 Dear Tim, I am returning to Dartmoor after too long an absence, with my teenage son, Friday and Saturday next. In planning, I happened across your web site and note that the road to OP 15 etc is closed, alas. How far, and from where, can I drive (Landrover) on to the moor using the range roads? Indeed, these roads were of great benefit to walkers. I recall, back in about 1979, having slogged for hours, reaching OP15, only to find civvie cars and picnics happening! I was not amused at the time, but now can see the benefit of using these roads! I am aware of the firing schedule for the week. -- Philip Dobson
February 19th 2011 Hi I wonder whether you could solve a mystery that I came across whilst walking on Dartmoor today. I have been walking the moors since the mid 70s and don't recall seeing this antiquity before. Coming from Nuns Cross Farm, after crossing the footbridge I started ascending Crane Hill and on its lower northern slopes I came across a large granite boulder with a bronze cross about 12 inches high cemented into the top of it. Have you come across this before and do you know its purpose. Obviously, nearby you have many stone crosses to mark the Monks Way i.e. Ter Hill crosses and then Goldsmith's cross and Siward's cross but they are all made of stone. I look forward to hearing from you. Oh - great website, it would be great to publish this works sometime, or better still have it available as a downloadable file that could be stored on a Satmap or something similar as a walking encyclopaedia. Regards Kevin Bastow. See - Northmore's Cross page
February 18th 2011 Tim, I read your page (Dartmoor Cereals) with interest. I live in Holsworthy and have found a source of heritage cereal varieties and would love to grow some here but I cannot find any way of identifying specifically local varieties. I was wondering if names were given in the research you did? It would be lovely to resurrect some here! Tom
February 15th 2011 Hallo my name is Alexander Schönbach, I'm a watchmaker from Paderborn in Germany. Like you we have the Three Hares symbol in our town. I made for some personal reason the decision to build a Three Hares watch with the Three Hares as a turning second hand above the dial of a wrist watch. My English is not that good to describe it very well. So maybe it should be better if you are interested to look on my webpage. www.uhrenarchiv.de If you are looking under news and further on: ältere Beiträge you will find more of my models. I could offer you a special individual exclusive series for you. Maybe it is interesting for you, all the best, Alexander Schönbach
February 3rd 2011 Good afternoon! I am writing in reference to the green man symbol that you have on your wonderful website. I have just moved down to Dartmoor to help rescue a family business and think that the green man symbol would be good for some of our promotion. I am really useless at graphic design and wondered if I could use one of your images please? I would happily put a link to your website up on ours. The symbol is the green man symbol that runs down the left hand side of the page. Kind regards, Naomi
February 2nd 2011 Two things, 1. I am a dowser and next month I am giving a talk on Earth Energy and the Energy Lines at Brentor Church to and in aid of the Friends of the Church. With luck I will be screening several pictures and drawings to accompany all the boring words. Would you be kind enough to give permission for me to use a couple of the pictures on the Brentor Church page ? in particular that dramatic old print at the top of the page. Do you happen to know the original date of that page ? 2. Would you be interested in an article on the above or some variation on it for fitting somewhere into your Web Site, a link to the Devon Dowsers Site might be a help to both. Rodney Smith, Lydford.
January 30th 2011 Hi, Firstly I love the website it's a brilliant collection of dartmoor Knowledge and I was wondering if you happen to know any dartmoor tales involving Romans on the Moors. Also have you experienced any supernatural activity on the moors? It's a fascinating subject for me one which I am exploring within the medium of Stained glass. Thanks, Matt
January 26th 2011 Many thanks for a great introduction to Dartmoor. As one who is trying to gather info on a specific area of Dartmoor it would be useful if you included location maps of the various features you describe. ie Rocks and Stones - if there was a map showing the location of each title it would save clicking on each one individually to see if it was near to where I'll be based or if it was near to other some places of interest that could be visited at the same time. I know you give the grid references - which is very helpful - but a map puts locations in context one with another. Otherwise an excellent and absorbing website. Chris Cater Thanks for your comments, there are two main problems with including maps; firstly the OS charge about £100 for a single map placement license and I simply cannot afford that. Secondly, the way around that is to draw my own map by over tracing the OS map at a proportional scale and that takes a lot of time which again I do not have. Maybe one thing you can do is to compile a data map using Memory Map (or a similar programme) and pin point every feature as you come across them, I have done this but there is no way I am making that public due to the time and effort it has taken to build up over the years.. The other alternative is to physically write each features' location on an OS map, again I have done this but over time the map wears out. A good starting point if you can get a copy is Mike Brown's Gazetteer of Dartmoor Place Names.
January 18th 2011 Hi, We found your website very inspirational. Now we have built the first clapper in Van Dieman’s Land. So far it has stood up to the floods. We hope to build some more in the future. Cheers, David Beaver B L Arch AILA, registered Landscape Architect. Thanks David, glad to be of help - to see the Tasmanian clapper click - HERE
January 7th 2011 Dear Legendary Dartmoor! I was wondering if you would consider swapping links with www.Moretonhampstead.com? It would be good if you could add it to your towns and villages links and we can add your link to our page on Dartmoor Myths and Legends. Many thanks, Katheryn
January 7th 2011 Dear Tim, I have just been catching up on your website and was rather disappointed to note your comments on the new-look Dartmoor Magazine and, in particular, your comment regarding Sue Viccars herself also being the Editor of Dartmoor - the Country Magazine which was discontinued by Halsgrove. I would like to point out that Sue had nothing to do with its demise, it was discontinued as it was simply a smaller profit earner and they wished to concentrate on other publications which were earning a larger income. Her experience as a writer and Editor in many fields, her knowledge of Dartmoor and the fact that she lives in Moretonhampstead prompted Edgemoor Publishing to invite her to be their Editor and they could not have made a better choice. I was delighted and proud to write for Elisabeth (A series on the Dartmoor Novels of Eden Phillpotts) when the Magazine belonged to her and I, too, have every copy except the very first - No.1. I enjoyed writing for Devon Life for eight years, and also for Dartmoor, the Country Magazine mainly on the people who lived on the moor, although I do not consider myself in any way an expert on the moor, merely a knowledgeable devotee. Today I enjoy writing for the new-look Magazine and applaud the way they have broadened the whole outlook of the Magazine without encroaching on its integrity. The aim is to widen the appeal by highlighting all aspects of life on Dartmoor of which Art and Food are very much a part. It is a lived-in environment in which the events of village life and the people who live here add significantly to the patchwork of Dartmoor as a whole. It will show to those people contemplating a holiday here that Dartmoor, as well as the beautiful scenery and antiquities which are frequently featured, also has a warm-hearted community, excellent food, and a very individual Art and theatre culture. I think it was Tom Greeves himself who first awakened my interest in Dartmoor people as they featured time and time again in the lectures he gave that I attended at Tavistock College during our initial years here and it is an interest which continues to this day as we have made a great many friends amongst Dartmoor residents while we have been writing, photographing and researching the moor. I would also add that I, too, read Dartmoor News and it is indeed an excellent publication whose editor is also a friend and who has far too much integrity to make personal and unfounded remarks about other Editors. Your website will need to be updated again on the advent of the Dartmoor On Line website - an excellent site run by Tom and Elisabeth Greeves and available on subscription. Janet Palmer Thank you for your comments, sorry for the delay in posting this but I am trying to work out whether you have sent me an email or your curriculum vitae? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I have stated mine and now you have stated yours. As an editor I would suggest that ultimately it is their responsibility to ensure the success of the publication, therefore if it fails because it was a 'smaller profit earner' then that would suggest not enough people were reading it. This in turn would point to a lack of leadership and initiative on behalf of the editor who was clearly directing the publication in a way that did not appeal to its readers. Please do not presume to tell me what I need to update on my own website, there are numerous things that I need to update and Dartmoor On Line is not one of them.
January 3rd 2011
Hi,
December 22nd 2010 Hi, I am from Plymouth and I just came to know some interesting point about Jays Grave and I would like to come and see it …Could you please give the the rough location and direction to that place please….it would be great and much appreciate. Thank you very much. Byyyeee
December 9th 2010 Hi Tim, I thought I would just say hi and thanks for your website. I spend lots of my time on the moor camping and shooting landscapes, but I often check out your site for more info, read stories behind place names and generally brush up on my Dartmoor knowledge. Thanks for putting all the work into creating this amazing resource. All the best, Alex Nail Photography Landscapes of Dartmoor and Devon www.alexnail.com
December 2nd 2010 Hi, Can you help please. Found this book (White Knight, Catherine Parr) and noticed reference on your site but no date: trying to determine why my family held it : wondered if you have determined the date of publication (no reference within the publication)? Time links could be 1916, 1918/19, 1962 though 2/- seems a lot for those times?Kind regards, Chris - Brisbane
November 28th 2010
Hi
November 22nd 2010 Hello Mr Sandles, I hope you can help me. I work on the forward planning desk for the West Country Tonight regional news programme on ITV and we're looking at how best to cover the Vixen Tor inquiry which starts tomorrow. I was hoping you might be able to give me some more detail about whether anyone will be campaigning at the inquiry, and whether you might be able to talk to us about the issue. Ideally we'd like to record something on Dartmoor so I don't know whether you might be open to having a chat to us about it and maybe meeting us up there for a quick interview? We were also hoping to get in touch with the landowner to see if we might be able to go and film on the land itself, I don't suppose you know how I'd be able to get hold of her? I'd really appreciate any other contacts you can pass on of people it might be good for us to talk to. Many thanks, this is much appreciated, Helen
November 20th 2010
Hello, November 14th 2010
Hi ! November 11th 2010 Hi Tim, My name’s Rebeka and I’ve found great pleasure in reading many of the old tales about where I live/lived on Dartmoor and all the surrounding areas we’ve visited but never known much about. We used to live between Princetown and Yelverton and now we live out by Launceston on the border between the two counties. As a 17 year old girl I’m intrigued by many a tale written on your wonderful website! I see myself as a wiccan/pagan and though I don’t practice many of the rituals, I hold a strong belief of all Lores and customs accompanying the old ways. I would never have known any of the things I do now if it hadn’t been for you and your lovely cabinet of wonders held on your website. I’m ashamed to say I have been a very silly girl on the odd family celebration and met the infamous badger of Tavistock. I went to college in Tavistock and have friends living in both the famous stannary town and many of the surrounding villages such as Mary Tavy, Princetown, Lydford, Lamerton etc... and I find myself becoming quite giddy knowing all the tales I now have as to be able to scare them into staying at home at night and not roaming the moors like naughty children. I want to thank you for painting me an extremely colourful picture of the land I now live on (coming a fair way down the road from busy Cambridge) and giving me a bigger picture of the dangers that lay across every square inch of the lush grasses and fields that I pass every day. Again, thank you ever so much for all the information you have provided in your website and giving me new understanding to the traditions and lores belonging to and surrounding my new home. Regards, Rebeka.
