Aspects Of Dartmoor

Before the days of modern machines and before the days of the steam engines one of the onerous processes of the harvest was separating the grains of corn from the husks, AKA ‘Chaff’. There were two ways of achieving this, either by threshing or winnowing. Threshing is officially defined as; …

“And then the peat fires! What fires can surpass them? They do not flame, but they glow, and diffuse an aroma that fills the lungs with balm… I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that cooking done over a peat fire surpasses cooking at the best club in …

“There is a miniature alpine bridge that crosses the Walkham at its junction with the Tavy, near the spot just named; this consists of a single plank, with a light piece of wood extended as a hand-rail to hold by in passing. In one part the plank is supported by …

Place-Names – Toponymy: the study of the origin and history of names, and in this case the words that make up place-names.  In some circles the word ‘Toponym’ has replaced the word -place-names. I find this a fascinating subject and often when driving around I come across a strange village …

Just imagine, it’s the late 1800s and a month ago you had just been ordained as a Catholic priest. You are enjoying your breakfast when out of the blue you get a request from your Bishop to go to the infamous Dartmoor Prison to conduct the Sunday service. The only …

There is one location on Dartmoor that would superbly fit into one of Dan Brown’s books. Imagine Robert Langdon being directed to Dartmoor on a mission to save the world. His initial clue reads something like this; “Find where three rabbits only have three ears between them. Then on your …

There are numerous caves and caches on Dartmoor but probably the most iconic are the potato caves. The majority of these can be found in the southern moorland parishes of Sheepstor and Walkhampton. But what was their purpose? Quite simply they were used to store root crops where they would …

The Old Postman. Here he sits who day by day Tramped his quiet life away; Knew a world but ten miles wide, Cared not what befel outside. Now, his tramping at an end, Has he need of book or friend. Peace and comfort he can find In the laneways of …

“He voiced his opinion on a day when he and Lawrence were working together on the great fern slopes under the Beacon. There, some weeks before, the bracken had been mown down with scythes, and now the harvest was dry and ready to be stacked for winter litter. They made …

  On the 23rd of September (2017) Channel 4 screened the first episode in a new series of ‘Britain’s Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson. It was filmed and produced by the Irish Doubleband Films Company and featured the Abbot’s Way and the Lych Way as it’s ancient tracks on Dartmoor. …