Dartmoor Walking

Shaptor Woods

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:17:04 +0100

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Strenuous
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
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Map

Introduction

This is a pleasant walk along very quiet and seldom walked footpaths through ancient woodlands and back over farmland and a quiet country lane. There are some up and down stretches, although none are very long and generally the woodland path largely follows the gradient. For me, this is a lovely walk in the autumn especially as the colours of the trees change. It’s also relatively sheltered from extreme weather for much of its distance and one that can be enjoyed year-round. As a Tolkien reader, parts of this walk always remind me somewhat of Mirkwood, only without the spiders! This is not a walk full of stunning panoramic views unless you make a short detour and climb Shaptor Rock

There are some remains of mines and equipment through the woods, including shafts and adits, historic drystone walls, and some minor tors buried in the woods. There’s a duck pond and some ancient farm paths to be walked on the return. There is plenty of wildlife if you’re quiet, with all kinds of woodland birds, squirrels, fox and deer to be seen. The path can be muddy in places and sensible footwear is a must. Sometimes the footpaths through the farmyard can get overgrown in the summer and, having experienced a very thorny walk in shorts, I would also recommend stout trousers!

This cannot be called an accessible walk by any stretch of the imagination and reasonable fitness is required as there are a few obstacles along the way - such as steps cut through fallen trees and small wooden bridges but these are seldom and it’s not that tricky.

Little John’s Walk

Leaving the car park, take the wide path downhill marked Little John’s Walk for around 350m until you see a gateway onto the path to your right. Go through this gate and follow the path generally northwards

The first stretch of this route is legally a byway, so you may be surprised to meet off-road cars and motorbikes using it, but generally it’s very quiet and peaceful. The beeches lining the wall are particularly striking in spring and autumn, and deer can often be seen through the trees.

Who was Little John?

This ancient road was named after John Cann, a Royalist during the Civil War in the 1640s during the Seige of Exeter. He was reputed to have stolen a large amount of silver (said to be 35,000 coins) before going on the run. Local word was that he hid in the nearby John Cann Rocks from pursuers. He was eventually tracked down and captured, and after being sentenced in Exeter, was executed for his crime. The silver was never found…

Furzeleigh Plantation and Bearacleave Wood

As we walk down Little John’s Walk, on our left is Furzeleigh Plantation which then turns into Bearacleave Wood, both owned and managed by the National Trust.

Although we don’t go through either on our walk, it’s worth mentioning as we do pass by and you may want to explore it as well. There are some notably impressive Beech trees throughout Bearacleave and on its edges, especially along the nearby road down to Bovey Tracey, which are very colourful in both spring and autumn. The woods contain some small ruins and old walls, with some evidence of mining as there is in Shaptor Woods - and the fairly impressive but largely hidden Bearacleave North Tor, which is sometimes used for Bouldering, as are some of the rocks through Shaptor.

Tors of Dartmoor - Bearacleave North Tor

John Cann’s Rocks

Again, although our walk turns off right before we reach them, John Cann’s rocks are worth a mention and perhaps a small detour further down the lane to the circled area on the map.

The rocks are a loose collection of large granite outcrops linked to John Cann above. The land around Bovey Tracey has a rich Civil War history, reflected in many of the street names - especially at Heathfield where there is a memorial on the common ground. There was another memorial to “The Forgotten Soldier” just west of the town, which was recently moved to make way for more housing.

Shaptor Woods

Shaptor Woods are ancient upland oak woodlands totalling around 200 acres.

After entering the gate off Little John’s Walk and entering Woodland Trust’s property, we follow the path for a mile or so (1.5 to 2 kilometres). The path is occasionally signed and marked. It can be indistinct at times, but generally follows the gradient with some ups and downs and is not too hard to follow. There are some muddy sections and duck boards are provided over the worst. There are also a few remembrance posts placed by supporters of the Woodland Trust along the way. There are some climbs up and down, wooden duckboards that can be slippery and even steps cut into fallen trees.

As you walk through these woods, keep an eye open for a few notable things and facts:

Streams. Several of these emerge from small drainage adits from earlier workings. In this area, they’re often overgrown with vegetation, and can be too small to explore, or may be grilled over. At one point, below the path, you can see a small concrete building which seems to be a collection reservoir used to capture water to feed for Stonelands, the large private house below.
Mineshafts. There are a several fenced-off mineshafts, and possibly some holes or collapsed stopes less well guarded. As with all historical mining areas, if you leave the path, be very careful and don’t let dogs or children run too far.

Tors and rocks. This is a rocky area, the scale of which is hard to estimate given how thickly wooded parts are, but there are many large rocks and tors all along this route, and even some small caves in one section. It’s apparently a popular site for bouldering, although I’ve not personally seen anyone climbing them during my walks here.

Trees. Shaptor is an ancient upland oak woodland and a temperate rainforest. These oaks are fairly low growing and some are quite gnarled and twisted, although not to the extent of Wistmans’ Wood. There is also a rich variety of other native trees - Birch, Beech, Holly, Ash, Sweet and Horse Chestnut and much more.

Plants. Shaptor is an important site for lichens, mosses, ferns and woodland floor plants and contains several rare species.

Woodland Trust: Visiting Shaptor Woods

Hawkmoor Footpath Junction

Eventually you’ll come to a path turning off to the right, uphill at around 50.61364,-3.68666 (w3w ///flick.kickbacks.defensive) just before a low stone wall with a wooden signpost. We turn right here in front of the wall and continue up a short distance and through another stone wall before following this path to the right onto Shaptor Down.

Hawkmoor Hospital was a tuberculosis sanitorium just a short way along the other path, which passes closely above the site. Originally built in 1914, it treated TB in the days before antibiotics and was chosen for the locally clean and fresh air, away from the pollution of coal-heated towns and cities which were thought to make the condition worse. There was a special stop called Hawkmoor Halt on the now closed Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway where patients would be collected by horse and cart, and from the 1950s, by a motor van.

Patients would recover for months or even years in long south-facing wards with large windows, or lie outside even on cold days, wrapped in blankets. Exposure to clean and fresh air was thought to be the best treatment at the time, although being away from the large and contagious populations in the cities was probably of equal benefit.

Hawkmoor changed from pulminary to care for mental disability patients in the 1973 and was finally closed to patients in 1987. It has since been redeveloped as an collection of private homes called Hawkmoor Parke. There are two terraces of houses immediately below the site which once housed the nursing staff.

Wikipedia - Hawkmoor Hospital

Shaptor Mine

Near the above junction was the site of Shaptor Mine (w3w ///tenders.absorb.rezoning)

Shaptor Mine was one of many in the local area, and its workings may have linked into Plumley Mine’s underground. The evidence seems to point Shaptor’s workings as being of several trials comprising test shafts and adits with some more concerted working along two veins. Certainly the workings here were not as extensive as those at the nearby Great Rock mine, nor those at Kelly, Plumley or Wray Cleave workings further to the north, although all produced micaceous haematite in various amounts.

Heritage Gateway notes “up to nine shafts” in this area, and that four “air shafts” were recorded on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map. By 1930, these markings had been removed.

As well as the adits and mineshafts already mentioned, I once went wandering off the path towards the southern edge looking for a lost dog and encountered a large concrete water reservoir and the remains of an old steam boiler or compressor on what was clearly once a working platform. Sadly, despite two other attempts, I’ve not been able to find this again and get an exact location.

Heritage Gateway - Mine Shafts for Shaptor Mine

Shaptor Down

Our path now runs above a drystone wall at the bottom of the Shaptor Down enclosure. This was once an open area used for grazing, but is now being left to naturalise and extend the Shaptor Woods temperate rainforest. The trees here are mostly younger: more light comes through and it is noticeably different in atmosphere to the older woods below.

Just above the path is a memorial plaque to one of the founding members of the Woodland Trust.

SHAPTOR DOWN AND ROCKS dedicated in 1983 to the memory of

H. G. Hurrell, M.A., M.B.E., J.P. 1901–1981

Founder Trustee of the Woodland Trust Founder Member of Devon Bird Watching and Preservation Society Founder Member of Devon Trust for Nature Conservation Dartmoor National Park Committee England Committee Nature Conservancy Council

A distinguished naturalist, held in high esteem by all who knew him

The Woodland Trust

Shaptor Rock

If you leave the paths at the above memorial and head upwards, you’ll soon encounter the largest of this walk’s nearby tors, Shaptor Rock. This is a worthy detour if you’ve some energy and are craving a view after so long in the woods, as it emerges from the canopy providing a good reveal.

Tors of Dartmoor - Shaptor Rock

Leaving the memorial, follow the path eastwards to Shaptor Farm. There is a section here which can be overgrown in summer.

Shaptor Farm

Our path emerges onto the driveway serving Shaptor Farm. This has a farmhouse, cottage, large barn and outbuilds - and when sold for £300,000 2017 included 29 acres of adjacent farmland.

We head across the driveway and follow the bridlepath to the southeast, passing a delightful duck pond.

Onthemarket.com - Shaptor Farm

Higher and Lower Bowden

The bridlepath follows a Devon-banked track and passes through a shallow ford and gate.

After the gate, we walk up through a sloping field, which is often grazed with horses, past an old fenced manege and through the wall onto the road. When on the road, turn right and follow it back to the car park. The road is fairly quiet, but beware the odd car or tractor.

Parking

There is free, off-street parking for half a dozen cars at the top of Little John’s Walk at Furzeleigh, where we begin our walk.

References

Tors of Dartmoor - Bearacleave North Tor

Wheal Jewell and Wheal Betsy

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:15:03 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
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Map

Introduction

This walk across open moorland on the West of Dartmoor takes in the rich industrial and mining history of this area, including the Engine house of Wheal Betsy, a familiar sight to everyone who has driven the A386 between Plymouth and Okehampton. The walk is circular and generally sticks to the contour, making for fairly easy walking, with the valley at Cholwell being the only real gradient experienced. Going is mixed, with the old mining girts west of the Jewell reservoirs a small clamber, and some paths will be muddy in parts in Winter.

“Wheal” is an old Cornish word for “Place of work” but is mostly used for underground workings. It’s sometimes mixed with the rarer word, “Bal” which also means place of work or mine, but is more specifically used for above-ground mining work. Although in Devon, much of the expertise of mining on Dartmoor came from Cornish miners, who were undoubtedly the world experts in hard rock mining for many centuries.

This walk was recorded by Keith in 2009 when the reservoir was drained and undergoing cleaning. Simon also walked parts of it in 2011 and has included additional pictures, and most of the text.

When you’re ready to leave, follow the path northwards away from the road. It will lead into a funnel track, designed to help herd ponies and other grazing livestock during the annual drift. Follow this track until you meet a building.

Wheal Jewell Hydro Electric

Built in 1936–1937 by the West Devon Mining & Power Co. (specifically the Christy Brothers), the Wheal Jewell reservoir and this building next to the track is part of an early, and still used, hydroelectric system. It collects and controls water from the reservoirs above, sending it down a turbine at Mary Tavy Power Station some 4km away, with 152m of head, providing around 15bar (217 psi) of potential working pressure.

The turbines comprise of three pelton wheels, each capable of producing up to 650kw, which is fed directly into the National Grid.

The Power Station was opened four years before this supply was added, using a much less capable supply from Hillbridge Weir but was not capable of meeting demand.

The reservoirs, pumps and generation are owned and maintained by South West Water.

Heritage Gateway - Hydroelectric Power Station, Mary Tavy

Walk around the buildings and up to the level of the Jewell Reservoir. We’ll walk up it - it doesn’t matter which side - until the bridge across at the top.

Wheal Jewell Reservoir

Wheal Jewell Reservoir acts as a ‘header tank’ for the Hydro Electric generators, ensuring there is enough supply to meet demand.

The name comes from a much older tin and arsenic mine that occupied the site from the 1700s, being most productive in the years of 1865, 1911 and 1924. When the reservoir was built in 1936 it was constructed directly over the old gerts (open cast workings), and most remains were destroyed during this construction, although extensive gerts can still be seen to the west, along our route.

The reservoir collects up to 6.5 million gallons of water from the 4.5 mile long Reddaford leat, drawing off from Tavy Cleave. This fills it at a rate of up to 2 million gallons a day, and was dug by hand in the 1800s to supply the original mine.

The original course of Reddaford leat runs just North of the top of the reservoir, and can be clearly seen today.

Wheal Jewell Gerts

At the bridge over the leat feeding the reservoir, turn left and head Westward. This will take you through some small but steep valleys which are the old mining gerts of Wheal Jewell, and then onto more open and easy going moor. Follow the path due West, keeping to the gradient as it curves Southwards towards the distinctive chimney of Wheal Betsy

Wheal Betsy

There’s an irony that, whilst most of Dartmoor’s engine houses were built on granite, they have all but disappeared and Wheal Betsy remains. It has a distinctive lean to its chimney because it was built upon the weaker spoil heaps of older workings, yet remains largely intact. Wheal Betsy is sometimes wrongly labelled as “The last standing Engine House on Dartmoor” - it is not, there is one other! Wheal Exmouth, on the exact opposite side of Dartmoor at Canonteign, is still standing and has been converted to a private house. It’s perhaps accurate to say that Wheal Betsy is the “Last standing original Engine House on Dartmoor”.

Wheal Betsy was dug in 1704 - but powered by water wheels fed by Reddaford Leat. As common with mines, they are very affected by metal prices and it had to close shortly afterwards, but re-opened in 1806 and worked successfully for several decades, producing much of the waste rock evident in this scarred valley.

The object of this industry was primarily Lead, Silver and Copper, with some arsenic.

The engine house we see today was not built until 1868, very much as a “last resort” to keep mining going as shallower levels were exhausted. It housed a Cornish Beam engine which pumped water out more efficiently than the previous water driven pumps.

Sadly, the investment was not recouped and the mine closed for good in 1877, just nine years after the engine house was built.

The Engine House was almost demolished in 1954. The British Army was given permission to demolish it. It was saved by a high-profile campaign led by the historian A.K. Hamilton Jenkin. In 1967, it was acquired by the National Trust and designated a Scheduled Monument, securing its future.

Heritage Gateway - Wheal Betsy Mine

The above map shows the succession of shafts dug to follow the rich vein.

The bare rock evidences high levels of arsenic and other mineral contaminants, a common result of mining on Dartmoor.

Annie Pinkham’s Men is the local name for a line of fifty stones by the A386. They were placed in the 19th century to help prevent horse drawn traffic from slipping into the Cholwell Valley. Their unusual name is explained with three possibilities;

What is clear from all three tales is that it is known that Annie lived in Peter Tavy and worked in Lydford. The first tale suggests that she was ‘very friendly who sought and liked the company of men’. Each stone was said to represent one of her ‘boyfriends’ which she would pass on her way to work. The second version of the tale is quite similar and states that Annie on her days off would walk home from Lydford to Peter Tavy passing her ‘men’, with whom she would often jokingly said waved or spoke to her as she passed by. A third tale is a little more sinister, with Annie walking home one dark night. When she looked around she saw a gang of men following her. The tale continues that fearing the worst Annie began to run. However, every time she looked back the gang of men were still there. She found refuge at a nearby house (presumably near or in Mary Tavy). Annie related her story to the occupants of the house. On investigation there was no sign of any sinister gang of me, just the line of upright stones alongside the road. Apparently from that day the stones were called ‘Annie Pinkham’s Men’. – Dartmoor Explorations - Annie Pinkham’s Men and Legendary Dartmoor

![A view along the line of the 6-inch pipeline which once contained 90 psi of compressed air(DSC00056.jpg)

Leaving the impressive Engine House, follow the track due South into Cholwell Valley. Cross the road bridge and then up the track directly opposite. This leads across a field and then back onto the open moor. Strike out NorthEast until you join the hedge on your right, then back to the drift lane we started through.

Parking

There is a small, free off-road parking area at the starting coordinates, off the road between Mary Tavy and Horndon opposite the cottage at Zoar. There is also a single parking bay on the A386 next to Wheal Betsy, and some others along that road to the North, but the above is better.

References

Clampitts Walk

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:19:44 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
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Map

Introduction

On the quiet hills of Eastern Dartmoor are the three linked reservoirs of Kennick, Trenchford and Tottiford. Surrounded by woodland they offer some excellent walking and some very good views, along with some excellent history. We’ll walk quiet, well-marked paths through ancient woodland and modern plantations. We’ll pass by a Quaker Burial Ground, abandoned Farm buildings, past one of Dartmoor’s lesser known rocks and back to Kennick Reservoir.

This walk is Dog friendly, but be aware of restrictions at Kennick Reservoir and farm animals in adjacent fields. It is entirely within the boundary of Dartmoor National Park.

If walking in winter, sensible footwear is advised as the paths can get muddy for short stretches.

Kennick Reservoir

Kennick Reservoir was started in 1881 and completed in 1884 and, together with Trenchford and Tottiford Reservoirs, supplies water to Torbay and other parts of South Devon. Water is piped from Kennick through to the large treatment centre below the bottom dam along with water from the lowest of the three, Trenchford. Trenchford is also fed by pipe close to its western dam etc which flows all the way from Fernworthy on the high moor. The reservoirs and surrounding areas are managed by South West Lakes Trust which was founded in 2000.

Although fishing is allowed on all three Reservoirs by permit, Kennick is very much considered the primary fishing area, being well stocked with Brown and Rainbow Trout. The footpath immediately surrounding the lake is restricted to club members.

When you’re ready to leave, walk East along the road until it starts to bend, and take the Signed footpath to the left

Footpaths

Follow the footpath for around 500 meters, passing another footpath on the right, and a larger forest road. You will come to a small turning area where the larger track turns left.

Turn left here.

Quaker Burial Grounds

You’ll soon come to a junction. Directly facing you is a stone wall which once held a plaque telling of the nearby Quaker Burial Ground.

This burial ground dates from 1674 through to 1740, but other than this stone, it’s unclear where the burial ground actually is. It’s certain that the original Clampitts Farm was owned by Quakers in the late 17th and 18th century before being purchased and demolished for the reservoir.

Quakers are members of the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian movement that began in England in the mid-1600s. Quakers believe that everyone can experience God directly, without priests, rituals, or formal sacraments. They often call this the “Inner Light” — the idea that there’s something of God in every person.

Follow the track to the left of the Quaker Stone

Abandoned Farmhouse “Clampitts” / Beacon Farm.

This is marked on the map simply as “Clampitts” and was clearly a set of substantial farm buildings probably once belonging to the nearby Clampitts Farm which was demolished for the reservoir.

Clampitt farmstead is thought to date back to the early 13th century, according to documentary evidence. Was occupied by Quakers in the late 17th-mid 18th century and Friends met at the farmhouse. A number were buried in a Quaker burial ground in a nearby field. At the end of the 19th century the farm was purchased with others locally, amid fears of water contamination in Torquay and the farmhouse was demolished. The two remaining buildings (barn and shippon) are marked as ‘Beacon Farm’.

The name “Clampitt” was first recorded in 1219 in relation to a sale of land, which was probably at this location, and possibly founded a surname that lives on to this day. It seems likely that it’s derived from the Old English terms “cloeg” and “pytt” meaning “clay” and “hollow”. Possibly there was a small deposit of clay here that was particularly useful.

Follow the track past the buildings. You may hear, see and smell pigs to the left - they always make me smile

After a short walk, there will be a small junction. Bear left, don’t cross the ford immediate in front of the junction

Potato Well and Ford

There is a delightful area with some nice mature Beech Trees and a trickling ford where our path crosses a small un-named stream.

Some 20 meters before the ford, immediately above the track, there is an unusual feature. I’ve not been able to find anything about this feature and it’s possible it’s unrecorded.

The unusual name came from me - my first impression was that it was a small “Potato Cave” - somewhere to store root vegetables for the winter. But on a closer inspection it appears to be a “Springhead Well”. A small stone-lined cavity filled with water that seeps naturally in. There is evidence of a wooden door here, with iron hinge pins.

Thanks to Richard Hall who advises me that this is most likely a Butter Well - found on many farms before refrigeration, and that there is one in the nearby derelict farm. They’re used to store butter in a stone lined chamber into which cold spring water naturally seeps, keeping the temperature low.

Unfortunately, when I last walked this in 2025, forestry equipment had damaged it considerably.

Laployd Plantation

Once safely across the stream, bear left along the path below the fence and through the hedge into a large area of recently planted conifers.

Walk through this nice-smelling area, which once provided a nice view of the Kennick Reservoir to our left, but now has grown a little too high to show this.

Some 300 meters after the ford, there is a wide and steep track leading up to our right. Turn up here and take your time, it’s deceptively tiring!

(If you come to a road, you’ve missed the turning!)

About 500 meters up this track you’ll meet a T-junction. Turn right here, and know that the only real hill of our walk is now behind you!

Follow the path down and you’ll soon emerge into a felled area which has a nice view. (Provided the trees haven’t grown up too far yet)

Hollowpark Rock

Following the path down, it soon turns sharply left and you will immediately be greeted by Hollowpark Rock

This attractive rock is a minor tor, and thanks to a recent campaign by Max Piper has been added to the Ordnance Survey maps.

It sits on the border between Christow and Bridford parishes and it looks like it would have once been a well known and recognisable feature, but there seems to be little lore associated with it.

Given its unusual shape and that you can shelter underneath it in heavy rain (as I have done!) it’s easy to imagine all sorts of historic and legendary activities once held here, but sadly I can find out nothing unusual about its history. For now I shall continue to imagine it as a meeting place for Piskies.

Clampitts Plantation and Farm

Follow the pleasant path past Hollowpark Rock and along the lower edge of Beacon Plantation, turning right at the next two footpath junctions into an ancient hollow way

You’ll come to another small ford, the same un-named river as we forded earlier, and hop across. Sometimes this is a little muddy, but you’ll soon be in some mature conifer woodland. In the summer, it’s common to see several Wood Ant nests through here, and it’s always pleasant to pause and watch the industrial insects. On very hot day they will re-arrange the structure as you observe to ensure it’s cool enough, opening vent holes into the inside. On cold days they’re much less active, and these holes will be closed up. They sometimes even put darker objects on the surface to absorb more warmth - such clever creatures.

You’ll soon pass by Clampitts Farm on your right, which is a modern building built around 1890 to replace the original Farmhouse which was demolished for the reservoir.

You’ll emerge onto a harder track. Turn right here back to the Quaker Burial Ground stone.

From the Quaker Stone, turn left back under the magnificent Beech Trees and turn right towards Kennick Dam.

You can either follow the same footpath back to the dam that you started on, or for a little variety turn left and walk along the roads. These are usually very quiet and have wide verges.

Parking

There is on-road parking at several places at Kennick Reservoir Dam, and along the road to the East.

For a slightly shorter walk, you can also park roadside at (What Three Words ///chromatic.tablets.loudness )

References

Bellever Woods and Cairns

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:14:31 +0000

Information

Distance: 5 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words receive.operation.tomato

Map

Introduction

This is a pleasant and fairly easy walk. The terrain is mostly forestry paths, with some small sections of open moorland. The paths may have small puddles, and mud or ruts if there’s forestry work underway, but are generally well maintained.

Since this walk was first published, Dartmoor National Park have created a circular walk that also takes in these ancient sites in Bellever. The details may be available from the Visitor Centre at the start, but the route may differ from ours.

Please keep dogs under control. Bellever woods are conservation grazed by Dartmoor Ponies, and sheep may be present in the early section just after the Clapper Bridge.

When you’re ready to leave, leave the car park and walk down the road a short distance and take the path to the right to the Clapper Bridge

Clapper Bridge

Postbridge Clapper was likely built in the Medieval period, around the 13th Century, but may be older than this as it’s impossibly to date accurately. What’s clear is that it was built to provide a safe crossing for the packhorse routes needing to cross the river, with stout ponies carrying wool and agricultural goods and later, supplying the tin mining industry. Today, the village of Postbridge remains a central and important location on Dartmoor.

There are hundreds of Clapper Bridges on Dartmoor, which are the simplest of stone structures relying purely on gravity - no interlocking joints or mortar are used. Postbridge is unusual in that the slabs are particularly large and would have been difficult to position. Partly because of their size, the bridge has proved remarkably resistant to flood damage over the centuries and has mostly survived without change. However, you may notice iron bands that help secure it now. These date from around the Victorian period onwards, being replaced when necessary, and more modern repairs may show epoxy resin filled holes from the 1980s onwards.

It’s one of the most photographed bridges on Dartmoor and a very familiar sight to travellers.

Follow the path downstream on the right-hand bank, crossing it at an angle Southwards towards a large oak tree

Mould Stone

Just past the Oak Tree, using the road bridge in the picture above as a reference, there’s an old Mould stone.

When tin ore was smelted at a blowing house, the tin was poured into mould stones to cool. These formed ingots of a specified shape and weight which were then carried off the moor to be sold. It’s not known why this stone is here - there’s no known blowing house nearby and they were too valuable to be easily discarded, but as we know this was a route travelled by tin miners, perhaps it fell unnoticed from a pack pony’s load.

Bellever Forest

Head Westward to the Forest car park, crossing the Bellever road. Then follow the main path into the woods due South

Bellever Forest was planted by the Duchy of Cornwall in 1921 to help replenish national wood supplies which were much depleted after the First World War.

The Bellever Complex is an internationally renowned archaeological site, and forestry has obscured or damaged a large part of it.

Legendary Dartmoor - Bellever Complex

Follow the path and map until you reach…

Kraps Ring

Kraps ring is a Bronze Age settlement of around 9 stone hut circles within a partially enclosing perimeter wall of roughly 30 meters diameter.
The name “Kraps” may derive from a local term meaning “Corpse”.

Stone hut circles and hut settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on Dartmoor. They mostly date from the Bronze Age, with the earliest examples on the Moor in this building tradition dating to about 1700 BC. The stone-based round houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of the turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity and their relationship with other monument types provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. – Historic England

Historic England - Kraps Ring - 1018509

Stone Row

Stone Circles and Cist

During winter it’s not unusual for any hollow in the peat to fill with water.

There are two hut circles here, one behind the other in the rosette settlement where walls are added on to enclose more land. Nearest the camera may be two door posts that have fallen in against each other.

Cairn and Cist

Lych Way

Heading Southwards, we cross the Lych Way at right angles.

The Lych way is a medieval track starting from Bellever Village a short way to the East and continuing Westwards for around 10km, mostly across open moor, to Lydford Church. Church laws at the time forbade burial for this region except at that location, and the dead were carried there to be buried. There are several “Coffin stones” along the route where the coffin would be put whilst the bearers rested. The practice ceased in 1260 when the dead were allowed to be buried at Widicombe-in-the-Moor, although some still chose to be buried at Lydford.

Even today, this route is associated strongly with supernatural happenings by some. The editor’s own mother once swerved to “avoid a coffin in the middle of the road” whilst driving alone at night.

Bellever Tor

Although not on our track, you may wish to make a detour up to Bellever Tor from here. The views are impressive, and it’s always interesting to see the Trig Point and try to spot others

The Forest Road

Our return trip is along the Forest track a little way to our West. It’s a pleasant walk, well sheltered from the elements. There’s a small roadside quarry close to the Car Park, but otherwise little visible history

Parking

The main car park at Postbridge has toilets and a visitor centre. There is free parking nearby where we enter Bellever Forest if you prefer.

References

Newbridge and Deeper Marsh

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 18:27:29 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words control.according.blazing

Map

Introduction

This is a nice walk that follows the River Dart uphill to the picturesque Deeper Marsh, which is much nicer than its name suggests - perhaps why so many prefer to call it Spitchwick. After inspecting the ancient pound, we climb uphill to Leigh Tor and take in some lovely views of the valley before descending through the quiet moorland below Aish tor back down behind Hannaford Farms to the river and walk past a Victorian Lily Pond. There’s a lot of variety in three short miles!

After your walk, there is often an Ice Cream Van at the Newbridge Car Park, and The Tavistock Inn a mile up the road at Poundsgate serves good food.

Newbridge

New Bridge is a Grade II listed medieval bridge that was built from local granite in 1413, at the same time as Holne Bridge a mile or so downriver. It has three arches constructed with cutwaters (Angled edges) to help the water flow, which also provide refuges for pedestrians against traffic.

The Beatles were driven across this bridge on their 1967 Magical Mystery Tour and their bus got stuck, causing significant fuss! No doubt one reason why there are now strict restrictions to protect it from large vehicles. Despite this, damage is frequent and it has been repaired dozens, or maybe hundreds, of times as vehicles get larger. In 1912, metal pins were added to reinforce it as motorised traffic began to use it.

The bridge is mentioned in the book “Orphan Dinah” by Eden Phillpotts, Dinah leans over its parapet and “drops big tears into the crystal Dart beneath her.”

Follow the path from the car park down to the river and turn left, passing underneath the bridge

River Dart

Newbridge is one of the British Canoe Union’s official access points to the Dart; this point in the photo is known as the Rock Pavement.

Deeper Marsh / Spitchwick

The footpath opens out into the much loved area known as Deeper Marsh. This used to get extremely busy during summer months, but sadly damage caused by visitors led the landowner to close the car parks in 2017 and they remain closed

Follow the trail on the map around the river, and then turn inland towards the marked pound

Pound

The exact origin of this site is disputed. It’s been described as a Neolithic Henge, a Bronze Age burial mound but is probably around two thousand years old and an enclosure made for controlling livestock. That the grass at Spitchwick remains frost-free in all but the coldest days support that this was a good land for grazing.

Once you’ve finished exploring Spitchwick, cross the road to the north and follow the signed footpath up the hill alongside the wall

Leigh Tor

It’s possible to climb through Leigh Tor from this side to a precarious ledge with a great view to the West - but do be careful!

Note the 200 Mhz aerial, likely for telemetry information, but information about this station is scarce, including where it pumps to and from.

Continue walking up the footpath along the hedge until you come to a small car park. Cross the road here and when you reach the second road, turn left and follow it

Aish Tor

A short way along the road, you’ll spot a granite seat above it. A worthy spot for a rest with a very nice view.

Follow the road until it turns left and heads downhill, whereupon we bear right and keep to the open moor alongside the hedge

Hannaford Manor

The farmland area to our left as we descend the hill is Hannaford, containing three properties of which the most noteworthy is Hannaford Manor

This is the furthest from us and is a Grade II listed Arts and Crafts manor house. It was built between 1904 and 1911 by A. Wickham Jarvis with the gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll and are said to be very fine.

It was sold for £1.5m recently

Locals may recognise the name - Hannaford is a common Dartmoor name, and Dave Hannaford was well known as a master builder of dry stone walls on the moor, having contracted to Dartmoor National Park. I remember watching him work many years ago, a true craftsman. – Simon

Photographs of Dave Hannaford at work

There is also Higher and Lower Hannaford Farms. Fine examples of local Dartmoor farms.

Follow the path downhill close to the hedge on your left until you reach…

Deadman’s Corner

Sorry, but the reasons for this naming seem to be lost to time

Hannaford Lily Pond

This pond was made by Victorians in the 1870s. Dartmoor National Park Authority restored it in 1998-1999.

Parking

There is pay and display parking at New Bridge, and some free spaces on the Holne side. Please note that there is no longer any parking at Deeper Marsh. There are some spaces above Leigh Tor at the top of Newbridge Hill that are often free.

Toilets

There are public toilets at the rear of the car park.

References

Ditsworthy Warren

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 19:06:39 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words tiredness.habit.grows

Map

Introduction

Rabbits, burials, abandoned villages, mining history, proud standing stones and mysterious stone rows - and of course, outstanding views of rolling Western Dartmoor - this walk has it all and takes us through millennia of working history. And that’s not mentioning the starkness of Ditsworthy Warren House!