November 10th 2010 Hi, I just read with great interest your piece on the lost chapel of Halstock. I don't know if you're aware, but in 840AD Aethelwulf, king of Wessex, granted 15 hides to Eadberht, deacon, at Halstock, Devon. John Blair, in The church in Anglo-Saxon society, says the grant was 'for the honour of Almighty God and for the love of St Michael the Archangel whose church is in that little minster'. Blair and others reckon that Halstock is actually the Dorset Halstock, even though The Electronic Sawyer website definitely says Devon, and Halstock in Dorset has no record of a church dedicated to St Michael. Couldn't the lost chapel of Halstock be the 'the little minster' dedicated to St Michael that Aethelwulf refers to? Cheers, Robin Melrose
October 13th 2010 Hello, You quote the first four lines of a poem which begins “Thar be piskies up on Dartymoor”. Do you have the full version? Can you send me a copy or point me to where I can find it please? I married a Devonshire Maid who had her eightieth birthday on October 25th and I am putting together an album of photographs for her and would like to include the poem which we have known about since 1949. Thanks in anticipation. Ted Hartshorn - full version - HERE
October 28th 2010 Hi, I am currently carrying out a survey on some of the trig points on Dartmoor as part of my final year project at Plymouth University. I am finding out the accuracies of different survey methods which involves knowing the heights of the trig points I am surveying. I wonder if you could tell me where the heights that you have on your website have come from so I can know how accurate they are seeing as I am measuring to millimetre accuracy! Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks in advance, Richard Green
October 28th 2010 Hi im looking for some information on an old cross that i think dates back 600 to 700 years i have found out so far that it is Russian and belonged to the monks, if you can help and need more info i will send you the information i have so far. Thank You, Kelly.
October 10th 2010 Dear Tim, Whilst researching recipes for my first batch of Sloe gin, I came across your site. It was a very interesting read and having grown up near Dartmoor, I have always found it to be a fascinating place. I thoroughly enjoyed your amusing tale of the Tavistock Badger so much, that I would like to share the tale with the visitors to my big food blog. Please visit, http://www.mybigfoodblog.com/2010/10/sloe-gin-recipe.html, where I have included two links to your web site, along with a humble dedication to the Tavistock Badger, which I hope you will like. Upon sharing my first bottle of Sloe Gin with my friends, I will certainly toast the first sip to the Tavistock Badger, before sharing your wonderful story with my friends. Many thanks, Alex
October 7th 2010 Hi, I wonder if you can help me in my search for a myth or legend associated with Dartmoor. Many years ago, my wife and I and a couple of friends were visiting Dartmoor and for a bit of fun, after speaking to a landlord at one of the moor's pubs, we decided to have a go at letterboxing. We purchased a few books on the subject, and set about our quest of letterboxing. We had moderate success, finding around 15 boxes during our 5 day stay! However, in one of the books we purchased there was a section on myths and legends of Dartmoor. One story told of a newlyweds car breaking down on the road on Dartmoor. Whilst the husband went to seek help, the wife stayed in the car and kept hearing a knocking on the roof, it was pouring with rain, and when she got out of the car to investigate she found her husbands severed head on the roof of the car! This was not the hairy hands story, but another one which I would love to find out more details. Sorry to be so vague, but if you know of this story I would be most grateful if you could let me have the details. Thanking you in advance Shane Stunel
October 1st 2010 Hi Tim, I wanted to thank you for your Legendary Dartmoor website - it is a fantastic, interesting and useful resource on Dartmoor. I just wanted to let you know about my meagre efforts, a website put together over the last few months based on walks done over last 2 years: Site Description: Walking the Antiquities of Dartmoor - a website that suggests walks for those interested in visiting the ancient settlements and antiquities of Dartmoor such as stone rows and stone circles. The site may have its quirks - the routes are probably a little odd for car drivers but I deliberately set out to make the routes accessible for those using public transport (and car drives can use a map to find car parks and a shorter route!). Also some notable omissions - probably means I have not had a chance to visit them yet! Anyway - I have linked to your site. I have also added direct links on a few pages which will probably increase as I fine tune the website. For example see: http://www.dartmoorwalks.org.uk/site/houndtor.html - that site is out of my narrower remit (prehistoric) and you cover anything I could possible want to say! Anyway - if you feel inclined to link back I would appreciate it. Cheers, Dave Parks Dave's website can be found - HERE
September 30th 2010 Dear Dartmoorlander, I have just visited the page on your web site concerning the engine house at Wheal Betsy. The reason for the curve in the chimney is due to the shrinkage of the mortar during building. As you will notice, the side that has 'shrunk' is the side facing the prevailing winds. The building was under threat of demolition on the invitation of Mr. Jack Smith, the then Mary Tavy Power Station manager. My brother learned of the impending proposed demolition and contacted a gentleman in Cornwall (probably Jenkins) with a view to initiating preservation. Fortunately the information was acted upon immediately and the engine house was saved. With respect to Brunton's Stack, it was members of the Regular Army who demolished it, using it as a training exercise. The snuff box missing from Plymouth Museum was last 'understood' to have been 'taken' to Australia. No knowledge of the individual concerned is known. The adit driven from Wheal Friendship towards Betsy to drain Wheal Betsy was abandoned part way as there was concern that this would flood the workings of Wheal Friendship. My father worked on Wheal Friendship tin floors. I was born in the village of Mary Tavy, and along with my elder brother, have always had an interest in the Wheal Friendship complex. Father, along with grandfather, eventually left to mine for gold in West Africa, (Broomassie Gold Mine), where grandfather obtained a job as Mill Manager. Bennett's headgear (wooden) was built by Bill Vosper, a mine carpenter. He lived in Station Road Mary Tavy. His later years were spent in the 'Carpenter's Shop', immediately adjacent to Brookside, inside the mine property, - working as the village carpenter. The 'shop' (shed) was where the wooden barrels were originally made to hold the arsenic produced for export. The arsenic was used extensively in America to protect the cotton crops from bol weevil. Quite a potent insecticide! I hope these little snippets of information have been of interest to you. Sincerely, Gerry Sargent. Many thanks for this wealth of information.
September 17th 2010 I defied this absurd and unfair road closure (for the second time since Oct 2009) today...if I hadn't there is no way I could have reached my intended destination Cranmere Pool. I hear that Landmark (the Govt Contractors for Range Management services etc) want some potholes filled on the Loop road as they have had their vehicles damaged due the worsening deep ruts which we all know could have been repaired at a fraction of the costs if done when they started to develop. The loop road is of course now increasingly dangerous for cycles etc especially to those who don't know it and those using it in dark/failing daylight...this alone is a good reason for the Duchy to do some repairs...look how well maintained cycle tracks on old Railways are these days! There is a strong case for someone organising a Volunteer team to fund raise and maintain the loop road ...it could be done ..but regrettably no one put this idea forward to the Duchy before they closed it in Sept 2009. The Duchy have still not fully repaired the Moorgate to West Mill Tor road which is in one place in particular worse than any part of the Eastern Loop Road ! I hear a petition was being signed by people at Oke show this year.. do you know who organised this....what is happening etc?
September 7th 2010 Hi Just a short note to comment on your admirable site about the origins of the pasty. Although I see the venison was brought from Mount Edgecombe, it was not brought from Cornwall as Mount Edgecombe was in Devon in the 16th Century Jeff Fogwill
September 3rd 2010 Hi Tim I've just come across your fabulous website - crammed packed full of the mystery of Dartmoor. I'm writing a book on Dartmoor to be published by The History Press and wondered if you'd mind if I used some snippets from your website. I'll acknowledge your site in the book if you would like. Kind Regards, Michelle
September 1st 2010 Hi there,
I thought I would let you know something strange that I saw in back in 1995 on a holiday to Dartmoor.
My ,then, Boyfriend and I had just visited Combestone Tor and were turning left out of the roadside carpark. We were heading down the hill, towards Hangman’s pit where some trees hide the road & bridge. We both saw something white (we assumed to be a car!) coming down the road on the opposite side of the pit at a fair speed. The white thing disappeared behind the trees and my Boyfriend slowed down, as the road appeared to narrow, to allow the other car to pass safely. The “car” never materialised!!! Nothing had gone off to either side of the road or gone back up the road – it had simply disappeared! We knew, from the map, that the area was called hangman’s pit but did not realise a connection to a farmer, his lame horse and his subsequent suicide until I have seen your site 15 years later!!!
The experience was so alarming that it really has stayed with me for all of those years and I know my then-Boyfriend remembers it too!!!
