Dartmoor Dictionary

There are numerous natural and man-made physical landscape features found on Dartmoor, many of which have unique local names to describe them. This page is an attempt to list and describe what can be found on the moor, it is by no means exhaustive and will no doubt be regularly added to. I have collected these names over the years from numerous books, maps, documents and oral sources, many of them are not marked on the OS maps and literally thousands more have been forgotten. In many cases there is some duplication with categories for a particular place but that is only to be expected.

A.

Adit – An entrance driven usually horizontal into a hillside and used for either working or draining a mine, sometimes also called a ‘huddit’.

Examples – Deep Adit, Two Brother’s Adit.

B.

Ball – A suffix which describes a hill with a rounded ‘ball-like’ appearance.

Examples – Blackaton Ball, Bowden Ball, Brisworthy Ball, Broom Ball, Corndown Ball, Coryndon Ball, Cuckoo Ball, Glascombe Ball, Greena Ball, Jordan Ball, Looka Ball, Pinchaford Ball, Red Brook Ball, Rowden Ball, Top Ball, and Yearlick Ball.

Beacon – A a prefix or suffix attached to a high hill, many although not all were the sites of beacon and signal fires.

Examples – Beacon Hill, Buckland Beacon, Cosdon Beacon, Eastern Beacon, Hambledon Beacon, Penn Beacon, Shaugh Beacon, Ugborough Beacon, Western Beacon, and Yarner Beacon.

Beam – A suffix which describes an area of mining activity usually recognisable as a deep, open working in the form of a trench or gully.

Examples – Black Beam, Cater’s Beam, Curbeam, Gibby’s Beam, High Liners Beam, Holming or Omen Beam, Owlacombe Beam, Piper’s Beam, Quickbeam, Riddipit Beam, Scutley Beam, Shabba Beam, Shilstone Beam, and Willabeam.

Beare – A name derived from the Anglo Saxon word – Beara which means ‘wood’ and is still found in some place names.

Examples – Beara, Black tor Beare, Dolbeare Farm, Frenchbere,

Bog – A term used to describe a tract of hilltop peat bog, often called a ‘fen’ or ‘vane’ in the vernacular. Properly called a Blanket Bog, occasional duplication does occur where a place is called both a bog and a mire – see Mire.

Examples – Archerton Bog, Barramoor Bog, Bellever Bog, Beltor Bog, Browne’s House Bog, Caroline Bog, Dunnabridge Bog, Kendon Bog, Langstone Bog, Liapa Bog, Metheral Bog, Rowter Bog, Scutley Bog and Swincombe Bog.

Bottom – A term used to name some of the Dartmoor valleys where it is used as a proper name. Many take a personal name as the first element.

Examples – Asacombe Bottom, Blatchford Bottom, Broadmoor Bottom, Brockley Bottom, Caroline Bottom, Challacombe Bottom, Cowflop Bottom, Cranery Bottom, Deadman’s Bottom, Deal’s Bottom, Deep Bottom, Didworthy Bottom, Dockwell Bottom, Doe tor Bottom, Drivage Bottom, Durance Bottom, East tor Bottom, Gawler’s Bottom, Glascombe Bottom, Green Bottom, Green Lake Bottom, Hartor Bottom, Hemstone Bottom, Higher Bottom, Hollowcombe Bottom, Omen Beam Bottom, Horton’s Ford Bottom, Hyner Bottom, Itifer Bottom, Jackman’s Bottom, Lade Hill Bottom, Lakeland Bottom, Longstone Bottom, Langcombe Bottom, Longstone Bottom, Moortown Bottom, Newleycombe Bottom, Older Bottom, Owley Bottom, Petre’s Pits Bottom, Pizwell Bottom, Riddon Bottom, Roos tor Bottom, Runnage Bottom, Rush Bottom, Scab Bottom, Skit Bottom, Slade Bottom, Smallacombe Bottom, Snotter’s Bottom, Soussons Bottom, Stannon Bottom, Stonetor Bottom, Stony Bottom, Thornworthy Bottom, Trowlesworthy Bottom, Two Bridges Bottom, Venford Bottom, Wedlake Bottom, Whealam Bottom, Withecombe Bottom, Wrangaton Bottom, and Yes tor Bottom.

Burrow – A general moor term to any mound or heap and includes cairns, barrows, or spoil heaps.

Examples – Crossheath Burrow, Glas Burrow, Ham Burrow, Hen’s Burrow, Hurrah Burrow, King’s Burrow, Penny Pie Burrow, Whittaburrow,  Blue Burrows, Brisworthy Burrows, Langcombe Burrows, and Zeal Burrows.