Items of interest: Pillow mound, Ditsworthy Warren House, ferret kennel, slit window, dog kennels, Kennel Court, cists, Drizzlecombe stone rows, Giant’s Basin cairn, terminal cairns, Drizzle, Lonstone Leat, Windstrew, longhouse.

Ordanance Survey has an interactive map of the historic sites along this walk

Setting off

We part at the end of the tarmac road, within sight of the Scouts Hut ahead, hiding in its blanket of fir trees. We walk off across the moor due south, past an old enclosure and several hand-dug mining holes. After 140m or so, we’ll join the stone track heading southeast.

Follow this track along the valley and across the stream until we reach Ditsworthy Warren House

The long, low and softly-shouldered Pillow mounds are simply artificial rabbit warrens. These were dug by hand by the Warreners living nearby. Rabbits were introduced which dug into the soft soil and formed their warrens. It was a convenient way to encourage breeding in a place where the coneys could be caught by netting and quickly dispatched. The rabbits were skinned and the meat sold to feed the neighbouring miners. Here, most of them worked at the largest mine, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine.

Ditsworthy Warren House

This was the rather grand house used by the warreners who worked much of the land nearby.

The house is sometimes hired out for filming purposes - two such are;

War Horse (2011)
All the Devils are Here (2025)

Ferret Kennel

The warreners used ferrets in their work. If you closely inspect the garden walls surrounding the house, you will find this construction which is believed to have housed them.

Slit window in a piece of wall adjacent to the house suggesting that there might have been a longhouse here originally. The earliest record of a deed for the property dates from 1493 when pasture rights were granted to the occupant - this would be for farming. Warrening probably came later to support the nearby mines, probably around 1804.

Dog Kennels

This was known as Kennel Court, or Dog Pit - one of three around the garden so that dogs could get away from the weather.

Once the house and its surrounds are explored, take the track leading Eastwards above the house out onto Drizzlecombe

Drizzlecombe Stone Rows

This was clearly a hugely important site in Early Bronze Age history, and the remains here are one of the most rich archaeological sites on Dartmoor.

Image © J Butler 1994. Reproduced by kind permission (ref. 29 Sept. 2012)

Cists

Several cists (small rectangular stone burial chambers) are found at the upper ends of the stone rows and nearby cairns:

Built of four side slabs with a cover stone on top, cists typically contained cremated remains, though few have survived intact.

Excavations (19th–20th century) revealed fragments of pottery urns, charcoal, and burned bone, typical of Bronze Age cremation burials.

Menhirs and Stone Rows

There are three main stone rows, all aligned roughly northeast–southwest, each terminating at a large upright menhir.

Southern Stone Row - Row 1

This row is around 132m (430 ft) long. Its menhir is about 3.2 m (10 ft) high and the cairn at the upper end also contains a cist.

Central Stone Row - Row 2

This is shorter at around 83m (270 ft). The stones are also shorter and more regularly spaced than the northern row, terminating with a cairn containing a cist.

Northern Stone Row - Row 3

This row is around 149m (490 ft) in length

Ends with a tall menhir (~4.3 m / 14 ft high) — one of the tallest on Dartmoor - and associated with a small stone circle or cairn at the upper end.

Stone Row Plan

Image © J Butler 1994. Reproduced by kind permission (ref. 29 Sept. 2012)

When you have explored the Cists, Cairns and Stone rows, follow the trail to the north where we cross the small stream that is the Drizzle which gives this area its name. We cross over at the head of the Longstone Leat

The Drizzle and Longstone Leat

Longstone Leat gets its name from the tallest menhir we’ve just visited, and was created to supply water to Ditsworthy Warren House and other works.

Once crossed, follow the leat downhill to the west

Whittenknowle Rocks

Whittenknowle Rocks is a large ancient Bronze Age settlement of 43 huts and 4.5 hectares. It also includes the remains of a much later medieval longhouse.

Heritage Gateway MDV3995 - Hut circle settlement at Whittenknowles Rocks
Megalithic Portal has a lot of extra information about Whittenknowles Rocks .

Keith described this picture as “Windstrew, where threshed corn would be tossed in the wind to winnow away the chaff” but I don’t think this fits the history. Happy to be corrected – Editor

When you’ve explored the Settlement, head Northwest along the contour until you join the large stone path and turn left, downhill back to the parking area

Parking

Note that the parking coordinates are slightly offset to avoid other walks that start from the same point. Parking is a little further on and well signed

The parking in this area can get quite full by late morning, especially at weekends as it’s a popular setting-off point.

References

Ordanance Survey has an interactive map of the historic sites along this walk
Heritage Gateway MDV3995 - Hut circle settlement at Whittenknowles Rocks
Megalithic Portal has a lot of extra information about Whittenknowles Rocks .

Burrator Arboretum and Sheeps Tor circular

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 19:36:24 +0100

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words forkful.drainage.debt

Map

Introduction

This is a walk of two distinct halves. To start with, we leave the car park and are immediately embraced by the rich woodland surrounding Burrator Reservoir. A short climb through the trees and the path opens out onto open moorland with the imposing gray shape of Sheeps Tor and its jumbled mass of granite within sight as we walk clockwise around it. We investigate several Bronze Age hut circles, other ancient relics such as gateways, waymarking stones, a vermin trap, a distant stone circle and enjoy some great views to Great Mis Tor, over Burrator Reservoir and wider vistas.

No visit to Sheeps Tor would be complete without investigating Pixies’ House - which has entranced generations of OS Map readers with its evocative name!

Alternatively, there is a shorter circular walk of around half a mile that is produced and signposted by Dartmoor National Park and skips the longer walk around Sheeps Tor. This is part of DNP’s “Miles without Stiles” project and is considered accessible, with good, flat paths and easy grades.

Burrator Arboretum - Dartmoor National Park

Burrator Arboretum

Burrator Arboretum is a Nature reserve with woodlands, meadows, ponds and footpaths which is designed to be accessible.
It was planted in the late 1980s after storms caused damage in the areas. (The editor spent many years working in Forestry clearing up after these storms and remembers them well!)
Its purpose is to create a collection of native and non-native tree species, develop wetlands and ponds, increase biodiversity and provide easy access for visitors, especially those who might struggle with more rugged terrain.
It is maintained by South West Lakes Trust

This stile is followed quickly by a second beside a pair of locked gates as we leave the arboretum and emerge onto Yellowmead Down

Tip! The path used here is through the entry gate and turn right, next turn left, proceed, go straight across a cross-paths junction, proceed, turn right, proceed - almost coming back on yourself. Lastly - turn left and see the stile.

Yellowmead Down

Sheeps Tor

According to Eric Hemery (High Dartmoor - 1983) Sheeps Tor is really four tors:

The main Tor
The north shoulder Pile
Narrator Spur
Maiden Tor

Over the years, Sheeps Tor has been known as;

Scitelstor 1244
Skyteletor 1262
Schytlestor 1375
Scitestor 1408
Shittestor 1474
Shipstor 1607
Shetelstor
Shepstor,
Shitstor (Elford tablet, Widecombe) 1650
Shippistor alias Shittistor 1691
Sheepstor alias Shittestor 1695

Apparently, Schitestor and Shittor spellings have also been used (genuki.org.uk)

Reference: The Chronographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon. New edition 1811, Rees & Curtis, Plymouth

PCWW being the old Plymouth Corporation Water Works. There are many of these granite pillars which, together with seven undated cast iron posts and one inscribed tor (North Hessary), mark the catchment area of the Burrator Reservoir.

Hut Circles

There are five hut circles shown on the 1:10,000 map but not on the higher scaled 1:25,000 map in this area, with two quite near this pillar.

The huts are hard to find but should be at SX 56967 68250 (Hut 1), SX 56960 68188 (Hut 2), SX 56942 68180 (Hut 3), SX 56930 68160 (Hut 4) and SX 56900 68155 (Hut 5). Hut 2 is worth looking at, it is about 30 metres along a track from the PCWW pillar leading south. Hut 4 is also recognisable with a few stones remaining. The other huts have been badly “robbed” of their stones. It was difficult to take useful photographs, so they have been left out of this page.

More information and photographs of this restored stone circle can be found on our Sheepstor Stone Circles walk.

Note Cuckoo Rock at the bottom of the photograph, right of centre.

Sheeps Tor up close

You will notice on the Ordnance Survey map that the words Feather Bed are printed on this area of Sheeps Tor. This refers not to a quaking bog as known elsewhere on Dartmoor, but to flat pavements of exposed granite on the summits. Similar features also line Joey’s Lane, which you might have used to get to Sheepstor hamlet. – John Earle (2002), Walking on Dartmoor: National Park and surrounding areas

Vermin Trap

This feature is a little hard to make out, but consists of an X-arrangement of low walls which would guide stoats, weasels and similar predators into a centrally positioned trap mechanism.

To help you orient yourself, in the distance are the fir trees at the Scout Hut and, beyond, is Gutter Tor and, further away, is the pyramid shape of Hen Tor.

" On returning for our horses, we discovered near the top of the tor two stone ridges, almost covered with turf, that intersected each other at nearly right angles, and formed a cross. In the middle was a flat horizontal stone. Measuring from this central point, the ridge to the east was twelve paces, west six, north seven, and south eleven. We afterwards discovered a larger one below, at the south side of the tor. At first we conjectured they were sepulchral monuments ; and afterwards thought they might have been folds for sheep ; which at the same time was endeavouring to account for the name of the mountain. But after all, these conjectures are entitled to little attention ; as nothing can be accurately decided without more minute examination than we were then capable of giving." – Mrs Bray. The Borders of the Tamar and Tavy, 2nd edition. Vols 1 and 2. 1836

This is the direction of the trap designed to catch vermin passing around the tor. There are artificial rabbit buries (i.e. warrens) and a Warrener’s house on the south flank of Sheeps Tor. Rabbits were bred as meat for the local tinners.

Pixies House

Also known as Pixies Cave or Piskies House

The entrance is close to the largest rock, central in this boulder pile.

Pixies House is a very small cave that is a struggle for an adult to enter, but captured the imagination of the romantic Victorians and became a must-see destination in the late 1700s and 1800s, with a great many people coming to visit this small, natural cave.

Also, during the Civil War, Lord of the Manor of Longston, Mr John Elford, was thought to have hidden here to save his life from Cromwell’s men. The local populace, unsympathetic to the revolution, kept his secret and supplied him with food and drink during his secret exile.

Legendary Dartmoor - Piskie Cave

The editor also managed to fit into this cave once, despite being 6'2", and found a small and uncomfortable chamber. A few signs of recent human use were spotted (and removed) - burned down candle stubs and some rubbish. No pixies were witnessed – Simon

Pillow Mounds

These artificial warrens were often arranged sloping downhill with a drainage ditch around to keep the rabbits dry. The rabbits would generally be caught by netting, where the men would creep up to the warren at dusk when the rabbits were out feeding and put long, low, fine-meshed nets out across the rabbit holes. Then someone would scare them from the other side and the startled rabbits, racing to the safety of their burrows, would be caught in the nets.

Nearby are the ruined remains of the Warreners House.

Below it are the remains of Chubstone Wood that was felled during WW1 to supply the front with timber. The Warren House shows no stone cutter marks, and dates perhaps from 1500-1600s (Hemery, p.160).

The Sheeps Tor Tithe Maps of 1843 and 1882 shows this area as a “Pasture” then “Fir trees”, which prove the house had been abandoned before 1843.

Sheepstor Church

A visit to this church is recommended as it has some unique history. The three White Rajahs of the Sarawak Kingdom are buried there.

Joeys Lane

We pass by the top of Joey’s lane but don’t go through and don’t descend further towards Sheepstor Village

Corn Ditch Wall

A “corn ditch wall” is a particular style of stone wall found throughout South Western England. It’s a normal vertical stone wall on one side, but the other side is either banked and sloping, or at a higher level. It’s designed so that animals can jump down from one side, but not return from the other. The name comes from one purpose where animals were desired to be kept out of corn fields, but to allow any that did get in, a route of exit.

In this case, Dartmoor was a Royal Hunting area (also known as a Forest, even though sparsely wooded) where deer were hunted. It was illegal for the commoners to interfere with deer - indeed, many were put to death through England for poaching when merely trying to feed their families - and this was a method developed by farmers to still protect their crops without harming the Royal animals.

The Upside-Down Trough

Follow the signpost down towards Burrator Reservoir

Narrator Farm

NARRATOR - Earliest record - 1718. Last used in 1923.
Named after the Narrator outcrop of Sheeps Tor.
In 1718, John Elford of Longstone paid for repairs to “Harris”, a yearly event.
In 1732, it was referred to as “Harris alias Narrator” - a name change. There are various records of payments and at least 19 tenants. One record has John Bayly as Lord of the Manor in 1850 and living at Narrow Tor.
By 1914, the tenant was paying rent to Plymouth Corporation. Source: Paul Rendell (2007), Exploring Around Burrator - A Dartmoor Reservoir

The WIFF Stone

The story behind the stone and why it has been carved is lost to time.

The cross is included in the Dartmoor Crosses web site where it is suggested it was carved as a memorial, despite the lack of dates: Narrator Farm Incised Cross

Follow the path down the road, and turn right to return to the parking

Old Maps of the area

Parking

There is parking at the posted coordinates specifically for the Arboretum. If it is full, then Nosworthy Bridge parking is nearby.

There are accessible toilets at Burrator Discovery Centre. What3Words: most.measuring.rocket, and more toilets at the Dam.

References

Hurston Stone Row

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 19:55:23 +0100

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words treaty.kingpin.budding

Map

Introduction

This short walk starts at the Highest Pub in Southern England and climbs the gentle hill behind it, visiting several ancient sites on the way such as the Kings’ Oven to the impressive Hurston Stone Row. We then return along a low ridge to another cairn atop Water Hill, before dropping back down to the starting point. The views are impressive, and although never far from the road, it’s possible to lose sight of modernity and step back in time in one’s imagination to when this area was a thriving tin mining valley, or even further back to the bronze age when it was also busy with several nearby settlements.

Warren House Inn

This pub claims to be the most famous pub on Dartmoor and is certainly one of the most visited, especially on a Summer’s day. When the prison was working, visitors would often stop by here on their way to visit friends and relatives.

At 434m above sea level, it’s the highest pub in Southern England and the second highest overall. It claims to have kept its fire burning continuously since 1845, which must make for exciting work as the pub’s chimney sweep.

Originally named New House and built in 1751, it was then positioned on the opposite side of the road where the foundations can still be seen. In 1845, the pub was rebuilt and renamed to the “Moreton Inn” to serve the thriving tin mining industry that was literally on its doorstep, with Vitifer and Golden Dagger mines only a short distance downhill.

Shortly afterwards it was renamed to its present title for the Headland Warren that was built nearby to give the miners a steady supply of meat.

The sign of the tinners’ three rabbits (sometimes called The Three Hares). This is often seen carved in Churches near mining areas, and usually the rabbits share only three ears between them.

Headland Warren

The letters WB are difficult to see now, occupying the upper six inches on the face of the stone. This is one of a series of 15 similar stones that mark the bounds of Headland Warren, where rabbits were bred to feed the miners. Warren House Inn is named after the warren. The “15” bound stones includes the large Bennet’s Cross, which stands tall and proud to the side of the road, also marked “WB”. The stones date from around 1780 – (Dave Brewer, 2002, Dartmoor Boundary Markers, pp. 265-268)

“Benet’s Cross stands at the roadside, a tall roughly hewn cross with a distinctive bend in the shaft, inscribed on its north face the letters ‘WB’. The original purpose of the cross is uncertain — it may have been a route guide post, or a bond mark of lands owned by Buckfast Abbey, or perhaps both. The name should be spelt with a single ‘n’ and a single ‘t’ — though few people seem to do so — for it is derived from the Benedictine order of monks, indicating its former association with the original monastery at Buckfast — this was at first a Benedictine abbey, as also is the present one, but was a Cistercian monastery from the thirteenth century until the Dissolution. The cross also acted not only as a boundary marker for Headland Warren, to which the letters refer (WB = Warren Bounds), but also for the Vitifer and Birch Tor mining setts, as well as being a bond mark on the Chagford/North Bovey parish line, a purpose which it still serves today. A curious coincidence is the fact that a William Bennett was a representative of Chagford Stannary in the time of King Henry VIII, and he would have undoubtedly had some indirect connections with the earliest tin-streaming activities in the area.” — Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor

Carp’n Moses Bungalow

Near to our parking are the ruins of a stone-built bungalow that belonged to Cap’n Moses, once captain of the Birch Tor & Vitifer Mine nearby. The bungalow was also known as King’s Bungalow (after King’s Oven) and it was demolished in 1976.

This green cast iron item is a Telegraph Marker. There are thirteen of these items between Moretonhampstead and Tavistock. They marked the route of underground telegraph cables placed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After bad blizzards of 1891, a need was seen to create more reliable communications after overhead telegraph cables were damaged and made inoperable.

Dartefacts Telegraph Markers Map

Starting our walk

When ready to depart, follow the track directly off the road as seen below

The start of the walk is an ancient trackway to the open workings of the Water Hill Mine that has extensive diggings on this hillside. There is a large gert (A mining remain where tin was washed out of the rock) right behind the Warren House Inn that approaches from the west - this being the direction of the Caroline Mine. The Water Hill MIne workings extend rightwards in this photograph, towards Moretonhampstead, towards the workings of Bushdown Mine.

Tin was the prime motive for the mining of this area, specifically Casseterite.

Mindat mining and mineralogy details of this area

Kings’ Oven and V-Stones

One of Dartmoor’s mysteries, the V stones - no-one knows what these are. It has been suggested they might be for the base of machinery, the base of a flagpole, a mould and I’m sure, many other things. (See plan below for location)

Two theories:

The DTRG (Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group) Newsletter May 2020 No. 58 has a note on the “Kings Oven Stones” by Nick Walter on pages 9-10 that proposes a possible function for these stones. They could have been supports for a hand windlass that could have been used for raising loads from a small shaft in the nearby mine.
The next issue of the same DTRG Newsletter, dated November 2020 No. 59, has a note on the “Kings Oven Stones” by Tom Greaves on page 19. The stones may have derived from a single stone that is now broken. The cut recesses could have housed the base (wood or metal) of a flagpole. They are situated near the foundations of the larger of two ruined buildings which might have been the mine office. It is recorded that at least one mine in this area flew such a flag when they were actively working.

King’s Oven or Furnum Regis (in Latin). This derives from the fact that this is thought to be the site of an early smelting house, hence “oven”, the produce of which would be taxed by the King via the stannary towns, such as Chagford. Furnum Regis appears in the 1240 Perambulation of Dartmoor, although more likely mistaken for the landmark cairn at the summit of Water Hill.

Description: “The enclosure at King’s Oven is probably the site of medieval tin mining activities. Burnard comments that ’the enclosure is circular and an acre in extent’. Burnard notes that the stone ’looks something like the nether stone of a crazing mill’. A nether stone is the lower stone of a rotary crazing mill that was used for grinding tin ore. Crazing mills could only grind the alluvial gravels and they were replaced by stamping mills when coarser ores started being mined. In Newman’s //Dartmoor Tin Industry Field Guide// he states that only three crazing mills are known on Dartmoor at Sheepstor, Outcombe and Gobbet. Perhaps the stone photographed by Burnard in 1888 is evidence for a fourth crazing mill but the stone is no longer in situ today. King’s Oven was previously known as Furnum Regis and was mentioned by this name in a Perambulation of Henry III in 1240. However by 1609 in the Dartmoor Forestry Survey the location was known as King’s Oven.”

The fact that Furnum Regis, the King’s Oven (taken to imply a smelting place for tin), is a landmark in the 1240 Perambulation shows that tin was important as far back as the 1200s. The diggings in the area must date from that period - 800 years ago!

When ready to leave Kings’ Oven, follow the smaller path to the Northwest along the contour

The local name for these paths are varied and include; Pixie Path, Peat Path, Hobbit Trail, Pony Plod (from the packhorse days) or Sheepway

Hurston Ridge double stone row

Heritage Gateway MDV61939 - Cairn at southern end of Stone Alignment on Hurston Ridge

One of the best examples of its kind, mostly in its original state. There are 99 stones arranged in 49 pairs. There is a cairn at this upper (south-west) end, visible from the blocking stone at the lower end. Orientated NE-SW.

Legendary Dartmoor - Hurston Stone Row

Heritage Gateway MDV6541- Hurston Ridge stone row

Somewhere in this area is a “lost” cairn described by J. Butler (1991), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities. The cairn was discovered and excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1900 and then it was “lost” again, shortly afterwards.

During investigations on the cairn by Baring Gould, a “stone axe and a cinerary urn” (the latter upturned and covering a small heap of cremated bones on a flat stone, covered by a slab) were found. A photo of the restored Middle Bronze Age urn (1500-1000 BC) can be seen here (Credit: Legendary Dartmoor) The pattern around the rim is believed made by impressing the clay with a twisted cord. It was restored 1960-1962 and was put on display in the Plymouth Museum.

When ready to leave the stone rows, follow the map to the Southwest, and then South to Water Hill a mile or so back towards the road

Water Hill Cairn

It is assumed that this landmark cairn, which is visible for some distance, is the “Furnum Regis” mentioned in the 1240 Perambulation of Dartmoor. This was occasioned by order of King Henry III when he granted the lands of the Forest of Dartmoor to his brother Richard. It was decreed that the Sheriff of Devon should do this accompanied by twelve knights and their attendants. Richard became an Earl in 1225 and was known as Richard of Cornwall (died 1272, aged 63)

Heritage Gateway MDV54619 - One of two cairns on the summit of Water Hill 450 metres north-west of Warren House Inn

During World War II, this cairn was covered with a temporary iron roof and used as a lookout for enemy aircraft and a potential invasion forces.
It has been known as Natty’s or Nancy’s Castle, although who this was seems to be lost.

This is the flat stone where King Arthur used to sit, looking west, contemplating the lands of Richard of Cornwall

This is a good vantage point to view the Ace Fields to the Southeast on the lower slopes of Birch Tor.

Legend records that there are four fields, each one shaped for the suites of a pack of cards. A young tin mining wastrel, name of Jan Reynolds, dared to play cards during a church sermon. The Devil descended and bore Jan away on his large and fierce black horse, never to be seen again. As he was borne away, Jan dropped his cards, forming these enclosures. (Full story at the link below)

Legendary Dartmoor - Jan Reynolds

The less prosaic reality is that they were farming enclosures used to grow vegetables for the nearby mines.

The return to the road from Water Hill Cairn is now just a short stroll downhill to conclude our walk

Parking

There is on-road parking close to the Warren House Inn, and several parking close to the start.

References

Dunnabridge Pound

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 09:55:01 +0100

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words rats.stick.windpipe

Map

Introduction

This is an open walk taking in some lesser visited ancient items on its circuitous way to the much more famous Dunnabridge Pound.

On arrival at the car park, it’s not uncommon to find it half full of Ponies. This particular herd is often a mix of Dartmoor Hill Ponies and the smaller Shetland Ponies, both ideally suited to the moor. Unfortunately, they are over-friendly due to people feeding them, which can lead to aggression from them and people being bitten is common. Please don’t feed them or otherwise encourage them.

As with many Dartmoor car parks, ponies will run on parked cars, especially during the moulting times of Spring and Summer when they get very itchy from their coat changing. Dents to body panels and broken mirrors are common! If you can, fold in your wing mirrors when parking on the moor.

Heading off

Once parked, head off away to the Northeast, directly away from the road.

This walk is mostly based off the map and route rather than detailed instructions, so please pay it close attention. The photos should be recognisable as you follow the route

Common Heather or Ling (Calluna vulgaris)

Dartmoor Ponies

A brief note about Dartmoor Ponies by Simon

The above mare (photo taken in 2009) is likely a Registered Dartmoor Pony as it looks to be very close to the breed standard. Every pony on Dartmoor is owned by someone with a set number of grazing rights allowing them to use certain parts of the moor for this purpose. This is governed by the Dartmoor Commoners Council

Some owners take great pride in their herds and breed to improve certain strains, and ponies can be split into roughly four types;

Registered Dartmoors: These are pedigree ponies that are Registered with the Dartmoor Pony Society and must adhere to certain breed standards including colour and must be “Bay, brown, black, grey, chestnut, roan. Piebalds, Skewbalds and Spotted are not allowed.”
Shetland Ponies: A common choice. Once prized for use in the many mines of Devon and Cornwall, these incredibly strong and hardy ponies adapt well to Dartmoor’s harsh conditions.
Dartmoor Hill Ponies: This is a loose term to describe ponies that are not registered with the DPS but are similar in shape. They can be any colour - Skewbald, Piebald, Spotty and all variations are common.
Others. From time to time, owners will graze other equines. These can be horses of any shape, and the commons framework allows for Donkeys, although I’ve never seen one grazing loose.

Dunnabridge Pound

We’ve now nearing the famous Dunnabridge Pound

Dunnabridge Pound is one example of a pound where livestock was rounded-up so that owners could reclaim their animals before a time limit. “Illegal” animals were impounded and fines levied where the owner could be found. These were animals over the numerical limits for the size of a farm, they were only allowed to keep the number of animals that the farm could support over the winter.

Unclaimed animals were sold off to the highest bidder. One can imagine that if the fine were too large, the owner might stay quiet and buy their “illegal” animal back at the end, at the risk of being outbid for it.

One might be forgiven that this rather grand structure was built for this purpose, but the probable truth is that it was actually the Judge’s chair for the Tinner’s council and was taken from nearby Crockern Tor where the Stannary Parliament met. If that is true, then it truly is a Judge’s chair, as sentence was passed at Crockern Tor for anyone who broke the very strict Stannary Laws.

Legendary Dartmoor - Dunnabridge Pound

*Once you ready, follow the road over the River and back to the Car Park.

Parking

There is large, free and well maintained parking at the coordinates.

References

These pictures were taken by Keith Ryan in 2009

The Henroost and Skir Ford

Sun, 11 May 2025 18:32:04 +0100

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words disprove.heaven.plodding

Map

Introduction

Down Ridge near to Hexworthy is a quiet area that doesn’t get too many tourists even when other parts of the moor are busy. I’ve personally spent 8 hours walking a large loop around here without seeing a single person - a rare thing even on Dartmoor.

This is a walk that involves a fairly gentle slope upwards, following an old mining track and taking in some notable features. We pass a once imposing building which was used as target practice in the 1940s by the US forces training for D-Day, the wonderfully named Hooten Wheals mine close to the Henroost, both once profitable tin mines. There are also Bronze age remains nearby - all worth investigating.

A small detour is offered to explore Hooten Wheals.

Parking

There is a smallish parking area close to the given coordinates. Please be considerate to traffic continuing along the road to Sherberton.

Once ready to start, follow the road back the way you came from for about 600 meters, passing the first moor gateway until you come to the junction with the Hexworthy - Holne road. To your right is a gateway leading up an old track. Go through here onto the open moor

This was the main track leading to several mines in this area, taking supplies and workers to, and ore and tiredness back towards the welcoming fire of The Forest Inn, Hexworthy.

To the East and Southwest - but not visible from the track, there are a lot of Bronze age remains of hut circles, and medieval field systems.

After following the track for about 1.2km, you’ll see a stone cross a short distance below it. This is Horse Ford Cross

Horse Ford Cross

This cross is one of a number that marks the route of the Monks’ Path, an ancient track that links Buckfast Abbey with those at Tavistock and Buckland
This path takes a more Northerly route than the more commonly known Abbots’ Way, and is also known as the Maltern Way or Jobbers’ Path
Horse Ford Cross has been lost and discovered. At one time it disappeared entirely and wasn’t seen for many years when in 1884 a local labourer discovered it buried in heather and turf. It was subsequently repaired with the iron strap and re-erected at its current location, although it’s much shorter than it was originally
It stands 1.05m (3'5" high and 0.67m (2'2") across the arms
There are many references to Horses across Dartmoor, giving reference to their importance in day to day life
Horse Ford itself is directly below the Cross, providing a crossing of the O Brook.

A short way along the track, next to it on the upper side is…

Mine Office

This was probably a fairly small building, positioned closely to the track so that incoming stores and workers could be closely monitored - and perhaps measuring tin that left the site. It’s thought that as well as being the site office, the mine captain lived here, away from the main body of men.

Further along the track you’ll come across more ruins

The Barracks

Locally known as the Barracks, this once large building was also known as “The Dry”, “The Shop” and “The Dorm”. Also, more lately, and perhaps only by myself, “The Shooting Range”

The Barracks were built in 1907 and were multi-use:
- They were used as a Miner’s dry - a place to dry out wet clothing and boots
- Also a dormitory for miners to sleep. Commonly during this time, beds were multi-occupancy, with “shifts” taken, or “top and tail” sleeping arrangements when there wasn’t enough room
- There is also evidence of machinery being housed in this building, with large bases
- It’s known that there was a Blacksmith’s shop either in or attached to this building - an essential part of any working mine
The building measures approximately 14 by 6 meters and would have been two storeys high, made of local stone mortared and rendered with cement
The Barracks was used as a target by American Troops stationed nearby during 1943/44, as preparation for the D-Day landings. A large number of bullet holes can still be seen in the render, and indeed, on some ancient crosses in the area. Artillery was also used to reduce it to the state it is today.
Heritage Gateway MDV6389 - Hooten Wheals / Hexworthy Tin Mine

There is much evidence of various diggings in pursuit of the ore seams visible from this location in all directions. For example, the very straight track heading exactly due East just before the barracks leads to a now collapsed adit.

O Brook Clapper Bridges

Flat rods were simply flat rods of iron that were connected to the water wheel. They converted the rotary motion of the wheel to a reciprocating back and forth action through the rods, which rested on low granite blocks placed at set distances, usually with well greased rollers. These rods were very effective at transferring power around the sites of mines and very little was lost even over long distances.

These gerts predate the more modern workings and were made by “The old men” of the 17th and 18th century, or even before. The cut is caused when streaming tin lodes by directing water down them to wash out the ore.

Hooten Wheals

At the Clapper bridges, you can take a short detour along the well defined path left to the Southeast to explore the working platforms and above them, the collapsed adits and shafts. Sadly I have lost my photos of these

Hooten Wheals was a highly industrialised area in the past, with a 45’ (13.7m) water wheel providing power to 12 Cornish Stamps and 16 Californian Stamps to crush the ore bearing rock into smaller pieces. These stamps were positioned on the flat concrete stepped areas, using gravity to feed materials and water to help the process. This area was also roofed with corrugated iron, which was removed along with the stamps and other machiner when the mine closed.
Stamps are fearsomely noisy things, just simply large chunks of iron being lifted and dropped back down repeatedly to break the stone. Combined with vibrating chutes to feed ore in and out, it would have been heard a long distance away
Naming:
- “Hooten” originates from Old English language and means “Heel or spur of land”, referring to a ridge or piece of high ground. Indeed, contour lines do show that Skir Hill above the workings is a projection. An alternative theory is that Hooten can also mean an old farmstead, and perhaps one of the nearby farms once shared its name to the mine
- “Wheal” is used throughout Devon and Cornwall to name mines. It originates from “hwel” or “huel”, which is Cornish for “Work” or “place of work” or “workings”
Also known as Hexworthy mine, it was active through the 19th and early 20th centuries. A licence to mine was first granted in 1845 with further licences issued in 1849 and 1854
Around 50 men were full employed by 1891
The mine closed in 1919, probably due to a shortage of labour as men were drafted to the First World War - a common reason for closure of many mines in England and Wales
Pumping of the mines continued through to 1920 when a “Fearsome storm” destroyed the launder feeding water to the wheel. This also led to the collapse of the main shaft, perhaps by water entering from the broken launder combined with the lack of pumping causing the sides to soften

Once done exploring Hooten Wheals, return here and follow the Northwest path alongside the Brook

Hensroost

Hensroost is the name of an initially separate mine with a deep shaft called “Taylor’s Shaft” at SX 651710 plus several other collapsed shafts
As with Hooten Wheals, the object of the work was to recover and partially refine tin from it’s ore, cassiterite, which is often found in seams amongst granite
Towards the end of its life, Hensroost was consolidated with Hooten Wheals and both were worked together, with Hooten processing the ore

Staying fairly close to the O Brook, follow it in a Northwesterly direction until you come to…

Skir Ford

The cross was part of the Monks’ Path and remains a useful indicator to find this rather nondescript, but useful fording point.