Regards, Karen Webster
August 30th 2010 Hi Tim Thank you so much for your excellent information on Garway Church. I came across the church completely unexpectedly on a walk from Skenfrith yesterday, had as good a look round as was allowed and researched it as soon as I got home. Your site is by far the most informative; I can’t wait to go back and see all the things I missed, fortunately I live a little nearer than Dartmoor. Your information on Trellech's three stones is also very interesting, although sadly the link to your illustrations wasn’t there Anything else you have written on the area would be of great interest to me if you’d be kind enough to point me in the right direction I see you’ve have done your dissertation and earned your MA, congratulations and thanks again Best wishes, Tessa
August 26th 2010 Dear Sir I have just visited your web-site and would like to ask your advice. I have two small watercolours of Dartmoor by Brittan which we can no longer display as we have recently moved to a smaller house. Do you know of any collectors or galleries who might be interested in purchasing them? I can provide photos of them if required. I apologise if this is not your area of interest and for any inconvenience I have caused I look forward to your reply Regards Robert Hall
August 26th 2010 Hi Tim, Wondering if you might be interested in a discussion on ramblers on BBC Radio 5 live. Please give me a ring, or email back with a contact number and I'll tell you more. Regards, Michael
August 25th 2010 Hello Tim, Firstly, what an excellent website. My Great Grandfather, and namesake, John James and his brother Thomas were both Warders at Dartmoor Convict Prison in the mid-late 1800s. One book that you might find of interest to add to the reading list is "A Prison Chaplain on Dartmoor" by The Rev. Clifford Rickards B.A., published by Edward Arnold, London, 1920. My copy is dated 1920, and came to me via my late Aunt. The book gives the Rev. Rickards' reminiscences of 25 years experiences in the prison on Dartmoor. Best regards, John James
August 24th 2010 Dear Mr Sandles
Please forgive my emailing you out of the blue. My name is Faaiza Ahmed and I am a researcher for Lion Television. We are currently making Edwardian Farm for BBC2, the follow up to Victorian Farm. In this series our three presenters are living and working on a farm in Devon, through which we are exploring social and technological advances in the Edwardian period.
In one of our episodes, our presenters discuss Candlemas. I came across your website after doing a Google search and noted you had written a page on Candlemas I was therefore wondering if you would be able to look over the following extracts from our script and confirm its accuracy?
"Candlemas, the second of February, was seen as a watershed by the Edwardian farmer."
"So if it rains at Candlemas then winter is over and the weather will improve. If not, winter will have another bite."
Any information that you have regarding this would be most helpful.
Kind regards and I look forward to hearing from you.
Faaiza Ahmed - Researcher Edwardian Farm
August 23rd 2010 Hi There, I was disappointed by the barbed wire when I tried to access Vixen Tor. Afterward I enjoyed reading the story on your site. Thanks! I was able to fly my kite with an attached camera over the barbed wire, and take beautiful pictures. I feel that kites are free like birds, They can nor read and are nor hindered ;-) Maybe you will enjoy the pictures? - see HERE Cheers, Hans Elbers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
August 20th 2010 Thoroughly enjoyed reading about the bronze age round houses on your website. I've walked the moor for forty years and have always been intrigued by the hut circle remains. The question as to why the huts are round is interesting. The benefit of a circle over a square or rectangle is that mathematically, it offers the greatest floor area to wall circumference. Thus a round house offers maximum living area for the available materials. It is also easier to construct a circular based conical roof than a square or rectangular roof. That made me think. Why are most modern houses square or rectangular? I believe that must be because you can't divide up land into circles but you can divide it up easily into squares, like a chessboard. Land costs money and is at a premium these days. Our furniture all tends to be rectangular these days and that's easier to procure. It's expensive and tricky trying to fit out a room that is circular. MBA didn't have this problem as they possessed such little furniture. Tent design has moved from the traditional rectangular to the hemispherical phasor dome as technology has permitted easier construction of the strong hemispherical frames. A hemispheric frame was beyond the wit of MBA man and so a 'tepee' shaped and design roof was the easiest for them to procure. I suspect that some of them lived in just tepees prior to granite hut circles but the remains of these would no longer exist, like the rooves of the hut circles. They had to be replaced every 10 or 20 years even back then. What a wonderful place Dartmoor is. Regards, Trevor Hill Taunton, Somerset Thanks Trevor, it is interesting to note that although none have been found on Dartmoor, the Neolithic houses were rectangular and it was in the Middle Bronze Age that the design changed to that of a circle. It was also at this time that stone circles began appearing so maybe the house design reflected the religious belief in the circular icon???
August 17th 2010 Hello Tim, Just wanted to drop you a line of thanks for your wonderful website concerning Dartmoor. I noticed this year you have not updated it so much as previously, I hope all is well. Your site over the years has given me a lot of joy, and no doubt will do so into the future. Thanks for your kind comments, all is well just busy at work and believe it or not getting short of topics.
August 14th 2010 Hi, I have used your site for years and must applaud you. I have come across a dead end in my search for info on what I think may be an ancient burial site. Hopefully you might know of it, it lies north of Oakery Bridge, and just below the clapper bridge and prison sewer bridge on the Blackbrook 'river'. It is an area that is raised some 3 ft above the surrounding area by a rock wall, it is lined around the edge with trees, has 'mounds' inside, and even an 'entrance' by the river with two rock 'jambs' and a capstone. I can't seem to find any reference to this area and would love to find out more. Yours hopefully, Del Williams, Princetown resident.
August 14th 2010 Having moved to the moor a couple of years ago I was delighted to find Legendary Dartmoor. Your website has become my first point of reference for everything Dartmoor – It’s rapidly become as indispensable as Wikipedia. Will
August 13th 2010 Hi Tim, I though you might be interested to know that I have taken it upon myself to try and document most of the features on Cut Hill, before they get forgotten with time. I have managed to do 14 so far but many more trips up there needed to get most of them. Sadly the pipes don’t seem to be there any more. I understand from Tracy (Tailchaser) that they may have been removed by the army some time ago. Try out my new page, lot’s more to add when we can get up there again, hopefully soon - see HERE
Cheers, Paul
August 1tth 2010 Hi: Just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading your webpage. It was very interesting. The next time I travel to the UK, I am thinking of visiting Dartmoor because of all the fascinating things I read about it on your page. Thank you!
August 5th 2010 Hi Mr Sandles I'm writing a piece about the row over access to Vixen Tor for The Sunday Telegraph and I'd be interested in hearing your comments on the dispute. Are there any campaigners on the rambling/access side I should speak to and do you happen to have a contact number for Mrs Alford? Could you give me a call when you get the opportunity, preferably before Friday lunchtime. Best wishes -- Patrick Sawer - see article HERE
July 14th 2010 Good Morning, I am photo editor at FOCUS HISTORY , Italian monthly magazine. In the next issue we are going to publish an article about "Dartmoor - Yellowmead Stone Circle" and we would like to use the attached images. I would like to know who I have to contact to get the high res. Thank you for your kind cooperation, please respond at your earliest convenience. Patrizia De Luca Photo editor
July 8th 2010 Dear Mr Sandles
Please forgive my emailing you out of the blue. My name is Faaiza Ahmed and I work for Lion Television and we are currently making the BBC series Edwardian Farm, the follow up series to the hugely successful Victorian Farm. We are filming on location in Devon and across the south-west with a specific look at agriculture during the Edwardian era.
I have come across your wonderful website on Dartmoor and was wondering whether you would be able to help me. I am researching some archive photographs and am looking for images of sett makers and moss gathering. If you have or know of anyone who has such images from the Edwardian period in a high resolution version, that would be most helpful. Thank you very much and I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards Faaiza
July 4th 2010 Hi there, My name is Peter Chesbrough and I am currently compiling information for a book that I am writing which is set on Dartmoor. I have trawled through your brilliant website and found much of use, but there is one thing that I have heard of mentioned in a few places but cannot find a trace of on your website. This is the group known as the Walkhampton Hundred (or something similar). I'm sorry if you do have the info and I have just been unable to find it, but if you could let me know on anything you know of the subject it would be much appreciated. Thank you - Peter Chesbrough
July 2nd 2010 Dear All My name is Shaun Riley and I have just found your site on the B-17 that crashed on Oakhampton Moor. I am very interested in this wreck because 10 yrs ago while I was scuba diving in the Harwich Estuary I found also a B-17 buried in the mud, both pilots were MIA after much work I finally got it recovered and the pilots returned to their families. the pilot of this B-17 was Col Aber from the 406th night leaflet sqd, also Lt Harper was a spitfire pilot who transferred to USAAF. I believe the plane that you have on your moor is from the 406th bomb sqd as well? as it is mentioned in a book, I am re-building and restoring the back end of the B-17G `Tondalayo` 337516 JJT this was Col Abers personal B-17 which was painted entirely black, I would be very interested to know if there is any more wreckage that what is shown in the pictures? I'm not out to take nothing, just very interested in this aircraft as I believe it was stationed at Cheddington. Really hope to hear from you - yours faithfully Shaun
June 30th 2010 Dear Sir Today I stumbled across your site & it is absolutely beautiful what a fine testimony to the wonder that is Dartmoor. I am a folksinger & poet & I enclose a poem that I wrote for the Dartmoor Pony when their numbers were in decline, happily things are looking up now as they are appreciated through various schemes. I sponsor a pony through the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust & he is called Charlie !. Please feel free to use the poem if you wish Yours Maggie Duffy - read the poem - HERE
June 28th 2010 Hi Tim I enjoyed looking at your website about Dartmoor legends, particularly the piece on Trinnaman as I grew up in Ivybridge and spent a lot of time in long timber woods. I'm not sure if you are aware but the oak tree above the stone basin has been cut down. Someone has written a message to whomever cut it down on the tree stump which is interesting. I was wondering if you had any more information as to why it was cut down, it is a shame that a part of our history has been erased. Regards Matt Willingham
June 18th 2010
Thought you might like to see a
watercolour of (Pixies Cross) my grandfathers painted in 1918 - See
attached May 21st 2010 Dear Dartmoorlander, as I read your section on witchcraft in Dartmoor I stumbled on something that might interest you: The famous modern witch Stewart Farrar seems to have located one of his novels - called 'The Twelve Maidens' - in your area. Stewart Farrar was one of the leading high priests responsible for the rise of the modern witch-religion Wicca. His novel was published in the early 1970s, it deals with a fight between good and evil witches. The evil ones occupying the 'Twelve Maidens', a circle of stones located close to a town called "Bewlay" in "the high Devon moors". I could not find a place by the name of "Bewlay" online, this may be fiction. However, The Twelve Maidens bear a strong resemblance, of course, to the Nine Maidens. The novel is one of the most famous of the Wicca-Religion, I suppose it is well known amongst modern witches, so it might be a reason for occurring rituals... . Animal sacrifice and the usage of human hair for magic, as your section on witchcraft mentions, does play a role in the novel. Perhaps you already knew this, but I could not keep that to myself. If you need any more information about this, please let me know. Kind Regards, Martin Geilfus
May 21st 2010 Hello, I'm looking for 'things' of interest about Dartmoor and your superb site stops me from looking further. Now, these 'things' I'd like to include in two pages of my book; Saddle the Wind. Saddle is my 35,551 word m/s set on the moors. At this stage I'll publish myself, after penguin 'knocked it back' only because they wanted a minimum of 60,000 words. And as I'd started on the 2nd Saddle adventure; additions spoilt, in my opinion, a follow-up story. I ask if I may use-with 'acknowledgements into source' some of your text and maybe illustrations? That said, I haven't yet looked in great detail at the site's complete content, and before doing so need to know if I can use some of it.. Below the foreword of Saddle the Wind. I've also written a 90-page screenplay of Saddle. Thank You, Ron Shears
May 5th 2010 Hi, Was just reading your webpage on the giant chair in Natsworthy, we visited it this Monday 4th May and its still there in all its glory! It really adds to the area so hopefully it will be there for a lot longer! Kind regards, Jamie
May 5th 2010 Hi Tim - This is Anne from the Museum of Dartmoor Life. Just a short enquiry. Some one recently told me the Bellever Idol story; as this hadn't come to my attention before I checked out your web site & found the April Fool pop up. Has he been fooled? Anne
April 17th 2010. Hi, To save me taking a drive up there and adding to the excuse of increased traffic along the narrow roads of Dartmoor... Could you please tell me the status of... The Giants Chair of Natsworthy. Has the situation has been resolved? is it still ongoing? or has it already been removed. (Which would be a travesty) Many thanks & what a great site.
