Legendary Dartmoor The many aspects past and present of Dartmoor
When is a cross not a cross? simple, when it’s a Dartmoor Cross. As with many things on the moor – nothing is as it ever seems. The ‘cross’ in this context simply denotes a junction of three or more roads/lanes. There are well over 200 specific named cross’ on the moor which when considering the miles of roads and lane is nothing astounding. But just to confuse things there are also a large number of stone crosses on the moor which are also prefixed with the word ‘cross’. If you really want a spanner in the works then some of the cross’ also have stone crosses stood at them so you get for example; Sanduck Cross (road junction) and Sanduck Cross (wayside stone cross). How do folk know what’s what, I don’t know they just do. You will also find that the name of the cross is written vertically and fixed to the post. To save time and presumably money the ‘cross’ suffix is reduced to a black Maltese cross type symbol, so you actually see for example on the sign – Butts 
There are some splendid names such as; Bethel Combe Cross, Brandiron Cross, Daisy Kingwell Cross, Firestone Cross, Pig’s Leg Cross etc. and my favourite, probably because I used to pass it every day is Mucksy Lane Cross. Below is a list of the majority of the Dartmoor crossroads’.
| Name | Location | Name | Location | |
| ALSTON CROSS | SX 7761 7135 | JORDAN CROSS | SX 7085 7512 | |
| ALSTON CROSS | SX 7761 7135 | JURSTON CROSS | SX 6983 8518 | |
| AUSEWELL CROSS | SX 7390 7205 | KELLY CROSS | SX 7905 8192 | |
| BARNE CROSS | SX 7625 8373 | KINGS CROSS | SX 8044 8001 | |
| BARROW WAY CROSS | SX 6735 8957 | KNOWLES CROSS | SX 7473 6960 | |
| BATWORTHY CROSS | SX 7082 8544 | LANGSTONE CROSS | SX 7427 8170 | |
| BATWORTHY MILL CROSS | SX 7083 8547 | LANGSTONE CROSS | SX 7614 7093 | |
| BEADON CROSS | SX 8155 8110 | LEIGH CROSS | SX 6720 5742 | |
| BEATLAND CORNER CROSS | SX 5482 6240 | LEIGH CROSS | SX 7050 6110 | |
| BECKAMOOR CROSS | SX 5347 7430 | LEIGH CROSS | SX 8427 8090 | |
| BECKHAMS TREE CROSS | SX 8378 8360 | LEIGHON CROSS | SX 7510 8017 | |
| BEETOR CROSS | SX 7130 8430 | LETTAFORD CROSS | SX 7099 8409 | |
| BELSTONE CROSS | SX 6210 9369 | LEWTHORN CROSS | SX 7795 7610 | |
| BERRY CROSS | SX 8077 8993 | LEY CROSS | SX 7229 7948 | |
| BETHEL COMBE CROSS | SX 7872 7435 | LITTLE CROSS | SX 7056 6968 | |
| BETHEL CROSS | SX 7822 7427 | LIVATON CROSS | SX 6767 9351 | |
| BINNAMORE CROSS | SX 6873 6141 | LOCKS GATE CROSS | SX 6963 7398 | |
| BIRCHANGER CROSS | SX 7728 7557 | LOWER BLACKATON CROSS | SX 6978 7783 | |
| BLACKATON CROSS | SX 6976 7782 | LOWER DOWN CROSS | SX 7990 7819 | |
| BLACKATON CROSS | SX 6783 8899 | LOWERDOWN CROSS | SX 7990 7818 | |
| BLOODY POOL CROSS | SX ??? ??? | LOWERY CROSS | SX 5487 6926 | |
| BOVEY CROSS | SX 7432 8470 | MARDON CROSS | SX 8010 8395 | |
| BOWDOWN CROSS | SX 7243 6254 | MARWOOD’S CROSS | SX 6788 5805 | |
| BRANDIRON CROSS | SX 8340 8092 | MEAD CROSS | SX 7777 7118 | |
| BUDE CROSS | SX 6312 9477 | MOON’S CROSS | SX 6524 9411 | |
| BUGSHEAD CROSS | SX 7341 8540 | MOOR CROSS | SX 7040 6399 | |
| BULLATON CROSS | SX 8045 8230 | MOORSHEAD CROSS | SX 7141 6310 | |
