Dartmoor Characters

Whilst perusing an old book of 1875 I came across a startling statement which proclaimed that a saint was born at Widecombe-in-the-Moor. This very piece of information could be the start of a new place of pilgrimage for many people wanting to see the saints birthplace. Imagine, instead of selling …

On a national scale if you mention Saint Pancras most people will think of a borough and a grubby (according to a recent email I received it’s no longer grubby ?) railway station in London. On Dartmoor most folks will come up with a church. Look at Widecombe-on-the-Moor from most …

Hundreds of years ago in the small moorland parish of Sheepstor lived a wealthy landowner called Squire Northmore. He had two sons, the eldest of which was considered to be what was best described at the time as a ‘dullard’. As the years ticked by the old squire became concerned …

Just outside the western boundary of Dartmoor lies the small village of Bridestowe which technically has no place on a Dartmoor web site, but for the sake of a mile surely a good tale beats all bounds? This story goes back to the 1640’s and an estate called Bidlake. During …

Not that long ago you could be forgiven for thinking that Dartmoor was akin to the wild west. There were robbers, thieves and rustlers or as they are called on Dartmoor – ‘Sheep Stealers’ behind every rock and boulder. One notorious gang were holed up on the high moors near …

On the 8th of September 2014 ITV screened the first in the series of Ray Mears’ Wilderness Walks which was filmed on Dartmoor. His journey began on the ‘Roof of Devon’ better known as High Willhays from where he then moved over to the old target railway on the Okehampton …

There was once a time when a man had to be ‘as good as his word’ or else the full weight of the law would come crashing down upon him. In the late 1850’s the Dartmoor town of Chagford was witness to the crime of ‘breach of promise’ which considering …

Just beyond the realms of living memory there was a famous parson living in Hennock. His name was parson Harris and locally he was known as a ‘wizard’. This may seem a strange pass-time for a man of the cloth but he was only versed in ‘white magic’ and so …

Back in the times when Dartmoor was under the rule of the dreaded Saxon’s lived a mighty man called Ordulph. His feats of legendary strength were celebrated in the mead halls by the bards. One such tale was how Ordulph would often stand astride the river Tavy and order his …

Anybody who has read the book or watched the film of, ‘The Name of the Rose’ will not be surprised at anything medieval monks got up to. Dartmoor has its own version in the, ‘Mad Monk of Gidleigh’, well to be exact, ‘The Mad Monk of Haldon’ but as the …