Widecombe in the Moor

This pleasing village enjoys a lovely setting in the valley of the East Webburn river and its grand old church, with a massive 120 feet high granite tower rising against a backdrop of high moorland, has understandably been dubbed the Cathedral of the Moors. Dedicated to St Pancras, the church was built with funds raised by tin miners in the 14th century, and enlarged during the next two centuries. A panel inside the church records the disastrous events of 21 October 1638. A sizeable congregation had gathered for a service when a bolt of lightning struck the tower, dislodging huge blocks of masonry on to the worshippers. Four were killed and a further 60 badly injured. (Local legend maintains that the Devil had been spotted earlier that day spitting fire and riding an ebony stallion across the moor.)

In addition to the church, two other buildings are worth mentioning. Glebe House is a handsome 16th-century residence, which has since been converted to a shop, and Church House is an exceptional colonnaded building which was originally built around 1500 to accommodate those travelling large distances across the moor to attend church services. It was later divided into almshouses then served in succession as a brewery and a school. It is now a National Trust shop and information centre.

The famous Widecombe Fair to which Uncle Tom Cobleigh, his boisterous crew and the old grey mare, were making their way is still held here on the second Tuesday in September, and although it is no longer an agricultural event, remains a jolly affair. A succession of real-life Tom Cobleighs have lived around Widecombe over the centuries, but the song probably refers to a gentleman who died in 1794. An amorous bachelor, this Uncle Tom Cobleigh had a mane of red hair and he refused to maintain any babies that did not display the same characteristic.

From Widecombe, a country lane leads to Grimspound, which is perhaps the most impressive of all Dartmoor’s Bronze Age survivals. This settlement was occupied between 1800BC and 500BC and is remarkably well-preserved. There are 24 hut circles here, some of them reconstructed, and it’s still possible to make out the positions of door lintels and stone sleeping shelves. Today, the area around Grimspound is bleak and moody, an atmosphere that recommended itself to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who had Sherlock Holmes send Dr Watson into hiding here to help solve the case of The Hound of the Baskervilles.