C.

Clatter/Clitter – A term used to describe the collection of rocks and boulders that are usually scattered across the hillside. In effect these rock streams are the eroded remains of tors.

Examples – Curtery Clitters, Dean Clatters, Hawthorn Clitter, Woolholes Clitter, Waterfoot Clatters, Wider Brook Clitter, Wild tor Clitter, and Withy Tree Clitter.

Cleave – Often pronounced Claive or Clay and refers to steep valleys which tend to be found on the edges of the moor.

Examples – Belstone Cleave, Burrow Cleave, Casely Cleave, East Wray Cleave, Frenchbere Cleave, Hall’s Cleave, Halstock Cleave, Holne Cleave, Horsham Cleave, Huccaby Cleave, Lustleigh Cleave, Neadon Cleave, Ruddy Cleave, Stowford Cleave, Tavy Cleave, Teigncombe Cleave, Water Cleave, West Cleave and Wray Cleave.

Combe – A small valley usually closed at its top end, the term comes from the Celtic word cwm – valley.

Examples –  Amicombe, Asacombe, Beara Combe, Beckamoor Combe, Beehive Combe, Bellever Combe, Bovey Combe, Bow Combe, Challacombe, Cheriton Combe, County Combe, Cut Combe, Deancombe, Drizzlecombe, Easdon Combe, Evil Combe, Fishcombe, Fox tor Combe, Gibby Combe, Great Combe, Green Combe, Heather Combe, Higher Combe, Hollow Combe, Horton’s Combe, Langcombe, Mardle Combe, Michelcombe, Narracombe, Newleycombe, Oaken Combe, Outcombe, Owlacombe, Peter Tavy Combe, Pixeycombe, Red Lake Combe, Roughtor Combe, Shady Combe, Shavercombe, Shortacombe, Smallacombe, Southcombe, Spriddle Combe, Swincombe, Teigncombe, Torry Combe, Varracombe, Vergyland Combe, Watercombe, Watern Combe, Wedlake Combe, Widecombe (in-the-Moor), Winscombe, and Yellowmead Combe.

Common – This term applies to the areas of heather moors that encircle the Forest of Dartmoor and belong to the border parishes who have the rights of pasturage and turbary. Sometimes the common is referred to as a moor especially on the south of Dartmoor, – see Moor.

Examples – Ausewell Common, Batworthy Common, Beara Common, Belstone Common, Brennamoor Common, Bridestowe Common, Broadmoor Common, Buckland Common, Cator Common, Chagford Common, Christow Common, Doe tor Common, Drewston Common, Dunnabridge Common, Eylesbarrow Common, Gidleigh Common, Grendon Common, Halshanger Common, Headland Common, Heatree Common, Hexworthy Common, Horridge Common, Huckworthy Common, Jurston Common, Leusdon Common, Longbettor Common, Lynch Common, Meldon Common, Middle Hill Common, Mountsland Common, Natsworthy Common, Nattadon Common, Newbridge Common, North Bovey Common, Okehampton Common, Padley Common, Peter Tavy Great Common, Pew tor Common, Piddledown Common, Preston Common, Prestonbury Common, Ramsley Common, Raventor Common, Rushlade Common, Shapley Common, Sheepstor Common, Sherberton Common, Smith Hill Common, Sourton Common, Soussons Common, South Common, South Shute Common, South Stone Common, South Tawton Common, Spitchwick Common, Swallerton Common, Tawton Common, Teigncombe Common, Throwleigh Common, Walkhampton Common, Wapsworthy Common, Welstor Common, Whitchurch Common, Wotter Common, and Yardworthy Common.

Creep – The term for a shallow gulley and often comes as a personal name suffix.

Examples – Goosey Creep.

Cut – See – peat pass.

D.

Down – A large tract of heather moorland that either gives to or takes from a tor name and is often contracted to ‘don’. The name usually denotes an area of good grazing and so is rarely found deep into the moor.

