Worth's Dartmoor

WORTH’S DARTMOOR Compiled from the published works of the late R. HANSFORD WORTH M.Inst.C.E., F.G.S. and edited by G. M. SPOONER, M.B.E., M.A. and F. S. RUSSELL, F.R.S. New edition with introduction by G. M. SPOONER, M.B.E., M.A. Third impression DAVID & CHARLES NEWTON ABBOT LONDON NORTH POMFRET (VT) First impression of this edition published 1967 Second impression 1971 Third impression 1981 This book was first published by the executors of the will of the late R. Hansford Worth in 1953 and was reprinted shortly afterwards. This edition has been requested by many Dartmoor lovers. The attention of readers is drawn to the new introduction by Mr. G. M. Spooner. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Worth, Richard Hansford Worth’s Dartmoor. 1. Dartmoor, Eng. I. Spooner, G. M. II. Russell, F. S. 942.3’53 DA670.D2 ISBN 0-7153-5148-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 80-85491 Printed in Great Britain by Whitstable Litho Ltd., Whitstable, Kent for David & Charles (Publishers) Ltd Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon Published in the United States of America by David & Charles Inc North Pomfret Vermont 05053 USA CONTENTS Introduction to the 1967 Edition page vii Editors’ Preface x Editor’s Notes xii Foreword 1 The Physical Geography of Dartmoor 3 The Granite of Dartmoor 47 The Vegetation of Dartmoor 64 The Ancient Dwarfed Oak Woods of Dartmoor 74 The Dartmoor Hut-Circles 99 The Prehistoric Pounds of Dartmoor 133 Dartmoor Barrows and Kistvaens 163 The Stone Rows of Dartmoor 202 The Dartmoor Stone Circles 248 The Dartmoor Menhirs 265 The Stannaries 272 The Dartmoor Blowing-House 289 The Tenants and Commoners of Dartmoor 329 The Moorstone Age 355 On Dartmoor Tracks and Guide-Stones 392 The Dartmoor House 403 On Dartmoor Place-Names 419 Appendices 431 I, The flow of Dartmoor rivers, 431. II, Notes on Granite, 447. Ill, On two stone implements, 450. IV, Stone rows and astronom ical theory, 452. V, Index to Dartmoor localities for barrows, cairns, and kistvaens, 457. VI, Stray notes on the Teign Valley, 468. VII, On Dunnabridge Pound and Crockem Tor, 475. VIII, Dartmoor railroads, 479. IX, Dartmoor and the Services, 485. General References 497 Locality Index 500 Subject Index 515 v I commend Dartmoor to the regard and the protection of all who desire to preserve unspoilt an ancient land, old when the hut dwellers built their homes, now older but unchanged. R. H. W. INTRODUCTION TO THE 1967 EDITION ew could have foreseen, in 1954, that the second impression of this book would be sold out in three years; still less that a need for a further printing would arise. Yet this is what has happened, and for very good reasons. FIt is now easier to appreciate the long-term value of this book amongst the informative literature on Dartmoor, if only because it contains so much basic factual matter. The demand for a reprinting has been impossible to ignore. Warning, however, must be given that various advances in our knowledge of Dartmoor have been made since Hansford Worth was active. More especially, the archaeological picture has been much affected by the modem growth of this branch of study. New excavations with modem methods, and reassess ment of the results of older work, are showing a more complex situation during the prehistoric period than Worth was prepared to admit. Anyone wishing to know more about the human occupation of Dartmoor in its appropriate con text at different periods during the last two millenia b.c. should refer to Aileen Fox’s recent well-illustrated book on the early history of the south-west (South-West England in the Ancient Peoples and Places series, Thames & Hudson, 1964). Excavations apart, discoveries are still being made of hitherto undetected prehistoric structures, to reward observant explorers. The number of huts (p. 99) is now known to be well over 2,000, and at least three types of settlement can be recognized; there are five additional stone-rows (p. 202), one of which, discovered by Commander and Mrs. A. H. Woolner, across Harford and Ugborough Moors, is almost of megalithic dimensions; an overlooked stone circle with a diameter of 124 ft can be added to the top of the list on p. 260. Of medieval and later structures finds can even more readily be made: for example, at least six additional blowing-houses (p. 289) have been detected, and the total number of warrener’s vermin-traps (p. 157) of which remains have been traced now exceeds 50.1 The medieval settlement of Dartmoor is, indeed, attracting growing interest. Herdsman’s quarters datable to the thirteenth century have been excavated by Lady Fox on Dean Moor, and there must be others elsewhere. Mrs. Minter’s