Nun's Cross, one of the boundary markers of the Forest
A royal forest was an area reserved by the king for hunting, and William the Conqueror introduced the concept of forest law in England in the 11th century.[1] Until 1204 the whole of Devon was a royal forest, but in that year King John agreed (subject to the payment by the county's commonality of a "fine" of 5,000 marks) to disafforest all of Devon "up to the metes of the ancient regardes of Dertemore and Exmore, as these regardes were in the time of King Henry the First". In other words, all of Devon except for Dartmoor and Exmoor was freed from forest law.[2]
This disafforestation was confirmed by King Henry III in 1217,[3] and in 1239 he granted the Forest of Dartmoor (and the Manor of Lydford) to his brother, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. From that date it technically became a chase, not a forest, though the name did not change.[4] The next year, in a writ dated 13 June 1240, the king directed the Sheriff of Devon and twelve knights of the county to perambulate the Forest to record its exact bounds. This was because Richard had been in dispute with four knights who owned land adjoining the forest. The perambulation (known ever since as "the 1240 Perambulation") took place on 24 July 1240.[3] It was around this time that the first of the Ancient Tenements, such as Babeny, were founded within the Forest.[5]
Although the original document detailing the route of the 1240 Perambulation has been lost, a number of near-contemporary copies still exist, differing only in spelling.[3] A modern transcription of the places mentioned is as follows:[7][8]
Original text of 1240 (alternative spellings in brackets)
Modern placename
Notes
…ad hogam de Cossdonne
Cosdon
A prominent hill on the northern edge of Dartmoor
et inde linealiter usque ad parvam hogam que vocatur parva Hundetorre,
Hound Tor
et inde linealiter usque ad Thurlestone,
Watern Tor
et inde linealiter usque ad Wotesbrokelakesfote que cadit in Tyng,
Hew Lake Foot
et inde linealiter usque ad Heigheston (Hengheston)
The Longstone on Shovel Down
A Bronze Age standing stone
et inde linealiter usque ad Langestone (Yessetone)
The Heath Stone
et inde linealiter usque per mediam turbariam de Alberysheved (Aberesheved)
et inde linealiter usque at vadum proximum in orientali parte capelle Sancti Michaelis de Halgestoke
Halstock Chapel
et inde linealiter usque ad predictum hogam de Cossdonne in orientali parte
Return to Cosdon
There was another perambulation of the forest bounds in 1608 which introduced a number of changes and added boundary points between the existing ones.[11] The exact boundaries continued to be unclear or disputed until the later 19th century.[12]
Referencesedit
^ abSandles, Tim. . Legendary Dartmoor. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
Brewer, Dave (2002). Dartmoor Boundary Markers. Tiverton, Devon: Halsgrove. ISBN1-84114-172-0.
Milton, Patricia (2006). The Discovery of Dartmoor, a Wild and Wondrous Region. Chichester: Phillimore. ISBN1-86077-401-6.
Somers Cocks, John (1970). "Saxon and Early Medieval Times". In Crispin Gill (ed.). Dartmoor. A New Study. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. ISBN0-7153-5041-2.
January 01, 1970
forest, dartmoor, civil, parish, dartmoor, forest, ancient, royal, forest, covering, part, dartmoor, devon, england, cross, boundary, markers, forest, royal, forest, area, reserved, king, hunting, william, conqueror, introduced, concept, forest, england, 11th,. For the civil parish see Dartmoor Forest The Forest of Dartmoor is an ancient royal forest covering part of Dartmoor Devon England Nun s Cross one of the boundary markers of the Forest A royal forest was an area reserved by the king for hunting and William the Conqueror introduced the concept of forest law in England in the 11th century 1 Until 1204 the whole of Devon was a royal forest but in that year King John agreed subject to the payment by the county s commonality of a fine of 5 000 marks to disafforest all of Devon up to the metes of the ancient regardes of Dertemore and Exmore as these regardes were in the time of King Henry the First In other words all of Devon except for Dartmoor and Exmoor was freed from forest law 2 This disafforestation was confirmed by King Henry III in 1217 3 and in 1239 he granted the Forest of Dartmoor and the Manor of Lydford to his brother Richard Earl of Cornwall From that date it technically became a chase not a forest though the name did not change 4 The next year in a writ dated 13 June 1240 the king directed the Sheriff of Devon and twelve knights of the county to perambulate the Forest to record its exact bounds This was because Richard had been in dispute with four knights who owned land adjoining the forest The