As both of the emails below arrived on the same day I presume the Dartmoor Witches page was discovered by Holly Owen who then instigated the second communication. I am sick and tired of people telling me what I can or cannot put on my own website and in this instance I will be altering NOTHING! Firstly the reference to a link between the sheep killings and 'pagans' came initially from the police and if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. Secondly, both emails suggest that 'pagans' would never be involved in ritual slaughter of this kind, I am sure there are many Muslims who say that their like never get involved in human slaughter - try telling that to the troops in Afghanistan. Thirdly it is noted below that these sheep killings could possibly be attributed to 'Satanists' and that 'Pagans do not believe in the Christian God'', so I am sure that 'Satanists' do not believe in a Christian god therefore they must be Pagans! The Oxford English Dictionary defines a 'pagan' as being: 'a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.' Therefore I would suggest that by using the word 'pagan' to describe those responsible for the sheep killings is perfectly legitimate, when have so many animals been killed in such a manner by any believer belonging to any of the 'main world religions?
April 13th 2010. The loss of these animals would have been tragic, and unfortunate that it would only be in the financial sense that the absence of their lives would be felt. The value of the life so reduced in these times. It's always interesting to hear information on the history of Dartmoor, it being such a beautiful part of the world, but I feel that your research has let you down in this article Where pagans perform ritual slaughter of animals the larger the ritual the greater the importance of the animal. For example: Daisy the cow would get a nice little send-off, while another cow ordinarily used for breeding would get a much grander send-off to (hopefully) counteract the circumstances which brought about the necessity for the slaughter of the animal in the first place. The reason for this is because pagans (despite existing in all the varieties that they do) view life, and everything that contributes to it, as being of very great importance. Everything ritual and festival that occurs in the year has its roots in the holy significance of life and death, whether it be of animal, mineral or vegetable. In other words, though these killings have very evidently taken place next to cultural landmarks, the connection that is drawn in your article between pagans and what appears to be willful motiveless killing of animals is wrong. This has never been part of Pagan practice and never will be unless the unlikely eventuality comes about where our two species go to war, and even then it would be doubtful. Can you please correct your article with this in mind? I'm sure others feel, like me, that this is a slanderous accusation upon our religion. Yours, LS Hamilton
April 13th 2010. Hello there, I have been browsing your Dartmoor website, and have found the majority of it to be informative and an excellent read. However, I would like to raise the issue of the page entitled Dartmoor Witches, upon which you refer to troubling incidences of sheep killings. While I agree that they seem to have been laid out in a possibly 'ritualistic' manner, what troubles me is your explicit linkage of these atrocities with Paganism. Modern-day Pagans would simply never hurt a living creature in such a manner. The very foundation of 21st century Neo-Paganism is based upon reverence for Mother Earth and all of her living creatures. In fact, the majority of Pagans these days are vegetarians. The horrible incidents involving the sheep will have been the work of disturbed individuals who have probably watched far too many violent films. They may well have believed they were carrying out a 'Satanic' ritual - however, I need to point out that Satan is an entirely Christian construct. Pagans do not believe in the Christian God and certainly do not believe in Satan. It is a common misconception that Pagans are linked with 'Satanism', 'Black Magic' and animal sacrifice. I much prefer it when people call us 'tree-huggers' as while this tends to be said in a mocking manner, at least it captures the inherent gentleness of modern Paganism. I hope you will amend your page as 21st century Wicca and Paganism absolutely NEVER involve animal sacrifice and believe me, we Pagans already have enough trouble dealing with prejudice without people linking us with such abominable acts. Thank you, Holly Owen.
April 11th 2010. hey im very interested in the history and suposed ghost of dartmoor but i was just wandering where do u get all this information plus would u meet me and show me these places as i wanna find out if something is actually out there.
Yeah right, Ghostbusters are the next door down,
March 31st 2010. Hi Tim, I'm 'trying' to research 'PUT ON / TAKE OFF STONES' in Cornwall, but the only reference I can find to such items are the ones you have detailed on Dartmoor. I am attempting to complete this years Round Britain Rally, which is an event running from April Till October, whereby motorcyclists locate 89 Landmarks around the UK. One such landmark 'clue' on my list is ' PUT ON STONE AND TAKE OFF STONE (15 POINTS EACH) AT COOMBEGATE & CADSON, ST.IVE" That's all the info I have and with your website being so informative, I hope you don't mind me asking for help, as I thought you may have access to some research data I can't find :) I think I've possibly traced them in the area of Newbridge (PL17 7HW) and Pipers Pool (PL15 8QG) but they appear so far apart and I'm wondering if they should be in pairs closer than this? When using Google maps with coombegate in particular, the 'streetview' gives a clear view of a stone at the roadsides edge although I cannot see any detail. And I can see a stone against the walled gate at the entrance to Cadson Manor, but again it's unclear. I've emailed the manor and am hoping for some help from that location - are you able to assist me on this one please? Kind regards, Gary McDonough.
March 27th 2010. Hi I have visited your website Legendarydartmoor.co.uk and would like to request an additional link to our website. At UK Campsite Search we are working very hard at promoting campsites and caravan sites in the UK's National Parks, having visited many of these areas myself I know what they have to offer and how important to the local economies tourism is. You can view our Dartmoor pages here - http://www.ukcampsitesearch.co.uk/dartmoor/ Please take a look at our website and let us know what you think. It's always useful to have feedback from fellow website owners. Good luck with your site and any future ventures. Kind Regards, John Conway .
March 24th 2010. Dear Tim, Being a mine of information on all things Dartmoor, I wonder if you can help solve a mystery. Walking up the Erme from Harford Bridge recently, I came across this old building which includes a brick built aqueduct which probably carried water to a wheel. I've checked my many Dartmoor books but can't find anything about it. Dartmoor National Park Authority said an old map showed a pumping station in the vicinity and wondered if it was anything to do with Bullaven house as an aerial shot of the area in 1947 showed a swimming pool, but this substantial building is much more than a pumping station. It has to be some sort of mill. Have you any ideas or can you point me in the direction of someone who might know? May I also take this opportunity to say how much I enjoy the Legendary website and your book on A Pilgrimage to Dartmoor Crosses. I bought the book having discovered it in Exmouth library. These are genuine comments. Paul Huddart
March 23rd 2010. Hi Dartmoorlander, nice read about the Ilsington Lych Gate. I was born next door in The Old Post Office. Regards. Cyril Honeywill.
March 18th 2010. Hello, Can you tell me anything about the wonderful bridge at the far end of the Meldon reservoir, please? Love the site, very informative and helpful. Mary.
March 17th 2010. Dear Tim,
I have just seen your website for the first time after Googling “St Michael de Rupe”. Absolutely fascinating stuff – well researched and well written. I am particularly interested in evidence for Roman occupation outside the “obvious” areas (having done my uni dissertation on 1st century Britain) and have since childhood been a bit obsessed with tracing old road networks on maps. So Google Earth is heaven! (as well as, of course, the most massive timewaster when I should be getting on with work, my post grad studies, housework etc.)
Which brings me to Spreyton. I cannot believe that church font is Saxon: I will go so far as to say it is not Christian. Have you ever seen any history for Spreyton beyond the limited stuff available on Genuki etc.? Do you by any chance have access to any archaeological sources not available online?
