Chagfordtowntrail

Home , Chagford, Cranmere Pool, Crockern Tor, Tavistock

1 6 JUBILEE HALL, CHAGFORD. TQ13 8DP 8DP TQ13 CHAGFORD. HALL, JUBILEE

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the road where you turn left to return to the Square. the to return to left turn you where road the THE CHAGFORD HERITAGE CENTRE CENTRE HERITAGE CHAGFORD THE

Follow the path through two kissing gates and continue over Padley Common until you reach reach you until Common Padley over continue and gates kissing two through path the Follow

and annual pony sales market. sales pony annual and

Published October 2018 by 2018 October Published

which was a garage until 1994. Behind it was once a livestock livestock a once was it Behind 1994. until garage a was which

bars on the side window of Whiddons, which was once a post ofﬁce. post a once was which Whiddons, of window side the on bars

the entrance to the Memorial Playing Fields on your left. your on Fields Playing Memorial the to entrance the

from this point, you will see the entrance to Stannary Place Place Stannary to entrance the see will you point, this from

You will see the street ahead of you and as you pass towards the end of the Drang, note the the note Drang, the of end the towards pass you as and you of ahead street the see will You

Follow the road to the left signposted Fernworthy Reservoir and continue past the houses to to houses the past continue and Reservoir Fernworthy signposted left the to road the Follow

and walkers. Its population now is around 1,500. around is now population Its walkers. and see as you continue on your walk. Looking across the road road the across Looking walk. your on continue you as see

and a number of hotels and boarding houses provided accommodation for tourists tourists for accommodation provided houses boarding and hotels of number a and

at this point for a leat travelling over O’er Hill which you will will you which Hill O’er over travelling leat a for point this at the entrances to pigsties and stables. and pigsties to entrances the

2. Padley Common Padley 2.

more recent years, Chagford became a popular centre for visitors to Dartmoor, Dartmoor, to visitors for centre popular a became Chagford years, recent more

Town water supply. It may also refer to the diversion of water water of diversion the to refer also may It supply. water Town doors on the right as you proceed down the Drang which were were which Drang the down proceed you as right the on doors

The ruins of this factory can be seen in the ﬁeld adjoining Chagford Bridge. In In Bridge. Chagford adjoining ﬁeld the in seen be can factory this of ruins The

as Turnlake which may be a corruption of Town Lake, the ﬁrst ﬁrst the Lake, Town of corruption a be may which Turnlake as right into Store St. known as the Drang Drang the as known St. Store into right . You will see small small see will You . at the junction. the at (4)

Chagford had had Chagford

“one of the most extensive serge manufactories in the West of England.” of West the in manufactories serge extensive most the of “one

. This is known known is This . narrow very is pavement the as here care Take Cinema, until it closed in the1960s. Continue forward, then turn turn then forward, Continue the1960s. in closed it until Cinema, Chagford, retrace your steps back to Rushford Bridge and carry on up the road, turning right right turning road, the up on carry and Bridge Rushford to back steps your retrace Chagford,

. . walls granite low between running left your on stream lined 1920s it became Chagford’s main entertainment building, the Rex Rex the building, entertainment main Chagford’s became it 1920s Chagford Open Air Swimming Pool, situated beside Rushford Mill Farm. To return to to return To Farm. Mill Rushford beside situated Pool, Swimming Air Open Chagford up Mill Hill to be dried on wooden racks at Rack Park. Rack at racks wooden on dried be to Hill Mill up

and Grade 2 listed. Continue a short distance to the granite granite the to distance short a Continue listed. 2 Grade and were called to arms at the beginning of the Great War. In the the In War. Great the of beginning the at arms to called were the path to the next bridge – Rushford Bridge. About 200 metres along to your left is is left your to along metres 200 About Bridge. Rushford – bridge next the to path the , then taken taken then , river the in rewashed and sulphur with puriﬁed washed, was it where

Many of the cottages in New Street are 16 are Street New in cottages the of Many century century 17 & Sheared wool was brought to the factory factory the to brought was wool Sheared farmed. were sheep that meat their for concerts and money raising events, and where Chagford men men Chagford where and events, raising money and concerts from the early 19 early the from century. Cross the bridge, go through the gate on your right and follow follow and right your on gate the through go bridge, the Cross century.