Examples – Arms tor Down, Ashburton Down, Ashbury Hill Down, Ausewell Down, Bagtor Down, Barton Down, Battishill Down, Beacon Down, Beardown, Berrydown, Black Down, Blackslade Down, Blissmoor Down, Bonehill Down, Brentor Down, Brimstone Down, Brisworthy Down, Broad Down, Broadmoor Down, Burford Down, Burnicombe Down, Bush Down, Callisham Down, Canonteign Down, Catstor Down, Challacombe Down, Chittaford Down, Clampitt Down, Clannaborough Down, Collaton Down, Combe Down, Conies Down, Cramber Down, Cranbrook Down, Cripdon Down, Dunstone Down, Easdon Down, East Down, East Peek Down, Frenchbere Down, Furzeland Down, Galleven Down, Gisperdown, Green Down, Grey Down, Halstock Down, Hambledown, Hanger Down, Harton Down, Hayne Down, Heathfield Down, Heatree Down, Hedge Down, Hen tor Down, Henlake Down, Heytor Down, High Down, Higher Down, Hingston Down, Holwell Down, Hookney Down, Horndon Down, Hound tor Down, Hugh Down, Jurston Down, Kiln Down, King Down, Kingshurst Down, Kingsett Down, Knowle Down, Lake Down, Lamb’s Down, Laployd Down, Lettaford Down, Little Down, Lynch Down, Mardon Down, Meadhay Down, Meldon Down, Metheral Down, Michelcombe Down, Nattor down, North Harton Down, Pepperdon Down, Plaister Down, Pudsham Down, Ramshorn Down, Red Down, Reddiford Down, Ridding Down, Riddon Down, Ringmoor Down, Roborough Down, Rora Down, Rowden Down, Scorhill Down, Scorriton Down, Shaptor Down, Shavercombe Down, Sherwell Down, Shilston Down, Shorts Down, Shoveldon, Skerraton Down, Smeardon Down, Snowdon Down, Sourton Down, Soussons Down, South Down, South Gate Down, Soutcott Down, Southerly Down, Staldon, Standon Down, Stenlake Down, Stormdown, Swine Down, Teigncombe Down, Thornworthy Down, Tor Down, Treeland Down, Uppacott Down, Vale Down, Veal Down, Vellake Down, Vogwell Down, Wallaford Down, Water Hill Down, Watern Down, Waters Down, Way Down, Week Down, West Down, West Peek Down, Westacombe Down, Whiddon Down, Whitchurch Down, Wigford Down, Winneys Down, Wood Down, Wooston Down, Yannadon, Yar tor Down, Yard’s Down, Yellowmead Down, and Zoar Down.

E.

F.

Falls – Cascades of water most of which are natural and occur on and around the moor.

Examples – Becky Falls, Black Rock Falls, Black tor Falls, Broad Falls, Burrator Falls, Canonteign Falls, Clampitt Falls, Doe tor Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Kitts Steps Falls, Lady Exmouth Falls, Raddick Falls, Secret Garden Falls, Shavercombe Falls, Tunnel Falls, Waterfall, The, White Lady Falls, and Yealm Falls,

Foot – A term given to the part of a stream where it falls into another or its confluence. The word is also sometimes given to the foot of a hill.

Examples – Cherry Brook Foot, Double Water’s Foot, Kneeset Foot, Lissicombe Foot, Quickbeam Foot, Ruddycleave Foot, Small Brook Foot, Sounscombe Foot, Waterfoot, and Wellsfoot.

G.

Gert – A deep, open tin working that is considered larger than a gulley, they are sometimes also called ‘guts’.

Examples – Bagtor Gert, Clay tor Gert, Combeshead Gert, Cramber Gert, Crazywell Gert, Deadlake Gert, Deancombe Gert, Ditsworthy Gert, Dry Lakes Gert, Fox tor Gert, Green Gert, Greenwell Gert, Headland Gert, Hooper’s Gert, Kingsett Gert, Newleycombe Gert, Over tor Gert, Riddipit Gert, Ringleshutts Gert, Skir Gert, Stoney Gert, Stubley Hills gert, T Gert, Wellabrook Gert, Workman’s Gert, Yearlick Ball Gert, and Yellowmead gert.

Gorge – A deep valley that has been excavated and eroded by a river, they tend to be smaller on or above the middle reaches with larger and secondary gorges seen on the moorland escarpment and border country. These lower, larger gorges are also called – Cleaves.

Examples – Burrator Gorge, Cowsic Gorge, Dart Gorge, Dewerstone Gorge, Fingle Gorge, Hawns and Dendles Gorge, Lydford Gorge, Meldon Gorge, Piles Gorge, Scorhill Gorge, Shipley Gorge, Sig Gorge, and Steeperton Gorge.

Goyle – A term found mostly on the north-western edges of the moor and which means the same as ‘gert’.

Examples – East Okement Goyle, Whiddon Goyle, and Wooder Goyle.

Green – A name given to unusually smooth and grassy areas on the moor, although this term does apply to rougher ground. They are often associated with some of the larger farms and tenements.