Kind regards Ann
March 13th 2010. Dear Sirs Will you please amend the list of licensees of the Warren House Inn, which is incorrect and should read as follows:- 1963 -1968 William Ash 1968 -1971 Dennis Seaman 1971 -1984 Basil Goad 1984 -1988 Tony Berry 1988 - Present Peter Parsons William (Bill) Ash was responsible for changing the inside of the pub when he bought it from Brian Sillem in 1963, and it was managed for him by Maurice Greenanway. I went to the Warren in 1968 when Dennis Seaman bought it and managed it for him until 1971 when he sold it to me. I then sold it to Tony Berry in 1984, who then sold it to Peter in 1988. Peter Parsons (whose father - Bob Parsons owned the Three Crowns in Chagford) worked for me for several years as my bar manager, stayed on when I sold it to Tony, and then subsequently bought it from him. Kind regards Basil Goad Thanks Basil, duely amended.
March 10th 2010. Hi Tim, Great website, I really enjoy reading the information. I spend hours on Dartmoor walking and would have missed a lot of things without your web site highlighting them. Just some info I picked up last November which may be of interest re your comments why the original engraving date is 21st March and the new memorial says 22nd March, it may be relevant or maybe not at all. I was one of a party of walkers who walked to the memorial on Remembrance Sunday to pay our respects , it was one of the DNPA guided walks. Our guide new some of the crashes history but passed us over to another gentlemen walking with us who had spent a lot of time researching the crash, if my memory serves me he was ex RAF and obviously retained his interest after his retirement. 1) My first recollection of this gentlemen's information is one of the crew actually survived the crash and was taken to a local hospital (Moretonhampstead I think) but died due to his injuries the next day (22nd). 2) My second recollection is the bomber was returning from a bombing mission in France and someone with us was pondering the time differences between UK and France, was 22.50 accurate, maybe it was 23.05UK 21-3-1941 which may have been 01.05 France (+1hr) 22-3-1941? My recollection 1) seems more likely to me. I often see the DNPA guide and will have a chat with him when I see him and reconfirm my recollection of events. I may also be able to find the other gentlemen's name. The walk to the memorial has been an annual event for a few years so I will attempt to attend again this year if it is organized and listen more carefully. Regards, Terry Horan.
March 3rd 2010. Hello Tim. I have spent a few months now looking for information on names of people and places on/from Dartmoor. As I am in the 3rd rewrite of my poem about Dartmoor. This poem is one of a handful required for my creative practice module towards my degree. I wanted to write and thank you for your fabulous research on ’The Moor’ which is and has always been special to me. Not at least because I was born in Tavistock, where the rest of my family, Aunts and uncles, Grandparents even Great Grandparents where born in Torquay. I will include you and your website in footnotes and bibliography of course. I hope this is agreeable with you. Kind Regards Debra McLean (AKA pen name Beatrice Whyddon).
February 22nd 2010. Hello, Do you know where I could get picture's of Princetown during the snow in 1963? my father was a prison officer at dartmoor I was living there at the time and remember very well seeing the prisoners dig through the snow to make a pathway in the main street. Also opening cattle grids to let sheep and pony's in so we could feed them scraps. Which the pony's repaid us by nipping our rear ends!! Kay Blatchford.
February 19th 2010. Good morning, I am doing a research about the evil eye tradition in the British Isles and found in your web page that "hag stones" work against it. My doubt is that if a hag stone, a serpent's stone, a snake stone and an adder stone are all the same. Could you help me solve this doubt? Thank you very much for your help. Milagros Torrado Cespon
February 18th 2010. Dear Tim, Enjoyed your book recently and hence the contact. I have been increasingly interested in history of our area (Village) and over recent year have come across an old granite cross, picture attached before cleaning it. I think the arms were removed but the raised small cross is still evident. As a committee project this stone will be used to mark the 400th anniversary of General George Monck born in Merton. The cross if that is what it was, stood for many years in a field opposite General Moncks home Great Potheridge at Merton. This stone appears to be ancient. I so far have not been able to trace it on any maps but live in hope it was recorded somewhere. It was knocked over by farm contractors about 20 years ago and the farmer saved it - hence us using it. The question is of course what was it? a rubbing post moved to the field by a farmer? an ancient way marker (my preferred thoughts so far) a mark of something under ground? a boundary mark? The field has not changed much since 1841 tithe maps, no one knows anything about it other than seeing it in the field - approx middle of field. There is no natural Granite in the area so it would presumably have been brought in from Dartmoor. (so it could be a Dartmoor cross) With your interest and knowledge I wonder if you have any thoughts on it or where to locate any information? The 1947 aerial pictures do not show it as too small I suppose but I will look again with a glass to see if I can locate the exact position in the field where it stood. Philip Collins
February 16th 2010. Hi there, Had to let you know of the great laugh I had today. I've been wandering around this excellent site of yours, and being a bird lover, found myself reading about the buzzards of Dartmoor. I really wondered at "grace the sky" and "majestic" used to describe these birds! Then I read on and realized you were describing what here in the States we call hawks. Buzzards, here, are synonymous with vultures, the huge ugly baldy head bird which eat carrion. :) Hawks, buteos, on the other hand truly are, like you say, majestic and graceful. Not completely lost in translation! Thanks for the thorough site! Rebecca.
February 14th 2010. Mr. Sandles, Thank you so much for your incredible site! It's been a wonderful supplement for my Dartmoor daydreaming. I've never visited in person, and probably never will, so pictures and stories are my manna. Have you ever considered putting all of your information from the site into hardcopy? Might be a bit more manageable to peruse in a book form. Thank you for your hard work on this project. R Hardin
February 12th 2010. Dear Tim Sandles,
Today, after many years, I finally made the long overdue
pilgrimage to pay homage at the grave side of William Crossing in Mary
Tavy Churchyard. Returning home I was prompted to see what information
might be hiding on the Internet about this remarkable man and just wish
to express my appreciation of the article you wrote about him under
Legendary Dartmoor. Thanks to Brian Le Messurier it didn't take too long
to find Crossing's resting place. I too was surprised to see no mention
of his moorland associations on the headstone. Regarding your comments
about "learned pontificators" I know of one place in particular where
Hemery pours scorn on Crossing's recollections of a building and
categorically denounces its existence. I refer to the Watchman's Hut on
Huntingdon above the ruined blowing-house on the left bank of the River
Avon in the area Crossing calls Higher Bottom. I have been to it on
numerous occasions and only wish it were possible to drag Hemery there
and "rub his nose in it". Isn't it so true of many deceased geniuses
that they die in poverty with later generations reaping the benefits of
their endeavours in more ways than one.
February 10th 2010. Dear Tim I must congratulate you on your excellent Legendary Dartmoor website. With reference to Cut Hill and the apparent mis-naming of Cut Lane & Cut Hill streams, I contacted the OS and forward their reply. They say the DNPA say Cut Hill stream is correct, and 'Hangman's' is called Cut Hill Water !!
Further to my email of 3rd February regarding Cut Hill Stream.
We have contacted Dartmoor National Park about this issue. They have confirmed that OL 28 is correct and Cut Hill Stream runs NW to SE into the East Dart River and that the stream that flows west to east into the East Dart River is called Cut Hill Water. We have added the name Cut Hill Water to our mapping and this will be available in the next revision. We do appreciate the time and trouble you have spent in communicating with Ordnance Survey.
Best wishes Ron Quilter
February 8th 2010.
Sir,
January 29th 2010. I have noticed on your page devoted to Wells and springs that you give a map reference of SX 7107 7640 for this well / spring. I visited the "Slades Well" marked on the OS 1:25000 map north of Chinkwell Tor and my GPS gave a reference of SX 7282 7840 which very much agrees with the marked position. I have submitted two pictures to Geograph for the square SX 7278. I hope this is of use to you. Guy. Thanks Guy, got the Slade's and the Shere wells mixed up.
January 22nd 2010. Hi Tim Just been told about your Gutter Tor Cross page by Liz Miall (Dartmoor guide), not bad ... I was there yesterday and took the attached photos of the very nearby damaged apple crusher as well. You're welcome to use them if you feel the need! No doubt better photos will be taken in sunshine at some date. Cheers - Keith
January 17th 2010. Dear Mr. Sandles:
I am writing you in regards to the story on your website about the Oxenham family. I have been trying to find out more information about this phenomenon of seeing white birds before the death of a family member. Would you be able to suggest any websites or resources about this?
When I was a young women (I’m 53 now), my mother told me that her Mom saw white birds before a family member died. Mom told me grandma hated it when she saw a white bird, which she saw in her mind’s eye, because she didn’t know who was going to die or when. I didn’t think much of the story until after my own mother died about 9 years ago. Before she died I saw all kinds of white birds in my mind’s eye. I had completely forgotten my grandma’s experience by then. After having a few similar experiences over the years since my mom’s death, I am convinced I have inherited my grandma’s “gift.” As far as I can tell, I only see a white bird before blood relatives die.
I decided to keep a record of this phenomenon as an experiment and do more research on the folklore related to it. My mother’s family heritage is Irish and maybe Scottish, and I’m wondering if that may have anything to do with it.
Cordially, Monica Curry
January 13th 2010. Hi, I have been doing a bit of research recently on Dartmoor plains and came across " Horrapit " plain mentioned on your website. I can however find no mention of it in any of my Dartmoor books, was wondering if you could enlighten me with a grid reference at all? Yours Jason Maddick
January 7th 2010. Dear Mr Sandles
Reading your excellent article on the Duchy Hotel, I came across “Amongst the artists who stayed there were B. W. Leader who was supposed to have painted some 'exquisite gems' on the shutters of the hotel. Although William Crossing refutes this by saying Aaron Rowe informed him that a Mr. A. B. Collier was the culprit, (Crossing, 1966, p.125).”