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centuries, it was for their wool as much as as much as wool their for was it centuries, 19 and 18 the In sheep. rearing for

Assembly Rooms and it was here that people gathered for for gathered people that here was it and Rooms Assembly

from which Chagford gets its name. Look back at the ruins of the woollen factory dating dating factory woollen the of ruins the at back Look name. its gets Chagford which from th th

left then left again into New Street. New into again left then left

y hills and farmland, Chagford was and still is, ideally placed placed ideally is, still and was Chagford farmland, and hills y b is it as Surrounded left of this driveway is a tall rendered building which was once the the once was which building rendered tall a is driveway this of left Follow the road signposted to Gidleigh. Turn right at the cross roads to the stone bridge bridge stone the to roads cross the at right Turn Gidleigh. to signposted road the Follow

(built to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1936).Turn 1936).Turn in V George King of Jubilee Silver the commemorate to (built

and the converted sheds where horses would be stabled. To the the To stabled. be would horses where sheds converted the and

the town’s development and prosperity was wool. wool. was prosperity and development town’s the

From the Heritage Centre, go left down the drive past the Jubilee Hall Hall Jubilee the past drive the down left go Centre, Heritage the From 1. Riverside Walk Riverside

to the back of the Globe Inn. This leads into the coaching yard yard coaching the into leads This Inn. Globe the of back the to

part from tin, the second most important industry leading to to leading industry important most second the tin, from part A Towns. Stannary

hand side, behind Rock Cottage, you will see a cobbled entrance entrance cobbled a see will you Cottage, Rock behind side, hand

o h tnayCuthl eryo rcenTr h ipitbtenthe between midpoint the Tor, Crockern on yearly held Court Stannary the for

quite wet underfoot at certain times of the year. the of times certain at underfoot wet quite

Retrace your steps and turn left at Stannary Place. On the right- the On Place. Stannary at left turn and steps your Retrace legislate on the miners’ laws, holding Stannary Court sessions and providing jurors jurors providing and sessions Court Stannary holding laws, miners’ the on legislate

short circular routes, taking up to one hour each. Please be aware that these walks can be be can walks these that aware be Please each. hour one to up taking routes, circular short

Chagford was a centre for tin mining and had the right to regulate tin mining and and mining tin regulate to right the had and mining tin for centre a was Chagford

Alternatively, if time permits, you could return to the town from this point by one of two two of one by point this from town the to return could you permits, time if Alternatively, former slaughterhouse dated 1893. dated slaughterhouse former

Your tour of Chagford ends here and you may wish to retrace your steps and explore further. explore and steps your retrace to wish may you and here ends Chagford of tour Your later, Plympton. Plympton. later, stray animals were kept until their owners paid for their return. Next to the Pound is the the is Pound the to Next return. their for paid owners their until kept were animals stray

of the four Devon Stannary courts, the others being Tavistock, Ashburton and and Ashburton Tavistock, being others the courts, Stannary Devon four the of metres along on your right is a walled open area which was once the Town Pound where where Pound Town the once was which area open walled a is right your on along metres

was converted to ﬂats. to converted was it 2000s

granted Chagford its town charter in 1305. With this authority, the town held one one held town the authority, this With 1305. in charter town its Chagford granted

Continue past the point where the houses end and New St. becomes Meldon Rd. About 200 200 About Rd. Meldon becomes St. New and end houses the where point the past Continue

the late 19 late the century the building became a hotel and in the early early the in and hotel a became building the century

Chagford Bridge now replaces the medieval ford crossing the River Teign. Edward l l Edward Teign. River the crossing ford medieval the replaces now Bridge Chagford th

was for horse blankets in the Crimea.When the factory closed in in closed factory the Crimea.When the in blankets horse for was building.

which is a river crossing. crossing. river a is which ‘ and gorse, meaning

done with the East India Company and the last military order order military last the and Company India East the with done ford’ that the building was insured and that they would be paid for saving the the saving for paid be would they that and insured was building the that

an ancient Anglo-Saxon word word Anglo-Saxon ancient an ‘ syllables: two of consists Chagford word The Chag’ Chag’

factory buildings mainly used for finishing cloth. Much trade was was trade Much cloth. finishing for used mainly buildings factory once the White Eagle Inn. Prior to 1900, these plaques indicated to firemen firemen to indicated plaques these 1900, to Prior Inn. Eagle White the once

, was one of the woollen woollen the of one was , (15) Continuing along the street, note the insurance plaque on no. 41, which was was which 41, no. on plaque insurance the note street, the along Continuing

large cream building, Moorlands Moorlands building, cream large

your right, numbers 25, 27 and 29 were once a large smithy. large a once were 29 and 27 25, numbers right, your Opposite the Bowling Green, the the Green, Bowling the Opposite

6). Returning to the road, the three cottages on the corner of the track on on track the of corner the on cottages three the road, the to Returning 6).

town Bowling Green. Bowling town curving around the hill on its way to the woollen mill in Mill Street, now Moorlands (see page page (see Moorlands now Street, Mill in mill woollen the to way its on hill the around curving

The Lawn is across the road, and is now the the now is and road, the across is Lawn The Earl of Devon” of Earl has ﬂowed underground from Turnlake and along the right-hand side of the track, now now track, the of side right-hand the along and Turnlake from underground ﬂowed has which

esteem, “being second only in the County in importance to the the to importance in County the in only second “being

and poultry and is unlocked between 6 between unlocked is and poultry and November. You will see the leat leat the see will You November. 6 and August

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built by the mill owner John Berry, who was held in great great in held was who Berry, John owner mill the by built for those holding common grazing rights for cattle, sheep sheep cattle, for rights grazing common holding those for

original builder and occupier is uncertain. It may have been been have may It uncertain. is occupier and builder original

over the gate to O’er Hill which is one of the Open Fields Fields Open the of one is which Hill O’er to gate the over 2

The thatched building opposite is Lawn House House Lawn is opposite building thatched The . The The .