exciting work at Hound Tor has disclosed a stone-built hamlet viii INTRODUCTION TO THE 1967 EDITION abandoned about 1,250 a.d., with evidence of earlier wattle dwellings, re novated several times. Current excavations by the Ministry of Works are throwing new light on the history of Lydford as a Saxon burgh. There is still much to be learnt of the early history of Dartmoor farming and other activity in historic times,2 provided the evidence is not obliterated by modem marginal land reclamation projects. As regards the physiography and geology of Dartmoor, much more is now known to specialists that can be gleaned from the Geological Memoir of 1912 and other pre-1960 writings (including Worth’s), but the picture has still to be presented in a coherent form intelligible to the general reader.8 The present revision-work on their maps by the Geological Survey is much to be welcomed. Some of Worth’s ideas presented in the chapter on ‘Physical Geography’ will no doubt need modification: for example, it is possible for structures re sembling tors to form below the ground surface. Thanks primarily to the efforts of Dr. I. G. Simmons,4 some pollen analyses of Dartmoor peat are now available, giving us the first real glimpse of the vegetational history of Dartmoor since the close of the Ice-Age. Readers of the chapter on Wistmans Wood (one of the sites now in the care of the Nature Conservancy) may have difficulty in squaring some of Worth’s observations, and older ones, with what can be seen today. This is because, as has only recently been appreciated, the wood has put on much new growth during this century. It has become more ‘normal’, and at the same time has lost some of its former richness in mosses and fems, and also perhaps some of the impression of weirdness conveyed to visitors in former days. In short, this volume must now be read or consulted in historical perspective. As Worth himself advocated many years ago, Dartmoor is now adminis tered as a National Park, with various areas, sites, or features given at least nominal protection of some degree. There is no doubt Dartmoor’s special appeal and value to the nation in the future will depend much on the manner in which its destructible assets, with which much of this book is concerned, are respected and conserved. In this aim we cannot rely wholly on official measures, though these must increase: the co-operation of the public is vital. To the public, then, this reprint is dedicated. G. M.Spooner 5 September 1966 1 R. M. L. Cook, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Vol. 96, p. 190. 2 See, for example, the studies by Mrs. C. D. Lineham and H. French in recent Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 3 The need is partly met by Dartmoor Essays issued by the Devonshire Association in 1964. 4 Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Vol. 94, p. 555: Vol. 95, p. 180. he publication of this volume fills me with pleasure and grati tude. Pleasure in the fulfilment of my dear husband’s expressed wish that many of his papers and reports concerning Dartmoor Tshould be reprinted and published in book form. Gratitude to those good friends of ours, who have made that publication possible. First I would like to thank Mr. F. S. Russell and Mr. G. M. Spooner, who have been responsible for editing the book, making all the necessary arrangements for publication, and for seeing it through the press. The main burden of editing the text has fallen on Mr. Spooner, who has not only made the selection of matter for publication, but has also himself roamed over much of Dartmoor to check and verify many of the observations, thus ensuring as far as possible that the book should be accurate and up to date. His work is deeply appreciated. My best thanks also are due to Mr. E. N. Masson Phillips for his great help, especially with reference to the geology of Dartmoor; and to Mr. H. E. Turner for so generously providing the facilities of a centre for the collection of subscriptions. There are others, including Mr. H. P. R. Finberg, who have given help. To all I offer my most grateful thanks for their untiring efforts to make this Dartmoor book a success. Annie E. Worth EDITORS’ PREFACE ichard Hansford Worth was bom at Plymouth on 5 November 1868, the son of R. N. Worth, journalist, historian and geologist. He was educated at Plymouth High School for Boys (now RPlymouth College), and became a civil engineer. His interests were many. He was a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Member of the Mineralogical Society, and a Fellow of the Geological Society of London; he was also a Member of the Newcomen Society.

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