According to the Place-Name Society, Gover,Et.al.1992, pp.197-198, the name of the tor was first documented in the Court Rolls of 1481 as Walterydonne. It next appeared as Waterndown(e) in 1520 and then in 1609 as Waterdontorr, this changed slightly in 1702 to Walter Tor. The general consensus of opinion is …

This is not a legend as such but it is one of those quirky things that are a ‘must see’ if you are in Lydford. Tucked neatly to the right of the church porch is a small rectangular grave. It’s obviously much visited as there is a small track worn …

If you look at an Ordnance Survey map of Dartmoor you will see hundreds of cross names, e.g. Cold East Cross, Challacombe Cross etc. The cross element actually refers to a crossing of roads and not (in most cases) an actual cross. Beetor Cross is another example, although at this …

“Such a vast bleak area of monotonous moorland, with scarce a house visible to cheer the solitude. Positively for miles you see no track of man on the moor. On the road across it we came to a small inn, where the horses were baited. Its name was ‘The Warren’ …

High up on the edge of the North Moor is Wild tor and under its watchful shadow issues the Walla Brook or the Headon River as it is known locally. The whole area around the stream has been worked by the old tinners, much of their activities are still visible …

In May 2003 it was announced that the owner of the land on which Vixen tor stands had closed all access to the famous landmark. Although for the past 30 years the land was held in private ownership there had always been an access agreement. The new owner, Mrs Alford, …

Vixen Tor has always been the focus for man’s attention, during the Bronze Age he buried his dead in the shadows of the mighty outcrop. Later on the tor entered the realms of Dartmoor legend as it played host to the evil witch Vixiana who lived amongst its dark caves. …

It was a dark and stormy night as the Abbot of Tavistock lay in his bed listening to the wind blasting huge hailstones against his window. The large candle’s flame was flickering in the corner of his cell. For some strange reason he could not sleep, he tossed and turned …

Just above the Warren House Inn is what could be described as the most puzzling of Dartmoor features. It consists of two five foot granite blocks, each has an large inscribed ‘V’ on the upper surfaces and a round hole at each of the three nodes of the ‘V’. They …

Having recently written the ‘Dream Tor’ page I was in need of a photograph of Wind Tor and so on July 22nd 2008 I called up to the car park on the top of Dunstone Down. No sooner had I crossed the road when my eye was caught by very …