HGB Ep. 504 - Legends of Dartmoor

Moment in Oddity - Longaberger Basket Building (Suggested by Karen Miller)

There is a corporate building located in Newark, Ohio along State Route 16 that may give out-of-towners pause. Those who are familiar with the name will immediately associate it with the well made, somewhat pricey woven baskets that were all the craze in the 1980s and 90s reaching their highest grossing year in 2000 reaching $1 billion in sales. In 1997, the Longaberger company was doing so well that the founder, Dave Longaberger decided that he wanted to create a corporate headquarter building of an unusual sort. His desire was that the building be made to look like his company's medium sized market basket which was Dave's personal favorite of all the woven baskets his company created. By the end of 1997, the new building was completed and 500 employees moved into their new $30 million headquarters. It was an exact replica, even including the basket handles. Dave Longaberger passed away in 1999, after retiring in 1998 at the age of 65. By 2015, sales of the well known baskets had severely declined and it was that year that the company put its 'market basket' corporate building on the market. It was finally purchased in December, 2017, by a developer for $800,000 which was much lower than the original $7.5 million asking price. Although it has been marketed by the developer as an ideal location for a variety of different businesses, the pandemic halted that. At this time it has been pulled from the market, however the developer who purchased the basket building told 'Columbus Business First' that he is weighing other options for his building. The developer recently received the Heritage Ohio's Preservation Hero Award, so we can hope that this usual building will continue to stand proudly. Regardless of what the building houses in the future, a seven story building resembling an iconic basket, certainly is odd.

This Month in History - Barney Flaherty the First Newsie

‌In the month of September, on the 4th, in 1833, Barney Flaherty was hired by the publisher of the New York Sun to become the first Newsboy. Barney was a mere ten years old when Benjamin Day, the newspaper publisher offered him the position. Flaherty was an Irish immigrant who answered an advertisement posted in the New York Sun. His test to secure the position was simply throwing newspapers into some bushes. Newsboys were actually entrepreneurs as they were not employees of the papers, but instead, purchased the papers at a reduced rate and then sold them to the public for a mark-up. Unfortunately if newsboys did not sell all of their papers, the New York Sun would not buy them back. For many Irish American children, having the position of a newsie was their only means of monetary support. Many of the newspaper boys would sleep on the streets even if they still had parents due to overcrowding or abuse at home. By 1870, living situations had somewhat improved with the establishment of Newsboy's Lodging Houses which gave the boys a place to live as well as meals for a set price. Barney Flaherty was a pioneer in the newspaper business bringing the daily paper to the common man.

Legends of Dartmoor

Dartmoor is located in an upland area of southern Devon, England. Much of the area is protected by a National Park and it has the largest concentration of Bronze Age ruins in the United Kingdom. This land has been an inspiration to many writers. The landscape is full of standing stones, tombs, legends and spirits. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Dartmoor!

Dartmoor started as a wooded landscape that has transformed through the years into a rugged moorland with open fields. The ruins of several Bronze Age settlements can be found here as well as kistvaens, which are Neolithic stone box-like tombs. People have lived here for thousands of years, but it wasn't until the Medieval Period that more settlers came and they used the natural granite to build their homes. Many of these were longhouses and a few have managed to survive up until today. Tin mining became a major industry. Over half of the National Park land is actually privately owned by the Duke of Cornwall. The northern moors play host to military exercises. This is a land of myth and legend with stories of pixies, black shucks, headless horsemen and ghosts. And for those of you who are keen Harry Potter fans, this is the location of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup final between Ireland and Bulgaria in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Buckland Abbey

Buckland Abbey started off as a Cisterian abbey that was founded in 1278. The monks there managed several farmsteads. A Tithe Barn was added to the abbey in the 15th century. Starting in 1536, King Henry VIII started the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the abbey was shut down. Sir Richard Grenville bought the abbey in 1541 and converted it into a residence that he called Buckland Grenville. His family owned it for 40 years and then Sir Francis Drake bought it. He lived here for fifteen years and it was passed down through his descendants until 1946. Captain Arthur Rodd bought it then and presented it to the National Trust in 1947. It was restored and opened as a museum. Rumors claim that undiscovered tunnels run from the abbey to the village. There are stories of ghosts being sighted in and around the Abbey with the most prominent spirit belonging to Sir Francis Drake. Legends claim he was in league with the Devil. Now he is seen riding in a black coach that is drawn by headless horses and usually being pursued by hounds.