About 1km upstream of the ford, there are more old tin workings and gerts from old streaming.

To complete our walk, head North from Skir Ford across a pretty featureless area of moorland, aiming for the gap between the stone walls about 1km away. These will funnel you to a moorgate onto the road, close to the parking area

We hope you enjoyed your walk.

Wistman's Wood via Crockern and Littaford Tors

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:39:14 +0000

Information

Distance: 5 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words slowly.seats.impressed

Map

Introduction

This walk takes us up along a ridge taking in several tors, including one that was very important for the old Tin Mining Stannary laws. Then it drops into the West Dart River, exploring some Bronze Age Hut Circles and then back past Wistman’s Wood and down the valley back to the start.

Please note: In accordance with Dartmoor National Park’s guidance, please do not enter Wistman’s Wood itself, or disturb it in any way. Sadly, due to huge numbers of visitors over recent years, significant damage has been caused even by those simply walking through it as well as those removing moss, branches or littering.

If you just want to visit Wistman’s Wood, you can follow the path up from the given parking coordinates. This shortens the walk to about a mile each way and is a pleasant easy walk, although not accessible to wheelchairs. Jump to Wistman’s Wood

Parking Quarry

Before we leave our parking space, take a moment to look at the sides of the quarry.

This place is known as “Two Bridges Tor” as there is a distinct granite formation at the back which helps show how Tors on Dartmoor were formed, even when the Tor is underground. Rain water, being slightly acidic, soaks into the ground and rots the rock, primarily at cracks and weaknesses to form horizontal and vertical joints. Over a long period of time, the harder rock is left behind as the rest is changed into growan (Decomposed granite) and sand.

We see this here as this quarry was dug to provide sand and gravel for road building.

Once exposed to the atmosphere, then weathering continues the early work of underground decay with with, rain and the freeze/thaw action of the winter to further attack the rock.

Source: Ken Ringwood, Dartmoor’s Tor and Rocks

There seems to be a well repeated rumour that I’ve heard from several people who are insistent that Dartmoor’s Tors were once volcanos. Sadly, this is completely untrue!

When ready, walk North through the gate and immediately leave it, turning uphill to your right, striking out across open moor to the North East towards a gateway in the wall about 350m away

Once through the gate, turn right and head to Crockern Tor

Crockern Tor and the Stannary Parliament

Crockern Tor. SX 61560 75778. Elevation 400 meters (1312 feet)

This imposing rock was chosen as the meeting place of Great Court of Devon Tinners dating from around at least 1300AD and possibly as far back as 1100. The court would meet here and establish tin laws, mete out punishments for breaches, pay taxes and distribute earnings.

There was also an impressive Chair made of slabs of granite with a tall back and overhang placed here by a granite table for court proceedings. The chair was moved to Dunnabridge Pound by a Mr Leaman using “12 yoke of oxen” - a team of 24 beasts - and it can be seen there today, just a few miles away.

Parliament Rock itself has a natural shelf which was used as a “Court Cryer’s Chair” - presumably to shout for order and repeat the findings of the court to the wider audience.

“Stannary” comes from the latin name for tin, Stannum. It also gives it its periodic definition, ‘Sn’
Before the fourth century, “Tin” was used to describe any alloy of silver and lead, rather than the metal Tin.

Between 1100 and 1650 AD, some 26,000 tons of smelted, white tin were extracted from Dartmoor.
The most productive year was 1524 AD, when 252 tons of white tin were produced.
The Stannary Court had considerable power and influence and controlled the metal mining industry of Dartmoor.

The four main Tin Towns of the area were Ashburton, Chagford, Plympton and Tavistock. This site was likely chosen due to its central position between them.
There is an oval area below the Court which may have housed an audience of 80-100 people.

References:

The Great Courts of Devon Tinners, 1510 and 1710, Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group, Exeter. (Book)
Eric Hemery: High Dartmoor, Land and People (Book)

The flagpole on Beardown Tors to the Northwest marks the start of the Merrivale Firing Range. Don’t cross into it if the red flag is flying, for live firing may be underway!

Once ready, walk Northwards toward Littaford Tor

Littaford Tors

Down to the West and North of this tor is a very long rabbit bury (marked on the OS maps as “pillow mound”) that is part of Wistman’s Warren and is 108 metres long. There are over 30 mounds comprising the warre in this area, some barely noticeable in the tussocky grass.

Sadly, these mounds they don’t photograph well, and just appear as lumpy brown areas.

Pillow Mounds

Pillow Mounds are man made rabbit warrens dating from at least the medieval period.
Their name comes from the pillow shape of the mounds.
They were used to breed rabbits (Also known as Conies) for meat and fur. Rabbit was a mainstay of the local tin miners and was sometimes the only meat they would regularly eat.
Rabbit farming like this was done throughout Britain, and you can find many references to “Warren” in place names that persist today.
Heritage Gateway MDV14156 - Rabbit Warren

Walk down the hill to the West to Wistman’s Wood and, skirting the trees, continue North to the Buller Stone

Buller Stone

The Buller Stone is a distinctive triangle shaped rock some seven or eight feet tall at the Eastern edge of Wistman’s Wood, and has an inscription carved upon it dating from 1868.

The inscription reads:

BY PERMISSION OF
H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES
WENTWORTH BULLER
ON SEPT. 16TH 1868 CUT DOWN A TREE NEAR THIS SPOT
IT MEASURED 9 IN IN DIAMETER
AND APPEARED TO BE ABOUT
163 YEARS OLD

You can continue walking up the valley for about 400m to a small copse as marked on our map. Just above this are the meager stone ruins of Warren House, where the rabbit breeder responsible for the creation and upkeep of these pillow mounds and their contents

You will probably have seen some of the many hut circles on this walk. There are known to be well over one hundred of them in the vicinity of Wistman’s Wood, so this was clearly a very busy place four thousand or so years ago.

Wistman’s Wood

More skilled photographers have done some beautiful photography of Wistman’s Wood. Sadly we are not so adept. All photos from within the Woods were taken before the DNP request not to enter them.

Wistman’s Wood is a temperate rainforest, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
The wood is home to the incredibly rare Horsehair lichen (Bryoria smithii) which is found at only two sites in Britain.

Altogether a remarkable place, said by early antiquaries to be the home of the druids, supposing Wistman to be a corruption of “wise man”. But, quite aside from the reality that there is no evidence whatsoever to associate these white-bearded priests with Dartmoor, this supposed derivation of the name is incorrect. There are two more plausible explanations for the name, either that it is derived from Welshman’s Wood, “Welsh” or “Wealas” being the Saxon word for “foreigners”, or that it comes from the Devon word “wisht” meaning “haunted”. –Mike Brown (2001), Guide to Dartmoor

The Trees are mostly Pendunculate (or English) Oak Quercus Robur and known to be hundreds of years old, and some Rowan Sorbus Aucuparia mixed in.
Shaped by the climate, weather and ground conditions almost unique to this location, they have naturally grown dwarfed.

Few of the trees grow to more than 4.5 meters tall, with none more than 7m.
Pendunculate Oak in other locations can reach 40 meters in height.

The name of Wistman’s Wood may derive from the dialect word “wisht”, meaning “eerie/uncanny” or “pixie-led/haunted”.

The legendary Wild Hunt in Devon, whose hellhounds are known as Yeth (Heath) or Wisht Hounds in the Devonshire dialect, is particularly associated with Wistman’s Wood.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired by the Wild Hunt to write The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Path back to Parking

Two Bridges

Close to the parking is the area known as Two Bridges.

The pub changed its name to Two Bridges Hotel some time prior to 1849, so pre-dates the modern road bridge.

Saracen’s Head Inn: a booklet to mark its 225-year history records that “By 1772 the Turnpike bridge had been constructed across the Dart at Two Bridges and by 1794 Francis Buller had constructed the inn near the site. The inn bore the name of The Saracen’s Head, a familiar name for pubs at the time but likely also connected to the fact that the Buller family crest was a Saracen’s head ‘affronte, couped, proper’”. Source: Alex Mettler (2015, rev.edn. 2018), Air Like Champagne: A short history of the Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor. Published by Two Bridges Hotel..

The name “Two Bridges Hotel” seems to first appear after a change of landlord in May 1849 in an advertisement in the Western Morning News. In 1885, the name The Saracen’s Head Inn appeared in an advetisement to let including “that well known Inn House ‘The Saracen’s Head’ ….. with buildings, stables, sheds and appurtenanes etc’”. The Two Bridges Inn was destroyed by fire in late May 1866, as reported in the Exeter Flying Post. The old name continued to be used for some time.

Wentworth Buller, who cut the tree in 1868, was no doubt related to Sir Francis Buller, who had built the inn by 1794, some 74 years earlier? A web page about The Bullers of Bovey Tracy mentions Capt. Thomas Wentworth Buller (1792-1852); Wentworth William Buller (1834-1883). There is a Wikipedia entry for Sir Francis Buller that includes “He also built an inn, named the Saracen’s Head after the Buller family’s crest, at Two Bridges, on a site now occupied by the Two Bridges Hotel.” This was citing: William Crossing (1902), A Hundred Years on Dartmoor, 5th edn, The Western Morning News Co. Ltd, Plymouth, p.53. Wentworth William Buller was much involved with the Bovey Tracy Pottery Company

Parking

There is some limited parking at a small quarry close by the Two Bridges Hotel. It does get full at busy times, and there is some other parking on the roadside towards Postbridge.

References

Ken Ringwood, Dartmoor’s Tor and Rocks
Geology Explained: Dartmoor and the Tamar Valley, David & Charles, Newton Abbot
The Great Courts of Devon Tinners, 1510 and 1710, Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group, Exeter. (Book)
Eric Hemery: High Dartmoor, Land and People (Book)
Heritage Gateway MDV14156 - Rabbit Warren
Wikipedia - Wistman’s Wood
The Bullers of Bovey Tracy
Bovey Tracy Pottery Company
Dartmoor National Park - Wistman’s Wood

Foxtor Mire and Childe's Tomb

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 18:34:20 +0000

Information

Distance: 6 miles
Grade: Strenuous
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words monkey.farms.companies

Map

Notes: The GPX file is an approximation only and should not be relied upon. Additionally, the given map was an accurate log of safe walking, it was several years ago and paths in mires do move around.

Warning: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WALK IN THE WINTER OR AFTER HEAVY RAIN

This route includes crossing the Foxtor Mire. It can be dangerous even in summer, and care must be taken. There is also a river crossing of the Swincombe. Again, during winter, this can be surprisingly steep.

You can avoid the crossing the mire by walking around the Western edge of the Mire and rejoin us at Goldsmith’s Cross - it adds about a mile to this walk but should be accessible in all weathers

Introduction

Few areas on Dartmoor include such a deep amount of historical, farming, religious, mining and legend as the Whiteworks area of Dartmoor. This walk takes us past mineshafts and directly across Foxtor Mire to the Goldsmith’s cross, then along to Childe’s Tomb - a burial site with a legendary tale. Then a walk up Foxtor itself, around to the ruined remains of Foxtor Farm, visits some Bronze Age Cairns, crosses a river and passes the hut circles of an ancient village on our return.

Whiteworks Mining

Whiteworks was one of Dartmoor’s largest Tin mines, and possibly the longest active with records indicating work as early as 1180.

The name “Whiteworks” comes from kaolin, the white clay that lies in this natural bowl, formed from degraded granite. Cassiterite - Tin Ore - was found within the clay, and working it coated everything and everyone white.

The vast majority of visible remains of buildings and shafts are from the 19th Century when this was a very industrialised area. A Google Maps satellite view shows long lines of open cast pits, which were dug down by hand to expose a seam of ore. Later, as the easier pickings were used up, shafts and mines were dug

Mining activity gradually declined and finally ceased at Whiteworks in 1914, when the remaining men were drafted for the First World War. As with many mines on Dartmoor and throughout Britain at that time, they never reopened.

Foxtor Mire

The distinction between “Mire” and “Bog” is that bogs are fed by rainfall, and mires are fed by groundwater springs.

The exact depth of the mire is disputed. There are stories that the Army drove a tank into it and it disappeared never to be seen again! That’s probably just a story, but it is certainly deep enough to drown a person, and the author has personally poked a stick in at least six feet over large parts of it. It will also grow and ebb depending on recent rainfall like a large sponge. Although it’s fed by springs, it’s also fed by surface water and slows the passage of water down the Swincombe valley.

There was a railway sleeper laid across the river to aid crossing roughly in the centre of the mire and this is marked “FB” on Ordnance Survey Maps.

Please be aware that the safe path across Foxtor Mire moves around each year as livestock moves around to graze. It is not possible to rely on maps or GPX tracks.

Once safely across the mire, you should be fairly close to Goldsmith’s cross.

Goldsmith’s Cross

This cross is named after Lt. Goldsmith R.N. who rediscovered it in 1903, after it had been lost for many years. He found it when out on his favourite walk whilst on leave from serving on HMS Imperial, then moored at Plymouth. On stopping for lunch, he happened to notice a rectangular hole cut into the large boulder on which he was sitting. Further investigation amongst the heather revealed the head and then part of the shaft. He later returned and arranged the reconstruction as you see it today.

Dartmoor Crosses - Goldsmith’s Cross

Although the exact origin and date of the cross is unknown, it is thought that the cross was used to guide travellers across the mire, and indeed it is approximately where the current path.

A short walk Northeast of Goldsmith’s cross will take you to…

Foxtor Mire Cairn and Cist (The Gold Box)

Not far from Childe’s Tomb lies an ancient tomb or kistvaen which dates back to the Bronze Age, this is known as ‘The Gold Box’ and was said to have contained treasure belonging to a long dead chieftain.

Walking due East will take you towards Childe’s Tomb

Childe was a wealthy Saxon lord who loved hunting. The legend says that one winter he became trapped by a violent snowstorm and was disoriented. He made the decision to kill and disembowel his horse and climbed inside the stomach cavity to take what shelter he could. However, this was insufficient and he was found frozen to death inside.

The first mention of the tomb was in the 1600’s but the story may be much older.

The stone of the tomb was robbed by workmen building the nearby Foxtor Farm in 1812.

In 1885, Mr Tanner of the Dartmoor Preservation Association directed the restoration of the tomb and cross as you see it today.

Legendary Dartmoor - Childe the Hunter

Head due South and climb the hill to Fox Tor

If you wish to avoid the climb, you can skip Fox Tor and walk North East to the ruined Foxtor Farm

Fox Tor

When ready, head Northeast

This girt is an artificial valley dug by men searching for tin, probably in the 1700s or 1800s. They would redirect water down from the top to help wash out the granular tin which would settle in temporary dams at the bottom. Tin being heavier than the mud and soil, it would form a layer once left to settle which could be dug out.

Foxtor Farm

These ruins are possibly what’s left of Sam Parr’s house.

Sam Parr was a labourer who worked at the nearby Fox Tor Farm in the mid 1800s. He had a wife and two children who were baptised in Princetown.

The ruins have also been identified as a blowing house for turning tin ore into ingots - there are certainly many remains of tinworkings and several tinner’s huts nearby, and it’s possible that Sam turned it into a home.

On the inner face of a large flat slab in the southeast corner of the building is an inscription “IC 1753”.

In the early 1800s, there were efforts to “Improve” Dartmoor for agricultural purposes - led largely by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt who was responsible for much of Princetown’s growth. The farm was build with locally sourced granite, including some stone robbed from the nearby Childe’s Tomb.

The farm was only occupied for 50 years, with David Gray being recorded as the main occupant and farmer. It was a sheep farm, and others tried to turn a profit here through the nineteenth century. But conditions were harsh and the remote location ultimately led to it being abandoned.

Foxtor Farm was used by Eden Phillpotts as one of the main settings of his 1904 novel The American Prisoner, and in a subsequent early “talkie” film, made in 1929.

Wikipedia - Fox tor

Follow the gradient almost due North

Ter Hill Cists

This incongruous item is about 10m from the following cist. It’s possibly an old test bore hole from the 1970s when there was a proposal to flood the Swincombe Valley for a new reservoir. Such bore holes were used to establish the underlying nature of soil and rocks, and for building dams, how stable and strong the resulting barrier would need to be.

An alternative crossing point is at Headweir Ford (Harvey map), somewhere near SX 62270 70980, where there is a path back to Whiteworks.

DPA Stone

Dartmoor Preservation Association strongly opposed the proposed flooding of this valley. In 1970, a parliamentary committee ultimately decided against the scheme.

In 1985, the DPA used funds from a bequest to acquire 50 acres of land to try and prevent a similar scheme in the future. These stones mark its boundary.

DPA - Swincombe

Once you’ve cross the river, there is a settlement marked on the map with several hut circles, dating from the Bronze Age. Once visited, we conclude our walk by heading back to Whiteworks over the open moor

Parking

The posted coordinates are for a small parking area just where the Devonport Leat crosses under the road. Sometimes this gets full, but if so, returning a short way back towards Princetown there are several other parking areas a short distance.

References

Quarrymans Path and Merrivale

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 19:48:24 +0000

Information

Distance: 2 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words custodial.amphibian.hinted

Map

This circular walk takes in some great views, visits some attractive tors and points out some old quarrying history on the way down to Merrivale.

Park at the given coordinates and when ready, follow one of the paths due North away from the road

This plaque may have since been vandalised, so the original wording shown above as of 2010

Who was Rees Jeffreys? (1871-1954)

A British cyclist and campaigner for road improvements, who became responsible for British roads being classified as “A” or “B” roads.

“the greatest authority on roads in the United Kingdom and one of the greatest in the whole world.”

The Rees Jeffreys Road Fund is an organisation that seeks to encourage and promote better and safer roads.

Great Staple Tor

Rock Basins feature on many Dartmoor Tors. They are formed by the repeated freezing or water in surface irregularities where the expanding ice gradually prises out individual mineral grains.

DNPA - Geology PDF

When ready, walk Northeast towards Middle Staple Tor

Middle Staple Tor

About halfway between Middle and Great Staple Tors, we cross the Quarryman’s Path which is now a legal Bridlepath. There is little to show, but when these quarries were active, a large part of the workforce would walk up from Peter Tavy each morning.

Great Staple Tor

Roos Tor (About)

These markers are part of a set of eleven placed by the Duke of Bedford in 1890. The intention was to mark his boundary and remove any excuse from people taking stone that belonged to him.

Source: Dave Brewer (2002), Dartmoor Boundary Stones, Halsgrove, p.251.

As you leave Great Staple Tor to the Southeast, follow the granite track Southward

Sett Maker’s Banker

A quarryman once stood at this point making Setts.

Setts are granite blocks that were much used for paving roads and paths, and can still be seen in many cities, for they last a very long time.

Rough cut setts blocks be brought here, having been cut from moorstone nearby. To cut down on transport, the bankers typically set up very close by to the raw material, and their workplaces - bankers - were rough and ready; somewhere to stand or kneel and work the stone at around waist level.

In exposed conditions, and this certainly qualifies, they would erect shelters to keep off the worst of the rain, snow and wind. These would have been made of oilskin tarpaulin with a stick framework, probably on three sides, backed to the wind.

The tools were iron chisels and a hammer, with the working stone set on a bed on firm earth and granite chips, which would absorb the blows.

It was a hard job. As well as the obvious difficulties of weather and repetitive, physical work; the sett-maker’s hearing will have suffered and worse, many will have suffered from silicosis from breathing granite dust and died early from lung problems.

Traditional stonemasons still work very similarly to this, but now have tungsten tipped chisels and, when working with granite, a full-face respirator system.

When I worked for DNPA in the late 1980s, they often employed a traditional stonemason who would work just inside the entrance of the Works Depot in Bovey Tracey. He had a 45 gallon oil drum full of granite chips on which he’d place his work, which might be a perfectly spherical ball to sit atop a gatepost. He’d stand there all day, chipping away. Pausing every now and then to offer up a hardboard template to check his progress, or check diameter with a set of large calipers. He wore a full face respirator, with a battery pack and inlet on his belt at the back, similar to those used by industrial welders, which blew filtered air into the mask. – Simon

There are Bankers all around this area.

Duke’s Folly

This noticeably man made structure is known as Duke’s Folly, after William Duke who opened Merrivale Quarry in 1875. His grand plan was to build a railway across Long Ask to link with the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway at Swell Tor Quarry, to provide an easy route out for his stone to Plymouth.

His Folly here is a granite embankment made up of mostly waste rock from the main quarry, but is about as far as he got before the plan was abandoned.

Merrivale Quarry

As mentioned, Merrivale Quarry was opened by William Duke 1875 and originally called “Tor Quarry” and it absorbed the existing sett-making operations carried out under the Staple Tors.

As well as cutting setts, Granite from the quarry was also used for Gravestones, agricultural rollers and the like. It also provided the facing for the New Scotland Yard building in London.

The quarry closed in 1997, spending its final years dressing imported stone from Norway.

Wikipedia: Merrivale

Follow the tracks around the quarry down to the road and cross over when safe, walking a short distance downhill until you reach the leat

Grimstone & Sortridge Leat

This leat was built in the 1800s to carry water seven miles to the 13th Century Grimstone manor and to Sortridge Consuls Mine.

Follow the leat along a short distance until the car park is due North, then head across the moor and road to finish our walk

Parking

There is a decent sized parking area at the given coordinates. If this is full, there is a smaller area a little way west, or at the Dartmoor Inn nearby.

References

Lydford High Down to Doe Tor Farm Ruins

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 20:27:31 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words lake.squirts.greeting

Map

Introduction

This fairly gentle walk has plenty to see along the way. We start with a walk across flattish open moorland to three seats with good views. Then we cross over the River Lyd by footbridge and walk down to the ruined Doe Tor Farmstead. Leaving there, we can return up the river, or detour across the Lyd by stepping stones to the abandoned 19th Century mine, Wheal Mary Emma.

Once parked, head off due East along a worn path for around 350 meters until you see a bench to the left.

The first seat, with tors behind. These are, left to right:

Arms Tor (SX 541 862, elevation 457 metres / 1499 feet) with a small “pimple” to the right of the summit - marked by the “v” - which is a part of Great Links Tor. (See next picture)
Brat Tor (SX 539 855, elevation 452 metres /1482 feet) (Also known as Brai, Bra or Bray Tor)
Sharp Tor (SX 550 848, elevation 519 metres / 1702 feet).

Widgery Cross was erected by the painter William Widgery (1822-1893) to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.

The cross is constructed from 10 courses of granite blocks, capped with a rough slab, reaching 13feet in height.

The words “W. Widgery, Fecit, Jubilee VR” are inscribed on the eastern side of the base stone.

Legendary Dartmoor - Widgery Cross

When ready, continue Eastward along the path until you approach the River Lyd

Building or Enclosure

These walls are said to be a large building, although its use is unknown. It might be associated with the Wheal Mary Emma tin mine downstream, but if so, it’s an unusual structure for a mining building.

It does not appear in the tithe map of 1848, nor the OS 25-inch map from 1884, but does show up on the revised 1904 version. The mine was active in the 1860s so the timings are not far out if it was related.

Alternatively, it could be a farming or warren enclosure rather than a building.

Black Rock Seats

There are two somewhat hidden benches at Black Rock, shown here by the white circles.

Both seats overlook Black Pool, or Hunter’s Pool.

The plaque reads:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CAPTAIN NIGEL DUNCAN RATCLIFFE HUNTER M.C. (AND BAR)
ROYAL ENGINEERS
WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT BIEFVILLERS,
NEAR BAPAUME ON MARCH 25TH 1918, AGED 23 YEARS.

HE LOVED THE MOORS OF DEVON, AND ON HIS LAST VISIT
TO LYDFORD, HE WROTE THE FOLLOWING LINES:-


"ARE WE NOT LIKE THIS MOORLAND STREAM
SPRINGING NONE KNOWS WHERE FROM,
TINKLING, BUBBLING, FLASHING A GLEAM
BACK AT THE SUN; E'ER LONG
GLOOMY AND DULL, UNDER A CLOUD,
THEN RUSHING ONWARDS AGAIN;
DASHING AT ROCKS WITH ANGER LOUD,
ROARING AND FOAMING IN VAIN!
WANDERING THUS FOR MANY A MILE,
TWISTING AND TURNING AWAY FOR A WHILE.
THEN OF A SUDDEN OVER THE FALL
AND THE DARK STILL POOL IS THE END OF ALL.

IS IT? I THOUGHT, AS I TURNED AWAY,
AND I TURNED AGAIN TO THE SILENT MOOR.
IS IT? I SAID, AND MY HEART SAID "NAY"!
AS I GAZED AT THE CROSS ON "WIDGERY TOR".

When ready, turn Left and follow the riverbank Northwards to High Down Ford and Bridge

High Down Ford and Bridge

Cross the River and turn right, following the path down on the other bank until you reach and cross the footbridge over Doe Tor Brook

Doe Tor Bridge and Falls

Doe Tor Farm

Doe Tor Farm is a post-medieval farmstead dating to the mid 18th century and was abandoned around 1955 as uneconomic or uninhabitable.

A perfect prehistoric flint scraper was found here in 2001 proving man’s presence here around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.

The MOD commissioned an extensive site survey report which is linked below. It’s very recommended to read as it includes a lot of well written information and interpretation, including human interest from the people who farmed here.

The lane is now used for penning/inspecting animals, hence the hurdles. The top left area in this picture are the ruins of the Shippon. The ruins to the top/right are the Calf House.

There is apparently a millstone built in the walls hereabouts, but possibly now overgrown by turf.

The above stone was well documented here. Flat on one side and curved on the other, to run against the outer curve of the circular trough. It was reported stolen in 2005.

Doe Tor

This trough was abandoned soon after carving started. It’s on the near slope of Doe Tor, about 125 meters from the house.

Return route - a choice

When you leave the farm and cross over Doe Tor Bridge, you can either return back up the river to High Down Ford and, after crossing the Lyd, follow the hedge back to the car park taking in the mining site of Wheal Mary Emma tin mine.

Alternatively, if the weather is kind and the water level is low you may wish to brave a river crossing by some stepping stones. This path is marked in purple on the map and the rest of the description here follows that trail.

Wheal Mary Emma (Purple Route)

Wheel Mary Emma was a tin mine built on the River Lyd some time between 1849 and 1900. The larger ruined stone building was likely a blowing house for producing tin ingots from the crushed ore.

There is still evidence of a banked-up track above the flatter dressing floors, with two round buddles. Next to these is a filled in wheelpit where water from the Lyd was diverted to drive a 30-40 foot water wheel, providing power to the whole mine site for pumping, ventilation and even driving the buddles. A stone-lined tunnel runs from the bottom of the wheelpit to the river bank below the scarp to let water drain back once it had done its job of turning the wheel. There was at least one shaft dug to extract tin on this site.

Heritage Gateway MDV4679 - Mill Building

When done exploring the mine workings, follow the path up the hill due West, which will take you back to the car park and conclude our walk

Parking

The approach road to the free parking area is a little bumpy, but the parking itself is quite large and good.

References

Ingra Tor

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 19:38:02 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words squeezed.refrained.basher

Map

Introduction

This is an interesting walk over open moorland taking in a wide scope of history, from Bronze age and medieval remains, to an abandoned Victorian railway, and disused granite quarries - all with excellent views over Dartmoor and West Devon into Cornwall. There’s a small detour offered which takes in an abandoned Medieval Longhouse, its modern replacement and two ancient Pounds and hut circles.

Sharpitor

Sharpitor is worth mentioning since it is owned since 1984 by Dartmoor Preservation Association and this ensures access will be preserved into the future.

Also note the diagonal linear feature in this photo - this is part of the Walkhampton Common East Reave.

When ready, walk along the path to the North towards the rocky line and hut circles as per the route on the map

Reaves and Hut Circles

Reaves - land boundaries of heaped stones

There are essentially four types of reaves:

Field boundaries to divide land into normally long strip-like fields for grazing or growing crops, akin to modern walls or hedges.
Terminal reaves that are uphill from field boundaries that marked lower divided areas from uphill open or “common” land
Reaves built usually along ridges to mark watersheds i.e. between river valleys
Long divisions over kilometres marking out territories akin to parishes.

The Walkhampton Common Reave is 3170 meters long and mostly straight. It was built in the Bronze Age (Between 4000 BC and 1000 BC), and forms a division between the Walkham and Meavy valleys, thus identifying it as a Reave of type 3 in the above list - built to separate two watersheds.

Heritage Gateway MDV15038 - The Walkhampton Common Reave

The figure above is reproduced from Andrew Fleming (1988) The Dartmoor Reaves - Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, BT Batsford Ltd, London, page 41

Continue walking uphill towards Leeden Tor

Leeden Tor

The modern mast of North Hessary Tor transmitting station can be seen in the background. This was built in 1955 to supply 405-line television to Devon and is 196 meters (643 feet) tall.

Today, it provides analogue FM radio covering a large area, including Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and South Wales.

Additionally, it provides Digital DAB radio and DVB-T television - and is a useful landmark to identify where Princetown is.

North Hessary Tor transmitting station

Great Western Reave

Heading Northwest from Leeden Tor, we very soon cross another reave.

The Great Western Reave measures over 10 kilometres in length and is the longest known prehistoric land division boundary on Dartmoor. This record covers the most southerly section of the reave (two sections measuring a combined length of 2.58 kilometres). Along its length, the width of the reave varies between 2.5 metres and 4 metres, whilst its height varies between 0.2 metres and 0.7 metres - although it would have been higher when built. A second reave leads off at right angles at SX5577 7088 and there are hut circles and cairns associated with the reave.

This very long reave is a territorial boundary something akin to a modern parish boundary (and type 4 from the list above) It extends from near Sharpitor, near Dousland/Yelverton, to White Tor near Peter Tavy.

Head North West about 450 meters, to…

Ingra Tor Cairn and Cist

This cist is described by Jeremy Butler, 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 3 - The South-West, 16: Ingra Tor cairn and cist (fig. 45.13), page 51.

The cist is a few metres above the Routrundle leat, which is about 23 metres down the slope. The leat is marked by a downhill bank but is really quite non-photogenic and it is not easy to see the actual “trench” that was the water course in photographs, so it is not included here.

Stone pits are generally places where walling or building stone was easily won from the ground because of natural fissures or weathering. Sometimes they’re mistaken for tinning holes where the old men would find small deposits of cassiterite - a rich source of tin ore. Those would usually have some spoil heaps nearby though, which aren’t evident here, so stone pits seems likely. The only two certain things about these holes however, is that they are impossible to date, and that they were made by man.

Ingra Tor and Quarry

We aim for the Tor and pass to the left of it

Ingra Tor Quarry, like the nearby Swell Tor, King’s Tor and Foggintor Quarries, were run by the Johnson Brothers from 1820 to 1865 who paid a lease to the Duchy of Cornwall.

