Tradition now has it that the second weekend in July is when we take my Young Archaeology Club up to Dartmoor. The trip is always regarded with some slight trepidation as it involves around 16 children between the ages of 8 and 11 and all the joys they bring. This …

I never thought I would see the day but I have enrolled with our newly formed village photography club which to be fair is teaching me a lot about photography. The group consists of a good mixture or ‘no-ideas’, in which group I class myself, through the spectrum to a …

I needed several photos for the website which involved travelling around the moor and the day didn’t bode well. The first place I needed to go was Nun’s Cross and I found Princetown cloaked with fog and clogged with visitors. However, by the time I reached Whiteworks there were tiny …

Before proceeding I would like to point out that what follows is not sexist, male chauvinism or misogynistic, it’s simply historical fact. Now as a rule a moorman has an eye for a good beast and an even better one for a profit, it’s an ability that comes with living …

Tom Pearce. Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare, All along, down along, out along lee, For I want for to go to Widdecombe Fair, Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk, old uncle Tom Cobley and all, old Uncle Tom Cobley and all. …

By no means is ‘wassailing’ an exclusive Dartmoor custom, it can be found all across Devon and indeed the other cider making counties. The tradition is said to have originally been an ancient pagan fertility rite. The word ‘wassail’ comes from the Anglo Saxon words ‘waes hal‘ which meant be …

Valentine’s Day, February 14th, what man dare forget that date? Many would like to, but the marketing vultures have successfully made it compulsory to buy the obligatory card and/or bunch of flowers. But there was a time when things were a lot simpler and dare I suggest a lot more …

In 1855 a Walter White took a topographical tour which took him on a walk to Land’s End which took him across parts of Dartmoor. In his book – A Londoner’s Walk to Land’s End he describes many of the people he meets and some of their traditions. He certainly …

The batt, the night-crow, or a skreech-owle. To these I heare the wild woolfe howle In this black night that seems to skowle. All these my black-booke shall in-rowle. For hark, still, still. the bell doth towle, For some but now departing sowle. There is nothing more evocative than to …

“Come all you Vulcans stout and strong, Unto St. Clem we do belong, I know this house is well prepared With plenty of money and good strong beer, And we must drink before we part, All for to cheer each merry heart. Come all you Vulcans, strong and stout, Unto …