Calling Stones

The River Dart rises high on Dartmoor and flows to the sea at Dartmouth where the Dartmouth Harbour is located with a long history of maritime usage. The former home of Agatha Christie, Greenway Estate, has views of the river. The River Dart is much feared, not only because it can rise without notice after a heavy rainfall on the moors, but because it is said to take one life a year. Legends claim there are calling stones along the river and they call out a victim's name, luring them to the river where they fall in and drown.

Scorhill Circle 

This stone circle is the largest in Dartmoor and stands near the confluence of the North Teign River and the Wallabrook. Women who were "sinful" could come to the stones and pray for forgiveness at the foot of a stone. If God didn't forgive them, a stone would fall on them. There are twenty-three stones still standing with eleven fallen, so there could be eleven very unlucky women under them.

Shaugh Bridge (shaw)

This is the home of a Pixie. He stands 17 inches and wears red and blue clothing. When spotted, he quickly vanishes. Legends also claim that the area near the bridge is where the Devil and his hellhounds hunt.

Tunhill Kistvaen (kistvin)

It is said that on this spot in October of 1631, a man named Jan Reynolds was approached by a cloaked stranger. This cloaked stranger told Jan that he would give him seven years of good luck in exchange for his soul. Jan agreed and seven years later, the Stranger appeared again, showing himself to be the Devil and he collected Jan's soul while he was sitting in Widecombe Church. So much for sanctuary in a sanctuary.

Bowerman's Nose

Bowerman's Nose is a stack of granite stones that stands over 21 feet high. A legend claims that Bowerman was a hunter and one day while he was hunting a rabbit, he happened upon a coven of witches who were conducting a ritual. He ran right through the middle of it and made them very angry. So the next time Bowerman went out hunting, one of the witches turned herself into a rabbit and she lead him all over Dartmoor until he was exhausted and the coven turned him into the pile of rocks. His dogs became the rocks at Hound Tor.

Branscombe's Loaf and Cheese

Walter Branscombe was the bishop of Exeter in the 13th century. He and his servant were traveling across the Corn Ridge when they were stopped by a stranger. This man offered them bread and cheese and Walter took some of the food, but before he could eat any of it, his servant knocked it from his hands. He them pointed at the stranger and said, "This is the Devil! Look at his cloven hoof!" The bread and cheese tumbled through the air until they landed on top of the Corn Ridge. The Devil disappeared. This is now a tor, or outcrop of rocks, that can be visited.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles​

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the creator of Sherlock Holmes and one of the most popular stories featuring Holmes was The Hound of the Baskervilles. Doyle stayed at the Duchy Hotel in Princetown and heard the stories about Dartmoor and he was inspired by them. The story he latched onto was about Squire Richard Cabell who was said to be Devon's most notorious squire. Richard Cabell was the squire at Buckfastleigh on the edge of Dartmoor, in the 17th century. Rumors about the squire claimed he had murdered his wife and that he would hunt after the young maidens in the village. When he died, the townspeople had to figure out a safe way to bury him because they believed he had sold his soul to the Devil. They decided to bury his body in the graveyard at Holy Trinity Church in an altar tomb outside the south door of the church. This is today known as the sepulchre and looks like a jail with a wide iron grill and a strong wooden door with a locked keyhole. Black Shucks have become connected to him. One bit of lore claimed that Cabell was chased across the moor by some black dogs that accompanied the Wild Hunt. He eventually dropped dead. Another story claims that as he lay dying, the black hounds bayed outside, which was a death warning that has become ingrained with black shucks. There were stories that the black dogs would visit his burial regularly and howl. There are people who claimed that a red light was seen behind the bars in the sepulchre. Young men used to challenge each other at the tomb. They had to walk clockwise around the building thirteen times and then stick a finger into the keyhole and see if the squire gnawed on their fingertips like some weird version of Bloody Mary or Black Aggie. People watch for demons when they visit as it is thought they still have yet to claim the soul of the Squire.