It was re-opened between 1936 and 1941 to cut kerbstones and granite setts for Devon County Council, and a platform was built on the railway called Ingra Tor Halt, just to the North of the Tor.

Ingra Tor Halt

This once held a small shelter from the elements, built partly inside a pound.
There was a short wooden platform to the single track railway.
At the time of opening in 1936, a single fare from here to Princetown was 11 1/2d First Class, or 7d Second Class.
The halt was built for quarry workers, but when the quarries closed, was used exclusively by walkers, most coming up from Plymouth. Walking from here to Princetown and then riding back home was a popular route before the railway closed on March 3, 1956.
There was a famous sign here advising passengers to keep dogs on a lead due to the presence of adders. This sign is now kept at Buckfastleigh Station.

(Above image hosted by the Princetown Railway site, which has a lot more interesting information about this railway)

References

Mike Brown Guide to Dartmoor - CD-ROM (2001)
Wikipedia - Ingra Tor Halt Railway Station
Princetown Railway Website - Ingra Tor

When ready, walk a short distance to the little bridge to the West

This bridge was built to provide safe passage for cattle and other livestock to cross the railway. It’s worth noting that the railway was fenced with posts and wire to keep stock off the line, so creeps like this were essential to allow free grazing under commoners rights.

This curious set of holes shows that this block was once used for a tramway in one of the nearby quarries. These holes held an iron plate which held the iron rails above it. Wear from those rails can be seen above and below. No longer of use there, it was re-used in constructing this creep.

Railway

We continue walking Southerly along the railway for around 500 meters

Routrundle (Detour)

If you want to explore some more history, leave the railway to the west just before the walls come up from Routrundle and walk towards “Homestead” on the map. Otherwise carry along the railway as per the marked route on the map

This area of Dartmoor has been inhabited for at least four thousand years.

The earliest remains are the large circular pounds and nicely viewable via the aerial view below. This, together with the hut circles nearby, formed an early settlement around 4000 to 1000 BC and provide evidence of animal husbandry.
To the Northwest are the stone ruins of a Medieval Longhouse, Smithy and other buildings built between 1066 and 1539.
Routrundle is the “modern” farmhouse dating from a mere 1866, currently inhabited. Build after and probably to replace Babyland Longhouse. There are claims this house dates back to 1417, but it’s possible that is confused with the Babyland property.
Routrundle is no longer a working farm. It fell into disrepair and was left vacant after a Jim Fence left.
“Routrundle” is named after the Bronze Age “trundles” or pounds still so visible today.
Stags sales particulars (2018) give a good view of the property, inside and out. It sold for £618,000 in 2018.
(Not pictured) There is a benchmark on the southwest side of the lane on a large boulder. SX55274 71832

The collection of trees in the above photo marks a Bronze Age pound and collection of hut circles. These can be accessed from a Bridlepath off the railway a little further on, along with a Medieval Longhouse marked on the map as “homestead” a little way North of . This was called Babyland. This is a long-inhabited area of Dartmoor.

Tithe maps were produced to assess the tithe payable in cash to the parish church for the support of the church and its clergy. This tithe had been paid in kind until The Commutation Act was passed in 1836, when it was agreed that this should be converted to a monetary payment.

Heritage Gateway MDV14151 - Babyland Deserted Farmstead

End Routrundle detour

Whether you continued along the railway or explored through Routrundle and emerged from the bridlepath, leave the railway where the bridlepath joins it and head Southward over open moor to the car park to conclude our walk

Parking

There are a couple of good roadside car parks at the posted locations.

References

Mike Brown Guide to Dartmoor - CD-ROM (2001)
Wikipedia - Ingra Tor Halt Railway Station
Princetown Railway Website - Ingra Tor
Tithe maps
Heritage Gateway MDV14151 - Babyland Deserted Farmstead

Pullabrook Woods

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:27:24 +0000

Information

Distance: 2 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words cosmetic.outlawing.limes

Map

Note that the OS Map incorrectly names these woods as “Pullbrook” instead of “Pullabrook”

Introduction

Owned and managed by the Woodland Trust, Pullabrook Woods is a lovely little area popular with dog walkers. There are woodland paths up the west side of the River Bovey, crossing it at a notable stone bridge, and back down the Eastern side, re-crossing close to the car park. It’s particularly lovely on a hot summer’s day as most is well shaded. The area is known for its wildlife, especially wild birds - with the rare Dartford Warbler, the Kingfisher and Pied Flycatcher seen here. There are also dormice, otter and bats with the river home to Salmon and Brown and Sea Trout.

Pullabrook Woods

Also known as “Pullbrook Woods”, if only by Ordance Survey, these woodlands are 50 acres (20ha) in size and are a mix of ancient woodland and wildflower-rich wet meadows in the steep-sided valley of the River Bovey.

The name Pullabrook probably comes from the personal name, “Polla”, so in modern terms, “Polla’s Brook”

The nearby Pullabrook Farm is mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086 where it is written as “Polebroc” and was seized by William the Conqueror as part of the Bovi estate when the Normans invaded. As a reward for his support, William gave this estate to Geoffrey de Mowbray the Bishop of Coutances. The current farmhouse dates from the sixteenth century and is Grade II listed.

Bovey Tracey History - Pullabrook

Follow the Bridleway West at the far end of the car park

Old Manaton Road

We briefly leave The Woodland’s Trust land and enter the bottom edge of Trendlebere Down, owned by English Heritage.

This unsealed track is, in fact, a fully legal road and you may see cars and motorbikes using it as well as cyclists, horseriders and walkers.

Before the road that travels above us on Trendlebere Down was built in the 19th Century, this was the original and main road between Bovey Tracey and Manaton.

It’s now a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) which means any road going vehicle can legally use it provided they are taxed and insured - although much of it is only suitable to off road vehicles.

Heritage Gateway MDV124566 - Old Manaton Road

Lustleigh Parish Boundary Stone

This stone was erected in 2000, hence the Roman numerals, MM.

LP stands for Lustleigh Parish which extends to the North.

The Pudding Stone

The name “Pudding Stone” describe several types of rock around the world. In this case, it’s likely that this is just a natural lumps of granite that happens to resemble a pudding.

If you look closely, you will see that it has a inscribed feature of an arrow and line. This is a benchmark, likely carved during the 1800s when the Ordnance Survey did detailed mapping of the UK. There are over half a million of these symbols, some dating back to 1831, which provide a fixed point of reference. They are no longer created as technology has made them obsolete, but still a good reminder of how we created the most accurate maps in the world by measuring angles.

Hisley “Fairy” Bridge

Hisley Bridge is a post-medieval bridge built some time between 1401 and 1750 to improve safe access over the river for pack horses when the river is in spate, making the ford difficult.

The pillar in the middle of the bridge is a modern addition to prevent off road vehicles from using the bridge, which had already caused damage.

Note the slotted gatepost to one side, presumably to control use by pack pony drivers or to prevent livestock from crossing.

Not shown, but there are the ruins of a pair of late medieval structures approximately 150m North-West of Hisley Bridge, known as Vinnamore, which may have been related to this bridge. Possibly dwellings of toll keepers, or a valley farm with grazing on Trendlebere.
There are also remains of a 19th century weir nearby.
Heritage Gateway MDV124630 - Hisley Bridge
Heritage Gateway MDV28070 - Deserted Settlement

We cross the bridge and follow the lower path to the right, downstream

Hisley and Rudge Woods

Rudge Meadow

Emerging from Rudge Woods, we find ourselves in Rudge Meadow. On the 1838 Tithe Map, this is shown as “Great Moor” and was covered in Furze (Gorse). It has been improved since then.

Lustleigh Tithe Map, 1838

Go through the gate and turn right down the road

At this junction, a short detour left is recommended to the viaduct

Packsaddle Bridge and Viaduct

The viaduct once carried the GWR Moretonhampstead Railway Branch Line. This opened in 1866 as an independent line, and amalgamated with the GWR ten years later. British Rail nationalised it in 1948 and it closed in 1964 - another victim of Dr Beeching’s cuts.

Part of this line remains from Newton Abbot to Heathfield, although it has not been used for several years. It was resurrected briefly in the 2000’s to take away timber from Teign Grace halt but has since been idle.

You can see more evidence of the railway in many places from Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead - such as the railway sheds at Bovey Tracey, many viaducts such as this, and some engine sheds at the Thompson’s lorry yard where it terminated. Much of the route is now a shared-use path for walkers, cyclists and horseriders.

There was a nearby Pullabrook Halt railway stop, which was renamed in 1955 from Hawksmoor Halt, for the (not so nearby) Tuberculosis Sanitorium.

When ready, turn around and head back towards the car park

Drakeford Bridge

William Crossing refers to this as New Bridge in the 1912 edition of Crossing’s Guide to Dartmoor, and it is also known as Letford Bridge. However, today, it is best known as Drakeford Bridge.

THIS 1684
BRIDGE WAS
REPARD
Y THE
COVNTY

Note: The ‘4’ is carved back to front.

Parking

There is a free car park at the posted coordinates operated by the Woodland Trust. There is some parking at Trendlebeer Down also, if you don’t mind a stiff walk back up the hill.

References

Cadover Bridge to the Dewerstone

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 20:21:29 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words downfield.dribble.heap

Map

Introduction

Cadover Bridge is a popular riverside spot and within easy distance of Plymouth so attracts a lot of visitors on nice days. Many won’t be aware of the rich history surrounding the area, and the peace and quiet that can be had just a few minutes walking away from the road. Our walk takes you over Wigford Down to The Dewerstone with its commanding views. We visit a Bronze Age Walled Enclosure, hut circles, cairns, a neolithic wall, rock inscriptions and many other items of interest.

From the car park, head towards the bridge and cross over, turning left when you can towards Cadover Cross

Cadover Bridge

Cadover Bridge was known as Cadworthy Bridge in the 1840 Meavy Tithe Map. The nearby farm is Lower Cadworthy Farm where “worthy” is from the Saxon “worthig” meaning a one-family smallholding and “Cad” being a local word for the River Plym. Cad is also a Celtic word meaning conflict or strife, but it’s thought the former is the more accurate meaning.

“In the charter of Isabella de Fortibus, 1291, the river is called Plymma from its source downward, and the confluence is thus referred to, “locum ubi Mewy cadit in Plymma”. The bridge, probably then a clapper, is called in the same charter “ponte de Cadaworth.” This name is taken from the Saxon worthig close by now called Cadworthy, and which was apparently formed on the site of a British battle - cad being a Celtic word meaning conflict or strife.” – William Crossing, 1912

Cadover Cross

Also known as Wigford Down Cross. In 1873 the original section of the cross was found lying flat on the ground by a group of soldiers who were on an exercise from their camp on Ringmoor Down and, working with the then Vicar of Shaugh Prior, re-erected the cross.

By 1901 the cross had fallen again, and in 1915 a subsequent vicar arranged its restoration, including a new shaft:

In seeking a more secure site in which to erect the cross, he came across a green sward in the heather which he thought would make an ideal spot. Whilst digging a hole in the ground for the cross, he came across a large granite boulder which turned out to be the original socket stone for the cross, still in situ. – Dartmoor Crosses

This tall cross is a waymarker on the Monastic Way between Priory and Tavistock Abbey.

The medieval track ran from Plympton to Stony Cross aka Shaden Moor Cross, which is near the summit of Shaugh Moor on the Plympton-Cadover road, following the line of the modern road to near Cadover Bridge.

Close to the modern bridge was a ford, Cad-a-ford, (ford over the Cad) perhaps fifty-metres upstream. From here the track would go straight uphill from the ford to Marchant’s Cross, for Meavy. A sidebranch turned left for Wigford Down, up past Cadaford Cross as an alternative route over the Down.

Not only is there a second cross carved inside the main cross, but there were also another cross centered on each arm itself, and possibly more that have eroded from weather.

Eric Hemery - Walking Dartmoor’s Ancient Tracks (1986)
Dartmoor Crosses - Cadover Cross
Heritage Gateway - MDV2444 - Wigford Down Cross
Historic England - Wigford Down Cross

Leaving the cross, follow the hedge NorthWest and around to the West for about a kilometer

Wigford Down Cairn Cist

This was a Bronze Age Burial Cist. Later farmers, still from the Bronze Age, built a field division across the eastern half of it. A rare thing, as they are known to have respected the Old Men’s artifacts and normally avoiding disturbing them.

Cadworthy Tor

Cadworthy Tor is also known as Cadover Tor and, on the 1840 Meavy Parish Tithe Map - Oxen Tor.

Dewerstone Hill Fort

This promontory is the site of a Neolithic Hill Fort, dating back around five thousand years. It’s easy to see that a well stocked force here would be difficult to attack, with a high defensive wall to the Northeast, and the steeply sloping gradient in all other directions.

This low mount of rubble is a Neolithic (Circa 2,500 BCE) defensive structure which would have been much more imposing almost five thousand years ago and a formidable obstruction to any attackers.

The single walled structure on this map, closer to The Dewerstone, is Bronze Age and is around two thousand years younger than the outer Neolithic double wall.

The Dewerstone

“Dewer” is an ancient Celtic word for the Devil.

The Devil, riding a gigantic black horse, gallops across the Moor each night and leads a phantom pack of black hounds to chase weary or foolish humans over the Dewerstone to their deaths. – Dartmoor legend

The higher flat rocks are incised, see below.

The phrase is from a Chinese Proverb. It is unknown who put this here or why.

Wikipedia - Dewerstone

When ready to leave, head back out over the double walled structure to the Northeast as per the map

The L Stone

There are perhaps eight of these “L stones” running across Wigford Down.

These are boundary stones between the lands of Sir Ralph Lopes (of Maristow Estate to the north-east) and Mr Scobell (holding enclosed land at Urgles / Goodameavy, to the south-west), settled after a meeting on the Down as described in a letter by the Maristow steward and land agent George Giles.

On 18th February 1841, George Giles, the steward and land agent of the Maristow-owned manors, wrote to a land surveyor by the name of William J Stentaford, thus: “I have been with Sir Ralph Lopes & Mr Scobell on Wigford Down this day they both returned to my office … and ultimately agreed on an equal division of the 393a 3r 15p, the boundary to be shown by Granite posts, when the line has been traced — and that Mr Scobell’s portion shall be that moiety next adjoining his inclosed lands of Urgles and Good-a-Meavy beginning north from the corner of outher Diamond park … across towards Oxen Torr — or somewhere in that direction, wherever the line of equal division may fall … the line … must be taken up from Sir Trayton Drake’s boundary of Greenwell Down — and should it fall upon Shaugh Prior Boundary it must not be carried across it … This is a matter that requires your earliest attention. Sir Ralph and Mr Scobell will again meet on the locus in quo when you are prepared to shew the divisional line. This Job is to be at the joint expense of each party.” – Mike Brown

Ralph Lopes (1788-1854) was MP for Westbury, a pocket borough controlled by his uncle, Manesseh Masseh Lopes, until his uncle’s death in 1831.
He then inherited his uncle’s Baronetcy and his estate of Maristow - and the right to nominate future MPs at Westbury. A right removed in the Reform Act 1832
In 1841 there was a boundary disagreement between Lopes and his neighbour, Mr Scobell, which culminated with them formally reaching an agreeing on where their lands met. A formal letter was drawn up and these stones were placed to mark the boundary.
Wikipeadia - Ralph Lopes
Mike Brown - Dartmoor
Dartmoor Explanations - Wigford Down Standing Stones

When ready, walk uphill across open moorland to the Wigford Down Summit, North-Northeast of the L Stone

The above image might help make sense of the various features that you encounter as you cross the down towards the Summit Cairns.

Summit Cairns

These two cairns would have been much more imposing once, but they have been robbed for road building over the centuries. The near one was almost completely removed, leaving a depression caused by the weight of the stones above it. This formed a dew pond which has deepened as livestock erodes it in the search for water.

There are remains of five summit cairns in this vicinity, all of which have been damaged in various ways.

This one was once an Observation Post during World War 2, and remains of the concrete which topped it may still be seen.

Heritage Gateway MDV2312 - Summit Cairn on Wigford Down

When ready, walk a short distance Northeast to the corner of the stockfencing

BA Stones

So what does BA mean? Unlike many marked stones on Dartmoor, that’s not clear.

Possibilities are “Buckland Abbey” or “Brisworthy Arrishes” (Arrishes means Fields) - or something else entirely.

When ready, head back to the Summit Cairns and then a ways south

Kerbed Ring Cairn

Called a Kerbed Ring Cairn because the inner circle has a ‘kerb’ of 6.3m diameter to mark its position.

Although the Ordnance Survey maps have marked this as a kistvaen, there is no evidence of a kist or grave here.

Heritage Gateway MDV2367 - Kerbed Ring Cairn on Wigford Down

When ready, continue eastwards towards the lakes

One of the small lakes carved into the landscape by the Wigford Down (Later Brisworthy) China Clay Works from 1870 to 1937.

A dry leat runs left to right at the front of this picture which would have been used to run water for clay works.

There was once a water wheel in the central area between the two largest lakes where a wheelpit can still be seen. It was built between 1886 and 1904.

The lakes are now managed and fished by the Plymouth & District Coarse Angling Club

Return down the road and over the bridge to complete this walk

Parking

There is good parking at Cadover Bridge. If the posted car park is full, there are several other areas nearby where parking can be had on all but the busiest days.

There’s sometimes an ice cream van here in the Summer!

References

Hexworthy to Swincombe

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 10:30:07 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words flow.rectangular.facelift

Map

Introduction

This is a pleasant walk up a historic valley with plenty to see along the way. I’ve included a possible detour if you wanted to extend the walk to include Swincombe Intake.

Much of this land is owned by Anton Coaker who lives at Sherberton Farm who farms the distinctive red Galloway cattle and Dartmoor ponies on this land.

The Coaker’s dedication to breeding good quality Dartmoor Ponies is well known and is several generations long. I recall visiting his mother, Diane Coaker, at Sherberton farm to view some of her ponies with my own mother in the 1980s. – Simon

Anton himself is very well known as the author of several books, newspaper articles and is a very knowledgeable and erudite writer on Moorland and Hill Farming matters.

Anton Coaker’s “Our Farm” website

Start the walk by proceeding back 140 meters along the road you approached the parking along, then turn right at the end of the wall along a Bridlepath

Dartmoor has had many fine dry stone wall builders, but perhaps the most famous of all was John Bishop (1821-1892). He was one of the first to use the shaped and squared building method in his walls. He tightly fitted large blocks of granite in such a way that very little daylight could be seen through the wall. He helped enclose many of the newtakes on Dartmoor and would have been in strong demand.

When asked how he lifted such heavy stones, John Bishop is alleged to have replied, “Aw, ‘tis surprisin’ what ee can do with a laiver or two.”

Many of the walls in this area were built or repaired by Mr Bishop who lived close by - we’ll visit his house on this walk - and are of a visibly better quality than most earlier walls, which were mostly built from natural moorstone, using “trigs” of small stone to wedge them in place. But no matter how well a dry stone wall is made, it needs repairing often due to weather and especially animals and people climbing it and loosening stone, so other men will have been involved over the years in keeping these walls stockproof.

Dolly Trebble’s Cott

Leave the path after about 900 meters and head towards the ruins on the right as indicated on the map

Dolly Trebble was a particularly attractive girl who caught the eye of many men of Dartmoor in the 18th Century. Despite being married to William Trebble, she was courted by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt (1762-1833) - an important man who shaped much of Princetown and Dartmoor, and no less than George IV, the Prince Regent who visited here several times.

She was written about by Sabine Baring Gould and Dolly was clearly a woman of some fame. Tim Sandles has an entertaining version of Dolly’s story on his Legendary Dartmoor site if you’d like to learn more.

Legendary Dartmoor - Dolly Treble

When ready, proceed down to join the moor road to the west and walk a short way to the bridge over the river Swincombe, where you have a choice

Detour to Swincombe Intake

Possible detour (An extra mile and a half)

If you continue walking along this road to the west, after around 1.2km you’ll come to the Swincombe Intake. This is a small reservoir and unusual art-deco building that collects water which is piped to Venford Reservoir to help fill it.

The Swincombe Intake Reservoir was built between 1929 and 1933 by Paignton Urban District Council Waterworks Department. A particularly ugly building with the exception of an art deco motif over the modern door, as befitting its construction date.

If you took this detour, head back to the same point at the Fairy bridge when you are ready to return

The flooding of Swincombe Valley

This valley starts up at Peat Cott with the infamous Foxtor Mire at its head, which acts as a huge sponge providing a steady flow throughout even the driest of summers.

It was that which prompted a plan in the 1960s to flood this entire valley to provide another reservoir on Dartmoor, far larger than the modest intake that has stood there for a hundred years.

Not surprisingly, this caused a lot of opposition. Perhaps the most vocal opponent was Lady Sylvia Sayer who, with the Dartmoor Preservation Association, resisted this at every turn. You will by now have noticed that you’re not under several meters of water, so it should be no surprise to learn that in 1970, the opposers won and permission was refused. Planning was retried several times through the 70s and 80s until in 1985, the DPA used funds from a bequest to acquire 50 acres of this valley to protect it.

Dartmoor Preservation Association - Swincombe

Fairy Bridge

There has been a bridge at this location for hundreds of years, and noted by William Crossing in the early 1900s. It has been replaced several times.

It earned its nickname as a small porcelain fairy was mounted to one of the supports by persons unknown. Unfortunately it was damaged and replaced at least once.

Please note that apparently the bridge has been replaced since these pictures were taken and it’s unknown whether the Fairy returned

John Bishop’s House

Cross the bridge

John Bishop was the dry stone waller whose work we inspected earlier. He lived in this house in the 1800s when it was in much better condition. Originally thatched, it was later converted to slates and was reported to be in liveable condition as late as the 1960s.

You can just make out the A for Ashburton in this picture, with a slightly fainter T for Tavistock on the rear face. This was used to mark the packhorse trail and give the direction to the respective towns.

Once you’ve explored the ruins, return over the bridge and follow the road East

Gobbett Mine

Left and right of the path just before we leave this road, is the site of Gobbett Tin Mine. There are remnants of this work still visible, as well as the very obvious tunnel.

The mine ran from 1836 to 1874 but did not produce large yields.

Ore from the adit would be smashed down small enough to fit into the top hole of this stone which sat above the base stone. The top stone was then rotated, possibly by pony or donkey or water power, to grind the ore just as grain is turned into wheat. The resulting fine sand was then smelted to form ingots.

Once smelted and the impurities floated off, the near-pure tin was poured into a mould stone to form a 200lb ingot. This was a standard weight for transporting by pony off the moor.

The chemical symbol for Tin is “Sn” which stands for stannous or stannic. From this comes the Latin for Tin, Stannum. From that, comes Stannator (Stannary parliament), stannary laws, stannary towns etc.

Tunnel

Above the main Gobbett Mine workings was the main adit which followed the mineral seam.
When the Swincombe Intake was built in the 1920s, the builders needed to run a pipe from there to the Venford Reservoir some 6 kilometers away. They opted to reuse and extend this adit to run that pipe through.
The tunnel continues through the hill in a straight line for 540 meters, emerging in a field 150m North West of The Forest Inn.

*When you are ready, join the larger access road to the East and follow it 400m upwards to the Parking.

Parking

There is good roadside parking available at the posted coordinates, just outside the entrance to Sherberton’s land.

References

Crockern Farm - John Bishop
Most of these pictures were taking from Keith’s walk in 2009, although I have added some of my own from 2011 for the Intake and Tunnel – Simon

Haytor Down

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:18:32 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words disengage.pats.waltz

Map

Introduction

This is one of my favourite walks and is never busy, despite being so close to Haytor Rock. Most people seem to overlook Haytor Down in their eagerness to get into other parts of the moor but there is much to appreciate here, from stunning views over Teignmouth’s coastline, to an abandoned quarry, the stover granite tramway and a lovely stretch of ancient woodland.

This walk can be done in either direction, but anti-clockwise is advised, as you can then appreciate the views fully as you face them, walking down the Granite Tramway.

Geocaching

Geocaching is a game of finding hidden containers using a GPS or Smart Phone. The containers have a small paper log which you sign to prove you were there, and a website where you log your find. Basic membership is free. If this sounds a lot like Letterboxing, that’s because it is based on it, but brought up to date. Many Dartmoor walkers and Letterboxers also geocache as they go hand in hand, and Geocaches are a good way to find interesting places to explore.

There is a series of Geocaches that follow this walk (that’s why I know this area, I set these caches and walk this route to maintain them once or twice a year!) If that sounds interesting, pop over to the first cache page of the series

Starting the walk

Leave the car park and walk down the road to where the granite tramway crosses it, some 300 meters. Turn left and follow the tramway East.

Haytor Granite Tramway

We follow this old tramway for about a mile downhill

This tramway was built on the instruction of George Templer (1781-1843), a family that also built the main Haytor Quarries, the Stover Canal and Stover House in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The gauge of this tramway is 4'3" and it’s taken from granite cut and shaped at the Haytor quarries.
There are sets of points further up the tramway where the trams could be steered into different quarries or sidings.
Granite cut from Haytor or Holwell Quarries was loaded onto strong wooden trucks (See picture below)
The Tramway runs down from Haytor Rocks to Stover Canal, where the granite would be transferred to sailing barges to take it to Teignmouth docks.
Around 12 of these trucks were connected together in a “train” with the iron wheels sitting in the flat sections.
A team of around 18 horses was then connected in single file to one end of the train. If it was loaded and heading downhill, the horses would be fixed to the last truck to provide braking. If they were pulling the trucks back up from Stover, they would be hitched to the front to better pull.
The tramway is intact for much of its original course, down through Yarner Woods, past Bovey and on to Stover.

This Haytor Tramway wagon is kept at the DNPA Head Office at Parke, Bovey Tracey.

On a clear day, the views along this section look over South Devon towards the gap in the land where the Teign Estuary reaches the sea at Teignmouth.

When we reach a cross roads with a wooden signpost, leave the Tramway (Templer Way) and turn left, slightly uphill

Haytor Down Quarry

Much less known than its larger brothers closer to the Tor. There is some corrugated iron just to the right where a shed or small building once stood.

Woodland Walk

We walk gently upwards along this bridlepath for almost a mile, enjoying the many fine and unusual trees

The Haytor Down Adits

The sound of running water will alert you to this large collector tank above the path - it always seems to be overflowing even in the driest summer, and runs across the path here.

The water is fed into this tank from a blue alkathene pipe, which continues up the hill over loose waste rock. If you follow it, it actually enters a gated Adit which is always dripping and provides a clearly sufficient flow.

There are actually two adits here, about a hundred meters apart on the same level, both with small fences and gates, and usually padlocked.

These adits don’t go far in, and side trials are short. The waste rock outside has a red tinge which indicates iron, so it’s likely that’s what was being searched for.

The actual adit area is quite overgrown now, but worth a detour if you like adits and don’t mind a bit of a scramble through undergrowth.

The sight of this cable box always seems at odd with the timeless, even primeval nature of these woods.

Yarner House

You may spot some rooftops downhill as you’re walking along. These belong to Yarner House. This is a Grade II Listed Tudor house dating back to the 1600s and has been renovated to a luxurious standard.

The Yarner House estate is 247 acres.
It was part of the Manor of Bovey Tracey which William the Conqueror (Norman invader of 1066, also known as William the Bastard) seized and then granted to Geoffrey de Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances.
On de Mowbray’s death in 1093, his nephew, Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, inherited, but later defied the king, which led to the seizure of his estates in 1095.
Eventually, ownership of the Bovey Tracey estates reverted to the Crown until, in the 16th century, a succession of costly wars left Tudor monarchs strapped for cash.
Elizabeth I began to sell off Crown properties and, in 1578, the Yarner estate was bought by Gregory Sprint, a canny lawyer with good Court connections, who swiftly resold it at a profit.
The estate includes Yarner Woods, which is managed by Natural England and has several miles of woodland paths open to the public.
There are copper mines in Yarner woods which, combined with other mines and quarries contributed to the wealth of the estate.

Today, it is a Hotel that offers Bed & Breakfast.

On clear days, the view over this hedge is most pleasing, taking in Bovey Tracey and the hills behind.

As we approach the road, curve left and join it back up the hill to the parking

Parking

This walk starts at the blue parking on this map, but sometimes that can get busy. If so, alternative parking is shown by red stars on the map.

There are toilets and an Information Centre at the nearby Haytor Lower Car Park.

Prewley Moor and the Iceworks

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 15:58:53 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words good.highlighted.supple

Map

Introduction

This walks takes us up the Northwestern slopes to Sourton Tors, stopping to view the Iceworks on the way. After admiring the views from the Tor, we make a short detour to visit the Applecrusher before following the gradient around the Western face of the tor and back to the car park.

This walk was originally devised and led by Tom Soby for Moor Strollers

Leave the car park and head Southwards upwards along the paths

Dartmoor reaves are ancient long, straight lines of stone or earth that were built during the Bronze Age, primarily between 1500 and 1200 BC.

The exact purpose of the reaves remains somewhat debated, but they are believed to have served a variety of functions, such as Boundary Markers, Agricultural features to contain livestock or for ceremonial or ritual practices.

Dartmoor has the most extensive and well preserved systems of prehistoric field boundaries in Europe.

Wikipedia - Reave

Iceworks

This system of earthworks and ruined buildings hints at one of the attempts to bend Dartmoor to man’s will. It can be viewed as a Folly, for it was not successful.

These works date from 1875 when a Mr James Henderson leased the land from the Duchy of Cornwall for a period of 15 years and he was allowed to “form ponds, and collect, and store ice for a term of 21 years running from February 1875 at an annual rent of £10.” He spent several thousand pounds setting up this endeavour.

The ponds were not allowed to be deeper than three feet and must be securely fenced. It was an agreement that upon completion, that the land be returned to its natural state.

The plan was simple enough - to fill ponds with water and wait for winter to freeze them. Then ice would be cut and transported to Plymouth for sale, at up to £3 a ton.

Unfortunately, events worked against Mr Henderson. A series of unusually mild winters meant little or no ice was produced, and then a rival company set up in Plymouth that created ice all year around, and that dropped the price to just £1 a ton, with none of the transport costs associated with hauling it there. Although this spelled the ending for these Iceworks, the Plymouth Rival also went out of business.

The scheme collapsed and a meeting was called with the Duchy in 1886 to surrender the lease early. Mr Henderson had tried to sell the Iceworks as a going concern for a little as £100 - a huge loss on his investment - but there were no takers and it remained unsold. As you can see, the land was never returned to its natural state so remains as a monument to risky business plans.

Legendary Dartmoor - Iceworks

This hole appears to be a core sample, taken by unknown persons. It’s not a drill mark, nor a tare and feather hole. Nor is it a rock worm, as suggested by some wags.

To a non-expert, this rock seems to be sedimentary, then changed by heat into a metamorphic rock. Perhaps it is unusual and that’s why it was sampled?

DNPA Meldon Geology Case Study (PDF)

When ready, walk upwards towards the tor

Sourton Tors

When done admiring the views, head Southeast around 375m towards the junction of several paths at a small pond

Applecrusher

This style of crush had a horse, pony, donkey or ox walking around with a rigid wooden bar mounted to its harness. This was connected through the middle of a heavy, round stone or hardwood wheel that ran in the groove and onto the central pivot. As the wheel turned, apples would be thrown into the groove and mashed. There would be a run-off channel for the juice, which was collected to turn into Cider. As you can imagine, this created a lot of juice and would have needed several people to operate efficiently, giving an indication of scale and how important Cider was to Devonians.