(14)

Walk down the track opposite the Old School and look look and School Old the opposite track the down Walk

prior to the purpose-built surgery adjacent to the car park. car the to adjacent surgery purpose-built the to prior Secondary School pupils moved to Okehampton. to moved pupils School Secondary

Claremont was the home of the local doctor and a room here was devoted to his surgery surgery his to devoted was here room a and doctor local the of home the was Claremont moved to the present site on Lower St. in 1971 when the the when 1971 in St. Lower on site present the to moved

enlarged as numbers increased to 180. The Primary School School Primary The 180. to increased numbers as enlarged

school room. It closed as a religious building in 1998. in building religious a as closed It room. school

by 16ft holding approximately 150 children. The school was was school The children. 150 approximately holding 16ft by

Helpful Holidays, one of Chagford’s largest employers, was a Methodist Chapel and former former and Chapel Methodist a was employers, largest Chagford’s of one Holidays, Helpful a Care House for the poor of the Parish.The room was 46ft 46ft was room Parish.The the of poor the for House Care a

The school (2) next door was opened in 1861 on the site of of site the on 1861 in opened was door next (2) school The A W A L K T H R O U G H T I M E M I T H G U O R H T K L A W A Arms, named for General Buller after the Boer War. Note Ladysmith House next door. next House Ladysmith Note War. Boer the after Buller General for named Arms,

The Chagford Inn dates from 1844. Previously named Bakers’ Arms and then the Buller’s Buller’s the then and Arms Bakers’ named Previously 1844. from dates Inn Chagford The

the School Master’s house, probably late 19 late probably house, Master’s School the century. 20 early th th

police house. Note the canopy over the door and noticeboard hooks on the walls. No.24 was was No.24 walls. the on hooks noticeboard and door the over canopy the Note house. police

bank closed in May 2017. May in closed bank

C H A G F O R D D R O F G A H C to The Acre. From here, look across the road and you will see no. 20 which was once the the once was which 20 no. see will you and road the across look here, From Acre. The to

until 1842, was converted into two cottages and a shop before Lloyd’s bought it in 1918. The The 1918. in it bought Lloyd’s before shop a and cottages two into converted was 1842, until

Cross over and continue past the modern houses for a short distance, crossing the entrance entrance the crossing distance, short a for houses modern the past continue and over Cross

the only thatched Lloyd’s bank in England, the deeds going back to 1735. It was a blacksmith’s blacksmith’s a was It 1735. to back going deeds the England, in bank Lloyd’s thatched only the

The thatched building on the corner is the former Lloyd’s Bank and is thought to have been been have to thought is and Bank Lloyd’s former the is corner the on building thatched The Rock Cottage on the right-hand corner was a bakery from 1900 until the 1950s. the until 1900 from bakery a was corner right-hand the on Cottage Rock