For what it’s worth (!), Arthur Bevan Collier, RA, lived at Carthamartha, about six miles S of Launceston on the Cornish bank of the Tamar. His obituary states “Dartmoor and the Thames valley, in addition to the immediate neighbourhood of his home, fascinated the artist, and excellent was the result.” I’m not sure when he died – somewhere around 1900 – but I could go and check his gravestone a mile or two away, at Lezant. Interestingly, and probably coincidentally, the largest local landowners then were called Rowe – and still are.
My parents bought Carthamartha in 1962, when I was 15, and instantly (in my opinion unforgivably) had it demolished. I live there still, in a bungalow they built on the site. The old house was dilapidated, and I only saw it once, but I remember that all the internal doors were painted with flowers and country scenes, so I would imagine Aaron Rowe was very probably right in stating that A.B.C. painted his shutters. I have one painting by him, and a photograph of the interior of the old house in its heyday, showing several paintings of his, including some decorated furniture.
Best regards
Nigel Jonas
December 29th 2009. Just to let you know that I visited this tor in the snow today. I followed the instructions from Hemery’s book High Dartmoor and I can give you a grid reference for your readers – it is 6836 8341.
There was even a small herd of red deer in the valley down there so a lovely way to spend Christmas Day. Thanks for all of the info on your site. I have only a few of your tors to visit to complete the lot and start again!
Happy Christmas. - Tony Owen Thanks Tony, I have added the grid reference to the page.
December 12th 2009. Hi Tim, Firstly can I say what a fantastic and very interesting website you have made. A very enjoyable read, you can just feel the myth and legends come to life when walking over the moors. I have been hiking for years mainly over Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons and have recently moved down to Devon. I have already gone on a few hikes over the moors. Whilst hiking I came across some people letterboxing. I thought that this was a fantastic idea and a great way of getting to know the moor. I would love to get my own stamp made up so i can leave my mark on the books. I was wondering whether you can recommend a good place to get a stamp made up? Thanks for the help All the best - John
December 12th 2009. Hi, Just found your site and read of the sighting of a big black cat on Manaton green in April 2004. I actually saw this cat on several occasions and have clear photographs of its tracks in the snow taken just a few moments after sighting the beast. Its too lengthy to go into in an email but I have bred Burmese cats for 21 years so wouldn't be confused by any other animal nor its size especially very close up. I first spotted it a day before it was seen by others at the village green on the opposite side of the village at a woodland edge sitting in the open looking up at birds who were making loud alarm calls, the noise is what drew my attention, I noticed the size of the cat immediately and was drawn by fascination to approach it, much to my surprise it didn't move but merely switched its attention back and forth between myself and the birds, as I got about 30 yards away with my knees like jelly and my heart fit to explode I decided that I ought to try to scare it off so I shouted and clapped my hands, at first it didn't move but eventually stood for a few seconds looking directly at me and then turned and slowly walked into the trees. The cat was (I did some comparative measuring) knee high about 4 feet long and intensely black, the coat seemed to be more an absence of light rather than black, the blackness of an underground cavern, it was most definitely a black Puma with a long tail. Since the April 04 sighting I have seen it twice more including in the snow when I managed to get the picture of its tracks, I took one of my mature cats out in the snow and did some comparison pictures of her tracks, both sets against my hand as a scale. My opinion is that it lived on small game which is plentiful. I do not believe it large enough nor desperate enough to attack large animals such as ponies and sheep, (more likely dogs) and from its lack of fear of humans it must have been a pet at some time, I expect it now dead of old age and given the nature of the moor unlikely its corpse would be found. I hope you found this of some interest, If the Puma and its kin are still out there I hope they remain undisturbed, free to live out a natural life. Regards John
December 4th 2009. Hi Tim, Just found your site, too much to take in one visit, but for a guy brought up on Dartmoor at hillside Merrivale Bridge, it brings to life all I remember, even though my memories are dimming in age, I visit all to rarely now, and being at Denbury at the outset of the Ten Tors it is remarkable how large this early training exercise has become. I look forward to more reading over the next few weeks/months. Thank you again. Tony Pope
November 29th 2009. Dear Tim,
Dartmoor has held an enduring enigma and magnetism for me for many years now, so all the more surprising that I only discovered your excellent website a few days ago. Thanks for a superb site which I am looking forward to reading from start to finish over the winter.
On Saturday 21st November, a friend, Steve Dent, and I undertook an 18 mile round walk on Dartmoor which started at Whiteworks car park taking in the Swincombe Valley, Ter Hill, Ryder’s Hill, Pupper’s Hill, Huntingdon Cross, Erme Pits, the Langcombe Hill trig point and then crossing the Plym River at Ditsworthy to take a stroll back via Nun’s Cross in the dark. The weather was foul in a way that Dartmoor weather has a habit of being but also as it turned out, a severe weather warning weekend; the arduous crossing from Erme Pits across Langcombe Hill was like walking against a freezing pressure washer.
I’ve crossed the Plym at Ditsworthy on three previous occasions in mid winter using both the weir crossing and the ford. When the river hove in to view at half three in the afternoon coming down from Hen Tor I could see immediately that the logic was flawed. The volume and speed of water on the river was phenomenal and certainly un-crossable: one thing I’m certain of is that any attempt to cross would have made the headlines of the local papers in the most undesirable way. This was the part of the walk that I was the least concerned about and a stark reminder that Dartmoor is no home for complacency! After looking at the ford, the weir, the ford, the weir, walking up stream, considering the possibilities, the only reasonable course of action was an unscheduled and un-researched pitch dark hike over to Trowlesworthy Farm and hence to Cadover Bridge with the prospect of a very long walk back to Whiteworks, or a taxi. Heroism can wait for another day.
But back to the Legendary Dartmoor website…. It’s kindled an immediate desire to get back to the Moor and explore more. Next time I write I’ll try to do as your other visitors’ book contributors do and make some more learned comment.
With kind regards,
Graham Rouse
November 28th 2009. Hi Tim, My name is Emma and I'm a Canadian student doing my teacher training at the University of Exeter. I'll be teaching secondary English with drama. Our major term project is to design a 6 week scheme of work for a year 7 class. I've chosen to do mine on Dartmoor legends. I've never even been to Dartmoor but it seems magically alluring to me. Looking through your website I've realised the wealth of legends that exist. I was wondering if you could point me to your favourites -- or something you think a year 7 student would enjoy. Also, in your biography you mention a TV program in which you're featured. Where can I get my hands on a recording? I think it might be a good resource for background information. I would really love to hear any ideas you might have. I'm really excited about this project and would like to make it as interesting as possible for my future students! Thanks so much for your time and for making such an interesting website! Emma
November 22nd 2009. Tim- I've just finished watching The Hound of The Baskervilles for the umpteenth time. A great movie. I find the bogs and moors very interesting and was moved to "dig" into them a bit on the net and "stepped" into your site. It is very fascinating. I'd love to see the bogs in the flesh, but alas, funds. For now I'll have to be satisfied with your vivid descriptions and photos. Great stuff. Thanks! Pat Parker Centralia, Washington USA.
November 19th 2009. Hi Tim, Always a good interesting web site, where one is able to gain a considerable amount of knowledge. As a second year student at Plymouth University studying Archaeological Practice I have to produce a research project throughout the year on my chosen subject. As I live in Ivybridge am a great lover of Dartmoor I am choosing to do a study on the Staldon Row with a phenomenological approach. I have the Butler books and Worth's Dartmoor. As you seem to have a great knowledge of Dartmoor and its sites I would be extremely grateful of any considerations or help you would be able to provide me with. Thanks Alistair.
November 13th 2009. I walked out to the Grey Wethers last Monday. What I saw, and what maps ans aerial views of them I have seen suggest to me is that there are are two separate stone circles next to each other, not one inside the other. So what do you mean when you say that the circles are concentric, which is stated twice in the web page. David Tyers Many thanks for pointing out the error, this has now been corrected, by the way - which charm school did you go to?
November 10th 2009. Good Morning Tim I am writing in the hope you may be able to assist - I am currently researching for BBC Radio Devon. Pippa Quelch BBC Radio Devon is producing a radio programme to go out on Friday 13th November the main topic will be superstitions. We came across your site online and wondered if you would be prepared to take part in the show? If you are free the show will be recorded on Friday 13th and you would need to be in the studio by 3 pm. Best wishes Byron Jackson
November 9th 2009. I recently came across your website 'legendarydartmoor.co.uk' when researching different types of wetland, trying to find some more information for my studies on dartmoor conservation. After reading through your 'about the author' page it became obvious that you know a lot about dartmoor, and have been there many times. I was wondering if you could help me: How did you go about getting all of your knowledge in the first place? I'm curious about different methods of research, such as practical work and theory, comparisons between the two and how you would go about doing any practical work on wetlands without professional equipment etc.