This specific example was either broken when being carved, or during transport. Or it was intended to be made in two halves to make it easier to carry. It’s not known where the other half is.

Boundary Stone

We now head down the track to the Southwest, bearing right after a hundred meters or so, aiming just left of the Sourton Tors outcroppings

American Influence

American Soldiers trained in this area when preparing for D-Day in 1945. Although hard to distinguish, the above feature was a former World War II Machine Gun Nest. Fortunately never needed on Dartmoor, but a sobering reminder of the many lives were lost across the Channel.

Keep following the gradient below the Western side of Sourton Tors and then head back to the parking

Parking

Turn off at the main A386 Tavistock to Okehampton road, passing between the embankments of the old railway - now the Granite Way. Over a cattle grid and park alongside the single track road.

References

Wind Tor and Hutholes

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:10:52 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words album.twice.flashback

Map

Introduction

Hutholes is an interesting place and many have seen the strange name on the OS map and wondered about it. Its history is interesting and worth a visit. There are often a very nice heard of Dartmoor ponies grazing around Wind Tor and Southern Hamel Down. (Please keep your distance and definitely do not feed)

Two Crosses Stone

In the bank opposite the starting car park is this modern stone, dating from 2008. The former gatepost was donated by a Mr R Whale and was carved by the Dartmoor National Park Authority using their stonemason, Andy Cribbett. When completed, a ceremony was held on the 10th of July 2008 and the stone placed.

But why?

This location is the point where the manors of Jordon, Blackslade, Dunstone and Widecombe town intersect. Always known as ‘Two Crosses in the Turf’ this location was always marked by two crosses cut into the turf, every year the village lengthsman would re-cut them to ensure of their visibility. – Legendary Dartmoor - Two Crosses

Follow the path behind the stone towards Wind Tor

Left to right: Honeybag Tor (Elevation 445m/1459 feet). Chinkwell Tor (456m/1496 feet). Bell Tor (354m, 1161 feet)

Wind Tor

When I was about 12 years old in the mid 1980s, I stayed for a short time at the nearby Rowden Adventure Centre. We walked up here and we were shown the first Letterbox which was hidden under these rocks, which helped spark a lifelong interest in finding tupperware in crevices – Simon

Legend says that this row of holes are the footprints left by a fox that the Devil transformed as he chased it across the moor…

Or drill holes for splitting the rock by tare and feathers, you decide.

When you are ready, continue walking due South towards the wall corner below. Although the map mentions Hut Circles at this point, there is sadly little to be seen today. We then join the open moor road and follow it to the junction where we turn right towards Drywell

Drywell Cross

This was probably one a gate hanger stone, where the upright of the gate was cupped at the top to allow swinging before iron hinges were readily available.

This stone was once a waymarker to Widecombe Church and was restored in 1967 by Dartmoor Preservation Association. The replacement shaft matches the cross head in that all limbs are octagonal.

Dartmoor-Crosses - Drywells Cross

Turn right at the cross and head North toward Dockwell

Dockwell

Dockwell dates back to at least the Medieval period and has several traditional Dartmoor stone buildings.

Shortly past Dockwell, you’ll see a signpost pointing off the road to Hutholes. We follow that path, returning here afterwards

Hutholes

Hutholes was a settlement of six buildings dating back to the Saxon period. It was certainly occupied at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 and seized by the invading French.

Daily routine revolved around farming, growing crops, animal husbandry and household chores.

Abandoned some time in the 14th century, it lay largely forgotten until 1963 when the local farmer, Mr Hermon French, talked about it to a Mrs Minter, who organised an archaeological dig,

We use the house numbers as given on the board.

House 3, believed to be occupied up to the 12th century. This was probably original Depdona Manor house. The name was later changed to Dewdon and once this site was abandoned, was relocated half a mile away and renamed again, this time to Jordan.

In the Domesday Book (1066 AD), Depdona was owned by a wealthy Englishman called Alric. By 1086 it had been relinquished to one of the conquerors, William de la Falaise – (Butler, Vol. 1 page 142)

Legendary Dartmoor - Hutholes

Once you have explored Hutholes, follow the path back to the road and turn left, then straight across the next crossroads

Parking

There is roadside parking at the top of Wind Hill. If it’s full, there is usually some spaces down the road to the Southwest. The nearest facilities will be in Widecombe.

References

Fernworthy Assycombe Double Stone row

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:39:23 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words reissued.lushly.handy

Map

Introduction

An impressive, but little known double stone row - one of several on Dartmoor. A medium walk through quiet woodland with some climbs on mostly firm forestry tracks.

The shed we park by was originally built for the forestry workers, but now is used mostly for storage.
Fernworthy forest was first planted in 1921 by the Duchy of Cornwall. At that time there was a national shortage of timber following the First World War and much was needed quickly, leading to a nationwide conifer planting scheme.
The forest comprises mostly of Sitka Spruce with some Douglas Fir and Japanese Larch. All are well suited to the Dartmoor conditions and provide a change of habitat for much wildlife. There are also pockets of deciduous woodland, notably around the reservoir.
The Reservoir was built 1936-1942 by Torquay Water Authority and was the last granite dam built on Dartmoor at a cost of £246,000 - twice the original tender. It covers 76 acres and holds 380 million gallons. It’s 63 feet deep and water is piped to Trenchford Reservoir.

Start our walk by walking about 350m back along the road you entered by, and turning right into the Woodland through a gateway

Lowton Brook West Settlement

The Lowton Brook West Settlement was described by J. Butler (1991), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 2 - The North, 35.4 - Lowton Brook West, page 157.

There are eleven huts in this area, with this one being the furthest north, and the largest at 9.1 metres diameter. They date from the Bronze age, approximately 3300 BC to 1200 BC. The climate of Dartmoor was much milder then and many small settlements remain from human occupation of the time.

Each Hut Circle is the site of what was probably a fairly typical Bronze Age Roundhouse, with walls of stone and a thatched roof. A central firepit will have provided cooking and heat.

Most of the stone has been robbed by successive moor men, who used it for other buildings or walling, leaving the heavier base stones.

This gatepost was cut much later than the hut circles, likely in the medieval period or even later.

Follow the track to the Southeast above Lowton brook, and take a sharp right up a steep hill

Turn Left here and follow the track up the spine of the ridge, beating right after about 300 meters

Assycombe Double Stone Row

125 meters long
Faces North Westerly and oriented East Northeast to West Southwest.
Restored in the 1890s
There’s a menhir at the top end and a blocking stone at the bottom.
Includes 133 medium and large sized stones. Originally there were 11 more stones, including a second blocking stone.
J Butler notes that the row is very similar to the Hurston Ridge Double Stone Row, only 1km away.

The hut circles probably came long after the stone row was erected, and it’s thought that the builders respected the row. Certainly, they did not steal its stones to build their huts, which would have been convenient.

The stone row is described by J. Butler (1991), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 2 - Asacombe Hill stone rows. This double row is similar to its neighbour on Hurston Ridge, a kilometre to the east. It is possible that a third row was planned but never installed, because the rows do not align well with the centre of the cairn.

Follow the track down to Assycombe Farm

Assycombe Farm

Assycombe (Also Asacombe) Farm is the ruin of a deserted Medieval and Post-Medieval farmstead. There are two rectangular buildings with a field.

A shard of pottery recovered from this site has been positively dated to 13th-14th Century
The Longhouse to the South is the oldest of the two buildings.
Heritage Gateway MDV6703 - Assycombe Farmstead

References

Old Ordnance Survey Map - Pre reservoir

Parking

When approaching Fernworthy, continue past the signed car park until you reach the marked position, by a large wooden storage shed.
Toilets are available at the signed car park, and sometimes a refreshment van in the Summer.

Sheepstor Stone Circles

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 15:09:35 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words overlaps.pelted.revisits

Map

Introduction

This walk takes us over open moorland amongst bronze age hut circles, burial cists and other ancient remains.

Sheeps Tor

Follow the wide track East, over the stream and left of the Scout Hut, before leave it when we reach the Corn Ditch Wall

Corn Ditch Wall

A Corn Ditch Wall is an artificial barrier separating grazing land and the common moorland.

Where it differs from a normal wall is that the land approaching it from the moor side is steep and difficult to negotiate, but the earth on the other side ramps up to its top. This is to allow animals to leave the richer farm grazing and venture forth onto the moor.

Heritage Gateway MDV52653 - Corn ditch within Trowlesworthy Warren, Shaugh Prior

Outhome Cist

Cuckoo Rock

The name is said to come from this being the place where a local farmer always heard the first cuckoo, although one can also believe that it looks like a cuckoo’s egg in a nest of small eggs.

It was once a tradition for young boys to climb this rock, which is a bit of a struggle.

Shaft

Just to the right of this and behind the wall, is a mine shaft that’s marked “Shaft” on the map.

Adit

Tip: To find this adit, cross the second stile going north from the corner of the forest. A path leads down to the left, look for running water draining from the adit. It is a few yards from the stile. Then return here and progress West

PCWW Boundary Stone

These boundary stones mark the point where rainfall will end up in the Burrator Reservoir. They encircle the whole of the catchment area and are marked PCWW for “Plymouth City Water Works”

Longstone Leat

Yellowmean Multiple Stone Circle

These stone circles were rediscovered in 1921 when covering heather was burnt off during a drought, and the rings re-erected. It is possible that they were not replaced in the correct positions.

There is also some evidence for a double stone row at this point.

Note the disturbed ground from one of the trenches from the 2008 excavation completed shortly before this photo was taken.

Follow the map Southeast to return to our parking

Parking

There is usually parking at the Gutter Tor car park, shown with a yellow cross on the map

Belstone to the Nine Maidens

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words dentures.droplet.alerting

Map

Introduction

Belstone is one of the prettiest villages on Dartmoor and retains a strong farming link. The large lawn slopes away down to an ancient ford and often has Dartmoor Ponies and sheep grazing. This was once a mining village, with the valley between Belstone and Sticklepath hugely industrialised, although it’s hard to see traces of that now.

Belstone Stocks

Once present in most villages, stocks were used to shame and punish transgressors - often for crimes against the church. The victim was secured in place so that anyone passing could taunt them, or throw rotten fruit at them - I’m sure many old grudges were settled here.

The stocks themselves have been replaced many times, and it’s reported that a blow up doll was punished here for the village’s Millennium celebrations.

Legendary Dartmoor - Belstone Stocks

Memorial Stone

GRV
22.VI 1911
GRV = George Rex V
King George V - Coronation 22 June 1911

E II R
1952 2002

Commemorating 50 years reign of Queen Elizabeth II who acceded to the throne on the death of King George VI on 6 Feb 1952

The Pound

Zion Chapel and Telegraph Office

The sign above the door says “Telegraph Office” and there is a more modern telephone box outside, also an old Post Collection Box in the wall.

Before it was a Telegraph Office (1937-1979) this building was a Zion Methodist Chapel (1840-1841) and Sunday School. (1856-1899)

Heritage Gateway MDV109484 - Zion Chapel, Belstone

St Mary the Virgin Church

A church was first built here in 1260.

Incised Celtic Cross

This celtic cross has moved around. Believed carved between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, William Crossing writes that it was rediscovered at this chapel when some stairs were taken down in 1861. It was then taken to a nearby rectory and built into a wall. It was returned here in 1920 when the Old Rectory was abandoned

Dartmoor Crosses - Belstone Incised Cross

For our walk, we leave the village now by taking the road to the Northwest, before turning left into a path and then out onto the moor at Old Rectory Farm - the site where the above cross spent some time

Belstone Cleave Rocks

We turn back south now, but follow the contour path due Southwards around the enclosures

Watchett Hill Cottage

Watchet Hill Cottage, also known as Black Hut or Black House, was built around 1800 and last occupied in the mid 1960s before falling into disrepair.

Notably, the author Eden Philpotts stayed here before making the house of the main locations in his famous novel, The Secret Woman.

“The mean dwelling house of Watchet Hill faced north. Plain, tar-pitched, and slated, it huddled on the great slope - a blot against the gleaming furzes that rippled to its side. –Eden Phillpotts, The Secret Woman. 1905

Follow the path South until we’re clear of the walls on our left, then turn left and walk Eastwards until…

Nine Maidens

Here were once nine young ladies who dared to dance on the Sabbath and were so turned to stone. A single stone apart from the others was the piper who played a tune for them, and he was similarly treated.

Apparently, if you visit at noon or when the Belstone church bells ring, you can see the stones swaying gently.

This stone circle was originally a burial mound or kistvaen covered in earth. The grave was robbed many years ago, and the mound of earth to the Southwest was likely what was dug off.

As known as: The Dancing Stones. The Seventeen Brothers. The Nine Stones.

Legendary Dartmoor - Nine Maidens

Benchmark

Benchmarks in stone walls are rare on Dartmoor - farmers know that stone is often moved when walls are rebuilt, although perhaps this example was thought too large to be easily relocated.

Benchmarks are fixed reference points used for surveying, often employed by the Ordnance Survey

Follow the paths to the Northeast as we start to descend back to the Village

The Tarka Trail is a long distance foot and cyclepath taking a figure-8 tour of places described by Henry Williamson in his 1927 novel Tarka the Otter.

Water Works

The Tors

Parking

There’s a good sized parking area on the approach to the village. It’s best to avoid driving through the village itself as it can be busy with pedestrians in the Summer.

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Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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Meldon and the West Okement Valley

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words coasters.branching.eggs

Map

Introduction

Although a short walk of less than 3 miles, this area contains a huge amount of variation in terms of nature, geology and industrial history.

Tramway

The bank is apparently a former tramway but there is no mention of it in the usual reference sources.

Tin Adit

The staining on the ground by metalliferous leaching indicates that there are metal ores in this vicinity. This particular mine was dug for Tin.

Adits are horizontal tunnels used in mining. Some are used for access in and out and some are used for draining upper levels of water. This one is only open for about 10 meters, and was worked in tandem with the shafts on the slope immediately above it.

There would have been a spoil heap here when they were dug, but that has been removed by later activity.

Wheelpits

This is one of two wheelpits found here and is the earliest, showing on the 1841 Tithe Map. A large waterwheel once ran here and was to drive a series of flat-rods back and forth motion which carried the power to the nearby quarry where it powered pumps to keep the water free of water, which at its end reached a depth of 130 feet.

There is a second wheelpit just upstream but it is known that both were not used together. They ceased operation by 1905.

The wheels were fed by a reservoir above and a wooden launder (a basic 3-sided chute to run water down) and were of “pitch back” design, where water was added to the top of the wheel so that it filled buckets and drove the wheel back towards the wooden launder that supplied water. It was found that one reservoir didn’t supply enough water as the needs of the quarry grew and a second was added to increase flow.

Heritage Gateway MDV20471 - Northern wheel pit at Meldon Quarry

This second wheelpit housed a water wheel some 18 foot in diameter. The walls are better preserved than the first but quite overgrown. Behind it, there is a depression which is a “bob-pit”. This housed a large counter-weight which kept tension on the flat-rods as they worked to operate the quarry pumps.

Meldon Viaduct

The Meldon Viaduct was built in 1874 by William Galbraith from wrought iron for the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) to connect Okehampton to Lydford and then on to Plymouth.

It was widened to double-track in 1879 by building a second viaduct alongside, this one of steel, and joining the two. This was in service until 1968 when it became yet another victim of the Beeching Cuts. Meldon Quarry continued to use it up until the 1980s for shunting its trains until the track was removed in 1990.

It’s now used by The Granite Way - a shared-use foot, cycle and bridlepath and is a scheduled monument.

Wikipedia - Meldon Viaduct

Waste Dumps

These are some of the quarry’s waste dumps, more properly named as “finger dumps” for their shape.

In the late 1800s the “waste” was taken in trucks to a series of corrugated iron buildings at the northern end of the east side tramway. A transfer shed was used where the finished material was consigned to wagons operating on an incline leading to the London and South Western Rail sidings on the eastern edge of Meldon Viaduct. This incline becomes apparent as an earthwork partially obscuring the mouth of the early lime kiln. The crushed stone was used as ballast on railways and roads across the country and any unsuitable stone ended up here.

Heritage Gateway MDV120325 - Tramway routes at Meldon Limestone Quarry

Meldon Pool

This old limestone quarry, now flooded. It was used to dig a special Carbonifereous period limestone, not found anywhere else on Dartmoor, and much prized for producing lime.

The pool is about 130 feet deep, and when worked was kept drained by pumps driven by the water wheels earlier on our walk. This makes it deeper than the viaduct is high, that being a mere 120 foot tall at its highest span.

A hundred years ago this site will have been very noisy and busy, with explosions and cranes operating, horse drawn carts rumbling around and men shouting. There will also have been rock crushers and stamps running within earshot, as well as steam trains going over the railway.

Heritage Gateway MDV4826 - Meldon Lime Works

The limestone quarry was smaller in 1841 with various buildings around it that disappeared as the quarry became larger. Beyond the buildings, an inclined plane can be seen extending northwards to take stone to the kiln.

Weigh House

The Weigh House was ruined, but during 2019 was being rebuilt.

Heritage Gateway MDV120246 - Weigh House and weighbridge south of the Meldon Viaduct

The carts of finished stone were weighed here before leaving for the railway. The design would have been similar to modern weighbridges and these metal grids formed the top layer of weighing scales that were read from within the weigh house. The quarry will have recorded its output using these figures, and from that set prices charged and paid.

Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History - Barlett & Son

Lime Kiln

This lime kiln was built between 1880 and 1885.

Lime was made in the kiln by setting alternating layers of limestone and charcoal made from coppiced hazel trees. Once the kiln was filled to the brim, the fire was lit and everything burned at a high temperature for three days, leaving behind quicklime, Calcium Oxide.

Slaked lime can be made, carefully, from lime by adding water. This process is called hydration and as the reaction is exothermic, a huge amount of heat is produced and this can be extremely dangerous. Quicklime was so named from the old word “quick” which means “alive”, as it acted like it was alive when water was added as it churned and boiled.

Once made, quick and slaked lime have many uses:

Agriculture: Increases the PH level of fields by being spread in powder form, transforming acidic soils into sweeter and more productive ground.
Construction: Lime Mortar has long been used for building, and is favoured even today for stone buildings instead of cement mortars, as it can move and even heal small cracks as it absorbs moisture. It’s also used as limewash for painting, and lime render to cover and stabilise walls.
Manufacturing: Lime is used for all sorts of things, including paper, steel, sugar, paint and other processes.
Medicine: In the right conditions, lime is also a disinfectant, and is used in purification methods.

Under the viaduct

The Railway was extended as a single track as far as Lydford in 1874 and this involved building the viaduct, spanning the river for 165 metres.

Through this gate and to the left is an early lime kiln.

To the right is a bank that supported a tramway to the gate for bringing out old waste from the finger dumps, and down ahead is the Turbine House.

The possible crushing house feature (seen below) is just out of sight on the right in this image

This is the earlier kiln, built before an Okehampton Estate map of 1790 and originally serving a small nearby quarry. It became disused but was used again when the Meldon Pool quarry started up.

This is earliest building in the valley to exploit the local geology. The view is partially blocked by an inclined tramway that took quarried stone up to the railway viaduct, which was built in 1874.

Heritage Gateway MDV120326 - Site of crushing sheds at Meldon Limestone Quarry

This wall may be part of the crushing house where waste was brought from the finger dumps to be crushed and taken past the kiln by tramway up to sidings for use as ballast on the railways, but this is not certain as little is recorded about it.

Turbine House

Water was piped from the Red-a-ven brook to a turbine housed in this building, generating power for the quarry. Spent water was then released into a short brick-lined channel on the West side of the building to return to the brook.

Devon & Dartmoor HER - MDV120311 - Turbine building at Meldon Quarries

My guess from this base and similar designs is that this was a horizontal turbine with a pelton wheel with one or more jets coming in from the side to power them. A central shaft would then have transferred power into a generator mounted directly above it –Simon

Somewhere near to the turbine house there were once corrugated iron buildings that housed crushers. These worked previous spoil heaps, crushing limestone which was then loaded onto wagons on an incline that led to the railway sidings on the eastern edge of Meldon Viaduct.

Explosives Magazine

This stone ruin was once where explosives for the quarry were kept. Before each shift, the explosives handler would take only enough from here for that shift’s operation.

Such handlers were often selected from the most careful and thorough of the workers, and would avoid carrying any iron tools, or even removed iron hobnails from their boots to reduce the chance of sparks.

Although the walls are strong, explosives stores often had very weak roofs - typically made of stick and oilcloth. If there was an accident, then the force would be sent upwards instead of outwards and repairs to the building would therefore be relatively quick.

This ground anchor looks very similar to those used through the 20th century to secure straining wires for telegraph and electricity poles. It was probably employed for a similar purpose here.

Mineshaft

There are mine shafts on the east bank of the river with two adits nearby, typical of tin mining. They exist as sub-circular hollows with rims of upcast soil on their downslope margins. They vary in diameter, most examples being in the area of 3 metres with one exceptional example of 6 metres.

Devon & Dartmoor HER - MDV120322 - Mine shafts east of Meldon Pool

This pit is part of a old tin-working gert running down towards the river. The gert ends at SX 56589 92163 where a spoil heap starts and ends closer to the river at SX 56562 92171, quite high above the surrounding ground.

The Bottle Factory

These modern buildings are associated with more recent quarrying after 1921. The site remained open for a further fifty years until around 1970 and provided stone for road metalling.

Before these buildings, there was a failed glass bottle operation on this site.

From the late 19th century, investigations were being made concerning the production of granulite (a granular metamorphic rock) at Meldon. There seemed to be potential to establish both glass and china works at the site.

There was little activity until 1920 when a syndicate from London decided to build a glass factory. Two furnaces were installed out of a planned 12, and about 500 men were required. However, by February 1921, the men had been laid off and new owners were being sought.

No obvious features remain of a glass industry, but large amounts of broken glass fragments can be seen, mostly representing small medicine and cosmetic bottles. – (Western Morning News 29/03/1920

South Quarry

Here we can see the darker aplite disappearing into the ground, with the less desired striped chirt, similar to that at Meldon Pool.

Meldon Dam

Meldon Dam was begun in 1970 and completed in 1974, making it the newest of Dartmoor’s large dams.
It is 55 meters (180 feet) high.
It’s 200 meters (660 feet) wide.
The reservoir is stocked with Brown Trout for licenced angling.
Uniquely, Meldon reservoir became the first water-supply body to produce electricity when a 500kW turbine generator was installed in 1987 to produce electricity to work the pumps and treatment works.
Wikipedia - Meldon Dam

At each end of the dam are these structures. They are used to check the dam’s alignment and curvature to ensure there is no movement.

This spillway appears to be a combination of a straight chute and stepped spillway features. These are designed to reduce the kinetic energy of overflowing water and thereby reduce erosion damage. This system is essentially an uncontrolled system in that there are no mechanical gates or vanes to regulate the rate of overflow at the top of the dam.

Many of these plaques on Dartmoor’s reservoirs were made of bronze and have been stolen in recent years for their scrap value. Hopefully this one does not appear to the thieves.

Once across the dam, we are back at the car park and our walk is complete

Parking

Parking is at the Meldon Reservoir site, which is Pay and Display. It also has toilet facilities and an electric car charging point.

References

Mintek Resources - Lime
Peter Keane (2007), Exploring a Dartmoor Valley: The Meldon Beneath Our Feet
Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press

Widecombe

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:42:16 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words mornings.cement.regret

Map

Widecombe Village

The name Widecombe is from “Withy or Willow Valley”, a Saxon name. Settlements and a wooden church were established here long before the Normans invaded in 1066 and in the Domesday Book (of 1086) includes the manors of Natsworthy and Dunstone in the Webburn valley. Granite longhouses began to appear in the 1100 & 1200s as the Village grew and got richer.

The large Granite Village Sign depicts the Uncle Tom Cobley song in a carved inset at the top. This sign was designed by Lady Sylvia Sayer in the 1940s who was chair of the Dartmoor Preservation Association from 1851 to 1973.

Lady Sayer was still a tremendous force on Dartmoor into the late 1980s. Respected, and perhaps a little feared, by the staff at Dartmoor National Park Authority when I worked there – Simon

Inscription reads:

BENEATH THIS STONE IS A TIME CAPSULE
PLACED BY WIDECOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
ON THE 9th DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR 2000 AD
NOT TO BE OPENED FOR 100 YEARS

Follow the road through around the church

Please take a moment to admire the stone walls and pavers. As a young YTS employee of DNPA in the Winter of 1988, I was the labourer who mixed the mortar for the mason who built these walls and repaved the standing… – Simon

The impressive base for this yew was originally constructed to hold a large granite cross, which is now located within the graveyard.

Church House dates from around 1537 and was initially built for parish festivities - an early form of village hall. These activities were stopped in 1603 by the Puritans who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices.

It then became a Poorhouse then in Victorian Times, a School. Currently it is owned by The National Trust and a shop and craft centre.

Widecombe Graveyard

Note the large flat-topped stone in the gate. This is for coffins to be rested on as they pass through the lych gate

This much repaired cross stands in an ancient socket stone, which is square at the bottom and chamfered above. Beatrice Chase campaigned for its repair. It’s original site was in the octagonal base outside the graveyard where now a yew tree grows. – Dartmoor Crosses

Beatrice Chase

A rare gravestone memorial in Widecombe churchyard, with two names for the same person.

Olive Katharine Parr was the author who used the pen name, Beatrice Chase.

Olive Parr, 1874 – 1955, moved to nearby Venton in the early 1900s and there wrote many books including “Through a Dartmoor Window”.

Somewhat of a self-publicist, Olive gave herself the rather grand title of “My Lady of the Moor”, claims to have invented the Uncle Tom Cobley story, and said she started the tradition of leaving fresh flowers on the grave of Kitty Jay. However, her descriptions of Dartmoor Life during the early twentieth century are without doubt very important from a historical perspective, and her passion for Dartmoor was no lie. She was also involved in the First World War effort, creating the “Knights of the White Crusade” - a movement to encourage all servicemen to be “Pure and noble”. She also campaigned against Dartmoor being turned into a National Park, and against its use as a Military training ground. Clearly a lady of strong opinions.

Beatrice Chase - Wikipedia

Widecombe Church

Dominating the village is the medieval Church of St. Pancras which dates from the late 1300, although there is a list of vicars which goes back to 1253 for the Village. It’s sometimes called The Cathedral Of The Moor due to it being so imposing, and also as it’s the biggest Church on Dartmoor. The 120ft tower was added in the 1400 or early 1500’s through the benevolence of the tinners’ Guild of St Pancras.

Named after a Roman boy, Pancratius, martyred under Emperor Diocletian in 304 AD.

The church was badly damaged in the Great Thunderstorm of 1638, apparently struck by ball lightning. An afternoon service was taking place at the time, and the building was packed with approximately 300 worshippers. Four of them were killed and 60 injured.

The Old Inn

A glebe is a piece of land in the parish used to raise revenues for the clergy.

Follow the road down the hillto the left of the smithy

The original Post Office was down the bottom of this hill (Southcombe Villa, P.O.) where the Postmaster lived and one of the adjacent buildings was the stable for his horse. The Cafe on the Green and a building between here and the Green were also Post Offices at one time. Source: a local resident

Village well and Piggery

The Old Piggery was restored as part of the Lottery funded Moor Than Meets the Eye Project and is worth a look. It holds old tools and implements and is a small, free museum.

For our walk, we turn and walk back uphill again. Past the Square and follow Church Road, which is left before the Village Green

Kingshead Farm Gatepost

As we pass this gateway on the left to Kingshead Farm, and a footpath which leads out over Hameldon towards Grimspound, it’s worth looking more closely at the left post.

Dartmoor Crosses - Kingshead Lane Cross

Wooder Manor

One of those men killed in Widecombe Church during the Great Thunder Storm of 1638 lived in Wooder Manor, one Roger Hill.

He is remembered in the Church ; two ledgers set into the floor of the nave between the transepts, one of which bears the following epitaph:

Hic Iacent Corpora Rogeri Hill Generosi
et Annae Uxoris Eius
Vir Obiit 21 Octobris 1638
Uxor Autem 17 Januarij 1648

This beautifully carved stone is set in the west hedgebank on our left at ground level, 80 metres North of Stouts Cottages. It is exactly 1 mile from the Church.

“About a mile north of Widecombe village, just beyond Stouts Cottages there is an old stone, with the inscription ‘1 mioL’ on it. Suggested to be a parole stone defining the limits that prisoner of war officers (Napopleonic, 1809-1815) were allowed to range within.” – Heritage Gateway - MDV30083

Thornhill Lane

We stay on the quiet metalled road for about a mile and a half, until we see the stony track leading up to the right

Thornhill or Thorny Lanewas a medieval road going North from Hemsworthy Gate to Natsworthy that avoided going down the steep Widecombe Hill. This is still legally classified as a full motorable road (A Byway Open to All Traffic - or BOAT), and is legally used by cars and motorbikes today although, as you can see, it’s more suited to off road vehicles.

Hameldon, (Trig Point at SX 70313 80573, elevation 529 metres / 1735 feet) across the East Webburn River.

The East Webburn rises near Grimspound and flows through Widecombe to join the West Webburn River south of Widecombe at Lizwell Meet (Oakmoor Wood), at SX 71335 73703.

Bonehill

Bonehill Gate, beside Bonehill Rocks where the road descends steeply to the medieval hamlet of Bonehill (or Bunhill), constructed between 1066 and 1682.

Heritage Gateway - MDV29743 Bonehill Medieval Settlement

Middle Bonehill was owned by the Smerdon family throughout almost the entire post-medieval period. In fact, it was owned from mid-Elizabethan times until the closing years of the Victorian era by no less than eleven consecutive generations of John Smerdons. The last John Smerdon died and the property passed to Edwin Smerdon who died in 1900, when the family connection was finished. – Mike Brown

An impressive group of buildings stand huddled together in the small hamlet of Bonehill, the centrepiece of which is the imposing sixteenth century longhouse of Middle Bonehill with its fine porch bearing the inscription IS 1682 on the lintel. An early nineteenth century barn stands alongside, whilst a seventeenth century barn stands on the opposite side of the road. Lower Bonehill is another sixteenth century longhouse, in the middle of a group of five seventeenth and eighteenth century outbuildings. Higher Bonehill is a sixteenth or seventeenth century farmhouse, not of the longhouse design. – Mike Brown

A former longhouse with massive blocks of granite forming its quoins and wall bases. – Heritage Gateway - MDV7467 Lower Bonehill Farmhouse

Follow the road on down the hill and along to arrive back at Widecombe to complete our walk

Parking

Posted coords are for Widecombe’s main car park, which is Pay and Display. There are additional parking places on the Eastern approach to Widecombe by Northway Bridge, and also at Bonehill Rocks.

References

Church of St. Pancras
Eric Hemery (1983), High Dartmoor, Robert Hale, London, pages 667-677.
Beatrice Chase - Legendary Dartmoor
Beatrice Chase - Wikipedia
Heritage Gateway - MDV29743 Bonehill Medieval Settlement
Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press,

Foggintor Quarry

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 21:04:46 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words seemingly.contrived.validated

Map

Introduction

One of the most picturesque and popular Dartmoor destinations. The abandoned quarries have been retaken by nature despite having been worked as recently as 1966. The quarries once supported an entire village of based here at Foggintor, with a School, Chapel and 30 cottages. The landscape will have looked very differently here two hundred years ago at the height of its industry. Now only evocative ruins remain.

The Mission Hall

Across the road from the parking area are the ruins of the old non-denominational Mission Hall, built in 1887 and demolished in 1965.