The thatched building on the corner is the former Lloyd’s Bank and is thought to have been Rock Cottage on the right-hand corner was a bakery from 1900 until the 1950s. the only thatched Lloyd’s bank in England, the deeds going back to 1735. It was a blacksmith’s Cross over and continue past the modern houses for a short distance, crossing the entrance until 1842, was converted into two cottages and a shop before Lloyd’s bought it in 1918. The C H A G F O R D to The Acre. From here, look across the road and you will see no. 20 which was once the bank closed in May 2017. police house. Note the canopy over the door and noticeboard hooks on the walls. No.24 was the School Master’s house, probably late 19th early 20th century. The Chagford Inn dates from 1844. Previously named Bakers’ Arms and then the Buller’s Arms, named for General Buller after the Boer War. Note Ladysmith House next door. A W A L K T H R O U G H T I M E The school (2) next door was opened in 1861 on the site of a Care House for the poor of the Parish. The room was 46ft Helpful Holidays, one of Chagford’s largest employers, was a Methodist Chapel and former by 16ft holding approximately 150 children. The school was school room. It closed as a religious building in 1998. enlarged as numbers increased to 180. The Primary School Claremont was the home of the local doctor and a room here was devoted to his surgery moved to the present site on Lower St. in 1971 when the Secondary School pupils moved to Okehampton. prior to the purpose-built surgery adjacent to the car park. 15 14 The thatched building opposite is Lawn House (14). The Walk down the track opposite the Old School and look original builder and occupier is uncertain. It may have been 13 2 over the gate to O’er Hill which is one of the Open Fields built by the mill owner John Berry, who was held in great for those holding common grazing rights for cattle, sheep esteem, “being second only in the County in importance to the and poultry and is unlocked between 6th August and 6th November. You will see the leat Earl of Devon” The Lawn is across the road, and is now the which has flowed underground from Turnlake and along the right-hand side of the track, now town Bowling Green. curving around the hill on its way to the woollen mill in Mill Street, now Moorlands (see page 6). Returning to the road, the three cottages on the corner of the track on Opposite the Bowling Green, the your right, numbers 25, 27 and 29 were once a large smithy. 3 large cream building, Moorlands 14 (15), was one of the woollen Continuing along the street, note the insurance plaque on no. 41, which was once the White Eagle Inn. Prior to 1900, these plaques indicated to firemen factory buildings mainly used for finishing cloth. Much trade was The word Chagford consists of two syllables: ‘Chag’ an ancient Anglo-Saxon word done with the East India Company and the last military order meaning gorse, and ‘ford’ which is a river crossing. that the building was insured and that they would be paid for saving the was for horse blankets in the Crimea.When the factory closed in building. the late 19th century the building became a hotel and in the early Chagford Bridge now replaces the medieval ford crossing the River Teign. Edward l Continue past the point where the houses end and New St. becomes Meldon Rd. About 200 15 2000s it was converted to flats. granted Chagford its town charter in 1305. With this authority, the town held one of the four Devon Stannary courts, the others being Tavistock, Ashburton and metres along on your right is a walled open area which was once the Town Pound where Your tour of Chagford ends here and you may wish to retrace your steps and explore further. later, Plympton. stray animals were kept until their owners paid for their return. Next to the Pound is the former slaughterhouse dated 1893. Alternatively, if time permits, you could return to the town from this point by one of two Chagford was a centre for tin mining and had the right to regulate tin mining and short circular routes, taking up to one hour each. Please be aware that these walks can be legislate on the miners’ laws, holding Stannary Court sessions and providing jurors Retrace your steps and turn left at Stannary Place. On the right- quite wet underfoot at certain times of the year. for the Stannary Court held yearly on Crockern Tor, the midpoint between the hand side, behind Rock Cottage, you will see a cobbled entrance Stannary Towns. Apart from tin, the second most important industry leading to to the back of the Globe Inn. This leads into the coaching yard 1. Riverside Walk From the Heritage Centre, go left down the drive past the Jubilee Hall the town’s development and prosperity was wool. and the converted sheds where horses would be stabled. To the (built to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1936).Turn Follow the road signposted to Gidleigh. Turn right at the cross roads to the stone bridge left of this driveway is a tall rendered building which was once the Surrounded as it is by hills and farmland, Chagford was and still is, ideally placed left then left again into New Street. from which Chagford gets its name. Look back at the ruins of the woollen factory dating for rearing sheep. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was for their wool as much as Assembly Rooms and it was here that people gathered for from the early 19th century. Cross the bridge, go through the gate on your right and follow for their meat that sheep were farmed. Sheared wool was brought to the factory Many of the cottages in New Street are 16th & 17th century concerts and money raising events, and where Chagford men the path to the next bridge – Rushford Bridge. About 200 metres along to your left is where it was washed, purified with sulphur and rewashed in the river, then taken and Grade 2 listed. Continue a short distance to the granite were called to arms at the beginning of the Great War. In the Chagford Open Air Swimming Pool, situated beside Rushford Mill Farm. To return to up Mill Hill to be dried on wooden racks at Rack Park. lined stream on your left running between low granite walls. 