Examples – Ash Green, Babeny Green, Cator green, Chittleford Green, Dendles Green, Doe tor Green, Jurston Green, Leusdon Green, Lutton Green, Pizwell Green, Plaistow Green, Sourton Green, and Yes tor Green.

Gulf – A deep excavation or cut made by the tinners through which water courses down.

Examples – Broadall Gulf, Fox tor Gulf, Knackersmill Gulf, and Wellaby Gulf.

Gully – A deep cut that is normally associated with tinner’s workings, these can vary from deep excavations to shallow workings.

Examples – Chaw Gully, Devil’s Gully, Dry Brook Gully, Drylake Gully, Fish Lake Gully, Henglake Gully, Hensroost Gully, Hooten Wheals Gully, Kneeset Foot Gully, Lane Shaft Gully, Mucky Gully, Proctor’s Gully, Raven Gully, Sniper’s Gully, Wall Shaft Gully, and Zeal Gully.

Gutter – A term sometimes used in place of a ‘leat’ – see leat.

Examples – Elbow Gutter, Hole Town Gutter, King’s Gutter, and Tor Gutter

H.

Head – This denotes the highest part of a feature, in the case of a water source it is its head spring and in the case of a track or lane it is its terminating moor gate. Sometimes the term is used to describe the part of a ridge that is immediately above the depression of a water source.

Examples – Aune Head, Blackpool Head, Bovey Combe Head, Broadaford Head, Brook’s Head, Cholake Head, Church Lane Head,  Curlicombe Head, Dead Lake Head, East Bovey Head, East Dart Head, Erme Head, Fish Lake Head, Fishcombe Head, Fox tor Head, Great Gnats Head, Hockmoor Head, Holes Head, Kingshead Lane, Lane Head, Langcombe Head, Lissicombe Head, Little Gnats Head, Manga Head, Moor Brook Head, North Teign Head, Shavercombe Head, Smalecombe Head, Sounscombe Head, South Teign Head, Swincombe Head, Tavy Head, Taw Head, Walkham Head, Walla Brook Head, Watern Head, West Dart Head, White Walls Head, Wollake Head, Willand Head, Yealm Head, Zeal Head.

Heath – Normally denotes an expanse of heather covered moor and tends to be used mainly on the south moor.

Examples – Bala Brook Heath, Brown Heath, Bush Down Heath, Loughtor Heath, and Stone Heath.

Hole – A term used to describe a miniature gorge – see Hole.

Holt – A name used for a foxes earth, badger’s sett, or rabbit burrow or moorland areas where these animals lived.

Examples – Badger’s Holt, Beech Holt, Blackman’s Holt, Fitches Holt, Foxes Holt, The Holt, Pixies Holt, and Rabbit’s Holt.

I.

Inner – A prefix which usually denotes that the feature is nearest to the edge of the moor as opposed to outer. See – outer

Examples – Batworthy Inner Mire, Inner Dinger, Inner Moor, Inner Pupers, Inner Red Lake, Inner Stal Moor,

Island – This refers to a small piece of land that is situated in the middle of a stream or river and is surrounded by water. These normally occur in the lower reaches of the water course and were formed by an ox-bow completely eroding to leave a mid-stream island.

Examples – Ausewell Island, Battleship Island, Bel Pool Island, Blackpool Island, Combestone Island, Erme Islands, Island of Rocks, Isle of Dogs, Long Island, Long-a-Traw Island, Mil tor Island, Smethaford Island, Snakey Island, and Wellsfoot Island.

J.

K.

L.

Lake – A very confusing term as on Dartmoor the word denotes a stream, many of which whose source was once a small lake or tarn. All of these tarns have now been drained but originally the term applied to both the source pool and the stream which flowed from it.

Examples – Birchy Lake, Braddon Lake, Broadall Lake, Calveslake, Cholake, Cock’s Lake, Crane Lake, Dark Lake, Dead Lake, Dry Lake, East Lake, Fish Lake, Gaw Lake, Green Lake, Grim’s Lake, Hammerslake, Heng Lake, Hew Lake, Homer Red Lake, Hook Lake, Horselake, Hux Lake, Inner Red Lake, Left Lake, Legis Lake, Lower Lake, Muddilake, New Lake, Newleycombe Lake, Ninney Lake, Outer Red Lake, Pincke’s Lake, Raddon Lake, Red Lake, Rue Lake, Shute Lake Simon’s Lake, Smallake, Spanish Lake, Spriddle Lake, Stean Lake, Thickstone Lake, Thorn Lake, Vellake, Vinney Lake, Voghill Lake, Wedlake, Western Red Lake, White Lake, Wollake, Wood Lake, and Yonder Dry Lake.

