Historic Dartmoor

Dartmoor is renown as being a wet place but the water levels are not deep enough to submerge a submarine so why should there be a page on the Dartmoor ‘Submarine’ and why is it included in the Ancient Monuments category? On a clear day stand on any high promontory …

This has got to be one of the easiest sites to visit on Dartmoor, you nearly don’t have to get out of the car. But don’t be fooled, just because it is adjacent to a road its history dips way back into the Bronze Age. English Heritage lists Dunnabridge as …

If the early antiquarians are to be believed then Dartmoor was a land of sacred oak groves, druidical temples, and places of deep mystery. Many of the stranger physical features of the moor have been said to have been the work of these ancient priests. Today, vestiges of their presence …

Down in the Drizzlecombe Valley are the remnants of a prehistoric ritual centre comprising of standing stones, a stone, row, barrows and kistvaens. For thousands of years these ancient granite stones have held the secrets of the old men of the moor. Throughout the millennia they have silently stood in …

There is one place on Dartmoor that when in company and responding to the question: ‘where have you been today‘ will always get a snigger, namely: ‘up the Deadman’s Bottom‘. This by no means infers that you have both homosexual and necrophilic tendencies but simply that you have been walking …

Here are two short legends very similar to the Nine Maidens, both on the lines of youngsters breaking the Sabbath and being turned to stone for their troubles. The Legend of the Dancers. A group of youngsters went up on Stall Moor to have what would have been the equivalent …

‘Rock Art’ seems to be a popular subject in certain archaeological circles with new discoveries being made all the time. Cave paintings have been discovered at Cresswell Crags and Cheddar which previously were said not to be exist in the UK. Under the ‘umbrella’ of rock art comes the ‘cup …

On the edge of the infamous Fox Tor Mire stands an old stone cross, it’s mounted upon a three stepped pedestal. This ancient cross is said in legend to be the tomb of Childe the Hunter who was a wealthy Saxon lord who loved the thrill of the chase. The …

Since the year dot there has always been a need for navigational aids when travelling, especially in unfamiliar landscapes. It is known that the Romans introduced milestones whose use continued well into the nineteen century. These were later replaced by the road signs of today and thanks to GPS have …

Today the general consensus is that the Romans never ventured very far onto Dartmoor however just over 100 years ago there was a strong theory that in fact the famous Fosseway Roman road crossed the moor as it went from Exeter to Tavistock. This route became known as the ‘Great …