1920s it became Chagford’s main entertainment building, the Rex Chagford, retrace your steps back to Rushford Bridge and carry on up the road, turning right Cinema, until it closed in the1960s. Continue forward, then turn Chagford had “one of the most extensive serge manufactories in the West of England.” Take care here as the pavement is very narrow. This is known at the junction. The ruins of this factory can be seen in the field adjoining Chagford Bridge. In as Turnlake which may be a corruption of Town Lake, the first right into Store St. known as the Drang (4). You will see small Town water supply. It may also refer to the diversion of water doors on the right as you proceed down the Drang which were more recent years, Chagford became a popular centre for visitors to Dartmoor, 4 2. Padley Common and a number of hotels and boarding houses provided accommodation for tourists at this point for a leat travelling over O’er Hill which you will the entrances to pigsties and stables. Follow the road to the left signposted Fernworthy Reservoir and continue past the houses to and walkers. Its population now is around 1,500. see as you continue on your walk. Looking across the road from this point, you will see the entrance to Stannary Place You will see the street ahead of you and as you pass towards the end of the Drang, note the the entrance to the Memorial Playing Fields on your left. bars on the side window of Whiddons, which was once a post office. 1 which was a garage until 1994. Behind it was once a livestock Follow the path through two kissing gates and continue over Padley Common until you reach Published October 2018 by and annual pony sales market. the road where you turn left to return to the Square. THE CHAGFORD HERITAGE CENTRE 2 3 6 JUBILEE HALL, CHAGFORD. TQ13 8DP 1 Emerge onto the High St Just a short distance to the left, beyond the listed telephone box, is where Chagford’s Post Office carried out business from 1824. Mail was brought by train to Moretonhampstead On your right is Church Stile Cottage – as the name suggests there was once a stile in the station, and then by horse and cart to Chagford Post Office. Run continuously by five Churchyard wall opposite. Beyond this is the Globe Inn, an early 19th century coaching inn. generations of the Thorn family, the Post Office finally closed in 2015. On your left, beyond Whiddons, is Endecott House (5) Chagford Square is actually much bigger than you think and is divided into two sections. The which is 15th century and Grade 2* listed. It was top area is known as the Square and the lower part as the Lower Square. In the centre of the administered by the Churchwardens and used by Church two areas is a collection of houses and shops, with hardly any space between each, known Guilds as well as for brewing Church Ales. Later it locally as the Island. Proceed down the road on the southern side to the Lower Square. On became a Care House where the poor of the Parish were the way, we will pass the only garden on the island, and one of only two gardens that actually housed. In the late 18th century a schoolroom was edge onto the Square. At the bottom of the Island is a stone trough with a tap emerging created upstairs while the poor were cared for on the from the granite column behind it which houses a water tank. It was given to the town by a ground floor. A stone staircase on the outside led from Col. Germon for animals to drink from. This is known as the Fountain, and has been in the the ground floor to the upper floor and although no protection of the Parish Council for use by all since it was provided in 1889. At the bottom 5 longer there, if you look carefully, you can see the stone of the Lower Square on the right is Orchard Terrace with Orchard Cottage at the top, one of work indicating where the upper floor was. In 1853 an the original farms in the town. infants’ school opened on the ground floor while older children were taught on the first floor. After the move to the school in New St., Endecott House continued as an infants’ You are now walking downhill on Southcombe Street. school until 1936. Previously known as St. Katherine’s House after the Patron Saint of Tinners, it was named Endecott House following refurbishment in the 1980s in honour of Cranley Gardens on the left provides sheltered housing, It is built on the site of an abattoir John Endecott, first governor of Massachusetts, who emigrated from Chagford in 1628. It is which later became allotments. Opposite is the Gospel Hall formerly the Ebenezer Hall administered by a group of trustees and used for a variety of events. A charity coffee morning founded by the Plymouth Brethren and opening as a Baptist Chapel in 1827. is held here every Saturday throughout the year, giving the visitor a chance to view the On the left-hand side is Rock House, now Rendells Estate Offices. In 1904 this was the Great interior of this historic building. Western Parcel Office for the area, and steam buses ran from here to Exeter. Southcombe The Three Crowns (6) is early Tudor and Grade 2* listed. House was built in 1871 and was originally a farm. Its close proximity to Rock House (now It was owned by Sir John Whiddon who died in 1575 - his Rendells) is due to a feud in which revenge was wrought by the owner of the Rock House tomb is in the Church. His daughter, Mary, left her home land by building his house as close to the front door of Southcombe House as possible, thus here to cross to the Church on her wedding day. She was destroying the view from there towards the town. shot by a jealous suitor as she left the Church after the No. 2 Lower St. was Hill’s bakery and 6&8 Lower St. are ceremony. It is believed that this inspired R.D. Blackmore medieval – note the tiny window, possibly lighting a stairway. to write his story, Lorna Doone. In 1643 a skirmish took place between Royalists and Parliamentarians. Sidney Bishop’s House (9) is a late medieval cross passage house and is Godolphin, 33, a poet and MP for Helston in Cornwall 6 Grade 2* listed. It was so called as it is said to have been was shot and carried to the porch here. Thus, said Lord associated with Bishop Branscombe who dedicated the Church Clarendon “leaving the misfortune of his death upon a place which could never otherwise in 1261. Note the oriel window on the upper floor over the have had a mention in the World”. In the 19th century it became the Black Swan and later the porch. 9 Three Crowns. Return up the street towards the Square Now cross the road to the iron gate in the Churchyard wall. On the right-hand side, between the Courtyard Café and the house below, you will find an To the right of the gate you will notice that the wall has been reconstructed where the entrance to the buildings which were the site of Aggett’s Church Bell Hangers. It was founded granite slab stile on which coffins were rested on the way to funerals was removed. It is for in the 18th century by James Aggett whose ancestors began bell hanging in the 13th century. this stile that Church Stile cottage opposite was named. A little further along the wall to the Aggett invented and patented the chiming apparatus which attach to bells and enable left you will see an arched niche which once housed an electricity transformer- a reminder of recognisable “tunes” and hymns to be played from a bell tower. Walking up the street on the Chagford’s original generating system situated on the site of the earlier woollen mill at north side of the Island, (known as North Street in fact) you will see, on the right-hand side just Factory Cross at the bottom of Mill