| BULLHORNSTONE CROSS | SX 6836 6023 | MUCKSY LANE CROSS | SX 6947 8545 | |
| BURCHANGER CROSS | SX 7728 7557 | NETHERTON CROSS | SX 7350 9105 | |
| BURROUGH CROSS | SX 7526 9102 | OAKHILL CROSS | SX 6968 6068 | |
| BUTTS CROSS | SX 7000 7306 | OWLACOMBE CROSS | SX 7649 7276 | |
| CATOR GREEN CROSS | SX 6798 7666 | OXENHAM CROSS | SX 6628 9442 | |
| CHAGFORD CROSS | SX 6882 8830 | PEAR TREE CROSS | SX 7504 6932 | |
| CHAGFORD CROSS | SX 7502 8643 | PETER TAVY CROSS | SX 5081 7649 | |
| CHALLACOMBE CROSS | SX 6949 8306 | PIGS LEG CROSS | SX 5284 8911 | |
| CHAPPLE CROSS | SX 6718 8902 | PLACE CROSS | SX 7614 7093 | |
| CHERITON CROSS | SX 6808 5860 | PLAY CROSS | SX 7058 6930 | |
| CHESTON CROSS | SX 6808 5860 | POOLMILL CROSS | SX 8062 8205 | |
| CHURCH CROSS | SX 7391 6660 | REDDACLEAVE KILN CROSS | SX 7041 6394 | |
| CLIFFORD CROSS | SX 7812 8983 | REW CROSS | SX 7550 7076 | |
| COLD EAST CROSS | SX 7406 7420 | REWDOWN CROSS | SX 7507 7110 | |
| COLESWORTHY CROSS | SX 8064 7589 | REWLEA CROSS | SX 7550 7103 | |
| COMBESHEAD CROSS | SX 6391 5828 | RIDGEY CROSS | SX 7120 6926 | |
| COSSICK CROSS | SX 7737 8612 | RINGHILL CROSS | SX 6720 9416 | |
| COTTAMOOR CROSS | SX 5163 7617 | ROCKPARK CROSS | SX 7650 7089 | |
| COTTLES CROSS | SX 5641 9330 | ROUND CROSS | SX 7370 6682 | |
| COXHILL CROSS | SX 7310 6525 | ROWDEN CROSS | SX 7015 7632 | |
| COXTOR CROSS | SX 5163 7617 | ROWELL CROSS | SX 5130 8510 | |
| CREEK CROSS | SX 7728 7027 | SANDHILL CROSS | SX 7445 8704 | |
| CRIPTOR CROSS | SX 5461 7225 | SANDS GATE CROSS | SX 6979 9023 | |
| CROSS FURZES | SX 6988 6680 | SANDUCK CROSS | SX 7663 8354 | |
| CUDDYFORD CROSS | SX 7573 7093 | SANDYWAYS CROSS | SX 7203 8830 | |
| DAISY KINGWELL CROSS | SX 6192 5722 | SHAPLEY CROSS | SX 6827 8509 | |
| DEAN CROSS | SX 7201 6285 | SHAPTOR CROSS | SX 8154 8111 | |
| DOCCOMBE CROSS | SX 7731 8645 | SHEWTE CROSS | SX 7954 7890 | |
| DOWNSTOW CROSS | SX 6919 6253 | SHUTE CROSS | SX 6806 5827 | |
| DREWSTON CROSS | SX 7207 8757 | SIGFORD CROSS | SX 7768 7525 | |
| DRUID CROSS | SX 7433 7079 | SINGMOOR CROSS | SX 7192 8551 | |
| DRYFORD CROSS | SX 7010 7531 | SLADE CROSS | SX 7990 8121 | |
| DRYWELL CROSS | SX 7010 7531 | SMOKEY CROSS | SX 7723 7629 | |
| EAST ASH CROSS | SX 6800 9110 | STAWELL’S BUSH CROSS | SX 7681 7093 | |
| EASTER LANE CROSS | SX 7106 7510 | STICKLEPATH CROSS | SX 6437 9401 | |
| EASTON CROSS | SX 7190 8880 | STIDSON CROSS | SX 7154 6038 | |
| FACTORY CROSS | SX 6941 8782 | STINIEL CROSS | SX 7079 8553 | |
| FIRESTONE CROSS | SX 6679 9302 | STONE CROSS | SX 7074 9101 | |
| FIVE CROSS | SX 7820 7492 | STONE CROSS | SX 7195 7454 | |
| FIVE WYCHES CROSS | SX 8055 7830 | SUMMERHILL CROSS | SX 7444 6961 | |
| FOUR CROSS | SX 7846 7535 | THOMAS’S CROSS | SX 8145 8925 | |
| FOX & HOUND CROSS | SX 5252 8670 | THORNS CROSS | SX 7303 8542 | |
| FULLAFORD POOL CROSS | SX 7339 6577 | THROWLEIGH CROSS | SX 6687 9075 | |
| FURZLEIGH CROSS | SX 8196 7968 | TIPLEYHILL CROSS | SX 7998 7571 | |
| GALLOWS PARK CROSS | SX 7720 7071 | TONGUE END CROSS | SX 6231 9490 | |
| GEES CROSS | SX 5583 6670 | TORHILL CROSS | SX 6860 9044 | |