Coffin Stone

There was another evil man who had died and was being carried in a coffin for burial at the Widecombe Churchyard. The pallbearers became tired and set the coffin down for a moment to rest. It was at this moment that God sent a lightning bolt down as a sign of His displeasure that the man was going to be buried in a churchyard. The coffin was split in two, as was the stone it sat upon. This stone can still be seen today near Yar Tor on Dartmeet Hill.

Crazywell Pool

On a gloomy day. Crazywell Pool can look every bit the bottomless and malevolent swimming hole it is reputed to be in lore. The pool sits high up on the moors of Dartmoor and was more than likely formed by miners who were excavating for tin. In 1998, a sixteen-year-old recruit in the Royal Marines named Nathaniel Burton, drowned in the pond. The pool is about sixteen feet deep, but legend claims that it is bottomless. A story goes that if a person gazes into the waters on Midsummer’s Eve they will see a likeness of the next person who is going to die. The pool is said to call out the name of that person to attract them to drown. The Witch of Sheepstor is said to haunt the pool. Men would come to her for advice, but it generally was bad advice. She told Piers Gaveston, who owned the Forest of Dartmoor from 1308, that he should come out of hiding and return to the king's court with his head held high even though he had been banished. So he did just that and ended up beheaded with his head on a pike up on high battlements. And in more recent times, a couple of young men went up to the pool on a dare at midnight and ended up crashing their motorcycle. Were they called to the pool as the next to die?

Kitty Jay's Grave

Years ago, people who committed suicide weren't allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. This meant that many times, these people were buried at crossroads so their spirits would be confused and unable to find their way back to town to haunt the living. At Dartmoor National Park there is a grave called Kitty Jay's Grave. A legend claims that Kitty Jay was a 19th century farm worker who became pregnant and then was rejected by the father of the child. She hanged herself in despair and was buried at a crossroads. A man named James Bryan dug up the body and re-interred it and set up the stones that now mark the spot. But something weird happened after that. Fresh flowers began appearing on the grave every morning. No one knows who was leaving the flowers. Some people thought perhaps pixies were doing it. Novelist John Galsworthy wrote the novel "The Apple Tree," which is based on Kitty Jay’s tale.

The Dewerstone

The Dewerstone is a large granite outcrop over 328 feet high that is named for "Old Dewer," which was an ancient Celtic term for the Devil. This is the site of an Iron Age hill fort. Apparently, the cloven-hooved one liked to come out here riding on a large black horse with his black shucks running nearby and drive poor travelers to their deaths off the top of the Dewerstone.

Ghostly Legions Hunters Tor​

Hunters Tor plays host to a ghostly regiment of Roman legionnaires on nights of the full moon. This is above Lustleigh Cleave where they probably died. Another story claims that a ghostly Tudor hunting party has been seen in this area too.

Cutty Dyer

An evil sprite who lives at King’s Bridge in Ashburton is named Cutty Dyer. There was a story told to children as a warning to not go out after dark. Cutty Dyer was said to kill drunks that came by him on the road by slitting their throats, drinking their blood and throwing the bodies into the river. The following account was published in the “Devonshire Association of Science, Literature, and Art" in 1879, "Old Townspeople of Ashburton recollect well the dread of their lives when children, was a mysterious being supposed to inhabit the river Yeo, with whose displeasure and its undefined consequences they were threatened by parents and nurses as a punishment for disobedience and childish frolics. To the generation before, namely, to our great grandparents, 'Cutty Dyer' was the dread of their more matured years, and was supposed to inflict summary punishment on topers as they reeled with difficulty by night through the dark streets to their houses. He was described by persons who saw him as being very tall, standing in the water to his waist, with red eyes as large as saucers, endeavoring to pull them into the water. When the stream was bridged he remained only a scare to children, and on the streets being lighted disappeared altogether."