St. after the driveway to the cottages behind those bordering the road, a tall niche in the wall. This once housed the first, and for a while the only, petrol pump in Chagford. The shops to the left Go through the gate to the Churchyard and take the path on the right towards the church formed a garage until the 1950s, when the premises were bought by R.E. Short and converted tower. On the left along this path, just opposite a conifer tree, you will see a distinctive into shops, one of which sold electrical goods and the newly popular television sets. One of the th century gravestone with an inscription on both sides. This marks the grave of one of the 19 shops was bought by an electrician, C.J. Knott, who invented the Knotts transmitter on these “Men of the Moor”, James Perrott. He was a Dartmoor guide who led walks for tourists and premises. His invention went on to assist the first manned spacecraft back to earth. visitors across the Moor, and who instigated the now popular pastime of “letter boxing.” The first was at Cranmere Pool. He also organised fishing trips and sold fishing tackle from his The final building on North Street, also verging on the shop in the Square. He kept ponies and carriages which he hired out. On his fishing Square, is Lydstone, which is attached to Kings Arms expeditions, he sometimes led Charles Kingsley, R.D. Blackmore, and Charles Dickens, (all of Cottage. Together these two homes originally formed whom stayed at the Three Crowns) and other famous men of the Victorian era. You may wish a coaching house with a courtyard behind, known as now to enter the church by the modern glass door on the northern side. the Kings Arms Hotel. If you look carefully through the rails of the gate you can see the original cobbles Inside the Grade 1 listed Church you will find all the information you need over which pony and traps would have travelled taking for a self-guided tour. visitors onto Dartmoor. The door which exists today On leaving the Church, walk round to your left beneath the tower would have been an open archway, and the trap would towards the south porch. On passing the west door, look up to the 13th 10 have been pulled through what is now the central hall century arched window and the statue of St Michael the Archangel (7) of the house, from the courtyard at the rear. in the niche below. This sculpture was carved and given to the church by John Skeaping R.A. a previous resident of Chagford, in memory of You will now find yourself in the Square his friend and deceased incumbent, The Rev. C.H.S. Buckmaster. John The octagonal Market House in the centre of the Square was Skeaping will be best remembered perhaps, for his life size sculpture of built in 1862 to replace the Shambles, a thatched building which the famous horse Hyperion, which stands in the entrance hall of the fell into disrepair. An early Charter for Fairs and Market in the National Gallery in London, and for his marriage to another famous Town was granted by Henry VIII. The toll board, now in sculptor, Barbara Hepworth. Endecott House, shows that it cost three pence to enter a cow or calf, two pence to sell from a cheese cart and a penny to sell On reaching the south porch, turn right up the path leading to wooden 7 nuts. It was to here that the smelted tin was brought twice a gates. Beyond the gates is “Cross Tree” where the oak tree signifies year to be assayed, stamped, taxed and sold. that this was an ancient gathering place for groups attending christenings, weddings and 11 funerals before walking down the path into the church through the south door. Beyond this, Look across the High Street to the Ring O’ Bells. It is thought across the road, you will see two stone pillars which mark the entrance to Chagford House, a that the upper floor was used for the “Crowner’s Court”. The Coroner had to be Georgian building and the home of the Hayter Hames family, generous benefactors to summoned from Exeter. Chagford, and major landowners here through time. Please note that this is a private dwelling. Turn around and take the church path immediately on your right which leads slightly downhill The Spar shop to the right was Webber & Sons, started in 1870 by William Thorn. It was to the graveyard. The long house on your right, Bellacouch (8), is one of the oldest in purchased by Gideon Webber in 1898 who continued the trade of saddler and harness maker. Chagford and possibly an early home for the priest. Later it extended to include ironmongery, hardware and cycles. By 1920 petrol was sold in two-gallon As you pass Bellacouch, you may hear the water of the cans, wireless sets were made and phonograph stream which has flowed underground from Turnlake. If you look up to the church roof, you will see a small records cut. By 1942 Webbers incorporated the next door premises of George Collins (butchers) and headless stone figure on the ridge marking the division of the present chancel from the nave. This is a lamb, the James Perrott (referred to in the Churchyard). This family business continued for five generations until Agnus Dei, which indicates Chagford’s importance as a 12 wool town. Continue walking and you will see halfway retirement caused it to cease trading in March 2017. down this part of the churchyard to your right the granite memorial cross and its plinth which once stood in the Bowden & Son was the Vulcan Ironworks making 8 town Square. It commemorates those of Chagford who agricultural implements in 1862, later becoming an fought in the world wars for their country. ironmonger’s. In 1922 they constructed the first radio valve set in Devon and queues formed to hear it. A hand Now turn to your left and walk down the yew path. A very short way down on the right, you operated fire engine was kept here and horses had to be will see the grave of W.S. Morrish, a notable painter of Dartmoor scenes, who lived in caught and harnessed before it could be used. Bowden’s Chagford in the 19th century, and was a friend of F. J. Widgery who was also known for his ran a bookmaker’s from 1960-1970 in a cottage to the paintings of Dartmoor. 13 rear of the shop. They expanded into Bolt’s the Grocers, At the end of the path you will come to the lych gate, and see part of the Lower Square the premises next door, in 1971. Walk through the shop, beyond. As you walk, just before the Gallery, look down to your right to see a small metal go upstairs to the gardening section and you will come to a small but fascinating museum. cover in the pavement, with CWS cast in it. CWS stands for Chagford Water Supply and indicates the passage of clean water, previously seen at Turnlake and Bellacouch on its way to From here, cross over and continue West down Mill St. on the right-hand the lower part of the town. It was in one of these cottages on the right that W.S. Morrish the pavement painter lived. Continued on back page 4 5