Due to problems at Foggintor school, the Mission Hall opened as a school on 17th August 1896 to house 41 pupils and soon that grew to 95 children. The school closed on 27th September 1912 and the children went to temporary schools at Merrivale and back to Foggintor Chapel until the new school opened at what is now known as Four Winds, on 19th April 1915.

In the photograph above, Great Mis Tor is seen at top right.

Dartmoor Explorations has some photographs of how the mission hall looked

We start our walk by following the track away from the road to the South

Red Cottages

This leat still supplies Yellowmeade and formerly ran on to supply Foggintor. It is probable that the cottages were supplied by a bullseye stone to regulate water use.

The cottages stood on the high ground on the left of the photograph (but to the right of the track) and were separated from their gardens by a back lane. The cottages were planned in 1846 and built by April 1849. They were probably demolished in 1953, the same year as Hill Cottages.

According to various Censuses, they were originally known as Mount Pleasant Cottages, then West View Cottages, and after that, Red Cottages.

They were built with cob and by 1871 the weather got into them so badly they were “covered with corrugated iron” and painted with red lead, thus becoming known as Red Cottages - this appears in the 1871 Census.

Kath Brewer writes in “The Railways, Quarries and Cottages of Foggintor” that in later years they were actually black, having been covered with pitch, again against the weather.

There were six cottages but with twelve dwellings - with “one up, one down”. In the 1861 Census, there were thirteen families with 50 adults and 38 children at West View, as the cottages were known at that time.

Large weighted iron bars were used to drill the granite to take the explosive charge. These drills, known as Jumpers, were tested here to ensure they were sharp enough.

Yellowmeade

The “lumps and bumps” in the background are waste tips of Foggintor Quarry.

Yellowmeade Farm itself was not established until 1860, the last farm to be founded in Walkhampton Parish. It was enclosed by George Cole whose family lived there until about 2015.

Further on we’ll see clear evidence of worked trackway blocks, proving this track was also once a horse-drawn railway.

Sett Making

A quarryman once stood at this point making Setts.

Setts are granite blocks that were much used for paving roads and paths, and can still be seen in many cities, for they last a very long time.

Rough cut setts blocks be brought here, such as cut from the Cake Stone above. To cut down on transport, the bankers typically set up very close by to the raw material, and their workplaces - bankers - were rough and ready; somewhere to stand and work the stone at around waist level.

In exposed conditions, and this certainly qualifies, they would erect shelters to keep off the rain, snow and the worst of the wind. These would have been made of oilskin tarpaulin with a stick framework, probably on three sides, backed to the wind.

The tools were iron chisels and a hammer, with the working stone set on a bed on firm earth and granite chips, which would absorb the blows.

The stone here is the waste rock - where setts failed, often through cracks in the rock or where edges were trimmed off.

Traditional stonemasons still work very similarly to this, but now have tungsten tipped chisels and, when working with granite, a full-face respirator system.

When I worked for DNPA in the late 1980s, they often employed a traditional stonemason who would work just inside the entrance of the Works Depot in Bovey Tracey. He had a 45 gallon oil drum full of granite chips on which he’d place his work, which might be a perfectly spherical ball to sit atop a gatepost. He’d stand there all day, chipping away. Pausing every now and then to offer up a hardboard template to check his progress, or check diameter with a set of large calipers. He wore a full face respirator, with a battery pack and inlet on his belt at the back, similar to those used by industrial welders, which blew filtered air into the mask. – Simon

Foggintor Quarry

The “bumps” on the left skyline are high-level waste tips while the enormous waste tip to the right is named “Big Tip”.

Royal Oak Quarry (later known as Foggintor) was worked from the early 19th century until the early 20th century, extracting granite that was taken away on the nearby railway line. This track was a horse-driven rail or tramway, so some deliveries will also have left this way to the road, as well as bringing supplies into the quarry and its accompanying village.

Remains on the site include ruins of numerous buildings, large spoil tips and tracks, including that leading to the nearby Swell Tor Quarry, was closely associated. Foggintor was known to have included up to 30 cottages, a large Manager’s house, smithy, powder house, dressing sheds and stables.

The Quarry was first dug in 1820, then known as Royal Oak Quarry.
Through the 1830s through 1840s, up to 600 men were employed by the local quarries, some living at Foggintor and most journeying in each day.
In the 1861 Census, 267 people were registered as living at Foggintor.
As well as Foggintor, Hill Quarry and Royal Oak Quarry, this was also known as Foggator - probably a local dialect corruption.
The Houses of Parliament and Nelson’s Column were built from granite taken from this quarry.
More locally, stone from here was used to build Tor Royal at Princetown, and likely some other Princetown buildings, although the Prison’s stone was mostly dug from the nearer Herne Hole Quarry.
Foggintor Quarry was owned at one time by the Johnson Brothers who also took the lease on Haytor Quarry, but closed it and then sold stone from Foggintor Quarry under Haytor’s name.
The quarry closed in 1966, putting 40 men out of work. One factor given was competition from cheaper sources abroad, and an increasing use of concrete instead of stone in architecture.
The stones that form Big Tip are huge, especially on the lower levels. Approaching from the side you can see some must weigh many tons, and cracks in between are big enough to easily conceal an adult.

This looks like it might have once been a kistvaen or cist, but could also be a split or worked stone from the sett-makers or even a natural feature.

The blocked up gateway above is in the angle at the right of this photo.

Hill Farm

Hill Farm, also known as Eva’s Farm. The family was at Foggintor on the 1881, 1891 and was still present until at least 1936.

Methodist Chapel and School Ruins

These scant foundations were once a schoolhouse and a Wesleyan Chapel.

The quarry workers originally sent their children to the School at Princetown, which was then probably built in the Barracks. But when Dartmoor Prison was re-opened in 1850, a new building for the School was needed and was built here. At its peak in 1861, 183 pupils were known to regularly attend.

Note that this is not the later “Foggintor School”. That was also known as Four Winds and forms the large tree-lined car park half a mile south of our parking. We discuss that school in our Merrivale Calendar walk

Between 1880 and 1883, this building was also recorded as a Wesleyan Chapel, and later a Workshop and again as a private residence, so it clearly served multiple purposes.

By 1915 it was closed forever.

Heritage Gateway -Methodist chapel / school at Foggintor Quarry

Hill Cottages

These are believed to have been built in the 1840s. The last resident left in 1951 and they were demolished two years later.

You can see where a branch railway line was laid out along Big Tip to carry waste for tipping. The railway gauge was about 2-feet for easy man-handling. It is recorded that only 10% of quarried granite was used in building, the rest was waste. Looking at the size of these tips, it is easy to believe that disposing of waste rock was a large part of the works here.

Much of the research for this walk was taken from Kath Brewer’s book, The Railways, Quarries and Cottages of Foggintor, Orchard Publications, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, 1997. The cottage about the arch was her home.

The purpose of the arch is unknown. There is a suggestion that a waterwheel was located here, but there seems to be no evidence to support that.

Quarry Entrance

In the foreground of this picture are the remains of a crane base, at SX 56652 73658.

For our walk, we circle the quarry clockwise by climbing to the left above the quarry entrance

The 1840 Walkhampton Tithe Map shows Little King Tor and Great King Tor. It also shows the 1823 Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway, extended from King Tor quarries to Princetown by December 1826. It shows neither Foggin Tor nor the branch line to Foggintor Quarry. These were active well within Walkhampton Parish, although quarrying had nothing to do with tithing and therefore wasn’t suitable for the purpose of the map.

Follow the level ground back towards Big Tip

Return walk

It’s worth leaving the track after the field enclosures to walk below it, as per our route on the map, for some interesting historical items

This hut is labelled “1” in the figure below. Cairn 1 is a ruined cisted cairn. The area around Yellowmeade was occupied in Bronze Age times.

Parking

There is a fair layby at the start of the track to Yellowmeade and Foggintor - which is in fact an old sand quarry. Please don’t block the track, it is in regular use.

If that’s full, there’s usually some space opposite, and some more a short way towards Princetown by the old pump house.

References

John Hallett (1994), Around Princetowns Quarries: The Tyrwhitt Railway Trail from Princetown. Orchard Publications, Newton Abbot
Kath Brewer (1998), The Railways, Quarries and Cottages of Foggintor. Orchard Publications, Newton Abbot
Dave Brewer (1986). A Field Guide to the Boundary Markers on and around Dartmoor, Devon Books, Exeter
Stephen Woods (1988), Dartmoor Stone, Devon Books, Exeter
Mary Stanbrook (1991), Old Dartmoor Schools, Remembered, Quay Publications, Brixham
Jeremy Butler, 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 3 - The South-West,1: Yellowmeade
Devon & Dartmoor Historic Environment Record - MDV117446 Hill Cottages at Foggintor Quarry

Dr Blackall's Drive

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:00:01 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words paramedic.advances.slate

Map

Introduction

This walk talks you out and back along Dr Blackall’s Drive to Aish Tor. The views to the West are nice and there’s a little history along the way.

The walk is mostly on a stone track. Although dry and firm, some of the stones are loose so care is needed. There’s a gradual descent on the way out, and a corresponding climb on the return.

Surrounded by Tors

Bel Tor, on the other side of the hedge, has a Logan Stone, Rock Basins and a Triangulation Pillar. Sadly it is on private land and we cannot visit.

Dr Blackall

Dr Thomas Blackwell MD FRCP (1814 - 4th May 1899, aged 85) trained at St George’s Hospital, London, and had a practice in Mayfair.

He was the youngest son of Dr John Blackall (1771-1860), the sixth son of Rev. Theophilus Blackall, who was a Prebendary (Honorary Canon) of Exeter Cathedral. John Blackall was an eminent physician who trained at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and then returned to Exeter in 1797, settling in Totnes in 1801. When he died in 1860, Thomas, his only surviving son inherited his estate.

Thomas bought the nearby Spitchwick Manor at Poundsgate in 1867. It seems that he never married but according to Censuses from 1861 onwards, there was always a “Visitor”, A Mrs Julia Tindall, and her daughter Caroline. It was Julia who inherited his estate when he died.

In the 1870/1880s, Thomas had the “Drive” constructed for his pleasure and for visiting guests to enjoy carriage rides driving southwards to enjoy the magnificent views down the River Dart valley.

(This is disputed by Hemery (1987, p.588) who reports that it was cut “a century or so ago” by Gerald Warren and his family for Dr Joseph Blackall, of Spitchwick Manor.)

Stumble Corner

Mel Tor

We can leave the track here at Meltor Corner and make a short detour to the right to visit Mel Tor

Mel Tor is perhaps more accurately named “Mil Tor”, which is short for “Middle Tor” as it is twixt Sharp Tor and Hockinston Tor.

There is apparently an abandoned millstone near this tor, although we haven’t been able to locate it.

Rejoin Blackall’s drive and continue to the South

Slotted Gateposts

Note the inverted “L” slot in the post where timber would have been slid in and dropped forming a solid rail.

These slots are usually found five to a side, and form the basis of the “5 bar gate” phrase.

Elsewhere they are called “Slip gates”, “Stang Stoops”, “Yatsteads”, “Hinge and L” or “Stand Pole Gateways” being a common form of simple, but secure, gate.

There is a good Wikipedia Article showing some fine examples.

They were prone to damage at the ends of the rails and gradually fell out of use as iron became more available for hinges.

Higher Uppacott is a Grade 1 listed longhouse from the early 14th century and is notable as its shippon has survived unchanged.

It’s now owned by the Dartmoor National Park and was restored in 2018 as part of the Moor than Meets the Eye project.

There used to be a custom that involved the rolling of wooden wagon wheels down the hill of Mil Tor to the River Dart on Midsummer Day, but it fell into disuse during WW2.

The practice was revived for a time in the late 1950s but not for long. The idea was to roll them down the 600-foot hill but the rock-strewn nature of the ground stopped most of them.

Today, the rusting iron tyres lie around in the wood, some with trees now growing up through them. Hemery p.589

Aish Tor

This is metamorphic bedrock formed approximately 318 to 328 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period. Originally formed as sedimentary rocks in swamps, estuaries and deltas to form slates. Later altered by low-grade metamorphism i.e. heating during geologic processes such as the nearby intrusion of Dartmoor’s molten magma (granite).

This cairn seems to sit on a raised circular hump of ground that might be an earlier cairn or kist, although this is unverified.

This may not be Aish Tor at all - the exact location seems disputed, and certainly indistinct. Not perhaps the most impressive of Dartmoor’s Tors.

We must now retrace our steps back to the car park

Whilst it is tempting to walk the road back to the start to make this a circular walk, the road is narrow and traffic often heavy. It’s surely nicer to retrace our steps and admire the view from a different angle.

You may have noticed this on the way down as it’s beside the track. This is part of the ancient Bronze Age Mel Tor farmstead and enclosure, dating back around four thousand years.

Heritage Gateway MDV6453 - Settlement east of Mel Tor

Parking

Bell Tor Car park is free and right off the road. Through the summer there is sometimes an Ice Cream Van there, but no other facilities.

References

Yennadon Down

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words fattening.events.toward

Map

Lowery Cross

Although not directly on our walk, if you came from the main road which is 300 meters to the Northeast of the suggested parking, then you likely drove past Lowery Cross and it’s worthy of mention.

Once parked at the Lowery Cross car part, head off due West along a path.

Dousland Reservoir

1823 Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway

This gateway marks where Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt’s 1823 Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway (horse-drawn) left the Down on its way North to Princetown and its quarries.

Yennadon Quarry

Hornfelsed means the Tavy slate was altered by heat from the adjacent intrusion of molten granite that formed the bulk of Dartmoor. The bedrock was laid down as sedimant in open seas about 359 to 383 million years ago.

Yennadon Stone is the last active stone quarry still working on moorland Dartmoor, out of scores that once existed.

Iron Mine

“In 1836 Ralph Lopes leased the area to George Stone Baron to ‘dig work mine and search for Iron, Iron Ore, Iron Stone and all other Ores’ on what was then called Great Yennadon Common, the rent being 1s 8d in the on the gross value according to the price on the day of all such ores metals and minerals which shall be … digged raised and gotten out of from or in the said premises”

There was no lease following this, so it must be concluded the venture was unsuccessful. In 1846, another license was issued to other adventurers!

WW2 Searchlight Battery

This searchlight was operational from 9 Feb. 1944. It would help protect Plymouth, Burrator Reservoir and RAF Harrowbeer at Yelverton.

All that remains now are the outlines of a row of four huts, of which only one has anything obvious.

Clapper Bridge

Steam Railway

The first railway, the 1823 horse-drawn PDR of Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt has already been mentioned.

The second railway was the 1883 [Princetown Railway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princetown_Railway0 (using steam locomotives) that replaced it, running from Yelverton to Princetown.

This one connected with the 1859 South Devon and Tavistock Railway Company (SD&TR) Plymouth-Tavistock line. It was adopted by the GWR from 1st January 1922 and closed March 3rd, 1956.

The horse-drawn tramway consisted of short wagons that could be pulled in quite a tight turn. The line enters this image at the far right, from the gateway seen above, swings around a hairpin bend (kindly marked by the sheep) and doubles back towards the camera at the left, from where it goes through the first gate above up to Iron Mine Lane and on to Princetown via the west side of the Down.

The steam railway could not turn a tight bend like this and was built running into this image at the bottom left and on into the distance towards the reservoir where it ran around the flank of the Down above the dam to Burrator & Sheepstor Halt and then on to Princetown, travelling up the east side of the Down.

Cattle Creep

These “creeps” (simply small tunnels) were installed at intervals along the railway to enable livestock to cross underneath the railway which would have been fenced along its route to keep livestock from entering the tracks.

Bronze Age Hut Circle

Bench with a view

“One of the boundary stones which marked the sett has in fact survived, the existence of which had been overlooked by previous Dartmoor explorers and writers until I discovered it some years ago. A rough-hewn short pillar standing against the eastern enclosure wall 20 yards north of the wall corner, in exactly the position in which the last stone on the northern boundary was indicated on the 1836 map (see above)”

– Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press, Grid Square 5489 6833

Crossing Keeper’s Cottage

Link to OS map showing the keeper’s cottage, from 1892-1914

Lowery Cross “Godcake”

This grass triangle is no burial place - it is a triangular piece of land that was left so that a horse and cart could negotiate a fork in the road where three lanes meet; or maybe it built up from these cart and wagon turnings over the centuries: this is called a godcake.

The so-called “Coventry Godcakes” take their name from these triangle shapes and are not particular to any one county or city as they are found everywhere.

This walk was reached from the B3212 road from Dousland to Princetown by turning right at the first road encountered after leaving Dousland. This is a crossroads where the left turn goes downhill to Welltown. Parking is at the yellow cross and the P symbol indicated on the map

Vitifer and Golden Dagger Mines

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:20:03 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words tasters.skylights.physical

Map

Introduction

This walk starts near the famous Warren House Inn and descends into the Redwater valley, home to many ancient tin workings and four distinct tin mines which were combined in 1845. This was a major industrial centre in the 18th and 19th centuries employing hundreds of people, and many ruins and reminders remain. The main route is firm and easy going, with a gentle hill on the final climb back to the car park.

Note: The track along the valley, although firm underfoot, is often very wet all year round. Sensible footwear recommended.

Do feel free to explore the area and leave our track - there are many points of interest, some of which we’ve marked on the map and all are worth exploring.

The Four Aces

From the parking, on a clear day, you can see three rock walled enclosures across the valley. Together with a fourth (see map, central), these are known as the “Four Aces” or “The Devil’s Playing Cards”.

Legend tells… Jan Reynolds was a tin miner from Widecombe who was more interested in drinking and gambling than in going to church on a Sunday. Finding himself short of money he made a deal with the Devil: in return for money to fund his gambling the Devil could have his soul if he was found asleep in church.

Jan soon forgot the pact and one Sunday he fell asleep while playing cards in church. There was a sound of horses’ hooves outside, and a flash of lightning so fierce that it tore off the top of the church tower, then the Devil strode into the church and snatched up the terrified miner, carrying him up into the sky and across the moor. Jan had four aces in his hand and he dropped them in what is now known as the Aces Field.

One can quite clearly see a diamond shape, but it taxes the imagination to see the shape of a Heart, a Club and a Spade in these fields.

The reality of these enclosures is that they were either to keep rabbits in or rabbits out. The farm just over the hill to the Easy is Headland Warren Farm, which was known to breed rabbits which formed a large part of the miner’s diet. I’m unclear whether the rabbits were kept in these enclosures, or they were built for growing crops which needed protecting.

Take the path Eastwards into the valley for about half a mile

Vitifer Mine

Also known as Vityfer

Many of the paths in this area are formed of growan - decomposed granite - which makes for good walking.

This area contains the remains of four distinct mines:

Vitifer (Prev: Vytifer) Mine
Birch Tor Mine
Easy Birch Tor Mine (AKA Headland Mine)
Golden Dagger Mine.

Vitifer and Birch Tor were separate mines originally, then combined, then separated, and then combined again. Naming of these two seems interchangeable, with both workings being known by both names.

The chimney was between the blacksmith’s shop and the miners’ dry - and the wall of the carpenter’s shop at extreme left, with Challacombe Down behind.

The flue here runs underneath and heated what was the “Miner’s dry” - a place where miners would hang their clothes, soaked from working underground in dripping and partially flooded adits and stopes.

A fireplace or boiler would have been placed at the far end of the flue, and the smoke run through it to the chimney, which released it high enough not to bother those at ground level.

The turbine house does not appear in the 1904 OS map, so was likely built after that.

These mines were powered mostly by water, by the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mine Leat which travelled for 7 miles.

Large waterwheels were used here for pumping out water, raising ore from shafts and driving the crushing stamps.

Smaller waterwheels were used for other work, such as driving the “sweeps” that swept the crushed ore on the buddles at the lower edge of the workings.

Golden Dagger Mine

This mine was named after a bronze dagger was found here from the early men who lived here four thousand years ago.

The dagger was taken to Plymouth Museum, and rumoured to have been destroyed during World War 2 bombing of that building.

A replica dagger is owned by DNPA and can sometimes be seen at their information centres and displays.

This area was mined for Tin from at least the fifteenth century via surface streaming.

Mines were dug to chase tin further underground from around the 1750s. Given the amount of surface water in this area, one imagines these were very wet mines and hard to keep dewatered.

The underground workings ended in 1914 when many men were drafted for the First World War. Some surface working remained until 1939 when again, the needs of war took labour away from the moors.

Dinah’s House

This building was so named because Dinah Hext and her children lived here in 1860s and 1870s, having moved a short way up the valley from Challacombe.

“CEH 1832” in cement on lower side, southern end of the house. It was also apparently once a dormitory (Called a “barracks”) and meeting place for miners.

Engine House

Center: Petter Engine (The Lister-Petter company is still in business today)
Gas Engine (Extreme Right)
Gas producing plant (center distant)
A Magnetic Separator was left of the camera
A winter turbine generator was right of the camera
A summer generator was beyond the Petter Engine

Buddle

A buddle is a simple structure to separate material out by its density.

Fine sediment is introduced at the centre point by trough or pipe in suspension with water. As it flows towards the outer edge, heavier material is deposited first.

Some buddles are assisted by rotary brushes.

Once sufficient sediment has built up, it is shovelled out with the “headings” containing the more valuable minerals in the centre, and the less valuable or waste known as “tailings” towards the edge.

This one is known to have been fed by a slurry onto the cone by a small leat arrangement and swept by a waterwheel-driven “wood and rags sweeps”

This is the far point of our walk - we must return along the same track and view the workings from a different angle

Parking

There is hard parking at the given coordinates which lead directly into our walk.

References

Dartefacts
Dartmoor Trust Archive
Heritage Gateway - Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines - Golden Dagger Mine

Old Maps

Some of the old maps showing the layout of these mines in busier times.

Haytor Rocks and Quarries

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 09:50:47 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words keeps.plug.ambitions

Map

Introduction

A walk including some hills through Haytor and historic quarries from previous centuries. Points of interest include abandoned machinery, the Haytor Granite Tramway (The Templer Way), an abandoned partially-carved apple crusher and ruined buildings including a ‘beehive’ quarryman’s hut.

We start from the Upper Haytor car park, marked on the map as the lower P and white/green cross. Walk upwards towards the imposing Haytor

Haytor

Haytor The name is a cartographer’s corruption of the local name of High Tor, pronounced in the Dartmoor dialect as “Hey Tor”.

These are granite intrusions that are seen from a long way off, even from The English Channel, and are hence, the “high tor”.

With rock piles separated by an area of grass, it is also called an “avenue tor”. Other Avenue Tors are Bellever Tor, Hound Tor, Great Staple (or, originally, Steeple) Tor, Rippon Tor, and Pew Tor.

Rock climbers and abseilers use Haytor often.

On special occasions, a bonfire is sometimes set on the exposed flat rocks of Low Man by the local community in agreement with the local Authority and Landowner. These celebration fires, which have likely occurred for millennia, can be seen for a huge distance.

On the very top of Low Man is a hole drilled by the Victorians to hold a flagpole.

The Victorians also carved steps into Haytor and erected a wrought-iron handrail to help them climb the rock with more ease. The steps, somewhat weathered, still exist, but only stubs of the ironwork remain. Stairs and a similar handrail still exist at Blackingstone Rock.

The adventurous may wish to climb Haytor. You will find the steps up the shallower grade, with a small leap across to the main rock.

This is not an easy climb and advised only for the fit and agile with suitable footwear, and to be avoided by all in icy or windy weather for obvious reasons.

For our walk, we turn right in front of Haytor and head Northeast for about 500m

Haytor Quarry

At the fence, follow it down to the right until you come into a small gate where you may enter the quarry.

This crane would have been used to lift blocks of rough-cut granite out of the quarry below, and also on and off wheeled trams for transport down the Haytor Granite Tramway for loading onto barges at Stover, and then by boat to Teignmouth for transport internationally.

Notably, granite from this quarry was used in many fine London buildings including Nelson’s Column and London Bridge.

DNPA infosheet on Granite Quarry and the Haytor Granite Tramway - including sketch of how this crane would once looked

The Templer Family

These quarries were started in 1813 by a George Templer (1781-1843), who also build the Haytor Granite Tramway.

George’s father, James Templer II (1748-1813) built Stover Canal nearby, which was originally used to transport Ball Clay from the Bovey Basin to factories worldwide, including those used for Wedgewood Porcelain. The Stover canal was later also used for the export of stone from here.

George’s grandfather, James Templer (1722-1782) built Stover House

Unfortunately, George overspent and he was forced to sell the family estate; Stover House, Stover Canal and the Haytor Granite Tramway. These were bought by Edward St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset - “Lord Seymour” (1775-1855)

At that time, Haytor quarries were leased by the Johnson Brothers in 1840, who closed them within a few years. It is known they were having problems with “the Union” and it seems likely this was linked. The brothers also leased Foggintor quarries and sold stone from there under the Haytor Granite Company name, which was misleading to customers as the Haytor granite was known to be of better quality.

Seven years later, the Haytor lease was up for renewal and the Duke refused to extend it, but the quarry never re-opened.

The crane was still functional in 1946 and a photograph taken in 1964 shows it still standing.

Heritage Gateway page MDV43350 - Machinery at Haytor Quarries

The lilies, and the goldfish and occasional koi you may see, were introduced well after the closing of the quarries.

Swimming is not advised!

As well as hidden hazards underwater, there are a great many leeches in these ponds! If you study the water edges you may see them wriggling.

In 1986, as part of a Youth Training Scheme (YTS), I was part of a group of youths who carried water barrels, rope and pallets up to these quarries. We were tasked, as part of a confidence-building course run by Torbay Council, to build a raft and cross this pit. These rings came in very useful in securing our pulling ropes – Simon

Quarry Waste tips

We walk through the gate and meander down to the right below the heaps

The flat top is where iron rails once rested to run the trucks out from the quarry to tip waste rock.

This functional design is found worldwide wherever quarries and mines needs spoil disposing of. A much larger example can be found at Foggintor Quarry.

Haytor Granite Tramway

The gauge of the track is 4 foot 3 inches (1295mm) with the rails being shaped granite blocks.

Note that because there were no flanges, the inner part of the rails is of differing heights and hasn’t been as carefully worked - because it only existed to steer the wheels back onto the lower, flatter, part.

This Haytor Tramway wagon is kept at the DNPA Head Office at Parke, Bovey Tracey.

The wagons were connected together in ’trains’ of 12 or so, drawn by a team of 18 or 19 horses in single file.

The horses were placed behind the train going down when they provided much needed braking, and in front of the train when pulling the empty wagons back to the quarries.

"Nineteen stout horses it was known,
From Holwell Quarry drew the stone,
And mounted on twelve-wheeled car
'Twas safely brought from Holwell Tor"
-- Thomas Taverner

At junctions the wheels were guided by ‘point tongues’, pivoted on the granite-block rails.

This could be described as an early form of a railway “switchplate”. Authorities differ on whether the point tongues were oak or iron.

This is Holwell Junction on the tramway, looking back the way we’ve come.

The left branch leads to Haytor Quarry whilst straight ahead leads to Holwell Quarry, Rubble Heap Quarry, Harrow Barrow Quarry and Haytor West Quarry.

We’ll return here shortly, but for now, continue downhill for a hundred meters.

A set of “going nowhere” points at SX 75795 77772. Some of these branches are not shown on the old 1886 map (surveyed in 1885).

It can only be assumed these were cut for a future line or quarry that was never constructed, for they clearly hold no purpose.

For now, turn around and return to Holwell Junction, and carry straight on to the West.

Rubble Heap Junction

Rubble Heap Junction: straight on leads to Rubble Heap Quarry, Harrow Barrow and West Quarries. Right turns down to Holwell Quarry.

Bear right here to Holwell Quarry.

Note: If you’d like a shorter walk, you can continue ahead and skip the Holwell Quarry visit

Holwell Quarry

This carving was the base for an apple mill used for cider making.

One can imagine the frustration of the carver when it broke. It’s not known whether it broke in the carving, or was damaged in transport.

There are five separate quarries on Haytor Down: Haytor (Main) Quarry, Holwell Quarry, Rubble Heap Quarry, Harrow Barrow (Emsworthy East Quarry) and Western Quarry (Emsworthy West Quarry).

“Emsworthy” names are sometimes used because of the proximity of Emsworthy (Hemsworthy) Rocks, between Haytor and Saddle Tor.

Beehive

This can be found a short way below the tramway near to its end.

The hut is known locally as “The Beehive” due to its conical shape, and was possibly used as an explosives store, or a shelter during blasting.

We now return back up the track to Rubble Heap Junction and turn right

Continuing along the tramway to the Southwest for around 300 meters until you find;

Rubble Heap Quarry

From here, we return to the quarry entrance and walk towards Haytor across open moorland

To finish the walk, descend down to the Higher car park where we started

Parking

This walk starts from the upper Haytor car park, which is Pay and Display. Through the summer, free on-moor parking is provided between lower and upper Haytor Car parks, or you could start from the Saddle Tor car park to the West, although this gets very full at peak times

The Lower Car park has toilets and an information centre

References

Legendary Dartmoor - Haytor Quarries

The Merrivale Bronze Age Sun Calendar and Foggintor School

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 2 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words masks.calibrate.burden

Map

Introduction

This walk is mostly on open moorland avoiding steep hills. There is a huge amount of unique history here that cannot fail to make one pause and wonder. Stone rows, stone circles, carved granite and a school for the children of the quarryworkers at nearby Foggintor.

Parking

Park at the coordinates above, which is also SX 560 748. An isolated spot surrounded by trees on the B3357 road between the Dartmoor Inn, at Merrivale, and the turnoff to Princetown on the road to Two Bridges. This is marked by the yellow cross and the the P symbol on the map.

Leave the car park due west, running parallel to the road.

Apple Crusher

The round object in the left foreground is often described as an abandoned runner, that is, the running wheel, that would be turned on an axle pulled by a horse with the stone running in a circular trough crushing apples for making cider: i.e. an abandoned apple crusher.

However, that is not accurate…

In 1905, the Western Morning News and other papers published a story about this stone, claiming it was a buried quoit or dolmen with a worked capstone.

We can be fairly sure that this report was inaccurate thanks to William Crossing, who wrote in Dartmoor’s Early History & Medieval remains, Chap 12

eventually a man was found before any scientific paper was written who pronounced: “Twadn’t no old man cut thacky stone,” he said, “I cut’n.” This is an abandoned top-stone to a crazing mill, an old way of grinding tin ore before it was smelted.

Merrivale Quarry

In the distance we can see Merrivale Quarry.

William Duke opened this as “Tor Quarry” in 1876, its operations absorbing the old sett-making craft previously carried out under the Staple Tors.

As well as cutting setts, Granite from this quarry was also used for Gravestones, agricultural rollers and the like. It also provided the facing for the New Scotland Yard building in London.

The quarry closed in 1997, spending its final years dressing imported stone from Norway.

The name “Merrivale” for this part of Walkhampton Common is said to derive from “mara val” in old Cornish, meaning “plague market”. This is thought to have been corrupted from “tin market”, although “potato market” has also been suggested.

In times of the Black Death (1348-1353: when 50 million people died in Europe (Not to be confused with the Great Plague of London, 1665-1666), farmers left food here for Tavistock people who left coins as payment soaking in vinegar to clean them of the badness.

“Mar val” has also been interpreted as Mirey Vale.

Heritage Gateway article for this hut circle

Both stone rows are double - that is consisting of two rows of stones about a meter apart. This row has the ruins of a cairn, ring cairn or cairn circle associated with this end. (The ring of stones)

The double nature of the row is seen well here. The first, larger, stone in the row casts its shadow quite symmetrically onto the blocking stone at mid-winter solstice.

