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Haytor Down

In the 1850's the Duke of Somerset decided to erect a number of named boundary stones along Heytor Down to emphasise the extent of his holding. He intermingled his well rounded stones with a couple of already established boundary stones and natural rocks. All received his initials "DS" together with the date 1853 or 1854. The names of the stones took a decidely royal approach with "Prince Albert", "Victoria", "Prince of Wales" interspersed with the more obscure names "Wm Stone" and "Old Jack". In 2001 a new stone was erected by the DNPA (Dartmoor National Park Authority) to celebrate 50 years of stewardship. The stone is confusedly entitled "Prince of Wales" presumably because the present Prince of Wales holds so much Dartmoor land.
Park off the road just north of Haytor Vale at SX 771778. Don't take the obvious paths but walk about 100 yds north along the road to find more obscure tracks. You can venture SE over the lower part of the Down and this is where you'll find Wm Stone, the new Prince of Wales, Owlacombe and Prince Albert. For the other stones take the NE track. Some of these stones are not so easy to find and you may have to wander around the tracks to find them. Old Jack and Victoria are straightforward to locate, but Owlacombe less so.
This is a nice easy stroll over the delightful Heytor Down. The views over the nearby towns of Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot are excellent and it is popular with locals. Lots of heather, a bit of gorse and some well trodden tracks over gentle inclines make this an ideal Sunday afternoon or evening stroll. Walking boots are hardly needed. There's lots of contrast especially as you go over the top of the Down to confront the views of Hound Tor and the inner stretches of eastern Dartmoor. Many walk extensions possible - the Haytor quarries, Becka brook or Hound Tor - you could spend a whole day up here.
No army grounds anywhere near.
 
Wm Stone on one side and 1853 on the other - SX 771779. This is the only Doke of Somerset stone not to be inscribed with DS.
The new Prince of Wales stone - SX 774777
Owlacombe Burrow - SX 777777. The photo shows the inscription DS 1853. The original stone here may have dated back to the 11th century.
The other side of the Owlacombe Barrow stone - Owlaco mbe Burrow
Prince Albert - SX 778775. Has DS 1853 on the other side of the stone
The John Stone - SX 780775. This is a natural stone rather than one of the Duke of Somerset's markers. Inscribed with J S on the east side of the stone. It may have been originally inscribed with John Stone.
Perrymans' Bridge stone. The is a small marker inscribed with PB on its eastern face. Probably laid in the 1830's when there used to be a clapper bridge nearby which took the sets of the granite railway over a small leat. Perryman's were stonemasons of the period who built bridges. SX 781774.
6 mile milestone for the Heytor granite railway (6 miles meausered from the Ventiford quay where the granite blocks were loaded onto ships). The stone is located beside the Bovey Tracey to Heytor road and was adjacent to the granite trackway. SX 781774
View over Bovey Tracey from near Owlacombe.
This is not one of the Somerset boundary stones - just a smaller copycat utility stone.
The easterly view over the lower part of Haytor down from near Old Jack. In the distance lies the barely distinct Teign estuary and the town of Newton Abbot. To the right is part of the South Hams.
Old Jack - SX 769781 with the top of Yarner Wood below and Lustleigh beyond.
The Victoria stone - SX 766783. In the background lie the hills surrounding Lustleigh.
Writelan stan, Three Parish stone or the three sided IBM stone - SX 763783. This is an old boundary stone that marks the junction of Ilsington, Bovey and Manaton parishes. Maybe one of the markers of the Anglo Saxon Peadington Estate - see Legendary Dartmoor.
The original Prince of Wales stone - SX 760784.
The other side of the Prince of Wales stone with Hey Tor on the horizon.
Hole Rock - SX 758785.
Hay Tor from Hay Tor Down.
Smallacombe Rocks - SX 755783. These extensive rocks are surprisingly impressive and well worth a visit.
The west view from Smallacombe Rocks with Hound Tor in the mid distance.
Another west view from Smallacombe Rocks.
Smallacombe Rocks.
A cairn at Black Hill - SX 763789.
Sunset approaching from near Black Hill.
Berries.
Purple heather.
The summer gorse and heather heath of Haytor Down.
 


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