Tag Archives: Dartmoor

Most Dartmoor enthusiasts are conversant with the works of William Crossing, Eric Hemery, Samuel Row, and Hansford Worth, in other words the early topographical writers. Some may even add to that list Elisa Bray and John Lloyd Warden Page and the Reverend Hugh Breton. But there is one unsung writer …

It has already been noted on the Hogs Pudding page that the recipe for this Dartmoor delicacy is a secret which has been guarded closer than the Queen on a visit to Afghanistan. But just the other night I was browsing through a book called, ‘Songs of the Dean Bourn’ …

As always, whilst searching for something else I came across this verse called ‘The Moorland Gamekeeper‘ written in 1886. On March the 9th of that year it was addressed to Mr. W. French, jnr. who at that time was in the employ of Dr. Blackall of Exeter. This was the …

Every part of Britain had a champion author, Wessex had Hardy, Yorkshire had Bronte and Dartmoor had Eden Phillpotts. He was/is a very elusive and multi-talented person who, in my opinion had the gift of portraying the landscape, people and spirit of Dartmoor better than any other writer. Apart from …

. Long, long ago where Willsworthy Ford (aka Standon Steps) crosses the river Tavy became the meeting place for two young lovers. It was here that a young, beautiful and rich woman would arrive from nearby Lydford, mounted on a magnificent white horse. Here she would find her lover patiently …

One hundred and thirteen years ago the sleepy little village of Peter Tavy was to witness one of Dartmoor’s most violent crimes. Nestled below the lofty western tors  Peter Tavy has always been a typical moorland village. People never travelled far and everyone knew each other, the chances were that …

There are various accounts of the story of Stephen’s Grave and here is a brief synopsis and the conflicting versions. About three hundred years ago lived a man called George Stephens, the tale is that old that some say he was named John. Either way he lived at Peter Tavy …

I have recently had a couple of emails from people who are coming to Dartmoor for their holidays and have expressed an amount of concern about the phenomenon known as being ‘Piskie Led’. Firstly they wanted to know if it the stories they had heard were true, secondly if it …

In the year 1641, near the little moorland town of Chagford lived a woman called Mary Whiddon who lived at nearby Whiddon Park. As with many folk tales her story involved two men one of which was the jealous and vengeful type. Mary had made the mistake of jilting one …

Back in the late eighteenth century, 1790 some say,  an orphaned baby was taken into the Poor House at Newton Abbot. The little girl was named, as was the custom, with a surname beginning with whatever letter the Poor House had progressed to, in this case ‘J’. As many of …