Thanks. Any help would be appreciated, November 1st 2009. Dear Mr Sandles, As a reader who has always enjoyed reading your Legendary Dartmoor site, I was taken aback by the remarks you make in your moorland ramblings article (the part about John Bishop's house). As someone who has lived and worked on Dartmoor all my life (I was brought up at Ford Farm in Manaton), I know something of the issues around conservation. For many years I worked on my father's farm, but I have also been working in Dartmoor primary schools introducing Year 5 and 6 children to Dartmoor's history and folklore since 1991. I am now director of MED Theatre, the community theatre company which led the project about children highlighting their aspirations which you refer to. I find it disappointing that you should damn their efforts to engage with conservation on Dartmoor. If the young people who live here are not introduced to the importance of Dartmoor's heritage, and encourage to engage with it, then their attitude to it when they assume positions of power and responsibility, is likely to be uninformed. How will these children feel when they come across your comment about their project, which involved two years hard work, resulting in two Dartmoor plays and a DVD documenting their developing attitudes to their local heritage? I agree with you that John Bishop's house should be conserved. Yours sincerely Mark Beeson
October 31st 2009. Hi Tim Thanks for a great site, which I regularly visit. I read with interest the legend of the fire at the Warren House Inn! I then investigated the legend that it is the oft-stated "fact" that it is the third highest pub in England. I found an internet source that stated it was, in fact, only the tenth highest pub in England - http://www.garydickson.co.uk/pubs.html. I have had a look at the pubs concerned on Google Earth and confirmed with OS maps, and have compiled the following list, which is in the same order as the website above: Tan Hill Inn DL11 6ED 523ft 1717m, Cat & Fiddle Inn SK11 0AR 515ft 1691m, Travellers Rest SK17 0SN 465ft 1528m, New Inn SK17 OSW 467ft 1531m, Kirkstone Pass LA22 9LQ 450ft 1477m, Royal Cottage Inn ST13 8UH 452ft 1486m, Mermaid Inn ST13 8UN 444ft 1458m, Winking Man ST13 8UH 443ft 1456m, Miners Arms CA9 3PF 435ft 1430m and Warren House Inn PL20 6TA 431ft 1417m
Kind regards
Andrew Hackney
October 29th 2009. Dear Tim, Hello! You may recall that I contacted you some time ago during my research for the book - remember the Maximajor stone?. I'm pleased to say that it has now been published and I hope you might be interested in buying a copy. I've attached a one-page file which gives a resume and incorporates an order form. I'd be very pleased if you helped in the sales drive of a first-time author!. Best regards, George Major
October 28th 2009. Hello Tim, sorry to bother you, I am emailing from the Tavistock Times, I have done a story about a couple from near Lyme Regis who have a family connection to a man called Harry Hoar who shot his former fiancé after she left him, this was back in 1879. I was then informed of your story about the Peter Tavy murders and was wondering if I could use some information from your page? We could put your name by the story if you would like? Hope you can help? Best wishes, Lindsay Bright
October 27th 2009. Hi Tim Have found your website today while sitting in China Blue in Totnes waiting for wife and daughter to create their masterpieces! I put Logan stone into Google on my Blackberry as I wanted to find out what they were as I have seen them on the maps ( also nutcrackers), your site came up and I must say it looks great with loads of info. I live with my family in Paignton and used to go onto the moor as a child with my father. We holiday a lot in the Highlands and I have an ambition to walk the Larig Ghru in the Caingorms ( the 40 mile circular), but first I must get fit enough and what better place to train than Dartmoor. It has now gone further than that I we are now aiming to walk every Tor on the moor and the accessible ones off the moor. I am using reference books by A D Johnson Walking the Tors and Hilltops of Dartmoor he lists 190 of them and also a book that is now out of print called The A to Z of Dartmoor Tors by Terry Bound he lists app 300! I am wondering if you know of any other references available and if their is an actual definitive guide to how many Tors there are, their names and locations. Since September we have clocked up ninety tors on my days off! I am also planning in the spring to walk from Ivybridge to Okehampton, camp the night then walk back the next day. In the summer I want to circum-navigate the moor, I may do this one in aid of Rowcroft Hospice Charity, I would imagine this to take a few days! Since I have started this Tor bagging game I have become increasingly more interested into the history of Dartmoor, for me getting onto the Moor is a release of the daily routine of running my own Taxi company and I find an immense connection with the landscape as I do in Scotland. I will enjoy reading your info on your site, if you have any ideas for me I would be very grateful. many thanks Steve
October 22nd 2009. I have been putting a few links to your pages from our gazetteer page and have just checked yo put in one for the Ten Commandments at Buckland Beacon when I noticed two tiny mistakes. I am assuming that you would want to know about them on the basis that I always want to know whent there are errors on our web site. So, http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/ten_command.htm and the last paragraph. . . . stream allowed to to wash . . . (him to?) and . . . 1995 and the letter painted . . . (letters?) All best wishes Rodney Willett Many thanks for pointing out the 'typos', one good turn deserves another - see above.
October 20th 2009. Hello. My name is Alec Graham. I've been looking at your site, especially the pages about RAF plane crashes on Dartmoor. I have been researching what happened to my uncle, Pilot Officer Alec Graham and it was his Spitfire that crashed and unfortunately killed him. It has been my intention to try to visit the crash site for sometime. If you would like more details to update your site I am happy to provide them. Best wishes Alec Graham
October 15th 2009. Dear Tim Sandles Sorry to trouble you with this e-mail - but just wondered if you could help with the following :- I am presently compiling a small book on the Pseudo meteoric events of the British Isles - ( including some Fireball incidents ) - which I hope to self publish next year, and in researching same, I came upon your interesting website, and your feature on the event at Widdecombe in the Moor in 1638. As this event is of interest to my own project, I write to inquire if I may reference your website in my proposed book - on the understanding that due credit is given to your work and to the original data sources. I do not wish to copy your work verbatim - but use my own wording where possible - to avoid undermining your own research effort. Please advise if this is acceptable to you, Thanking you for your time yours sincerely JAMES D ROBINSON.
October 14th 2009. I found your very interesting item on Brittan after deciding to research the history of two old pictures I acquired some time ago. I must admit I had never heard of him but just loved the scenes of Dartmoor. They are, I believe, framed prints(?) with mounts handwritten Charles E Brittan with the titles 'Crip Tor & Sharp Tor' and 'Walkham Valley & Pew Tor'. The latter has a group of very indistinct sheep or brush on the left about two-thirds of the way down the picture and large clear granite slabs in the lower foreground on the right with some misty trees/shrubs in the background just over half way across to the right. The former has again clear large slabs and heather in the left bottom corner, four sheep towards the right and a misty hill with trees/shrubs on the horizon to the left. Celia Snoxell
October 12th 2009. Having returned 'home' for a weekend in Exeter, I came across the Giant's Chair whilst out cycling and discovered your website when looking for info on it. Following up on this I see that the recent planning app has now been withdrawn with some mention of possible agreement of a new location for the chair. I wonder if it is related to the other email you mention receiving? I hope the new site, if it does indeed move, provides an equally compelling view. I think the location as much as the structure itself it what makes it so special. Many thanks for your wonderful site! Regards Simon
October 11th 2009. Hello Tim, Having today taken a very wet and misty walk on the ridge, I became fascinated with the 'anti - glider' poles that are still visible on the ridge, and to which you site gives some information. I am intrigued as to 'why there?' Presumably these were also placed on other parts of the moor that would have been considered landing sites, or was there some strategic significance associated with the ridge? My only conclusion was that it is pretty high up, so if you are going to bump a glider it seems a convenient place to do so , but with a bit of a 'tab' to then get anywhere of (military) significance. Can you enlighten me any further? Great site by the way. Best wishes, Andy H
October 11th 2009. Hello Tim Well I was on hols last week and it rained for 3 days, so I hardly saw anything that I wanted. I did, in fact, see the inside of pubs more than anywhere else!! However, I did managed the small stone circle by Soussons Plantation and needless to say there was not a midge in sight!! I did dowse it and found five minor energy lines crossing it. But they are were not major ones. It is a very nice circle that has a lovely feeling inside it. Can't tell you about any other circles as it is the only one I managed. Altogether a disappointment, as I had been looking forward to the week for soooooo long. Especially as we’d had 5 great weather weeks before and another one coming. I am usually so lucky when I go away. I shall have to try again another year. Best wishes and thanks for your previous help, Pauline Jenkins
October 5th 2009. Hi, I am writing to enquire whether we may be able to set up links via websites. We have a simple and inexpensive camping field currently used by schools and colleges for expedition training and basic camping skills. We are in the process of building our website and would like to advertise sites such as yours, providing as much information as possible for our visitors. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Kind Regards, Karen Vass
October 2nd 2009. Hi, you mention History channel documentary due in October, don't want to miss your TV debut do you know what it will be called so I can keep an eye out for it, I have tried doing search on History page but nothing came up. Thanks for your web site very informative and you have a great sense of humour!. Maureen & Robin Vane
September 30th 2009. Thank you very much, one of the nicest things I have read on the old chap. I will forward it to my children. Perhaps one day we will meet. Regards, Peter Crossing
September 22nd 2009. Hello! I love visiting your extensive and informative site about Dartmoor. I am very much interested in Vixen Tor, as I would like to put it in a story I am writing. I know there is a small cave on its south side. Can you tell me anything about this cave (size, depth, etc) and might you have photos of it? I realize I cannot go and explore it, as it is closed to the public.
Thank you Mark Torrender
September 21st 2009. Hi! I just wanted to make contact and say haw much I've enjoyed reading through your site. When I first started letter boxing it was invaluable in persuading my 9 year old son it was a worthwhile pursuit but after just one trip to Bellever Tor he was as hooked as me! Last weekend we followed your short route to the Mecca - Cranmere Pool..... So I feel like a 'real' letter boxer now I've been there! Just a quick question following that trip (seeing as you seem to be a fountain of Knowledge) : do you know why and for how long the military road is closed? There are some fantastic places along that road we wound love to explore some time soon! Thanks again Pete (Exmouth)
September 16th 2009. Sir,
please do not think me absurd when I recall that as a boy
( b 1939), I remember that my parents had a bottle opener that had
particular appeal for my three sisters and myself. Alas the bottle opener
disappeared sometime in the 1950's and I would like to find a
replacement. About 41/2 inches in length. The mouth of the bottle opener
was steel. At the top of the tool was seated a solid brass Dartmoor
Pixie. I would like to make a day trip to Dartmoor to try to locate such
a bottle opener (new or antique) but I do have a long way to travel from
the Midlands and I wonder if you could perhaps advise me on the most
likely town or village where such curios may be found. I
would be most grateful for whatever advice you are able to give.