Lang – A prefix which is a vernacular term for – Long, in most cases the term forms one complete word.

Examples – Langaford, Lang-a-Marsh, Langcombe, Langdon, Langhill, Langmead, Langridge, Langstone, Langworthy,

Leat – A small watercourse built to supply water by means of gravity from its take-off point on a stream or river to the place where it would be used as a power source or a drinking water for farms, villages, towns, and cities. The leat builder art ensured that the courses followed the physical contours of the land thus ensuring a gentle, gradual, downward flow of water. Leats are also known as ‘gutters’.

Examples – Badworthy Leat, Bala Brook Leat, Blatchford Leat, Bottlehill Leat, Broadall Leat, Broomhill Leat, Cholwich Town Leat, Coryndon Leat, Crocker’s Pits Leat, Dagger Mine Leat, Devonport Leat, Engine Leat, Ford Mine Leat, Friendship Mine Leat, Gidleigh Leat, Greenhill Copper Mine Leat, Grimstone and Sortridge Leat, Hamlyn’s Leat, Hayford Leat, Hill Bridge Leat, Holne Moor Leat, Huntingdon Mine Leat, Lee Moor Leat, Long Ash Leat, Longstone Leat, Mill Leat, Moortown Leat, Muddilakes Leat, New Engine Leat, Old Mill Leat, Owley Leat, Phillip’s Leat, Plymouth Leat, Powder Mills Leat, Prison Leat, Routrundle Leat, Ruddycleave Leat, Shilstone Leat, Shipley Leat, Southill Leat, Stamping Mill Leat, Sticklepath Mill Leat, West Rook Leat, Wheal Dorothy Leat, Wheal Emma Leat, Wheal Fortune Leat, Wheal Friendship Leat, Wheal Jewell Leat, Wheal Lopes Leat, Whitehorse Hill Leat, and Yeo Mill Leat.

M.

Marsh – A term used to describe a mire and sometimes appears written in the vernacular – maish. The term is more often used on the north moor.

Examples – Apton’s Marsh, Auswell Marshes, Baggator Marsh, Broad Marsh, Combeshead Marsh, Deancombe Marsh, Deeper Marsh, Doe tor Marsh, Fish Lake Marsh, Great Marsh, Greyhound Marsh, Hart tor Marsh, Hockingston Marsh, Lade Hill Marsh, Long Marsh, Maish Hill, Metheral Marsh, Mistor Marsh, Newbridge Marsh, Rowter Marsh, Sharra Marsh, Stonetor Marsh, Stony Marsh, Taw Marsh, Teign Marsh, Tiger’s Marsh, Webb’s Marsh, and Whitemoor Marsh.

Meet – This suffix is used to describe a confluence of streams or rivers.

Examples – Dartmeet, Glaze Meet, Langcombe Meet, Lizwell Meet, Spitchwick Meet, Swincombe Meet, and Waters Meet.

Mere – A local word for a ‘tarn’, pool, or lake,

Examples – Bradmere, Cranmere, and Mere’s End.

Mire – The source of a stream or river which is usually a saucer-like depression between hills where the drainage is constricted thus it slowly trickles away from the watershed causing a carpet of vegetation to form on top. Mires can be anything from a few feet deep to a few fathoms deep depending on the size of the depression – see also Bog

Examples – Aune Head Mires, Bagtor Mire, Battery Mire, Batworthy Mire, Beltor Mires, Black Lane Mire, Black tor Mire, Blacklands Mire, Blackslade Mire, Bow Combe Mire, Brisworthy Mire, Broadmoor Mire, Brockhill Mire, Calveslake Mire, Coal Mires, Dead Lake Mire, Fish Lake Mire, Foggintor Mire, Fox Tor Mire, Frog Mire, Galleven Mire, Grim’s Lake Mire, Gutter Mire, Haresfoot  Mire, Honeypool Mire, Kennon Mire, Langlake Mire, Langstone Mire, Left Lake Mire, Legis Lake Mire, Little Aune Mire, Lowton Mires, Mere’s End Mire, Middle Brook Mire, Middle Mire, Muddilakes Mire, Nun’s Cross Mire, Red Brook Mire, Red Lake Mire, Ranny Brook Mire, Rue Lake Mire, Ryder’s Mire, Stat’s Mire, Teignhead Great Mire, Withy Bed Mires, and Wollake Mire.

Moor – An area of rough pasture which is applied to some of the south moor commons.