3 2

and annual pony sales market. sales pony annual and

which was a garage until 1994. Behind it was once a livestock livestock a once was it Behind 1994. until garage a was which

bars on the side window of Whiddons, which was once a post ofﬁce. ofﬁce. post a once was which Whiddons, of window side the on bars

from this point, you will see the entrance to Stannary Place Place Stannary to entrance the see will you point, this from

You will see the street ahead of you and as you pass towards the end of the Drang, note the the note Drang, the of end the towards pass you as and you of ahead street the see will You

see as you continue on your walk. Looking across the road road the across Looking walk. your on continue you as see

. . walls granite low between running left your on stream lined 1920s it became Chagford’s main entertainment building, the Rex Rex the building, entertainment main Chagford’s became it 1920s

Many of the cottages in New Street are 16 are Street New in cottages the of Many century century 17 &

concerts and money raising events, and where Chagford men men Chagford where and events, raising money and concerts th th

Assembly Rooms and it was here that people gathered for for gathered people that here was it and Rooms Assembly

left then left again into New Street. New into again left then left

left of this driveway is a tall rendered building which was once the the once was which building rendered tall a is driveway this of left

(built to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1936).Turn 1936).Turn in V George King of Jubilee Silver the commemorate to (built

and the converted sheds where horses would be stabled. To the the To stabled. be would horses where sheds converted the and

From the Heritage Centre, go left down the drive past the Jubilee Hall Hall Jubilee the past drive the down left go Centre, Heritage the From

to the back of the Globe Inn. This leads into the coaching yard yard coaching the into leads This Inn. Globe the of back the to

hand side, behind Rock Cottage, you will see a cobbled entrance entrance cobbled a see will you Cottage, Rock behind side, hand

Retrace your steps and turn left at Stannary Place. On the right- the On Place. Stannary at left turn and steps your Retrace

former slaughterhouse dated 1893. dated slaughterhouse former

stray animals were kept until their owners paid for their return. Next to the Pound is the the is Pound the to Next return. their for paid owners their until kept were animals stray

metres along on your right is a walled open area which was once the Town Pound where where Pound Town the once was which area open walled a is right your on along metres

Continue past the point where the houses end and New St. becomes Meldon Rd. About 200 200 About Rd. Meldon becomes St. New and end houses the where point the past Continue

building.

that the building was insured and that they would be paid for saving the the saving for paid be would they that and insured was building the that

once the White Eagle Inn. Prior to 1900, these plaques indicated to ﬁremen ﬁremen to indicated plaques these 1900, to Prior Inn. Eagle White the once

Continuing along the street, note the insurance plaque on no. 41, which was was which 41, no. on plaque insurance the note street, the along Continuing

your right, numbers 25, 27 and 29 were once a large smithy. smithy. large a once were 29 and 27 25, numbers right, your

6). Returning to the road, the three cottages on the corner of the track on on track the of corner the on cottages three the road, the to Returning 6).

curving around the hill on its way to the woollen mill in Mill Street, now Moorlands (see page page (see Moorlands now Street, Mill in mill woollen the to way its on hill the around curving

which has ﬂowed underground from Turnlake and along the right-hand side of the track, now now track, the of side right-hand the along and Turnlake from underground ﬂowed has which

and poultry and is unlocked between 6 between unlocked is and poultry and November. You will see the leat leat the see will You November. 6 and August

th th

for those holding common grazing rights for cattle, sheep sheep cattle, for rights grazing common holding those for

over the gate to O’er Hill which is one of the Open Fields Fields Open the of one is which Hill O’er to gate the over 2 13

Walk down the track opposite the Old School and look look and School Old the opposite track the down Walk