Fitz's Well

Dartmoor has a couple of holy wells and Fitz’s Well can be found near both Okehampton and Princetown and a similar tale is told about both. There is a very worn cross, surrounded by a ring of stones that stands nearly three feet tall next to a well surrounded by concrete and capped by a metal lid. This is called Fitz's Well and was named for Sir John Fitz who was a lawyer at Tavistock in the 16th century. Supposedly, he and his wife were led into the moors by a pixie and they became hopelessly lost. They stumbled across this well and were able to get a drink and this broke the spell they were under and the fog dissipated. They were able to find their way home. Fitz then erected the cross near the well so others could find it. The Okehampton well is known for its eye cures and for many years was visited on Easter morning by young people.

Okehampton Castle

And speaking of Okehampton, there is a castle there. This is a motte and bailey castle built between 1068 and 1086 that guarded a crossing point across the West Okement River. The castle eventually became a hunting lodge. It fell into decay and the ruins were renovated in the 20th century and today runs as a tourist attraction. The castle is said to be haunted by Lady Howard who was quite the character. There are claims that she murdered three of her husbands and two of her children in the 17th century. She rides in a coach made of the bones of her victims and is cursed with the job of collecting blades of grass found in the castle ruins until the end of time. A one-eyed hound occasionally joins her.

Childe's Tomb

Childe’s Tomb is another stone cross on the moor, which is a reconstruction of the original. The original was destroyed when someone carried the granite stones off to build a house. This cross marks the site of a legendary tragedy. Childe was a wealthy hunter and Lord of the Manor of Plymstock and his real name was probably Ordulf. Childe was derived from a term that was more like a title. He was caught in a blizzard on Dartmoor and hopelessly lost. He decided the only way to save himself would be to kill his horse and climb inside the animal's body for warmth. Childe froze to death anyway. He wrote his will on a nearby granite stone before he died. It said that whoever found his body and buried him would inherit his estate. The monks of Tavistock Abbey recovered his body and claimed the land. This tomb lies on the line of several cairns that had once marked the Monk's Path between Tavistock Abbey and Buckfast Abbey.

Spinster's Rock

Spinster's Rock is a Neolithic Dolmen or burial chamber and the only one left in Devon. There are three upright stones, with one large capstone. When found, there were several stone circles nearby, leading archaeologists to believe this was a bigger burial complex. A story claims that it was erected by three maidens, or spinsters, one morning before breakfast. That is where the name comes from. (Spinsters spun wool.) Another story claims that a man and his two sons were turned to stone while raising the capstone. The reason this happened is because it was the Sabbath when they weren't supposed to be working.

Newhouse Inn

East Dartmoor has an area called Foale's Arrishes. Foale was a Dartmoor resident and an arrish is a stubble field. The fields once fed his horses, but eventually a public house was built here called the Newhouse Inn. It unfortunately burned down in 1876, but there still are some ruins left. Perhaps someone died in the fire because the ruins are rumored to be haunted by a figure wearing a grey greatcoat riding a horse.

Beetor Cross 

Beetor Cross sits high on the wall of what is called the "Watching Place." It is named for a nearby farm. A newspaper article in the Western Morning News on August 28, 1900 describes it thus, "An interesting relic from the past has been rescued from oblivion and restored to its original position. This is the cross which formerly stood at ‘Watching Place,’ in the parish of North Bovey, at the point of junction of the lane leading from that village with the Moretonhamstead and Princetown road. It is known as Beetor Cross, and tradition says it marked the spot where a battle was fought between the Christian British of the Moor and the Pagan Saxon invaders. Be that as it may, the generally accepted opinion now is that this and many other wayside crosses were erected to serve as landmarks to guide travelers and were fashioned in the form of the symbol of Christianity to save them from mutilation or destruction in an age when such symbols were religiously respected." There is said to be a highwayman who came to his end here and that his spirit still remains. He appears as a full-bodied apparition that watches the road and if one looks close enough, they will see that he has empty eye sockets.

Hairy Hands Bridge​

There is a bridge on the B3212 between Postbridge and Two Bridges that has a weird haunting. When people try to cross the bridge, either on a bike or by car, these gross hairy hands appear on the steering wheel or handlebars and try to drive the vehicle or bike off the road. The patch of road is notorious for wrecks, many of them fatal. In 1921, a medical officer from Dartmoor Prison died after his motorbike went out of control. Many people try to avoid this area.