Examples – Black Moor, Blackaton Ball Moor, Brent Moor, Broad Moor, Buckfastleigh Moor, Chittleford Moor, Dean Moor, Dunstone Moor, Harford Moor, Hartland Moor, Heathercombe Moor, Hinter Moor, Holne Moor, Inner Moor, Inner Stal Moor, Langstone Moor, Launceston Moor, Lee Moor, Little Moor, Lowery Moor, Mistor Moor, Outer Stal Moor, Penn Moor, Putty Moor, Rowter Moor, Sanderscott Moor, Shaden Moor, Shaugh Moor, Stal Moor, Stone Down Moor, Stooky Moor, Ugborough Moor, White Moor, and Wilkey’s Moor.

N.

Newtake – See Newtake.

Examples – Archerton Newtake, Bachelor’s Hall Newtake, Bagga tor Newtake, Bagtor Newtake, Batworthy Newtake, Beardown Newtake, Bellever Newtake, Berrickyford Newtake, Blackaton Newtake, Black’s Newtake, Blackslade Newtake, Boldventure Newtake, Bridge Newtake, Brimpts Little Newtake, Brimpts Outer Newtake, Broom Park Newtake, Brownberry Newtake, Butterburies Newtake, Chaffe’s Newtake, Combe Newtake, Cox’s Newtake, Crockern Newtake, Daw’s Newtake, Dunnabridge Newtake, Ford Newtake, Ford’s Newtake, Fox tor Newtake, Frenchbere Newtake, Great Mistor Newtake, Great Newtake, Great Stannon Newtake, Hall Newtake, Hamlyn’s Newtake, Hartland Newtake, Hartor Newtake, Harvey’s Newtake, Heathercombe Newtake, Hedge Newtake, High House Newtake, Higher Piles Newtake, Huccaby Newtake, Joan Fords Newtake, Kingswell Newtake, Lakehead Newtake, Laughter Combe Newtake, Lether tor Newtake, Liapa Newtake, Little Langridge Newtake, Long Ash Newtake, Long Newtake, Longaford Newtake, Longbettor Newtake, Lough tor Newtake, Lower Piles Newtake, Lower Watern Newtake, May’s Newtake, Merrivale Newtake, Mount Misery Newtake, Muddilakes Newtake, New House Newtake, New Park Newtake, Ouldsbroom Newtake, Outcombe Newtake, Palmer’s Newtake, Pile Newtake, Prince Hall Newtake, Redford Newtake, Ringhill Newtake, Sam’s Newtake, Sawdye’s Newtake, Sherberton Great newtake, Smith Hill Newtake, Soussons Newtake, Spader’s newtake, Stannon Great Newtake, Stenlake Newtake, Stinnon’s Newtake, Stockman’s Newtake, Stonetor Newtake, Swincombe Newtake, Teignhead Great Newtake, Templer’s Newtake, Thornworthy Newtake, Tor Royal Newtake, Vellake Newtake, Vitifer Newtake, Vixen tor Newtake, Wedlake Newtake, Wildbanks Newtake, Winford newtake, and Yellowmead Newtake.

O.

Outer – This suffix refers to any feature that is furthest from the edge of the moor and is the opposite of inner – see inner.

Examples – Brimpt’s Outer Newtake, Outer Dinger, Outer Huccaby Ring, Outer Meadow, Outer Pupers, Outer Red Lake, Outer Stal Moor, Outer Standon, and Outer ‘U’ Stone.

P.

Park – Either refers to a small plain or a field enclosure, with the omission of true parks like Okehampton.

Examples – Bag Park, Brim Park, Broom Park, Bullpark, Butte Park, Butts Park, Canna Park, Castle Park, Cattle Park, Cold East Parks, Corn Park, Cross Park, Crowder Park, Crownley Parks, Dennis Park, Downpark, Estrayer Park, Ford Park, Furze Park, Gidleigh North Park, Gold Park, Great Cross Park, Great Langa Park, Great Stone Park, Heath Park, Heathfield Park, Heathy Park, Hewston Park, Higher Church Park, Holne Park, Horsey Park, Lamber’s Park, Landy park, Launder Park, Little Langa Park, Lower Church Park, Mill Park, Penn Park, Play Park, Quarry Park, Roundy Park Sand Park, Sandy Park, Shilla Park, Tor Park, Tors Park, Water Park, Well Park, and Whiddon Deer Park.

Peat Pass – See Peat Pass and – cut

Examples – Black Ridge Cut, East Dart Head Cut, Hammonds Cut, Johnson’s Cut, Lamerton Lane, Little Kneeset Cut, Marsh Hill Cut, North West Passage, Ockerton Court, Pinswell Cut, Stat’s House Cut, Walkham Head Cut, and Whitehorse Hill Cut.

