Dartmoor CAM Walks

Previous walks Weather Links

This walk: 2011-12-7. Drinking fountain, RH Hooker, St. Michael & All Angels Church, prisoner of war grave markers, three soldiers' memorial plaque, Hartor Bottom rifle range, range marker stones, hut circle, butt or target backstop, Hart Tor, Cramber Tor, South Hessary Tor, Leeden Tor, Leather Tor, Sharpitor.

Walk details below - Information about the route etc.

A previous walk in this area can bee seen here: 20 November 2008

One of two drinking fountains donated by RH Hooker for the local inhabitants in 1908. The second one was seen on this walk: 15 July 2009. Could this have been Reginald_Hawthorn_Hooker, 1857-1944, but no mention of Dartmoor on the web page? But, what does TR 1908, DC signify on the inscription?
PS - Apparently, TRDC stands for Tavistock Rural District Council, my thanks to an old tick-collecting friend, Noddy, who emailed in!

The notice above the fountain - in better condition than on the other fountain (15 July 2009).

St Michael & All Angels Church in Princetown.

A short history: The church was started in 1810 with French prisoners employed (Franco-British Napoleonic war broke out in 1803); Anglo-American war in 1812, American prisoners of war in Prince's Town; Jan. 1814, chapel dedicated and first used although unfinished; March 1814, French prisoners repatriated; June 1814, American prisoners continued working on the chapel,; 1815, last prisoners of war repatriated and the prison was emptied. 1846, British Patent Naphtha Company moved into the old prison; 1850, convicts began to arrive at the prison. Source: Eric Hemery, High Dartmoor, pages 384-386.

More history: Anglo-American War of 1812 that ended in 1815. List of events in the War of 1812 - this is a separate war to the War of Independence (1755-1782). The War of 1812 started over several reasons: (1) British trade restrictions, (2) impressment, when the Royal Navy stopped American ships to look for British deserters of which about 9,000 had become naturalised American seamen, (3) British support for Indian raids and (4) United States expansionism.

Prisoner of war grave markers, bearing initials and a number .....

Close-up of a marker stone - the number may be a date, 06 = 1806? Later, there were separate French and American cemeteries at the prison - see 30 March 2011.

Another view.

Memorial plaque to three soldiers who died in a blizzard in 1853 while marching two privates to Princetown from the military hospital in Devonport. The complete story can be seen on Legendary Dartmoor's web page: Soldier's Pond, named perhaps after the body of Corporal Penton was found nearby. The two privates perished attempting to return to Dousland. Snowdrifts were up their armpits. The inscription reads .....

IN MEMORY OF
3 VALIANT SOLDIERS
OF THE 7^TH ROYAL FUSILIERS
WHO DIED ON DARTMOOR
IN A SNOW DRIFT 12^TH FEB. 1853
CORPORAL JOSEPH PENLON AGED 20
PRIVATE PATRICK CARLIN AGED 23
GEO. DRIVER AGED 27

In an area said to be the real source of the River Meavy, around SX 5840 7350.

The 600 yard marker on the old rifle range described by Hemery as being in "Hartor Bottom" (Source: Eric Hemery, High Dartmoor, page 131). This stone is at SX 58118 72668. There were markers at 600-200 yards but those at 350 and 450 yards are missing.

Another view.

Approaching the 550 yard marker.

Close-up of "550".

Approaching the 300 yard marker which is which is right by a Bronze Age round house/hut circle, one of 45 hut circles in the area. These are described by J. Butler (1994), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol. 3 - The South West, 1 - Hart Tor North (fig. 46.1), pages 53-53.

Closer .....

Closer still, at SX 58138 72392.

No GPS location was recorded for this marker.

The 200 yard marker at SX 58138 72296.

The butt or target backstop on the rifle range, it was probably behind this that whoever manned the targets sheltered because the stone post that is believed to have held the targets is ......