perambulation known ever since as the 1240 Perambulation took place on 24 July 1240 3 It was around this time that the first of the Ancient Tenements such as Babeny were founded within the Forest 5 Richard s son Edmund inherited the forest but when he died in 1300 with no heir the forest reverted to The Crown King Edward II granted it to his favourite Piers Gaveston in 1308 on Gaveston s beheading in 1312 it reverted to The Crown again 6 Then in 1337 King Edward III granted the forest to Edward the Black Prince at the same time as he created him the first Duke of Cornwall 3 and today the forest still belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall 1 A walk that follows the forest bounds as far as possible was set up in 1982 7 The Perambulations editAlthough the original document detailing the route of the 1240 Perambulation has been lost a number of near contemporary copies still exist differing only in spelling 3 A modern transcription of the places mentioned is as follows 7 8 Original text of 1240 alternative spellings in brackets Modern placename Notes ad hogam de Cossdonne Cosdon A prominent hill on the northern edge of Dartmoor et inde linealiter usque ad parvam hogam que vocatur parva Hundetorre Hound Tor et inde linealiter usque ad Thurlestone Watern Tor et inde linealiter usque ad Wotesbrokelakesfote que cadit in Tyng Hew Lake Foot et inde linealiter usque ad Heigheston Hengheston The Longstone on Shovel Down A Bronze Age standing stone et inde linealiter usque ad Langestone Yessetone The Heath Stone et inde linealiter usque per mediam turbariam de Alberysheved Aberesheved The marsh at the head of the Metheral Brook et sic in longum Wallebroke Acknowledged to be a scribe s error 9 et inde linealiter usque ad Furnum regis King s Oven et inde linealiter usque ad Wallebrokeshede The head of the Walla Brook et sic in longum Wallebroke usque cadit in Dertam Along the Walla Brook to its confluence with the East Dart River et sic per Dertam usque ad aliam Dertam Dartmeet et sic per aliam Dertam ascendendo usque Okebrokysfote Up the West Dart River to the foot of the O Brook et sic ascendendo Okebroke usque ad la Dryeworke Up the O Brook to Dry Lake A tinner s gulley et ita ascendendo usque ad la Dryfeld ford The Sandy Way et sic inde linealiter usque ad Battyshull Cattyshill Gnattishull Ryder s Hill et inde linealiter usque ad caput de Wester Wellabroke The head of the Weston Wella Brook et sic per Wester Wellabroke usque cadit in Avenam Down the Weston Wella Brook to its confluence with the River Avon et inde linealiter usque ad Ester Whyteburghe Eastern Whittabarrow A large cairn et inde linealiter usque ad la Redelake Rodelake que cadit in Erme The confluence of Red Lake and the River Erme et inde linealiter usque ad Grymsgrove The head of the River Erme et inde linealiter usque ad Elysburghe Eylesbarrow et sic linealiter usque at crucem Sywardi Nun s Cross et inde usque ad Ysfother South Hessary Tor et sic per aliam Ysfother North Hessary Tor et inde per mediam Mystor Mistmore Great Mis Tor usque ad Mewyburghe White Barrow et inde usque ad Lullingesfote Hullingssete Limsboro Cairn et inde usque ad Rakernesbrokysfote The confluence of the Rattle Brook and the River Tavy et sic ad caput ejusdem aque Up the Rattle Brook to its head et deinde usque ad la Westsolle Stenga Tor et inde linealiter usque ad Ernestorre High Willhays 10 Some sources say this is Yes Tor et inde linealiter usque at vadum proximum in orientali parte capelle Sancti Michaelis de Halgestoke Halstock Chapel et inde linealiter usque ad predictum hogam de Cossdonne in orientali parte Return to Cosdon There was another perambulation of the forest bounds in 1608 which introduced a number of changes and added boundary points between the existing ones 11 The exact boundaries continued to be unclear or disputed until the later 19th century 12 References edit a b Sandles Tim The Legendary Forest of Dartmoor Legendary Dartmoor Archived from the original on 28 September 2011 Retrieved 11 September 2011 Brewer 2002 p 15 a b c d Brewer 2002 p 16 Somers Cocks 1970 p 94 Somers Cocks 1970 p 96 98 Milton 2006 p 8 a b Sandles Tim The Dartmoor Perambulations Legendary Dartmoor Archived from the original on 28 January 2012 Retrieved 11 September 2011 Brewer 2002 pp 20 41 Brewer 2002 p 26 Brewer 2002 p 39 Brewer 2002 p 18 Brewer 2002 map on p 21Sources editBrewer Dave 2002 Dartmoor Boundary Markers Tiverton Devon Halsgrove ISBN 1 84114 172 0 Milton Patricia 2006 The Discovery of Dartmoor a Wild and Wondrous Region Chichester Phillimore ISBN 1 86077 401 6 Somers Cocks John 1970 Saxon and Early Medieval Times In Crispin Gill ed Dartmoor A New Study Newton Abbot David and Charles ISBN 0 7153 5041 2 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