| GIDLEIGH CROSS | SX 6724 8832 | TORPEEK CROSS | SX 6604 5660 | |
| GINGAFORD CROSS | SX 7025 6244 | TOWNSEND CROSS | SX 6482 9378 | |
| GOODSTONE CROSS | SX 7864 7202 | TRENNAWAY CROSS | SX 7272 9083 | |
| GOOSEFORD CROSS | SX 6767 9184 | TWO THORNS CROSS | SX 6781 7092 | |
| GRADDON CROSS | SX 5641 9330 | UPPACOTT CROSS | SX 7379 8861 | |
| GREATWEEK CROSS | SX 7147 8760 | WALLAFORD CROSS | SX 7232 6562 | |
| GREYSTONE CROSS | SX 7491 9152 | WARREN’S CROSS | SX 5137 7335 | |
| HALL CROSS | SX 6247 5982 | WATCHING PLACE CROSS | SX 7129 8419 | |
| HALSHANGER CROSS | SX 7581 7308 | WAY DOWN CROSS | SX 7049 8598 | |
| HAM HILL CROSS | SX 7406 7420 | WEDDICOTT CROSS | SX 7049 8598 | |
| HARBOURNEFORD CROSS | SX 7170 6225 | WEEK CROSS | SX 7268 8511 | |
| HARESFOOT CROSS | SX 7370 7662 | WELLSTOR CROSS | SX 7396 7210 | |
| HAWSON CROSS | SX 7104 6819 | WHITE GATE CROSS | SX 6949 8880 | |
| HAYNE CROSS | SX 7506 8069 | WHITEABURY CROSS | SX 7203 8849 | |
| HEATHFIELD CROSS | SX 5992 6016 | WHITEY CROSS | SX 7042 6831 | |
| HEATREE CROSS | SX 7298 8097 | WHITEY CROSS | SX 7655 6951 | |
| HELE CROSS | SX 6130 6103 | WILLIS’S CROSS | SX 7997 7530 | |
| HELE CROSS | SX 7199 8473 | WITHECOMBE CROSS | SX 6962 8931 | |
| HELE CROSS | SX 7452 7040 | WOODHOUSE CROSS | SX 7943 7641 | |
| HEYTREE CROSS | SX 7298 8097 | YALLAND CROSS | SX 6910 6270 | |
| HOCKMOOR HEAD | SX 7276 6733 | YARNERPITTS CROSS | SX 6806 8893 | |
| HOOKS CROSS | SX 7790 7261 | YELLANDS CROSS | SX 6983 8518 | |
| HORSEPIT CROSS | SX 7432 8470 | YOLLAND CROSS | SX 693 633 | |
| HOSPIT CROSS | SX 7432 8470 | ZEAL CROSS | SX 8135 8952 | |
| HOWTON CROSS | SX 7442 8705 | ZEAL HEAD CROSS | SX 6482 9378 | |
| HUMPHREY’S CROSS | SX 7215 6932 | ZEMPSON CROSS | SX 7155 6290 |
All across the country crossroads have always been viewed with some apprehension and are usually linked with weird goings on and Dartmoor is no exception. Some have burials associated with them such as the famous Jay’s Grave and these tend to be suicides or villains. Other’s are haunted by various spectres such as the Watching Place Cross and Bloody Pool Cross. Near to Lock’s Gate Cross was supposed to have been the gallows which served the nearby manor of Spitchwick and it is said that the occasional ghostly apparition appears on suitably dark nights. At Bude Lane Cross there stands what is thought to be an early Christian stone called – ‘The Honest Man‘, could this have been to provide some divine protection? It was also believed that if the route of a corpse road passed through a crossroads it would prevent the spirit of the deceased ever returning home to haunt its living relatives.
Many of Dartmoor’s cross’ have been used in boundaries as markers along the limits such as Cross Furzes or Hawson Cross. A few years ago someone or some people decided it would be nice to start a collection of the cross’s nameplates and many were stolen. One theory at the time was that they were being taken for their scrap metal value but I would have thought you would need a heap of them to make it worthwhile.
An excellent way to see the moorland fringes of Dartmoor would be to visit every cross