Long Ash Leat is seen at the very bottom of the photograph and Roos Tor, SX 543 766, elevation 454 metres (1489 feet) on the skyline. Shillapark Farm is in the middle distance.

“Cist” comes from “Kistvaen - a stone coffin, from the Celtic cist, a chest, and maen, stone, ‘v’ being used as a mutation of ’m’.” . Source: Crossing’s Guide to Dartmoor, 2nd edition 1912, reprinted 1990, page 22)

“The cist … appears to have been intact until 1870, when the huge cover slab was split across the centre to make a pair of gateposts ‘by the occupants of the neighbouring public house’, according to Baring-Gould, and another was cut from the western side slab.” Source: Jeremy Butler, 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 3 - The South-West, 8. Merrivale ceremonial centre (Figs. 44.1-44.10), page 30

Menhir

Celtic (maen = stone + hir = long i.e. ’longstone’). The function of this stone has been suggested in Dartmoor Sun as a midwinter sunset marker when viewed from a leaning stone at SX 55461 74683.

Long Ash Pits

Early, possibly medieval or even earlier, tin workings where tinners collected alluvial deposits along stream beds.

The eroded tin ore could form quite pure tin gravel in such areas, having been washed down from the surrounding granite.

The early tinners “leated” water to a trench at the lower end of the ground, called a ’tye’ and water was used to wash away the lighter ‘gangue’ gravels.

This method left banks of waste behind. The area is surrounded by a scarp that shows the original level of the land and the depth of the deposits.

Tin streaming was often followed by open cast mining to go deeper, into big cuttings called “gerts”, but this is not seen here.

It was presumably this water source that was diverted and used for washing away the lighter sediments so as to leave the heavier tin-bearing gravels and sands for smelting. This would have been among the earliest tin-extraction methods.

This photograph also shows the scarp surrounding this area that suggests how much the early tinners changed the look of the landscape.

Packhorse Trail

In the photograph above, a portion of the pillar has been enhanced to show the “A” more clearly, facing towards Ashburton.

In the Middle Ages,this trading route was very important, especially for wool and cloth or yarn, going via Sheepstor - which was famed for its sheep and wool.

The track was superseded by the turnpike road in 1792.

Strangers to the moor often had to tackle this high lonely route, this section over the Princetown area was the highest part and the most exposed. Princetown, or Thomas Tyrwhitt’s “Prince’s Town”, did not exist in those days.

Guide posts were erected along the way and what we see today are possibly the more ‘modern’ (1669) improved series, which were sponsored by Plymouth Corporation at the princely sum of £2.

Clapper Bridge

This picture features a “pinch” stile that was to keep sheep out of the old school grounds, but allowing access to a path over the small clapper bridge crossing the Long Ash Leat.

This leat was built in the 1880s to take water Long Ash.

Four Winds School

Four Winds was the site of Foggintor School, built 1914, opened April 1915 with 55 children from the nearby cottages associated with Foggintor and other quarries.

Mr & Mrs Stoyle were the teachers, it was a spacious building with a wood block floor and central heating - the pipes were used for warming their pasties.

There were periods of closure due to snow and whooping cough. The garden had bees, poultry, a goat and rabbits.

Besides the school building there was also School House, for the teachers. One section of the enclosure was the playing field.

The school was run throughout its history by Fred Stoyle, the youngest head-teacher in the country.

Their son, Ivan, planted the Christmas tree from 1924 in the school garden and this is the tree that stands there today - over a hundred years later.

After the school closed in 1936, the teachers’ house was renamed “Four Winds”. The school buildings were demolished in 1964 and the private house in 1965.

Stone from the buildings was used in the road modifications at Devil’s Elbow near Princetown. From this, we know that the tree is in the old garden and the other enclosure used to be the play area.

Foggintor Mission School

Before Foggintor School was built, there was another school opposite the entrance to the track to Yellowmead. This was in the Foggintor Mission Hall, built in 1887. It served also as a school from Aug. 1896, opening with 41 pupils.

It had 95 pupils in 1903 and closed in Sep. 1912. The building was demolished in 1965. The numbers of young children give some idea of the population in the area, associated mainly with the busy quarries.

References

These sources were used when researching this walk:

Jack Walker, 2005, Dartmoor Sun, Halsgrove Discover Series, Halsgrove Publishing, Tiverton, Devon.
Dartmoor Magazine, 63 (2001), 67 & 69 (2002) and 71 (2003)
SunCalc.org - a simple but powerful solar calculator superimposed on Google Satellite view
Jeremy Butler, 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 3 - The South-West, 8. Merrivale ceremonial centre (figs. 44.7.to 44.7.10), pages 23-32
Eric Hemery (1983), High Dartmoor, Robert Hale, London, pages 1046-1049
Eric Hemery (1986), Walking Dartmoor’s Ancient Tracks - A guide to 28 routes, Robert Hale, London, 10: Tavistock-Ashburton Packhorse Track, pages 109-122.
Mike Brown’s Guide to Dartmoor, (2001), CD-ROM, Dartrmoor Press.
Mary Stanbrook (1991), Old Dartmoor Schools Remembered, Quay Publications (Brixham), Walkhampton Foggintor, pages 103-110.
Kath Brewer (1997), The Railways, Quarries and Cottages of Foggintor, Orchard Publications, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, p. 88.
Legendary Dartmoor website - specifically Merrivale Complex
DNPA Factsheet - Prehistoric Archaeology
DNPA Factsheet - The History of Dartmoor
DNPA Factsheet - Farming on Dartmoor
DNPA Factsheet - Climate and Weather
Heritage Gateway

Princetown, Conchie Road, Crock of Gold

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words walkway.spruced.megawatt

Map

Introduction

An interesting walk through part of the historic town of Princetown, then along a decent footpath past Devonport Leat and Bachelor’s Hall in an area of mining. Then we walk along the Conchies Road and learn about this piece of World War One history before visiting an ancient burial cist.

There are a few short optional diversions to visit other cists along the way.

Princetown

Prince’s Town was built by Thomas Tyrwhitt (1762-1833) and named in honour of the Prince of Wales, to whom he was Private Secretary. Thomas also built roads across Dartmoor and many other features. He was one of the Georgian Improvers who wanted to turn the “wastes” of Dartmoor into a thriving place to live and work.

Tyrwhitt was MP for Okehampton (1796-1802), Portarlington (1802-1806) and Plymouth (1806-1812). He built Dartmoor Prison in 1809 for French prisoners taken in the Napoleonic wars and it was also used for Americans taken in the 1812 war. He also built the Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway, which was originally a horse-dawn tramway that was later converted by the Great Western Railway to steam.

2024: The Duchy Hotel has been rented from the Duchy of Cornwall by Dartmoor National Park Authority since 1991 for a fixed rent of £100 as an information centre. In November this year it was announced that despite informing almost 50,000 visitors this year, it is to close in May 2025 due to a shortfall in funding. Reference - ITV

Drinking Fountain

Dartmoor Prison

Jonathan Stones tells me that he was told by ‘Sonny’ Williams (an old farm hand) that he helped one Val Forder (sometime tenant of Sunnyside when a Duchy Farm) to transport the said gate from its original working position at Dousland. It’s second life here was as a ‘cattle crush’.

Aerial Ropeway

The ropeway bringing timber from from Brimpts Plantation, powered by an engine at Moorlands Farm, ended nearby but I am told nothing visible remains. Many will remember old photographs in the Plume of Feathers in James Langton’s time showing the ropeway in action.

The ropeway was essentially an overhead cable supported by large wooden pylons that allowed relatively easy transport of wood from Brimpts, some four miles distant. Imagine something similar to a modern a ski lift, with logs suspended instead of skiiers.

Devonport Leat

Bachelors Hall

Forest of Dartmoor 1840 Tithe Map showing a mine at bottom left in Plot 119 marked “Mine”, close to Bachelors Hall.

There is another structure in Plot 116, this being an un-named plot owned (also) by George Nicholson Esquire and leased to William Mitchell, as this appears to have a wheelpit and a stream as a water supply it can inferred that this is the smelting house (see following).

There are two lines drawn across the mine area. The left one (through “119”, coloured blue) was the original Bachelors Mine Leat that became the prison foul (an open sewer) and extended away from the mine. The thinner line (through the “9” of “119”) was its replacement, Blackabrook Leat.

Heritage Gateway page on Bachelors Hall Tin Mine

Looking at our map below, we’ve marked some points of interest here relating to the mine:

A series of small tin pits, possibly contemporary with the early open-cast working of the area.
Three shafts: Footway, Engine and Ann’s shafts, running NNE-SSW along the main tin lode. All 3 are now collapsed and capped.
A whim, attached to Engine shaft about 11m in diameter within a bank 3.5m wide, 0.6m high with entrance in the WSW.
Shallow adit, one of 3 adits known to have been associated with the mine.
Two dressing floors with associated earthen platforms for buddles.
Two wheel pits associated with stamps and dressing floors.
The main wheelpit.
A pump-rod gulley from the main waterwheel up to Engine shaft.
The prison, or foul leat. Initially called the Bachelor’s Hall Leat and only extending as far as the mine was once the only source of water. After being taken over for use by the prison, mainly for sewage disposal, it was extended south and discontinued from mine use. It is now defunct.
Blackbrook leat - its construction probably necessitated by the original leat being used for the prison. This is also defunct.
Small reservoirs associated with the treatment areas of the mine.
Areas of ridge and furrow cultivation, possibly contemporary with the mine.
The Devonport, or Dock, Leat skirting the east side of the mine.

Heritage Gateway page on bachelors Hall

The building is generally accepted as the site of the corn mill and bakery (permission dated 1798 but built post-1809), later converted to a Naphtha Works; the ruin downstream is thought to be a smelting works.

Both documentary and map sources indicate the existence of other buildings at Bachelors Hall. Thomas Tyrwhitt built a late 18th century house here and a few years later he was granted a lease to build a corn mill; this suggests two separate buildings.

The tithe map and census returns both imply the existence of a farm at Bachelors Hall which if proved would have co-existed with mill cottages for the short duration of the Naphtha Works.

A second 19th century Duchy map shows Bachelors Hall as an L-shape building slightly larger than it is today.

A building depicted downstream is allegedly the smelting works, and two structures higher up the hillside to the west annotated `Brewery’.

The 1839 Tithe Map depicts a building here of L-shape with other buildings and the farm outbuildings more or less as they are today.

Detour below Bachelors Hall

It’s a short and interesting diversion to continue down through the Hall on the marked footpath, then return back up. A few pictures of this follow.

The track is the left section of the photograph. The building appears on the tithe map image at the top edge.

It may be that this is the original house built by Tyrwhitt in the late 1700s and the modern buildings are where there were cottages for mill, bakery or mine workers.

When you’re ready, end the Detour by returning to the track

Smelting House

Heritage Gateway Page for this Smelting House

A tin smelting house was in operation at ‘Bachelors Hall’ near Princetown from 1798-1807. It was erected by T Gray in 1795.

Smelting is the process in which ingots of metal are won from the crushed ore by the process of heating until the metal is liquid - in this case Tin. The furnace is heated by whatever fuel is available - probably wood or charcoal here.

In the late 1790’s, John Swete described the smelting house as ‘on the banks of a small stream which emptied into Blackabrook’ having stamping mills.

Duchy of Cornwall records date from 1798-1804 that indicate 223 ingots were smelted in that period weighing 27.43 tonnes with a further 1.07 tonnes listed for 1807.

In sale particulars of 1828, the smelting house had been converted to a brewery.

The site of the brewery is shown on the sale plan as being beside the west bank of the stream where agricultural buildings now stand. The photograph above shows the presumed wheelpit for the stamping mill and combines blowing house.

Using these figures: 27.43 tonnes (metric) = 60,346 lbs (UK) = 270 lbs/ingot = 2.4 cwt. That is 121 kg or two small adults. Poor pack ponies.

Modern history of forestry on Dartmoor

The building of nearby Tor Royal by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt at Prince’s Town was completed in 1798 and through the first decade of the 1800’s there were experimental plantings of coniferous shelterbelts to protect it.

The Duchy of Cornwall established a plantation at Brimpts in 1862. Forestry grew after WW1 in an effort to replace the country’s greatly depleted timber stock.

By 1930, plantations had been established at Fernworthy, Bellever, Brimpts, Bear Down, Soussons and Frenchbeer (Chagford) and in 1930 these areas were sold to the Forestry Commission (founded in 1919).

By 1938, the eastern slopes of Bellever Tor and Lakehead Hill were planted and the western slopes between 1940-1943. Source: The New Forests of Dartmoor (1964), London HMSO, Forestry Commission booklet No. 10, pages 6-10.

The tree of choice for planting on Dartmoor is the Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis, chosen for its high productivity compared to e.g. Douglas fir, Norway spruce, European larch and other fast-growing conifers. (text from the walk on 25 February 2018).

Bull Park Farm

Bull Park farm was built by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt for a cattle-herdsman some time before 1833. Its enclosures were used to segregate bulls from cows and calves when not required for breeding.

The last tenant farmer quit on Christmas Day, 1957, and the property then became a holiday cottage.

It is now a private home and the owners told me that the old shed was the bull shed and still has rings in the wall for tying the bulls.

The Conchie Road

This starts the “Conchie Road”.

During the First World War, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 41 were required to fight for their country. (Except for clergy, teachers and certain classes of industrial worker)

Parliament article about the Conscription Law

Of those men, any who refused to fight for moral or other rules were labelled “Conscientious objectors”, or Conchies. They were not a well liked group of men, seen as cowards and abused and taunted by men and women alike.

As they would not fight or contribute to the war effort, they were treated as prisoners. Some were housed in Dartmoor Prison and as punishment for their “cowardice”, they were given hard labour.

One particularly pointless form of this work was to build this road. It goes nowhere and serves no purpose.

The work will have been hard and brutal. Stones taken both locally and from the Dartmoor Prison Quarry would have been hit repeatedly by sledgehammers until they were small enough to be packed into a solid base to form the road, again by packing with hammers or heavy tamps, and heavy man-powered rollers.

As you can see, there is little protection from the wind and driving wind up here. In winter especially, this would have been a truly miserable task.

Suggested detour

If you’re enjoying the walk, you may like to extend it by a mile or so by walking cross-moor North to Blakey Tor and back.

This is marked on the map as a dotted red line and takes in a pretty, rarely visited tor and another two ancient burial cists.

Dartmoor contains an unusually high occurrence of cists, or burial cairns. These are stone tombs dating back to the Bronze age, some four thousand years ago. We know of several hundred of these, and more are still being found, having been buried by the peat

End the suggested detour by returning to the Conchie Road as per the map

Crock of Gold

There’s no definite record of why this cist was so called. People have speculated that a crock (jar) of gold was found here, perhaps buried with the body that was once here.

Or perhaps it was just wistful thinking, that grave robbers might find rich pickings? There are other Dartmoor similarly named - the Money Pit on Yar Tor is one such.

Parking

Directions are provided for the main Princetown car park. This is pay and display, but off-peak you may find nearby on-road parking for free. Please do be considerate for the residents.

Nearby

The Dartmoor Prison Museum is well worth a visit.
The Fox Tor Cafe has excellent food
The Old Police Station cafe also does good food, particularly fish and chips.

Buckland Beacon, Ten Commandments Stone

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 2 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words robes.dusts.mass

Map

Introduction

The Ten Commandments stone is a piece of natural granite that has been cut and shaped and engraved to show the ten commandments, plus an eleventh!

This walk starts with a gentle uphill route along some nice granite walling with some good views to the North to the Tor where the stone is to be found. The return route takes in some relatively unknown Welstor Common Rifle Range, dating back to 1861 and pre-dates the much larger training range to the East.

Leave the car park across the road to the Southwest

Boundary Stones

EPB stands for Edmund Pollexfen Bastard, Lord of the Manor of Buckland in the Moor.

He is also mentioned on the cross at Buckland Manor and several other nearby stones. These were erected to mark the boundary of Buckland Manor in 1837, a year before his death.

A = Ashburton, B = Buckland. Also has EPB roughly carved on one side.

The old (left in this picture) and new boundary stones, marked A, B and EPB as above.

The Welstor Newtake wall behind was built in 1771 to enclose open moorland for grazing. We keep it on our left all the way to Buckland Beacon.

Historically, on Dartmoor, “newtakes” were enclosures of common land for agricultural purposes, and also to exclude others from grazing it. This practice often led to conflict between commoners who held rights over the land, and the landowners who erected these walls.

Devil’s Hoofprint

This interesting little copse looks like it may have been planted to shelter a house at some time, but no such remains are known. In any regard, it is a nice place to rest on a summer’s day.

Sheep creep

The Ten Commandments Stones

Reaching Buckland Beacon, we pass by on its left side and find the commandment stones laying open like the pages of a book.

The stones were commissioned by William Whitely of Wellstor, Lord of Buckland Manor, in 1928, in celebration of the rejection by Parliament of a proposed new Book of Common Prayer that was deemed “too popish” by many.

There are two dates on the stones: 15th Dec 1927 and 14 June 1928, that are the dates on which the revised book was rejected.

When it was realised that there would be room to spare, the third verse of the hymn “Oh God our help in ages past” was added to the second stone.

There are 1,547 letters on the two stones and, due to weathering, the stones have needed to be recut several times, sometimes highlighted in black paint to aid legibility. This recutting is known to have happened in 1995, 2009, 2017 and most recently in 2020 as part of the “Moor than Meets the Eye” project.

Lefthand inscription

I AM
Ex. 3 14
THE LORD THY GOD
I
THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER
GODS BUT ME
II
THOU SHALT NOT MAKE TO THYSELF
ANY GRAVEN IMAGES NOR THE
LIKENESS OF ANYTHING THAT IS IN
IN HEAVEN ABOVE OR IN THE EARTH
BELOW OR IN THE WATER UNDER THE
EARTH. THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN TO
THEM NOR WORSHIP THEM FOR I THE LORD
THY GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD AND VISIT
THE SINS OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN
UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION
OF THEM THAT HATE ME AND SHEW MERCY UNTO
THOUSANDS IN THEM THAT LOVE ME AND KEEP
MY COMMANDMENTS
III
THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY
GOD IN VAIN FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD HIM
GUILTY AS THAT TAKETH HIS NAME IN VAIN
IV
REMEMBER THAT THOU KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY
SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR AND DO ALL THAT THOU
HAST TO DO BUT THE SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH OF
THE LORD THY GOD IN IT THOU SHALT DO NO MANNER
OF WORK THOU AND THY SON AND SERVANT THY CATTLE
AND THE STRANGER THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES FOR IN
SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH THE SEA
AND ALL THAT IN THEM AND RESTED THE SEVENTH DAY
WHEREFORE THE LORD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY
AND HALLOWED IT

DECEMBER 15TH 1927 JUNE 14TH 1928

JOB 33 v 14
BUT THERE’S A POWER WHICH MAN CAN WIELD
WHEN MORTAL AID IS VAIN
THAT EYE THAT ARM THAT LOVE TO REACH
THAT LISTENING EAR TO GAIN
THAT POWER IS PRAYER

Righthand inscription

V
HONOUR THY FATHER
AND THY MOTHER THAT
THY DAYS MAY BE LONG
IN THE LAND WHICH
THE LORD THY GOD
GIVETH THEE
VI
THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER
VII
THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY
VIII
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL
IX
THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE
WITNESS AGAINST THY
NEIGHBOUR
X
THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY
NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE THOU
SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S
WIFE NOR HIS SERVANT NOR HIS
MAID NOR HIS OX NOR HIS ASS

DEUTERONOMY 4 vv 2 6 8

A NEW COMMANDMENT
I
GIVE UNTO YOU
THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER
JOHN 13 v 34

BEFORE THE HILLS IN ORDER STOOD
OR EARTH RECEIVED HER FRAME
FROM EVERLASTING THOU ART GOD
TO ENDLESS YEARS THE SAME

The Jubilee Stone

Jubilee Stone inscription

1282 FT
BUCKLAND BEACON
A BEACON FIRE ONE OF A CHAIN
WAS LIT HERE BY THE PARISHIONERS
OF BUCKLAND-IN-THE-MOOR
IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR
MAJESTIES SILVER JUBILEE
MAY 6TH 1935
AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHOUTED
AND SAID GOD SAVE THE KING

Views from the beacon

The Grey Mare

This stone has been known as the “Grey Mare” for at least 150 years and mentioned by William Crossing, but may even have been known by that name as far back as 1593 – Crossing’s Guide to Dartmoor. Also Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor

Welstor

Welstor Common Rifle Range

The building above is shown in the 1886 OS map at the top right corner, titled, “Targets”.

The rest of the range is shown down the lower-right edge of this 1886 OS map which clearly defines the 200, 300, 600 and 800 yard firing positions that would have fired upon this target. Note: These firing positions are not at all obvious and they were originally probably little more than low earth banks for the men to lie down to aim from.

One supposes that wooden or canvas targets were raised above it, with the stone structure providing shelter for the range operators.

Devon & Dartmoor Heritage “Rifle Range on Welstor Common” includes: “A rifle range was established on Welstor Common in 1861 for use by the Ashburton Rifle Volunteers and represents the earliest recorded military training within the Rippon Tor PAL (Premier Archaeological Landscape). It continued in use until at least 1886 when depicted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map, but by the time of the Second Edition (1905) it was absent, although William Crossing refers to it in his 1912 Guide to Dartmoor.”

There is a World War 2 Rifle range nearby on Halshanger Common. (It is the massive brick structure you may already have seen on this walk a mile or so to the East)

Heritage Gateway page for this quarry

Welstor Common rifle range page states: The target storehouse/shelter with its massive stone wall facing the firing lines. This rifle range was created in 1861 for the use of the Ashburton Rifle Volunteers. It was in use until about 1900, the 1905 OS map does not record it. There is very little evidence on the ground with the exception of this structure which was near the west end of the stop butt. There is a partially collapsed corrugated iron roof inside. the small quarry to the southwest appears to post date the rifle range.

Ashburton Golf Course

From 1910 to the mid 1920s, this was the home of the Ashburton Golf Course - although no sign of it remains.

“On Wednesday 16th February 1910 Mr J T Barker presided at a meeting in the Market Hall to discuss and consider the proposed golf club for Ashburton. The chairman stated that a committee had already been appointed to try and find a suitable location for the course and as a result a large portion of land on Welstor Common had been obtained. It had been generously offered by Mr Parnell Tucker at a nominal rent, he was also willing to erect a clubhouse which could also be rented. The area had been inspected by several experts and a professional all of them were strongly in favour of the location.”

Note that the hanger is wedged in with iron feathers, showing it predates the more modern epoxy method of fixing which has been more generally used since the 1980s

Parking is usually to be had at Cold East Cross - marked with a yellow cross on the map.

Map of Walks

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Powder Mills

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Gentle
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words aside.explained.package

Map

We’ve used numbers in the photographs which correspond to the map to help with identification

Higher Cherry Brook Bridge

The Hairy Hands

This road is famously recorded as having a pair of ghostly hands that take control of the steering wheel or handlebar or cars or motorbikes, forcing them off the road.

More information about The Hairy Hands Legend
- The Hairy Hands - Legendary Dartmoor Article
- The Hairy Hands - a British Film Institution film from 1965 by David Mudd
- Note from Simon: My mother once drove this road alone at night in the 1980s and swears she saw a coffin lying in her path. She swerved and avoided it, but didn’t dare return to investigate. I know of no other reports of coffins on this road but the incident was very close to the ancient Lich Way of which she wasn’t aware at the time.

About the Lich Way

Dartmoor’s Lich Way is a 17 mile path across Dartmoor from beyond Bellever through to Lydford.
We join it on our way to the Powdermills for only a short distance, but it’s a very interesting piece of Ancient Dartmoor history.
Prior to 1260, residents of the farms and villages in this area of Dartmoor belonged to the Parish of Lydford. This meant that as well as travelling off the moor to attend services, they were expected to bury their dead in the consecrated ground of Lydford, then a major and powerful town. Coffins were carried by ox or pony cart, strapped directly onto pack ponies, or carried by men.
The route bears many memories of its purpose. There is a Coffin Wood, and many suitable large flat rocks along the route are identified as “Coffin Stones” where the heavy burden was laid so the carriers could rest.
Lich or Lych? Both methods of spelling are in wide usage, both on Dartmoor and elsewhere. The word is thought to be derived from the German “leich” or Dutch “lijk” for “Corpse”, so perhaps Lich is the more correct.
For more information about the Lich way, please see the excellent article on Legendary Dartmoor

Arch Tor

Arch Tor: The top stone is a large logan stone, with rock basins and an inscription that reads “PC” that has been suggested to refer to Powdermills Cottages. We’ll take a closer look on the walk back.

About Gunpowder

Gunpowder is a mixture of three components of varying proportions depending on intended use.

More info - Wikipedia

However, the production of gunpowder is complicated and is unsurprisingly dangerous.

The Powdermills site is also complicated. Everything (except for the water) entered the site at the Southern entrance. Various stages in production occurred going up through the site to the three incorporation mills at the north end and then coming back down through the site until final storage in a main magazine ready for shipment to buyers.

Gunpowder, black powder or rock powder (local name) used for quarrying and mine blasting, is still used in fireworks.

The composition is 75% saltpetre, 15% charcoal and 10% sulphur (aka brimstone or burning stone).

Dynamite, more powerful, was patented in May 1867 by Alfred Nobel. Its success as a superior explosive led to eventual closure of the mills in 1897.

The ingredients, saltpetre (mostly from India), sulphur (mostly from the Vesuvius and Stromboli regions of Italy) and the charcoal (made from local wood, especially alder or alder buckthorn), were ground separately in a grinding mill house. These were then blended in the required proportions in large barrels tumbled by waterwheels. This incorporated them into a single compound using a combination of mixing, crushing and churning. This was a hazardous process that was governed by strict regulations and regular inspections. Only wooden and copper tools were allowed , so as to prevent sparks causing explosions. The men had to wear leather aprons and sof-soled shoes, no hobnail boots. There is a story that one man, Silas Sleep, who took his breakfast and dinner to eat at work, always ate them both together, in case he was ‘blowed up’ and sent to meet his maker before lunch time.

“Incorporation” was the first stage of production, in one of the three incorporation mills (“wheelhouses”) at the top of the site, it resulted in a form of “cake”. It was probably at this stage that the powders were dampened with water to reduce “dust” and prevent accidental explosions. This also helped the very soluble salpetre to mix into the porous charcoal. The resulting damp paste or “mill cake” was shaped into “corns”.

This was “ripe charge” that could be stored for a short period. It was then pressed down in e.g. a 2-ft square box to “press cake” about an inch thick. Originally this was a hand-powered process, like a cider press, but later a water wheel was used to drive the presses.

The next stage was “corning” when slabs of cake were broken up with wooden mallets into a granular form. Later, water-powered machines were used. This involved rollers and then sieving through different sized meshes. The powder was then tumbled in rotating barrels or cylinders. These were covered with gauze to collect any small dust-sized particles. This was another water-wheel powered process.

The next stage was “glazing”, where the grains were tumbled again, with graphite or black lead to give each grain of powder a waterproof coating. This made the powder suitabe for use in damp mines and quarrying.

The last stage was “drying”, sometimes in the open air. Usually, this was done in heated “Gloom stoves”. These were heated by an iron furnace with the powder laid on trays stacked around it. Later, steam stoves were used to heat pipes near the trays. The process used a flue to take away any sparks and fumes to a chimney - and this is seen at the south, bottom end of the site.

The final product was packed in large oak barrels that were covered with leather to prevent spillage and from stray sparks entering.

The gunpowder quality was tested periodically using the proving mortar that lies beside the road going into the Powdermills site. The strength was determined by firing a 68 lb iron ball over a distance that was then measured.

Besides the actual gunpowder makers or millers, the Powdermills employed coopers, blacksmiths, carpenters, wagoneers, carters, wheelwrights, stable staff and labourers.

The Powdermills History

George Frean, a Plymouth Alderman, founded the Plymouth & Dartmoor Gunpowder Company and opened Powdermills in 1844; it closed in 1897. It had employed about 100 men.

George Frean later teamed up with James Peek, one of three brothers importing tea - wanted a biscuit business for “tea and biscuits” - wrote to George Frean, “miller and ships biscuit maker”, who had married a niece of theirs, to manage Peak Freans

The whole complex was powered by water which was brought in by three leats. Initially, one leat came from the east bank of the Cherry Brook to a rectangular reservoir north of the three isolated incorporating mills. The water then returned to the Cherry Brook. The second leat came from the west side of the Cherry Brook to a circular reservoir behind the buildings. Water was taken for four years without Duchy permission. Permission was quickly granted because the Prince Consort, Prince Albert, had encouraged the venture. Later, water was also leated from the East Dart River to the north end reservoir. The water was then leated to water wheels used for grinding and powering other machinery.

The leat through the site is described in the book Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor as now being dry and “two points at which it crosses the Cherry Brook, which flows between the buildings, can be seen. At one of these points, after feeding half the wheelhouses, the leat passes under the Cherry Brook through a wooden launder, which is still in place, in hard and excellent condition in spite of its years of saturation. Further downstream the leat’s channel back under the brook is of stone, big enough for a man to enter. The water had to be conveyed some way before being allowed to discharge, in order to prevent pollution of the Cherry Brook”.

Waterwheels were used in the three massively-built incorporating mills (1,2,3 on the map), glazing mill (4), pressing house (5) and two in the incorporating/composition mill and cartridge pressing house/corning/dusting house and glazing mill complex (6,7), and the final preparation rooms (8), making eight altogether. There is also a ninth, disused wheelpit at the final preparation rooms with later lean-tos in it.

Separate from the powder works to the south, along the road in, is the row of 19th century buildings that included cottages, a manager’s house, school, cooperage and a small Methodist chapel. Today, there is a pottery, offices and farm buildings. South of the cottages beside the road is the proving mortar and nearby is a wheel-binding stone, used for fixing hot iron rims to cart and wagon wheels.

Link to Heritage Gateway for one of the many Monuments on this site - see “Associated Monuments”

The Powdermills Site

The site - starting below at South Chimney after entering at the top of the site.

There can be confusion identifying buildings when referring to the 2019 book and the 1990 survey listed above. The book starts at the south end of the site (page 98) with “Building 1” and the archaeogical survey starts from the north. The survey numbers are in (brackets).

There is no known map saying what each building was used for, so there is conjecture based on the gunpowder-making processes and the requirements for them to be carried out.

Around the South Chimney

If ready-made charcoal was brought in, then the South Chimney could have been for processing saltpetre, dissolving it and recrystallising it to make it more pure.

Three phases of development and extension have been identified and it is likely that the function of the buildings changed over time. A flue and chimney indicate heat was involved. The flue to the chimney is about 1 metre deep and 1 metre wide. Its eastern portion is now open and rubble-filled, but the western portion is still capped. It enters the base of the chimney which is set on a plinth. The chimney is about 10.5 metres high.

South Chimney with the 17 (18) Saltpetre / Charcoal Works behind. Across the track is the 2 (17) Cartridge Press House / Watch House / Store and up the slope behind that is the 1 (16) Watch House / Checking House. At the left edge are the roofs of the Powdermills Cottages, Pottery / Cafe, and offices.

Leaving the chimney

Immediately ahead is 3 (15) a Mixing House / Store behind the gate and tree, and to the right is 4 (14), a double structure that had two water wheels. The left section is believed to be a Cartridge Press House / Preparation Room and the right section is believed to be the Corning / Dusting House and Glazing Mill.