Pit – This term, singular or plural usually describes an area where the late or post medieval tinners excavated into the hillside in search of mineral lodes. The term does however sometimes refer to an area where sand was extracted.

Examples – Asshole Pits, Bourne’s Pit, Burn’s Pit, Burrator Pits, Bush Pits, Crocker’s Pits, Dead Lake Pits, Dick’s Well Pits, Erme Pits, Gibbet’s Hill Pits, Hall’s Pit, Hangman’s Pit, Hill’s Pits, Jackman’s Pits, Job’s Pit, Kenlake Pits, Langamarsh Pit, Livaton Pits, London Pits, Mill Pits, Nakers Pits, Niggers Pits, Peck Pits, Petre’s Pits, Pixies Pits, Redoubt Pits, Rue Lake Pit, Riddy Pit, Roo’s tor Pits, Sand Pit, Tin Pits, Turpin’s Pits, Vag Hill Pits, White Pits, Warren House Pits, Wood Hole Pit, and Wood Pits.

Plain – Generally the term refers to a tract of gently undulating land that is fairly rock-free and situated well above a river or stream. These areas were usually excellent for grazing purposes.

Examples – Beacon Plain, Blakey Furze Plain, Burn Plain, Dinger Plain, Doe tor Marsh Plain, Erme Plains, Fox tor Plain, Fur tor Plain, Gobbet Plain, Godsworthy Plain, Hen tor Plain, Hexton Plains, Hickley Plain, Horrapit Plain, Natsworthy Plain, Prince Hall Plain, Ryders Plain, Sandly Hole Plain, Small Brook Plains, Tavy Cleave Plain, Taw Plain, Thrushelcombe Plain, Tom’s Plain, Water Oak Plain, Woola Plain, Woolholes Plain, and Zeal Plain.

Pond – Another term to describe a pool, usually natural but occasionally artificial, see – pool.

Examples – Big Pond, Goadstone Pond, Heytor Ponds, Long Ash Ponds, Mill Pond, Soldier’s Pond, Tadpole Pond, Two Day Pond, and Withy Pond.

Pool – The term basically describes any body of standing water, very often duplicating the name with mere, see – mere. A pool can either be natural or man-made and occasionally a mire, ie Raybarrow Pool.

Examples – Abbey Pool, Birch Pool, Black Pool, Black Rock Pool, Blacksmith’s Pool, Blakey Furze Pool, Bloody Pool, Bradford Pool, Bridge Pool, Brim Park Pool, Bush Pool, Church Pool, Combwear Pool, Cramber Pool, Cranmere Pool, Crazywell Pool, Dinger Pool, Doe tor Gate Pool, Down Pool, Dragonfly Pool, Ducks Pool, Ducky Pool, Dunna Pool, Foster’s Pool, Fullaford Pool, Goose Pool, Gorse Pool, Higher Corner Pool, Honeypool, Horsham Pool, Hurdle Pool, Kenlake Pool, Knattaburrow Pool, Long Pool, Lower Birch Pool, Meavy Pool, Meldon Pool, Mil tor Pool, Ockerton Pool, Orchard Pool, Otter Pool, Pan Pool, Pixies Pool, Queenie Pool, Raybarrow Pool, Salter’s Pool, Sandy Pool, Scum Pool, Sharrah Pool, Shilla Pool, Shiny Pool, Snakey Pool, Still Pool, Swincombe Meet Pool, Tadpole Pool, Tan Pool, Timber Pool, Upper Weir Pool, Weir Pool, Wishing Pool, and Zeal Pool.

Q.

Quarry – It is hardly surprising that with so much granite on Dartmoor that there were quarries. Their sized ranged from the large ones like Merrivale and Meldon to small pits.

Examples – Black Rock Quarry, Blackaller Quarry, Blackingstone Quarry, Bullycleaves Quarry, Criptor Quarry, Croft Land Wells Quarry, Dukes Quarry, East Wray Quarry, Foggintor Quarry, Greep Quarry, Gregg’s Quarry, Grey Down Quarry, Hearn Hole Quarry, Heckwood Quarry, Heytor Quarry, Higher Quarry, Hill Quarry, Holwell Quarry, Ingra Quarry, Johnson’s Quarry, King tor Quarry, Linhay Hill Quarry, Lowery Quarry, Meldon Quarry, Merrivale Quarry, Noddon Quarry, Paddy Dixon’s Quarry, Pennycomequick Quarry, Pew tor Quarry, Pitts Cleave Quarry, Royal Oak Quarry, Rubble Heap, Scatter Rock Quarry, Strawbushes Quarry, Swell tor Quarry, Tor Rocks Quarry, West Mead Quarry, Woola Quarry, and Yarner Wells Quarry.

