Things To Do near Bench Tor
Sextons Cottage and Church House (National Trust), Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
A sexton maintained church buildings and the graveyard. The sexton's cottage was his home. The 'church house was the medieval equivalent of the church hall. Its chief purpose was to house the festivals and church ales which raised funds for many an English parish church until the rise of Puritanism'...
Widecombe Fair, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
Whilst not the biggest, Widecombe hosts arguably the most famous of Dartmoor's many fairs and shows. It takes place on the second Tuesday of September so in 2016 Widecombe Fair is on Tuesday 13th September. The fair is synonymous with the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair which is celebrated in sign...
Mount Misery Cross, Hexworthy, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
Moorland climbs steeply south and east of Foxtor Mires. On the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map, the land south of the mires is marked Crane Hill. The land to the east is Ter Hill. The Dartmoor expert Eric Hemery edited the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map and used many loca...
Tunhill Rocks, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
Tunhill Rocks is the most dramatic tor on Blackslade Down. A jumble of giant, rocky outcrops located on moorland that drops down reasonably steeply to farmland and hamlets south of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Tunhill Rocks is just south west of Pil Tor. The prehistoric barrow Wittaburrow is a short strol...
The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
When visiting Widecombe St Pancras Church, look out for The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse. Inspired by the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair, 'in the late 1950's a retired sailor from Drewsteignton made a mechanical model of Uncle Tom Cobley and the Grey Mare. The automation was exhibited at Widecombe Fair...
1638 Thunderstorm, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
Inside Widecombe St Pancras Church, at the base of the tower, are four wallboards telling the story of the 1638 Thunderstorm. The following transcription was taken from photos. 'It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lam.III.2.2. The merciful a...
Widecombe St Pancras Church, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
The 'Cathedral of the Moor'. In East Dartmoor, and dominating the popular moorland village of Widecombe in the Moor, Widecombe St Pancras Church dates from the 1300s. Wallboards within the church tell a story of a fire-ball passing through the church and killing four people as a result of a light...
The Green, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 3 miles away)
The Green is the focal point of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Surrounded by shops, cafes, pub, church and its associated buildings, the village green is a great place to relax after a wander. A local information board provides a historical perspective. 'The Village Green was once known as 'butte pa...
Blackslade Down, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
According to the Dartmoor expert William Crossing, it was on Blackslade Down 'that the wicked Jan Reynolds once entered into a compact with a stranger, who turned out to be the Prince of Darkness, and failing to keep it became his victim. Seven years after the meeting Jan was discovered indulgin...
Huntingdon Barrow or Heap of Sinners, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Dartmoor is blessed with some super place names. There's Deadmans Bottom and Grim's Grave, the Crock of Gold and The Ten Commandments Stones. Our favourite is the Heap of Sinners north west of the Avon Dam Reservoir on Dartmoor's south moor. The location lives up to the name. The barrow sits at t...
Swincombe Reservoir, Hexworthy, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Most Dartmoor reservoirs are large, impressive and reasonably easily accessible. Swincombe Reservoir is small and fenced off from the public. The moorland around the reservoir is flat, boggy and tussocky. Whilst there's a metal bridge at the eastern end of the reservoir, it's closed to the public so...
Keble Martin Open Air Chapel, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
'Keble Martin open air Chapel 1904. Divine worship last held here 11th July 1982 ...'
Naker's Hill, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
On the ground, Naker's Hill feels how it looks in the main photo of this listing. Remote, featureless and boggy. This makes walking across the Naker's Hill section of Dartmoor strangely intimidating. That said, the North-South (Track) Ancient Travel Route, Black Lane Peat Pass an...
Pil Tor, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
Pil Tor is the largest tor on Blackslade Down. Roughly speaking, two walls of granite are separated by a strip of moorland. We've positioned Pil Tor on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location. The tor is situated by Top Tor. Click through to that listing...
Sunshine Valley, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)
There are lots of old mining works around Foxtor Mires. Whiteworks is to the north west. The wonderfully named Sunshine Valley and nearby Mount Misery are to the south east and east. Marked on the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map, Sunshine Valley is at the head of the River Swinc...