Possibly a saltpetre crystallising house.

Long rectangular single-storey building located at the southern end of the site and aligned north to south.. Two, possibly three, phases have been identified. Water was culverted through the building under the floor. Its north wall was probably the dwarf wall which now subdivides it from the extension to the north. Dwarf walls in one interior consist of one long spine wall and two side walls. Another dwarf wall runs east to west across the structure from the northernmost door to the east wall. These appear to form a raised floor with water, air or heat circulating beneath. A small, square, stone-lined feature to the west of the south-west corner may be a well, or possibly a pit in which staves were soaked. The building is described in the book as the Watch House, where materials in and out of the site were monitored. It might also have been used as a store.

Hidden behind is 3 (15) Mixing House / Store and to the right is 4 (14), a double structure that had two water wheels. The left section is believed to be a Cartridge Press House / Preparation Room and the right section is believed to be the Corning / Dusting House and Glazing Mill.

Small, rectangular, single-storey shed, in line with the track over the brook to the South Chimney. Aligned north to south. South gable end mostly survives. The west wall stands to full height; the east wall survives only as footings. No doors or windows are present in the three standing walls. There is plaster rendering on the interior. Small stone-lined channel runs east to west down the outside of, and parallel to, the south wall.

Incorporating/composition mill (south), possible cartridge press house (south of N building) and possible corning/dusting house/glazing mill. Consists of two pairs of structures on either side of two wheelpits. The tailrace of the southern wheepit discharges back to the Cherrybrook. The wheel between the southern mill was powered by a continuation of the leat powering buildings to the north. The wheelpit tailrace discharged via a channel into Cherry Brook. The culvert has an arched roof of granite blocks overlain by slabs.

Long, rectangular gable-ended(?) building aligned north-south with an east-west wheelpit to the south. The wall of the wheelpit is visible only in the west. The position of the sluice is identifiable. The tailrace is not visible. This where a waterwheel powered a press to squeeze moisture out of the gunpowder.

Small building, aligned north to south just south of the glazing mill (below). There is a large rectangular stone table, 20-25 centimetres thick, on a masonry base.The table top is smooth. On this, the slabs of pressed gunpowder were broken down.

Long rectangular building, aligned north / south. The structure contains supports for a raised floor, or to support machinery such as glazing barrels. The internal supports may alternatively have been to provide under-floor ventilation. There is a wheelpit at the south end of the building. This where “broken” pieces of gunpowder from the Breaking House were sieved and large pieces were returned to the Breaking House and fine powder was returned to the Press House.

There is a Circular Reservoir on the hill above between this building and the preceding building.

Possibly where “corns” i.e. sieved gunpowder was stored. This facing the track coming down the hill from the three incorporation mills - note the fingerboard signpost.

It is probable that these buildings were used for dusting, glazing, sieving and packing the gunpowder prior to carting it it off-site. Horses may have been stabled here as well as barrels and other materials being stored here. There are two mills powered by a waterwheel.

‘Gloom’ or steam stone used for drying gunpowder. A portion of the west wall of “Unit D” (in the survey) remains, in the centre of which is a flue leading to the chimney 5-6 metres to the south-west. Two wheel cogs lie at the east end of the building, but may not be in situ.

Similar in plan to ‘Buildings 1 and 2’, consisting of two units flanking a central wheelpit. The wheelpit is largely filled with rubble. The wheel was powered by water from the tailrace of the wheelpit of ‘Building 2’. The three incorporating mill houses (“wheelhouses”) were of massive construction with many granite blocks being 6-feet long and the was about 6-feet thick, to withstand inadvertent explosions. The roofs were very flimsy, of wood and tar, to blow off without damaging the main structure. They could be replaced easily.

Tar drips indicate that either it was not gable ended, or the gable ends were constructed of timber of lesser width than the walls below. Water outflow continues west in the form of a leat, towards ‘Building 3’.

Background: 5 (1) Incorporating Mill: Consists of a pair of gable-ended structures flanking a large central wheelpit. Both of massive granite blocks with walls about 2 metres thick at their bases.

Tar dribbles indicate original roofing was of tarred tarpaulin or wood. This was probably to allow any accidental explosion to go upwards and leave the walls standing, a technique still used by artisinal powder makers in India and China today.

The wheelpit is aligned north-east to south-west and runs the whole width of the units. Wheel axle appears to have projected into their ground floors. Powered by a launder to the north-east which flowed out through a culvert to the south-west. This is roofed for 3.5 - 4 metres, then becomes an open channel which runs downhill to feed the reservoir belonging to ‘Building 2’.

The raised bank at the left brought the leat that fed a launder to the waterwheel.

Arch Tor

An “extra” to the walk: exit the site via the gate at the top right corner, past the Incorporation Mills, and walk out straight to Arch Tor. The whole top stone “logs” i.e. rocks, as a logan stone.

Extra bits

This proving mortar is just off the road, on the left, on the last bend when driving in approaching the Pottery, cafe and mill cottages.

It fired a (probably) 68 lb ball to test the powder. The distance travelled by the ball was a measure of the strength of the powder and undoubtedly a good sales tactic for potential buyers.

This walk was reached from a small roadside layby marked by the yellow cross below the “Lich Way Plaque” label on the map. Normally, for a group, it would be reached from the main car park in Postbridge or the car park in the forest just across the road from it. There is also a car park at Higher Cherry Brook Bridge, marked with the P symbol and yellow cross on the map

Please note that there is no parking available at the Powdermills Pottery and shop except when visiting them

Helpful Tips

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A few brief notes about walking on Dartmoor

Nearly everybody who walks on Dartmoor has an enjoyable and safe time of it, bar the odd wet foot. Although once Dartmoor was home to Bears, Wolf, Hyena and even Mammoth, there are no longer any dangerous mammals to hunt you.

The biggest risks to you as a Dartmoor walker are disorientation and exposure. Also, at 365 square miles, Dartmoor is relatively small and few areas are more than 2 or 3 hours walking from the road. That said, people do get in trouble on Dartmoor and need rescuing. It is prudent to take some care before setting off.

Your phone is unlikely to have signal for much of Dartmoor. Don’t rely upon it solely, but it can be a good tool.

3 questions to ask yourself

Am I confident I have the knowledge and skills for the day?
Do I know what the weather will be like?
Do I have the right gear?

From Ordnance Survey mountain guide

Apps for walking

Don’t rely on your phone having signal when on Dartmoor, most of the area has weak or no signal for data or voice.

That said, mapping apps are very useful, but ensure they can use offline maps and that you’ve downloaded the right area.

I use Organic Maps - Free, allows download of maps for offline use, can record your track and uses the excellent OpenStreetmaps mapsets.

Google Maps is pretty useless for walking - it has poor or no coverage of footpaths or bridle paths. Whilst there can be some value to Satellite images when planning, these don’t give useful information to ground conditions or terrain.

Purpose built handheld GPSrs like the Garmin Oregon or Montana ranges are rugged, weatherproof and if loaded with good maps and batteries, a very useful and reliable tool.

If you do get lost!

Don’t panic! If you feel yourself starting to get worked up, spend three minutes focusing on nothing but calm breathing. Then use your brain and reason things out: Can you figure out roughly where you are? Can you backtrack? Can you hear a road? See any landmarks?

If you need to contact Mountain Rescue, then call 999 when you have signal.

If communication isn’t available, then try to find a river and follow it downhill. All rivers on Dartmoor take fairly direct routes off the moor and you will reach a road or buildings sooner or later.

Have fun!

Walking in nature is fantastic for both your physical and mental health. No two walks are ever the same and on a place like Dartmoor where there is such a rich depth of natural and industrial history, there is so much to see and learn about.

Ee puts wun fut in frunt of t’other, an on ee goes – How to walk on Dartmoor

Venford Reservoir, Holne Moor

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words ferrets.sonic.inner

Map

Introduction

Venford Reservoir has all-year parking. There are public toilets adjacent. The approach was from the A38/Ashburton turn-off, passing the River Dart Country Park, crossing the Holne Bridge over the River Dart, through Holne and on to the Venford Reservoir, parking at the park over the dam. The roads to this car park are quite good with parking and toilets at the P symbol and yellow cross on the map.

The Woodland Path

Sharp Tor View

Bench Tor

Return to the Dam

Richard Dawson stone

Cox Tor Circular

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words pipes.disco.defers

Map

Introduction

This walk was reached by finding the Pork Hill car park on the road between Tavistock and Two Bridges, marked by the P symbol and yellow cross on the map. This is a large car park on the south side of the road.

The following bound stones are part of the group of eight stones along an ancient reeve, described by Dave Brewer (2002) Dartmoor Boundary Markers, Halsgrove, pp. 195-196. Seven are RB stones along the Peter Tavy / Whitchurch boundary and there is another, not on the boundary. The most westerly one, no. 1, is no longer to be found. The “R” probably refers to the Radcliffes of Warleigh, former owners of seven farms in the area.

RB Stone

Gate Hanger Stone

Cox Tor Trig

PW Stone

Yes Tor, via Row Tor

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 5 miles
Grade: Strenuous
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words searching.pleasing.sleeping

Map

Warning This walk enters the Okehampton Military Training area. Before embarking, do check the Dartmoor Firing times The road access to the area will be manned and blocked at these times by the camp.

Additionally, you should not approach or touch and strange or metallic objects on this walk. It is common to spot such things, including live munitions and rounds, that have been left behind by the live firing training.

If you do encounter such an item, take a positional reading and report it to the Training Safety Officer (tel: 01837 657210), Okehampton Camp or the Police who will investigate and dispose of the item safely.

Introduction

This walk takes you onto the Okehampton Military Training area and passes the anti-tank weapon firing points, Command Post, Target Butts, an OS Trig point and Red-a-Ven Brook and visit the second highest point on Dartmoor, Yes Tor at 610meters, or 2,000 feet. (High Willhays, only a short distance further, holds the title at 619m, 2031 ft)

East Mill tor

Tank Firing Positions

Okehampton Military Range was established in 1876.

Three types of target built in 1901 - static, moving and disappearing. The camp became the HQ for the Army School of Gunnery in the summer months and thereby the county’s most important practise camp

Route Suggestion If you’re interested in military history, a short detour to the railway a few hundred meters ahead is well worthwhile.

Railway Target Shed

Telephone Box

This part of Dartmoor has many such containers from various dates. They were (and some still are) used for field communications with the various permanent Observation Posts.

West Mill Tor

Yes Tor

Route Suggestion If you haven’t visited Dartmoor’s highest point yet and have some energy left, continuing on to High Willhays pictured about for an additional 850 meters will give you that distinction.

This walk was accessed by driving from Tavistock into Okehampton, turning right at the traffic lights, following the road up the hill and over the A38 dual carriageway. Passing the military camp on the right and driving up onto the moor to a large parking area on the right, marked by the yellow cross.

About

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Contact

Webmaster: Simon Avery

About this Website

The hope is that this site will provide a clear and informative way to inspire people to enjoy Dartmoor by providing self-guided walking information and suggested routes.

Dartmoor faces significant threats to its future. I believe that by encouraging people to use, enjoy and understand Dartmoor and its history, they will not only become richer themselves, but also form the same love for the moor as I have. We have recently seen attempts to remove legal rights, protections and funding from Dartmoor and by helping people to care about it, I think more of us are likely to object when we see Dartmoor under threat. The freedom to use Dartmoor for recreation is a legal right for everyone must be protected. – Simon

Background

Many of the walks on this site were originally researched and led by Liz Miall as part of her Moor Strollers walking group. They, alone with walks of his own, were photographed and recorded by Keith Ryan at DartmoorCam

Sadly, Keith became unable to continue maintaining his site due to ill health and passed it to Simon Avery to preserve it. As well as keeping the original DartmoorCam online, Simon has shared many of those walks here and added his own experience and knowledge of Dartmoor to create an entirely new and more accessible website.

People

Keith Ryan

Creator of DartmoorCam

Keith was born in Cornwall and spent his working life as a Marine Biologist based at Plymouth Hoe. He loved Dartmoor, started walking it in 1969 and created the DartmoorCam website in 2004 to record his walks. In 2008 he joined the Moor Strolls walking group led by Liz Miall and continued to diligently record these walks using GPS and photography.

Keith would later lead his own walks over the moor, following the format of the Moor Strolls group he’d been a member of for 9 years, researching both geographical and human history along the way. He recorded well over 600 walks on Dartmoorcam, all with many photographs, footnotes and information. As well as DartmoorCam, Keith also wrote several other sites which have been preserved. Please see the links section.

Keith passed away at St Luke’s Hospice in May, 2023.

Simon Avery

Creator and maintainer of this website and co-author or author of the walks therein

Simon lives on Dartmoor and has worked on and with many people associated with it since the 1980s. As countless others do, he loves Dartmoor, its nature and rich history. Simon worked for two years in the late 1980s as part of Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Works Department out of Station Yard, Bovey Tracey. In 2018, he also served on the Community Stakeholder’s group for the Moor than Meets the Eye project, using National Lottery money to improve Dartmoor. Additionally, he spent over twenty years working for the Mare & Foal Sanctuary, working with Dartmoor Hill Ponies, Habitats, Organisations and Owners.

Website Roadmap

DartmoorCam is a wonderful website with a huge wealth of data and Keith was rightly proud of it. Unfortunately, that size has made it somewhat difficult to navigate and use and feedback suggests it can be overwhelming to use. The site consists of over 6,000 html files and more than 50,000 image files, and with some parts of the code dating back to 2002, it has also proved difficult to manage.

The hope with this site was to make some of that information more accessible and appealing to more people. It is not intended to replace DartmoorCam, only to share the information more widely.

It is hoped that in time, this site may grow to include other people’s favourite walks too.

More walks from DartmoorCam are gradually being added to this site, and where possible, extended from personal and researched knowledge.

It is hoped that Keith would have approved.

Legacy

People give a huge amount of their time and knowledge to create websites for the benefit of other people. As custodian of Keith’s websites as well as others, I would like to make not just these websites free use, but also provide the source code to them in somewhere permanent and known so that if I am no longer able to maintain and pay for them, they will continue to exist in some form. So many useful websites have already been lost in the short time the internet has been in use, that permanent archiving is very much something I would like to provide. This is a key reason that the code for this website is published on Github and should remain available forever.

Copyright and Media Enquiries

Before his death, Keith transferred all Copyrights and ownership to text and images used on these Websites to Simon Avery. It is on that assertion that this website has been created from Keith’s original content. Where other ownership applies, credit is given.

Any enquiries, or requests to re-use words or images used on this or the following sites should be made to Simon Avery

Ordnance Survey Maps are Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey, reproduced under Licence number 100047373
OpenStreetMap and Leaflet Copyrights

Software used in this site

This site is made entirely from FOSS Software

Hugo for static site generation
Stack for the Hugo theme used, heavily modified
Linux (Specifically Debian) for development
VSCode for page editing
OpenStreetMap and Leaflet for the Map of Walks, together with custom Perl to generate the Popups at build time

And also

Cloudflare Pages for site hosting

The Source code to this Website is mirrored to Github

Github - Dartmoorwalking.org

This website does not track your online activity nor use cookies for advertising or commercial purposes.
We do not collect, store, sell, trade nor pass your information to anyone in any way.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the website owners.

How we use cookies

We use cookies to:

Anonymous user site preferences stored in your browser. (Eg, to remember if you want the site in Light or Dark mode)
Cloudflare Web Analytics runs to measure website performance. It does not track individuals.

No cookies used on this website require opt-in to satisfy GDPR requirements so a user prompt is not required.

How to manage cookies

You can control and/or delete cookies from your browser as you wish. Please see your browser’s documentation.

Norsworthy Bridge, Devonport Leat

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 3 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words diner.nanny.headlines

Map

Introduction

A short and interesting walk with many historic points of interest.

Starting at the Norsworthy Bridge car part, we climb established tracks taking in many points of interest along the way. These include old tinner’s stones, several artificial caves, a longhouse, a ruined tin mill, the Devonport leat, wheel pits and an abandoned tare and feathers still wedged in the rock.

Norsworthy Bridge

Ruined blowing house

Devonport Leat

Cross Gate Cairn & Cist

Wikipedia Article about Dartmoor Treacle Mining

This adit is found down the slope below Leathertor Farm. Look down the slope for the biggest tree stump near the river and the next stump downriver i.e. to rhe right. The mine entrance is hidden in the slope, between the two stumps.

The Fougou (Cave)

Note the granite slabs forming the roof, making this a man-made cave (for tools) rather than the more usual potato cave. Potato caves are normally dug into growan (“rotted” granite). In this photograph, there is water in the fougou. The dimensions are 11-feet deep, 3-feet wide, 4-feet high, with the entrance being just 2-feet high (Hemery, High Dartmoor, p.124). There is a traditional potato cave just 50 metres away on the track below Leathertor Farm.

Heritage Gateway Article for this fougou

Leathertor Farm

Leathertor Farm is first recorded in Bailiff’s Accounts for the Manor of Dartmoor in 1362, regarding the renting of land at Leddertorre. Later, in 1511, more detailed reports were made. The last tenant was William Lillicrap who abandoned the farm in 1924. Some occupants were also tinners.

Source: Paul Rendell (2007) Exploring Around Burrator, The Dartmoor Company, Okehampton, pages 20 and 55. The more modern buildings, above the track to the leat, were once West Leathertor

Heritage Gateway Article for this farm

Rain Gauge

This gauge dates from before 1892 and is shown on the OS 1892-1914 and 1906 Ordnance Survey maps

Rain Gauge entry on Waymarking.com

One authority has described this feature as “two granite plinths which may once have been the supports for a cider press”: Source: Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, Grid Square 5667 6982.

I am inclined to disagree and suggest this is the base for a large, mounted sharpening stone, the bottom of which could run through water in the trough, making it a wet stone (not to be confused with whet, an old word that means to “sharpen”).

I have provided the horse-power for a similar stone - but with an iron strap frame and without the trough, when my father wanted to sharpen his axe - around 1956-1964!

Potato Cave

Heritage Gateway Article for this cave

Leathertor Bridge

Walkhampton Parish Council decided on 20th June 1833 to build a bridge over Riddipit Stream (nowadays, the River Meavy) at this spot (this is the site of the Riddipit Steps stepping stones crossing place).

At the next meeting the following month (25th July) it was resolved to accept a tender from George Worth and Wm. Mashford for £26.10s. This is a little more elaborate than most clapper bridges in that it has parapets.

Source: Eric Hemery, High Dartmoor, page 126. Apparently, this was the last clapper bridge to be built on Dartmoor (Johnies Meanderings, 20th August 2012).

Riddipit Farm

Hemery (p.127) notes alternative names are Ritthy Pit, Riddy Pit, Reedapit (1611), possibly to do with rushes, rishes or reeds. There were two houses here, shown on the 1840 tithe map - the remains of one longhouse are seen at the right edge of this photograph and the second one is seen across the clearing, down by the track. There are other ruined buildings, possibly barns, animal sheds or labourers’ dwellings.

Riddipit Stream rises above the site and crosses the track in a granite conduit.

Crossing’s Guide, p.100: Riddy Pit, there are stones with hollows in them (i.e. mortar stones), now in the paving of the track, a little beyond this view up the track. Close by, is an old wall, in the nearby hedge is a stone with a cavity on each side. Another curious stone with a round top and a piece of iron leaded into it is probably the upper stone of a crushing mill: this was never found by Hemery.

First recorded 1564, abandoned by 1871 when the enclosures were incorporated into Leather Tor Farm.

Source: Paul Rendell (2007) Exploring Around Burrator, The Dartmoor Company, pages 31 and 57

Heritage Gateway Article for Riddipit Farm

Heritage Gateway Article for this Southern Farmbuilding

Heritage Gateway Article for this Northern Farmbuilding

Described as a blowing house, but with no trace of a leat, launder bank or wheel pit, three necessary signs for a blowing house or tin mill, therefore probably a cart shed for the farm (Hemery p.128).

However, the field behind this hedge is called “Mill Park” in the tithe apportionments (Plot 930).

Also, the remains an old mortar stone is to be found here under the leaves and debris - but mortar stones are found widespread in the area.

Heritage Gateway Article for this Stamping Mill

Mortar Stone

Big Potato Cave

RN Worth (1967) Worth’s Dartmoor, David & Charles, page 417, describes it as a potato cave (always dug into growan) but Eric Hemery (1983) High Dartmoor, Robert Hale, London, page 129, argues that it shows signs of corbelling (as used in beehive huts, never seen in potato caves) and is in fact a cache (or vooga / fougou) for miners’ tools from the Keaglesborough (Kekelles Burrowghe) Tin Mine.

Heritage Gateway Article for this potato cave

Keaglesborough Mine

The earliest reference to tinworking on this site is in a deed from 1538, where it is called Kekylsburgh. There is also a mention in a Walkhampton Manor court roll dated 1565 of Kekellas Burrowghe Mill. There are other references in deeds etc.

Keaglesburrowe Sett, “Keagles Burro also Lambards Park” (1748-65) and again (1811-20), another mention in 1820 uses “Lambers Parks Alies Kegales Borough” (= alias) and later Keagles Burrow Mine. Source: Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press, Grid Square 573 701.

Tin mining started with men following alluvial deposits up streams and rivers and then digging into veins/lodes with pits and openworks (gerts or beams) into the hills. An Openwork in the nearby Newleycombe valley (Kingsett Gert) was first mentioned in 1505 (then, a long time in dispute), with a later date of 1639 (i.e. more than 140 years working). Ref. Phil Newman (1998), The Dartmoor Tin Industry - A Field Guide, Chercombe Press, Newton Abbot, p.8.

Early tin workings, while being a large industry in medieval times, finally ceased production by 1750 (Newman, Ibid, p.55).

In the late 1700s and 1800s, workings started going underground - with drainage effected by adits, horizontal tunnels driven into hillsides to let water run out of the workings e.g. Keaglesborough and Eylesborough.

There are two “dressing floors” on this site, these being areas where mined rock is treated to concentrate the tin by crushing (under iron “stamps” falling againt mortar stones) to separate the tin-bearing rock from other rock of no value. The end of the leat that powered the waterwheel is probably the raised grassy area seen towards the top right in the photograph …..

This wheel was operating in 1801; length of wheelpit - 6.2 metres (20 feet) with a double-sided dressing floor, rectangular buddles. Source: Newman, Landscape, p.53 (see below for full reference).

Heritage Gateway MDV35575 - Keaglesborough Mine

Tinning was important on Dartmoor from about 1150 and throughout the Middle Ages. Stannary records show that in the busiest period, 1515-1538, the “average” output of white tin metal presented annually for coinage was about 500,000 lbs i.e. 223 tons. Thus, over this 24 years, this would have been 5,357 tons. If a mould stone produced ingots that weighed about 1 cwt then this means 107,143 ingots were produced. It is believed that not all tin was presented for coinage and taxation.

Source: Interpretation of data in: Tom Greeves (2017),The World of the Dartmoor Tinner: An Historical Context 12th to 20th Century. In: Phil Newman (Ed), The Tinworking Landscape of Dartmoor in a European Context, 1-14. Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group

Tare and Feathers Stone

Hound Tor, Bowerman's Nose, Kitty Jay's Grave

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words hugs.intervene.hammocks

Map

A four mile walk of mostly level terrain including the famous Kitty Jay’s Grave, Bowerman’s Nose, Swallerton Gate, a Logan Stone, Ladder Stile and many more

The tor is on Houndtor Down which, while it is unenclosed and freely open to the public, is owned by three families and is not common land. But then, all land on Dartmoor is owned by someone, whether it is Common Land or not. Hound Tor is clearly an “avenue tor”, where the central portion has been eroded to leave a central avenue running between the remaining piles - other examples are Bellever Tor, Haytor, Rippon Tor and Pew Tor. In fact, there are several avenues through Hound Tor.

The road through Swallerton Gate leads to Swine Down and, further on, to Kitty Jay’s grave. An old gate post can be seen on the left (see next photograph). Beyond, there is a cottage on the left, Swallerton Gate, formerly the Hound Tor Inn until 1840 and thought before that to have been the Green Dragon Inn. It was recorded as Swine Down Cottage in the 1851 Census (Source: Mike Brown, 7389 7915 and 737 796).

It is well-situated on the road between Ashburton and Chagford - two busy market towns. It would also have been used by the inhabitants of Widecombe and Ilsington on their way to market. There is an old cross in the garden wall of the cottage. Source: Dave Brewer (2002), Dartmoor Boundary Markers, Halsgrove, p. 115.

There are records that Thor Heyerdahl wrote at least part of The Kon-Tiki Expedition in the cottage.

This cross was going to be used in the hardcore for the floor of the extension but an intervention pointed out that is was a medieval cross head. The intervention came from a passing Harry Starkey, a well-known Dartmoor guide to whom there is a memorial locally on the back of the replaced Duke Stone on the Ilsington Manor boundary at SX 74605 77305, close to Becka Brook.

This could be the cross formerly known as Swine Path Cross, at what is now known as Swallerton Gate, that is mentioned in a description of the boundary between Chagford and Ashburton Stannaries that dates from the last meeting of a Stannary Court in 1786 at Crockern Tor, using a “Presentiments of the Bounds of the several Stannary Courts of Devon” dated 1613 (Brewer, pp.269-273).

Addendum: FH (Harry) Starkey (1987) Dartmoor’s Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks, Revised Edition, pages 155-156, records that the cross was found in a nearby hedge in 1939 and was described by EN Masson Phillips in Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Vol. LX11 (1940) page 267.

Kitty Jay

It is said that the local parishes of Manaton, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and North Bovey all refused to bury poor Kitty’s body in consecrated ground because she had committed suicide. In those times this was considered to be self-murder and therefore a mortal sin.

It is also said that burial at crossroads was chosen possibly as a warning to others and also to confuse the spirit or ghost of the departed so that they might not easily find their way back to where they had lived and be of nuisance to the living.

The Burial of Suicide Act 1823 did away with the requirement for crossroads burials.

Addendum: Devon & Dartmoor Historic Environment Record - MDV7489 Jay’s Grave - one report in this record (by Beeson M, 2018) mentions Ann Jay, Kay, Betty Kay, an 1882 poem referring to Kay’s Grave, and Betsy Kay. An eyewitness to the exhumation put her death to around 1780-1790.

Who was Kitty Jay?

Her name has been recorded as Ann Jay (1851), Kay (an old woman, 1876), Betty Kay (1881), Kitty Jay (Crossing, Guide to Dartmoor, p.295, 1912), “J” (1914), Mary Jay (1934). She has also been recorded as “Jane” as in Jane’s Grave.

The report by William Crossing says that on 25th January 1851, Mr. James Bryant of Hedge Barton had the grave opened after it was found by workers tidying the area. Bones were found that were confirmed by a visiting doctor to be those of a young woman. They were reburied in a wooden box and the stones were placed to form the grave as it is seen today.

Reprinting a Widecombe History Group item that was told by Beatrice Chase in the Western Morning News on 3rd March 1934:

A Workhouse apprentice hired out by the parish to Barracott Farm, Manaton. Hanged herself in a barn at Ford Farm. A parish register that recorded Apprentices 1804-1840 contained the name of Mary Jay among them, as well as the names of witnesses, overseer and assenting magistrate.

The father of Mr Robert Nosworthy, born at Ford “exactly one hundred years ago” (written in 1934, therefore born 1834), always spoke of her as Mary Jay, as did his great aunt, a generation back. Original OS maps had it labelled as Jay’s Grave but Mr John Kitson of Heatree had it changed to Jane’s Grave. His family agreed it should be reverted to Jay’s Grave (1937-1961 1:25k Series). OS 25-inch 1885/1886. The adjacent single sheet map has Swallerton Gate marked as Swinedown Gate.

Crippon Rock

Feldspar crystals indicate that the rock cooled slowly after it was formed. this example is probably plagioclase feldspar (ie of a family containing NaAlSi3O8 to CaAl2Si2O8 and usually white. The alternative would be an orthoclase feldspar (ie containing potassium KAlSi3O8 ) but those are usually pinkish in hur. In granite, quartz crystals are usually greyish and translucent. My thanks to John Viant for this information

Logan Stone

Medieval Longhouse ruins

The uphill left corner of the house is marked by the hawthorn tree with the rest of the house being in the right half of the photograph - it was difficult to photograph against the sun. The orientation is as it is in the diagram below: this is described by Jeremy Butler (1991), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Vol. 1 - The East, Map 21 - 5: Blissmoor longhouse (fig. 21.3), page 155

Bowerman’s Nose

The story of Bowerman is that many years ago he lived in the Manaton area and was a keen hunter.

One day his hounds started a hare and he gave chase. He was so keen to catch the hare that he did not notice that the hounds had led him through a coven of witches, knocking over their cauldron. They were so incensed that they decided he must be punished.

The next time he was out hunting, one of the witches transformed herself into a white hare - a highly prized trophy. She led him the merriest chase of his life until he was near exhaustion. Then she led him and his hounds back to this spot where the other witches were waiting.

They turned him into a pillar of granite as punishment, right here, where he must gaze out for all eternity on his favourite hunting lands.

His hounds ran in fear for their lives but the witches turned on them as well, turning them to stone on a nearby hill - which is known today as “Hound Tor”.

Hayne Down Rocks

Moyle’s Gate

Swallerton Rocks

This walk was reached by following the “Widecombe” sign from the A38 just past Ashburton, heading towards Exeter, via Owlacombe Cross, Halshanger Cross, turn right at Cold East Cross, left at Hemsworthy Gate after passing Rippon Tor on the right. Then, right at Harefoot Cross and on to the car park by Hound Tor, signed by the P symbol and yellow cross on the map.

Smeardon Down

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Information

Distance: 4 miles
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words reworked.shells.motivator

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Introduction

A circular walk over open moor, farmland and quiet country lanes taking in several historic sites on West Dartmoor

Boulter’s Tor

Twist Farm

Shown as “Twist” on the OS Map, but also locally known as Twyste farm.

Twist was mentioned in the Domesday Book on 1086, and the owners had Venville rights, allowing them to take what they needed from the moor. Grazing, stone, peat - but not green oak or venison.

The farm was abandoned somewhere in the middle of the 1900s - the kitchen range and abandoned vehicles date from the 30’s onwards.

Twist was put up for sale in 1934 and likely fell into dereliction relatively soon afterwards, perhaps during the second world war which drained many young men from the country.

Note that some pictures come from Simon’s visits in 2017 and 2019

Incomplete venville building

This unassuming pile of stones is perhaps the remains of a “cottage in a day” undertaking - wherein you could live on the land if you could “build and roof a house between the house of sunrise and sunset, and have smoke coming out of its chimney”.

In this case, it’s said that the building was interrupted by local residents who didn’t want it there and failed the challenge.

Clapper Bridge

Devon United Mine and Shaft

The North mine was worked for copper until the 1850’s. The central and South mines were worked for tin and arsenic until 1922.

The South mine site went down to 50 fathoms (300 feet) and produced most of the tin. The central section produced mainly arsenic.

Mindat page for Devon United Mines

Six foot Thomson Turbine

It also drove an air compressor, the remains of which can be seen lying in the tail race below the turbine.

This company still appears to be in operation. Thomson Governors

“When you pass me, don’t forget those days gone by when my brave heart beat to the sound of a thousand men’s voices echoed in water”

River Tavy

Longtimber Tor

More information about St Peter’s Church

This walk was reached by turning off the A386 just north of Tavistock, by a camping signpost, to Harford Bridge (bear left here), to Peter Tavy, driving straight on, passing the church on your left, taking the first road o n the right and climbing to a small quarry car park marked on the map by the yellow cross and the P symbol

The Walks

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