Doesn’t everybody love a good ghost story, especially around Hallowe’en time? If you do, then Dartmoor won’t disappoint! The area abounds with tales of mythical beasts and mysterious happenings. Many local places are reputed to be haunted, so if you visit any of the following locations, keep your eyes open for ghostly goings-on. You never know what you might see…
Nine Maidens Circle, Belstone
You’ll find this circle of prehistoric standing stones between Watchet Common and Belstone Tor. The story behind them is that the maidens were caught dancing on the sabbath day and were turned to stone, and it is said that if you visit the circle at noon, the maidens come back to life. Even though several of the stones have fallen over, locals are suspicious of restoration work on the circle, believing that anyone who attempts it will be cursed. In 1985, a film crew added a stone to the circle and subsequently lost the only copy of their film, The Circle of Doom, in the post.
Okehampton Castle
This imposing ruin is linked to Fitzford House in Tavistock by the legend of Lady Howard, who died in the 17th century in tragic circumstances. She is said to ride the moor in a coach made of human bones with a skull at each corner, which is drawn by headless horses. The coach is accompanied by a black dog, which only has a single eye in the middle of its forehead. The dog has the task of plucking one blade of grass each night from the mound of the castle, and must continue until all of the grass has been plucked.
Lydford
Both Lydford Castle and nearby Lydford Gorge are reputed to be haunted. The castle was originally used to house prisoners, many of whom were condemned by the infamous ‘Hanging Judge’ Jeffreys. In recent times, the ghost of a young man in 17th-century costume has been seen on the staircase. In the mid-1980s, the site was investigated by the British Psychic and Occult Society. Members reported an almost overbearing atmosphere of intense cold and gloom and a hostile atmosphere inside the castle. A young Alsatian dog, which accompanied the team, froze at the top of the staircase leading to the dungeon, barking at an unseen entity below, and had to be carried down the stairs. During the night, a large bear-like shape materialised in an adjoining room, before disappearing below a stone archway, leaving an atmosphere of evil behind it.
If you are unfortunate enough to fall into the water at the White Lady Waterfall at Lydford Gorge, look out for the White Lady herself – if she appears, you will be saved from drowning. Hanging Judge Jeffreys is also said to haunt the whole of the West Country, in the form of a black pig and may favour the Lydford Gorge area. Not so many years ago, a local farmer reported seeing a strange, black pig-like creature in the vicinity of the gorge as the sun was setting one evening. The farmer said that during the sighting he felt icy cold and was unable to move until the creature was out of sight.
The Highwayman’s Inn, Sourton
You’ll pass this pub on the way to Lydford and it’s worth a stop as it’s probably one of the most unusual buildings you’ll ever see. There has been an inn on the site since 1282 and, perhaps not surprisingly, it boasts a haunting or two. Many visitors have reported sensing a ‘presence’ while in the pub and a common sighting is of a man dressed in green with a feather in his hat. He walks through a wall which now blocks what used to be the route to the stable block. During an impromptu séance, a medium claimed to be in contact with a man named Samuel. According to the medium, Samuel had been in a battle and could not leave the inn. Historical records show that during the English Civil War, there was a battle between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers nearby. Numerous other ghosts have been reported here too: a rather bawdy woman in a mop cap, a man named Joseph, who sits by the bar, and a sea captain called Grenville. Video footage has shown orbs of light coming from the door of the Diana, which was shipwrecked in 1817 with the loss of 16 lives. There are also rumours of buried treasure somewhere on the site!
Finally, if you’re walking on the moor, watch out for the Dartmoor pixies, who will try to disorientate you and lead you off your path. To prevent this, it’s recommended that you wear your coat back to front. Of course, this may give rise to an entirely new legend of strange, faceless creatures being spotted wandering the moor!