September 15th 2009. Hi Tim, Sorry personal name use. I know we've never met, but ... I'm a personal name user! I have visited you site many times and may I say .... I don't know how you have the energy to plough so much time and variation into it! ... but, so glad that you do. I have been meaning to pass my appreciation to you for quite some time. I love visiting and walking on the moor. I also like folksong, folklore, storytelling and photography, so what a find your site was to find. Whereas I used to do long hikes over the tors, as a striding athlete, nowadays I tend to do "strolls" usually with some "focus" attached to them. Some of those focuses have been to visit places of stories you've mentioned and to take a photo memento of "the scene". Thanks for your efforts! The timing of this particular email is really that I was on Sheeps Tor this past Sunday and thought I'd pay another visit to the Pixy Cave in its clitter. I had visited it some years ago, after much seeking and had crawled in and taken some photos, at that time in slide format. Being a digital camera user these days I thought that I would re-visit and take some digital pics. A glance at your mentioning it in a fairly recent website addition just brought it back to mind. Well, it took me longer to find this time and, when I did find it, it took me more difficulty to crawl in! However, purely for your amusement I thought you might like to see some very up to date shots of the interior. Inside I found the little ceramic pixy and two letterbox cans. A job to get great shots but I thought worth a try. I also certainly took some outside shots ... to help find it next time!!! As I say, love your site. Congratulation! Having recently retired from Special School teaching I hope to have a bit more time for more rambles. Good wishes, Roger Smith
September 8th 2009 Hi
I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your Legendary Dartmoor Series. I live in Torquay and last year with my 11 year old grandson started Letterboxing. After many adventures on Dartmoor (including losing him on the path to Wistman's Wood, very spooky) I looked on your site and it inspired me to write a work of fiction based on some of the obscure connections I have made on Dartmoor. Not that I believe in the spirit world etc. I’m finding the place fascinating and as a result of your website have visited previously ignored sites and landmarks. If I ever get this written and published you will be the first to know but I just wanted to know how much I appreciated your website.
Regards, Lesley
August 29th 2009. ‘Thar be piskies up on Dartymoor, And ‘tidn’t no good you say thar baint, I’ve felt um grauping at my heart, I’ve heard their voices calling faint’ - I saw this on your site, with interest. Who is the author of the poem? I remember it from long ago - or at least, some of it - and I'd like to see again the whole poem. Can you assist?
Regards, MC.
August 26th 2009. Hi Tim, I see on your links page that you are open to requests to include links to other not-for-profit sites. I would be most grateful if you would link to my site, www.devonperspectives.co.uk, which now has a fair bit of content relating to Dartmoor and the towns around it. I have used your site as a valuable source of reference in many instances, and have included various links to Legendary Dartmoor pages, including a link to your home page on mine. Regards, Tony Dunlop
August 24th 2009
August 24th 2009
August 24th 2009
August 20th 2009.
August 16th 2009.
August 16th 2009
August 9th 2009
August 9th 2009
August 2nd 2009
August 4th 2009
July 31st 2009
July 28th 2009
July 27th 2009
July 16th 2009
July 14th 2009 Jon.
July 12th 2009
Having been up to the chair a few times and thinking how
wonderful the view and the ambience is up there on a nice day I had to
know what’s the situation now – has it been taken down/plans made to
take it down?
July 9th 2009
July 6th 2009
June 25th 2009
June 19th 2009.
June 19th 2009.
June 18th 2009.
3rd May 2009
1st May 2009 I’ve been removing warts since my early teens. At first I bought them, but now just need to see them. To “legitimize” the process, I tend to touch them. Haven’t know of a wart I’ve not been able to remove. Thanks again. I look forward to investigating more of your site. Charming Chad
Chad S. Andrews
19th April 2009
14th April 2009
22nd March 2009
10th January 2009
24th December 2008
23rd October 2008
17th September 2008
14th September 2008
4th June 2008
26th May 2008
23rd April 2008
6th April 2008
5th March 2008 Hi Tim, couldn't work out how to post a visitor book entry on the website. Fab site, full of funny and interesting stuff - I look at it whenever I've got a query on Dartmoor. I'm perambulating at the start of April, so I'm looking forward to talking to the sheep again. I haven't been over since Christmas and I'm counting the days, even if the sheep aren't! Best wishes and many thanks. Matthew Crocker, Colchester.
11th February 2008
1st February 2008
30th January 2008
With a colleague I am researching the 1240 perambulation
and walking it in stages. We did a bit of the NE section, in the general
area of the Galleven Mire, last Friday. Did your list of perambulators came from Samuel Rowe’s book? I am in the process of trying to find out more about them – Odo de Treverbyn seems to have been the most famous and I am assuming William Brewer was the Bishop of Exeter, but the others are a mystery still – any further pointer welcome! Keep up the good work! Best wishes, Mike.
20th January 2008
5th January 2008
2nd January 2008 Many thanks for your email and for pointing out my mistake with the kist orientation, it should read NW/SE as noted by Jeremy Butler, I have amended the page accordingly.
11th December 2007.
4th December 2007
24th November 2007
16th November 2007
15th November 2007
14th November 2007
14th November 2007
11th November 2007
10th November 2007
4th November 2007
2nd November 2007
2nd November 2007
2nd November 2007
2nd November 2007
24th October 2007 "The next morning the farmer inspected his bollocks, needless to say they were no better and even worse his plough horse had also been taken ill by some mysterious disease. Enough was enough, the farmer admitted defeat and took himself off to consult with the white witch of the village"
Is this some strange fertility ritual known only to the
cognoscenti resident on the moor? Is it something we should all be
doing? Should I invest in a plough horse? There's still so much to
learn... Thanks for spotting the typo which has been duely amended, although, the original version is only following recent health guidelines. If you do get a plough horse I would suggest a mare as having to inspect a stallion's bullocks could prove difficult.
18th October 2007
17th October 2007 Many thanks. I shall certainly consider your kind offer about the photographs. When an Editor needs to fill space he either needs good words – or good photos! I will be leaving a message in your Visitors Book to congratulate you on a superb and very user-friendly website but thought I should say that now! It really is the best I have encountered and that’s after trawling the internet many times for information on various subjects for our Magazine and other matters. Best regards, Bob Dibben.
17th October 2007 I am the Editor of the Church Magazine for St Mary’s, Boston Spa, West Yorkshire. Having featured in our Magazine photos of various churches observed while on holiday, including Harberton Church, I was asked by one of our parishioners whether I knew of a clock in Devon with the lettering “My Dear Mother” in place of the more usual Roman numerals? I did not. However, via the local Library and then the inevitable Internet Searches I eventually found your truly excellent website and this completed some of the key detail missing from other reference places I had read or searched. As it happened, your featured photo of the Clock mechanism in Buckland brought immediately to mind my own examination of our clock mechanism and the similarity was, to coin a phrase “striking”. In fact both clocks were made by the same company, ours being older and by Potts of Leeds which is of course part of the Smith of Derby Group. We have an electric mechanism which turns the cogs, the weights having been discarded when ‘electrification’ took place. I would very much like to quote in our Magazine a couple of details from your website (no photos will be used) and to acknowledge same in the article when published. Thus, having given you the background, I request your permission to do so and hope that this will receive your early favourable response. Yours faithfully, Bob Dibben, Editor.
9th October 2007
21st September 2007
13th September 2007
August 31st 2007
August 29th 2007
August 20th 2007
August 15th 2007
August 13th 2007 Many thanks for the GPS co-ordinates, I have added them to the relevant page.
August 12th 2007
August 10th 2007
August 8th 2007
July 24th 2007
14th July 2007
6th July 2007
Crash details of Stirling LK499 1653 Conversion Unit.
Crew: F/O S.K. McGuigan. Nav. RCAF. Age 23. Married to Christel McGuigan of Toronto, Canada. F/O R.W. Murphy. B/A. RAFVR. Married to K.Murphy. No further details available. Remembered on the Runnymede memorial Panel 208. Sgt G.J. Canham. W/Op. RAFVR. Age 22. Married to Alice Canham of Muswell Hill, London. Buried Chadwell Heath Cemetery, Dagenham, London. Sec. L. Grave 2008. Sgt L.W. Bowd. A/G. RAFVR. Age 20. From Ramsy. Buried Ramsey Cemetery. Plot P. Grave 56. Sgt G.F. Bennett. A/G. RAFVR. Age 19. From Market Drayton. Buried in the South East corner of Christ Church Churchyard, Little Drayton. Sgt T.W. Hunter. F/Eng. RAFVR. No further details available. Buried Cambusnethan Cemetery. Sec. D. Grave 555. I would be most interested if any evidence of the crash is found at the site and also of news of any archaeological dig proposed in the future. Kind regards, John Reid - Archivist - Photographic Librarian - Stirling Bomber Research Library.
29th June 2007
Kind regards,
31st May 2007
28th May 2007
24th April 2007
18th April 2007
14th April 2007
11th April 2007
6th April 2007
25th March 2007
24th March 2007
21st March 2007
12th March 2007
8th March 2007
27th February 2007 Provenance, Provenance - cheap as chips, but I am, "happy", that you too have come across the same scholarly material in your research.
7th February 2007
3rd February 2007
30th January 2007
24th January 2007
22nd January 2007
7th January 2007
2nd January 2007
1st January 2007
28th December 2006
26th December 2006
25th December 2006 - 10.55.59 pm What charm school did you come from? Looks like you had a lonely Christmas - I know the Warren House Inn is at a height of 427m it says so on the OS map and also here: http://legendarydartmoor.co.uk/remote_inn.htm If there is another reference then it's a typo - in which case I can only profusely apologise. Amazing the rest of the world didn't notice it at one minute to eleven on Christmas Night - probably all too busy enjoying themselves.
22nd December 2006
15th December 2006
20th November 2006
20th November 2006 Said he was a remarkable man - many thanks for pointing out the error, now fixed.
17th November 2006
15th November 2006
7th October 2006
27th September 2006 June McRobert.
17th September 2006
24th August 2006
24th August 2006
24th August 2006
23rd August 2006
22nd August 2006
19th August 2006
9th August 2006
18th July 2006 |