Dartmoor Prison

And speaking of Dartmoor Prison, that is our last location and the inspiration behind this episode. We love our jails! Construction began in March of 1806 on land that was owned by the Prince of Wales in Dartmoor. The Napoleonic Wars were in full swing having started in 1793 and there was a need for more space to put prisoners of war. Estimates are that there were 100,000 prisoners, mainly naval, during this war. The prison was designed by Daniel Asher Alexander and took three years to complete. This was a large prison with several buildings, built in a circular layout. There was a cooking house where prisoners would receive their allowance. There was a bath and a hospital with the Matron’s house and dispensary facing it. There was a separate building known as the Petty-officers’ prison. The prison yard had five cell blocks radiating around it. The aqueduct fed a pond and drainage ditches ran along the privies, making for unsanitary conditions and one can only imagine the smell. There were also a North and South Guard room.

Despite being fairly new, when the prisoners were here during the War of 1812, the roofs leaked. Food was bad and conditions were very poor. They did try to maintain some hygiene by having the bedding exposed to the air every morning and rooms were ventilated. However, there were outbreaks of smallpox, pneumonia and typhoid. Prisoners wore yellow uniforms with blue stripes. Prisoners were allowed to make things from wood and such and sell them to the public for money. They could then buy additional food or other things considered "luxuries" in the prison. About 6500 American prisoners stayed here between 1813 and 1815. Not many officers were among the prisoners as they were thought to have honor and given immediately parole and they were sent to parole towns in the area. Escape was nearly impossible as the prison was surrounded by the high stone wall and there were many guards here. There was also an ingenious alarm system that was basically a rope that ringed the walls that had lots of bells on it, so if someone tried to get out, the bells would sound. If a prisoner did get out, he found that the prison was quite isolated in the moors. He would have to traverse a difficult land for at least 10 miles and even then, townspeople were happy to bring them back to the prison because they were rewarded with a guinea.

As we mentioned on our previous episode, Captain James Fairfield of Kennebunkport, Maine spent time here during the War of 1812 because of privateering. While he was here, the Dartmoor Massacre occurred. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed between the Americans and British in December of 1814, so American prisoners like James Fairfield assumed they would be released immediately. However, the British government waited until the treaty was ratified by the Senate on February 17, 1815. And then they still waited to release prisoners because transport ships took awhile to get together, so there was finally a riot on April 16, 1815. The final straw was actually the kitchen trying to serve old tack rather than fresh bread. The riot wasn't really what we would call violent as only a few prisoners threw some rocks. No fire order was given, but after an initial volley fired over the prisoners' heads, the guards then fired directly into the prisoners. Sixty prisoners were injured and seven killed. The families of those killed and survivors were later granted pensions. 

The last Frenchman left the prison in early 1816. The jail was unused until 1850. It reopened to civilian convicts the following year after renovations. Conscientious objectors were kept here during World War I. Starting in 1920, some of the worst of the worst in Britain were housed here. The Mad Axeman, Frank Mitchell, was one such criminal. A mutiny broke out in 1932 due to poor conditions. The property was heavily damaged and a prisoner was shot, but none of the staff was hurt. Well armed guards were brought in after two hours of the prisoners terrorizing the staff and the rebellion was put down. The prison remains open today and holds mainly non-violent and white-collar criminals. Much of the original part of the prison was demolished to add modern cell blocks, but the original main entrance, the line of the wall and circular shape, Barrack Road and aqueduct outlet all remain. The entrance gate still reads "Spare the vanquished." Conditions have improved in recent years, but for most of its existence, the prison hasn't done the best job.

Part of the prison maintains a museum. The prison is said to be haunted. One of the spirits here is thought to belong to David Davies who tended the prison sheep from 1869 to 1929. Shortly after being released, he passed away. His spirit returned to the jail and has been seen walking the prison grounds on misty nights. French POWs are also said to haunt the prison after being brought here and dying during the Napoleonic Wars. Inmates believed that jackdaws that flew around the prison were souls of dead staff. Jackdaws are a type of black bird.

Dartmoor is clearly a land of mysticism and legend. Walking along the moors reveals many remnants of the past that were erected as reflections of some of the superstitions from years ago. There seems to spirits wandering in various places as well. Are these legends true and is Dartmoor haunted? That is for you to decide!