R.

Rocks – See Dartmoor Rocks.

Rushes – A fast flowing stretch of water.

Examples – Broad Rushes, Copthorn Rushes, Red Lake Rushes, and Water Rushes.

S.

Stent – An open stroll that acts as a wide funnel to channel livestock through, similar to a stroll – see stroll.

Examples – Cripdon Stent, Lowery Stent, and Ringhill Stent.

Stroll – The space between enclosure walls which is designed to allow the herding of livestock on to or off the moor. They normally lead from a farm with a gate at the lower end and free access to the moor at the top. Also very occasionally known as ‘Tongues’ i.e. Moor Tongue.

Examples – Berrydown Stroll, Brisworthy Stroll, Creber Stroll, Dockwell Stroll, Lyd Gate Stroll, The Stroll.

Steps – Stepping stones that ford a river or stream.

Examples – Babeny Steps, Batten’s Steps, Cataloo Steps, Chapel Steps, Corner Ford Steps, Cullaford Steps, Cullever Steps, Deancombe Steps, Glassy Steps, Heckwood Steps, High Down Steps, Higher Bowden Steps, Horsham Steps, Kingsett Steps, Kit Steps, Leigh Steps, Little Sherberton Steps, Lizwell Steps, Nettleham Steps, Noddon Steps, Pizwell Steps, Plym Steps, Riddipit Steps, Sherberton Steps, Skit Steps, Snaily’s House Steps, Standon Steps, Swincombe Steps, Wella Brook Steps, Wheal Mary Emma Steps, Winford Steps, and Yealm Steps.

T.

Tor – see Dartmoor Tors.

U.

V.

W.

Warrens – Over the centuries there have been many rabbit warrens on Dartmoor, some were large commercial concerns and others were smaller sporting warrens. They are easily recognised by the buries or pillow mounds that still sit on the landscape – The Dartmoor Rabbit.

Examples – Beardown Warren, Belstone Warren, Bowden Warren, Brent Moor House Warren, Buckland Warren, Crane Hill Warren, Crockern Warren, Ditsworthy Warren, Gidleigh Chase Warren, Headland Warren, Hen tor Warren, Hernspitt Warren, Huntingdon Warren, Legis tor Warren, Maiden Tor Warren, Merrivale Warren, Mistor Warren, New House Warren, Nun’s Cross Warren, Palmer Warren, Prince Hall Warren, Sheepstor Warren, Skaigh Warren, Soussons Warren, Trowlesworthy Warren, Vag Hill Warren, Willing’s Wall Warren, Wistman’s Warren, Yolland Warren, and Zeal Warren.

Waste – This term describes a small area of enclosed rough pasture and mainly occurs on the southern moor.

Examples – Broomage Waste, Cholwich Town Waste, Combe Waste, Dendles Waste, Ford Waste, High House Waste, Holmbush Waste, Lamb’s Down Waste, New Park Waste, Out Home Waste, Outcombe Waste, Stonelands Waste, Trowlesworthy Waste, Watercombe Waste, Wotter Waste, Yardsworthy Waste, and Yalland Waste.

Water – Used to describe the water-divide between two river-systems and also in some cases the actual river-system itself.

Examples – Addislade Water, Amicombe Water, Beckamoor Combe Water, Black Down Water, Black Ridge Water, Blackmoor Water, Blackslade Water, Brockhill Water, Cheriton Combe Water, Conies Down Water, Cut Combe Water, Evil Combe Water, Fishcombe Water, Flat tor Water, Foxholes Water, Galleven Water, Green tor Water, Hurston Water, Ivy tor Water, Paine’s Bridge Water, Ruddy Cleave Water, Smallacombe Water, Stal Moor Water, and White Water.

Well – Another term for a spring, some are to be found on the open moor whilst others as expected are in the towns and villages.

Examples – Bellever Combe Well, Broady Well, Deadlake Well, Dick’s Well, Dinah’s Well, Druid’s Well, Fernworthy Well, Fice’s Well, Fitz’s Well, Harbourne Well, Holne Well, Lady Well, Ox Well, Parford Well, Pascoe’s Well, Rit Well, Shere Well, Slade’s Well, Spicer’s Well, St.Gudula’s Well, St. Leonard’s Well, Wild tor Well, Wishing Well, and Yarner Wells.