Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Encyclopedia
Widecombe-in-the-Moor is a small village
located within the heart of the Dartmoor
National Park in Devon
, England
. . The name is thought to derive from 'Withy-combe' which means Willow Valley.
According to Widecombe's official website, there are 196 households in the village, although its large and sprawling parish stretches for many miles and encompasses dozens of isolated cottages and moorland farms.
Tourism is a major source of income for Widecombe today, as reflected by the fact that within a small area there are several gift shops (including a National Trust
shop), two cafes and two pubs (the Old Inn and the Rugglestone).
The village is probably best known for Widecombe Fair
, held annually and celebrated by a well-known folksong of the same name, featuring 'Old Uncle Tom Cobley
and All'. Its words were first published in 1880. The characters from the song are featured in many of the souvenirs on sale in the local shops. Also popular are the traditional 'Toby Jugs' - a type of mug, with a handle, shaped as a three dimensional caricature of a person's head - sometimes fictional, sometimes a celebrity.
The Deserted medieval village
of Hutholes and the abandoned farmstead Dinna Clerks (also spelt Dinah Clark's) lie nearby.
is known as the 'Cathedral of the Moors' in recognition of its 120 foot tower and relatively large capacity for such a small village. The church was originally built in the fourteenth century, in the Perpendicular style (late Gothic
), using locally quarried granite
. It was enlarged over the following two centuries, partly on the proceeds of the local tin mining
trade. Inside, the ceiling is decorated with a large number of decorative roof bosses
, including the tinner’s emblem of a circle of three hares
(known locally as the Tinners' Rabbits).
The church was badly damaged in the Great Thunderstorm
of 1638, apparently struck by ball lightning during a severe thunderstorm. An afternoon service was taking place at the time, and the building was packed with approximately 300 worshippers. Four of them were killed, around 60 injured. According to local legend, the Great Thunderstorm was caused by the village being visited by the Devil
.
The size of the parish meant that, for centuries, families were obliged to walk for miles to go to church at Widecombe every Sunday. The task was even more challenging when it came to burying their dead, whose coffins had to be carried over rough ground and both up and down exceptionally steep hills. Halfway up Dartmeet
Hill, for example, lies the Coffin Stone, close to the road, where the body would be placed to allow the bearers to take a rest. The rock is split in two, along its length. Local legend has it that the body of a particularly wicked man was laid there. God took exception to this, and struck the stone with a thunderbolt, destroying the coffin and splitting the stone in two.
In Widecombe churchyard is the grave of novelist Beatrice Chase
who lived for much of her life in a cottage close to the village. Her real name was Olive Katharine Parr, and she was a direct descendant of William Parr, the brother of Catherine
, the sixth wife of Henry VIII
.
Next to the church stands the Church House
, built in 1537 for the production of church ales. It is now managed by the National Trust
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
located within the heart of the Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
National Park in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. . The name is thought to derive from 'Withy-combe' which means Willow Valley.
According to Widecombe's official website, there are 196 households in the village, although its large and sprawling parish stretches for many miles and encompasses dozens of isolated cottages and moorland farms.
Tourism is a major source of income for Widecombe today, as reflected by the fact that within a small area there are several gift shops (including a National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
shop), two cafes and two pubs (the Old Inn and the Rugglestone).
The village is probably best known for Widecombe Fair
Widecombe Fair
Widecombe Fair takes place annually on the second Tuesday in September, attracting thousands of visitors to the tiny Dartmoor village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor...
, held annually and celebrated by a well-known folksong of the same name, featuring 'Old Uncle Tom Cobley
Uncle Tom Cobley
The phrase Uncle Tom Cobley and all is used in British English as a humorous or whimsical way of saying et al., often to express exasperation at the large number of people in a list. The phrase comes from a Devon folk song "Widecombe Fair", collected by Sabine Baring-Gould...
and All'. Its words were first published in 1880. The characters from the song are featured in many of the souvenirs on sale in the local shops. Also popular are the traditional 'Toby Jugs' - a type of mug, with a handle, shaped as a three dimensional caricature of a person's head - sometimes fictional, sometimes a celebrity.
The Deserted medieval village
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
of Hutholes and the abandoned farmstead Dinna Clerks (also spelt Dinah Clark's) lie nearby.
The church
The church of St PancrasSt Pancras
-Saints:* Pancras of Taormina, martyred in 40 AD in Sicily* Pancras of Rome, the saint martyred c.304 AD after whom the following are directly or indirectly named-United Kingdom:* St Pancras, London, a district of London...
is known as the 'Cathedral of the Moors' in recognition of its 120 foot tower and relatively large capacity for such a small village. The church was originally built in the fourteenth century, in the Perpendicular style (late Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
), using locally quarried granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. It was enlarged over the following two centuries, partly on the proceeds of the local tin mining
Dartmoor tin-mining
The Dartmoor tin mining industry is thought to have originated in pre-Roman times, and continued right through to the 20th century. From the 12th century onwards tin mining was regulated by a Stannary Parliament which had its own laws....
trade. Inside, the ceiling is decorated with a large number of decorative roof bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
, including the tinner’s emblem of a circle of three hares
Three hares
The three hares is a circular motif appearing in sacred sites from the Middle and Far East to the churches of southwest England , and historical synagogues in Europe....
(known locally as the Tinners' Rabbits).
The church was badly damaged in the Great Thunderstorm
The Great Thunderstorm, Widecombe
The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor, Kingdom of England, took place on Sunday, 21 October 1638, when the church of St Pancras was apparently struck by a ball lightning during a severe thunderstorm. An afternoon service was taking place at the time, and the building was...
of 1638, apparently struck by ball lightning during a severe thunderstorm. An afternoon service was taking place at the time, and the building was packed with approximately 300 worshippers. Four of them were killed, around 60 injured. According to local legend, the Great Thunderstorm was caused by the village being visited by the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
.
The size of the parish meant that, for centuries, families were obliged to walk for miles to go to church at Widecombe every Sunday. The task was even more challenging when it came to burying their dead, whose coffins had to be carried over rough ground and both up and down exceptionally steep hills. Halfway up Dartmeet
Dartmeet
Dartmeet is a popular tourist spot in the centre of Dartmoor, Devon, England at .It lies at the end of the B3351 road, about east of Two Bridges. From here, the road continues eastwards as a minor road with restrictions on the size of vehicles, past Poundsgate and over Holne Bridge and New Bridge...
Hill, for example, lies the Coffin Stone, close to the road, where the body would be placed to allow the bearers to take a rest. The rock is split in two, along its length. Local legend has it that the body of a particularly wicked man was laid there. God took exception to this, and struck the stone with a thunderbolt, destroying the coffin and splitting the stone in two.
In Widecombe churchyard is the grave of novelist Beatrice Chase
Beatrice Chase
Beatrice Chase was the pen name for a British writer, who became well known for her Dartmoor-based novels during the first half of the 20th century...
who lived for much of her life in a cottage close to the village. Her real name was Olive Katharine Parr, and she was a direct descendant of William Parr, the brother of Catherine
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, the sixth wife of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
Next to the church stands the Church House
The Church House
The Church House is a fine two-storey granite building in Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon, England, dating from 1537, which stands alongside the church, overlooking the tiny village square...
, built in 1537 for the production of church ales. It is now managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.