Featured image of post Cox Tor Circular
West Dartmoor

Cox Tor Circular

A walk around Cox Tor, inspecting ancient Reeve Stones.

A medium 3 mile walk by Keith Ryan on  Oct 05, 2011.   Added on  Nov 20, 2024

Information

Map

Map of Route - Crown Copyright - Ordnance Survey Licence number 100047373

Introduction

This walk was reached by finding the Pork Hill car park on the road between Tavistock and Two Bridges, marked by the P symbol and yellow cross on the map. This is a large car park on the south side of the road.

The following bound stones are part of the group of eight stones along an ancient reeve, described by Dave Brewer (2002) Dartmoor Boundary Markers, Halsgrove, pp. 195-196. Seven are RB stones along the Peter Tavy / Whitchurch boundary and there is another, not on the boundary. The most westerly one, no. 1, is no longer to be found. The “R” probably refers to the Radcliffes of Warleigh, former owners of seven farms in the area.

RB Stone

RB stone “8” at SX 52836 75394, the most easterly

RB stone 7 at SX 52791 75415

RB stone “6” at SX 52750 75424, broken off

RB stone 4 at SX 52620 75417. This appears to be the pyramidal no. 4 depicted in the Brewer book

RB stone “3” at SX 52546 75422

Gate Hanger Stone

Gate hanger stone at SX 52171 76240, the only working example on the moor

The base of the gate, also set in a stone

General view of this now rather special gate

Black Tor (not on the maps), over on the left as we climbed Cox Tor, over near Stephen’s Grave

Rocky outcrop en route to a cairn

Approaching Cox Tor, SX 530 761, elevation 442 metres (1450 feet)

Cox Tor Trig

Cox Tor trig. point - the tor is composed of dolerite, not granite

PW Stone

The PW stone, aka Flat Rock or Black Rock, seen beside the track at SX 53453 75952

PW stone, at SX 53453 75952 ….. this is the stone described by Dave Brewer(2002) Dartmoor Boundary Markers, Halsgrove, pp. 158 thus, after describing the stones above: “The line then bends north-easwards to a Boundary Rock near Beckamoor Head at SX 5345 7595 called Flat Rock or Black Rock bearing the letters ‘P’ and ‘W’ on the appropriate sides of its flat top” - P signifying Peter Tavy and W signifying Whitchurch parishes. The ‘W’ can be seen (upside-down) on the far edge of the stone, opposite the ‘P’

‘P’ and ‘W’ - marked

PW stone

View display at the west end of the car park on which Merrivale is misspelt, unveiled by Prince Charles