Secondary School pupils moved to Okehampton. to moved pupils School Secondary

moved to the present site on Lower St. in 1971 when the the when 1971 in St. Lower on site present the to moved

enlarged as numbers increased to 180. The Primary School School Primary The 180. to increased numbers as enlarged

by 16ft holding approximately 150 children. The school was was school The children. 150 approximately holding 16ft by

a Care House for the poor of the Parish. The room was 46ft 46ft was room The Parish. the of poor the for House Care a

The school (2) next door was opened in 1861 on the site of of site the on 1861 in opened was door next (2) school The

the School Master’s house, probably late 19 late probably house, Master’s School the century. century. 20 early

th th

police house. Note the canopy over the door and noticeboard hooks on the walls. No.24 was was No.24 walls. the on hooks noticeboard and door the over canopy the Note house. police

which was once the the once was which 20 no. see will you and road the across look here, From Acre. The to

Cross over and continue past the modern houses for a short distance, crossing the entrance entrance the crossing distance, short a for houses modern the past continue and over Cross Rock Cottage on the right-hand corner was a bakery from 1900 until the 1950s. the until 1900 from bakery a was corner right-hand the on Cottage Rock

The thatched building on the corner is the former Lloyd’s Bank and is thought to have been the only thatched Lloyd’s bank in England, the deeds going back to 1735. It was a blacksmith’s until 1842, was converted into two cottages and a shop before Lloyd’s bought it in 1918. The C H A G F O R D bank closed in May 2017. The Chagford Inn dates from 1844. Previously named Bakers’ Arms and then the Buller’s Arms, named for General Buller after the Boer War. Note Ladysmith House next door. A W A L K T H R O U G H T I M E Helpful Holidays, one of Chagford’s largest employers, was a Methodist Chapel and former school room. It closed as a religious building in 1998. Claremont was the home of the local doctor and a room here was devoted to his surgery prior to the purpose-built surgery adjacent to the car park.

The thatched building opposite is Lawn House (14). The original builder and occupier is uncertain. It may have been built by the mill owner John Berry, who was held in great esteem, “being second only in the County in importance to the Earl of Devon” The Lawn is across the road, and is now the town Bowling Green. Opposite the Bowling Green, the large cream building, Moorlands 14 (15), was one of the woollen factory buildings mainly used for ﬁnishing cloth. Much trade was The word Chagford consists of two syllables: ‘Chag’ an ancient Anglo-Saxon word done with the East India Company and the last military order meaning gorse, and ‘ford’ which is a river crossing. was for horse blankets in the Crimea. When the factory closed in the late 19th century the building became a hotel and in the early Chagford Bridge now replaces the medieval ford crossing the River Teign. Edward l 15 2000s it was converted to ﬂats. granted Chagford its town charter in 1305. With this authority, the town held one of the four Devon Stannary courts, the others being Tavistock, Ashburton and Your tour of Chagford ends here and you may wish to retrace your steps and explore further. later, Plympton. Alternatively, if time permits, you could return to the town from this point by one of two Chagford was a centre for tin mining and had the right to regulate tin mining and short circular routes, taking up to one hour each. Please be aware that these walks can be legislate on the miners’ laws, holding Stannary Court sessions and providing jurors quite wet underfoot at certain times of the year. for the Stannary Court held yearly on Crockern Tor, the midpoint between the Stannary Towns. Apart from tin, the second most important industry leading to 1. Riverside Walk the town’s development and prosperity was wool.

Follow the road signposted to Gidleigh. Turn right at the cross roads to the stone bridge Surrounded as it is by hills and farmland, Chagford was and still is, ideally placed from which Chagford gets its name. Look back at the ruins of the woollen factory dating for rearing sheep. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was for their wool as much as from the early 19th century. Cross the bridge, go through the gate on your right and follow for their meat that sheep were farmed. Sheared wool was brought to the factory the path to the next bridge – Rushford Bridge. About 200 metres along to your left is where it was washed, puriﬁed with sulphur and rewashed in the river, then taken Chagford Open Air Swimming Pool, situated beside Rushford Mill Farm. To return to up Mill Hill to be dried on wooden racks at Rack Park. Chagford, retrace your steps back to Rushford Bridge and carry on up the road, turning right Chagford had “one of the most extensive serge manufactories in the West of England.” at the junction. The ruins of this factory can be seen in the ﬁeld adjoining Chagford Bridge. In more recent years, Chagford became a popular centre for visitors to Dartmoor, 2. Padley Common and a number of hotels and boarding houses provided accommodation for tourists Follow the road to the left signposted Fernworthy Reservoir and continue past the houses to and walkers. Its population now is around 1,500. the entrance to the Memorial Playing Fields on your left. Follow the path through two kissing gates and continue over Padley Common until you reach Published October 2018 by the road where you turn left to return to the Square. THE CHAGFORD HERITAGE CENTRE

6 JUBILEE HALL, CHAGFORD. TQ13 8DP 1