Total mileage on foot: approx. 4 miles Pertinent maps: the Ordnance Survey, Outdoor Leisure Map #28 of Dartmoor NB: numbers in parentheses correspond to the numbers in red on the maps An easy, scenic walk for both readers and non-readers of Eden Phillpotts who would like to explore the environs of the setting for his novel Widecombe Fair is a walk which follows the route that Tryphena Harvey and Mr. Blatchford would have taken from Bovey Tracy when they first came to Widecombe-in-the-Moor, as described in the first chapter of the novel. As the roads were much more primitive when Tryphena and Mr. Blatchford were traveling this part of the country they would have been obliged to walk the entire distance from Bovey Tracy to Widecombe-in-the-Moor, which is a good six miles. However, with the advent of modern road ways, travelers today may travel this road by car, stopping at the many car parks along the roadside to take in the scenery or park at one of these spots (free of charge) and walk into the village from a closer distance. On the drive in from Bovey Tracy, taking the B3387, two prominent Tors will be visible from the road on a clear day: Hay Tor (1) and Saddle Tor (2). Both of these are worth at least a stop and depending on time constraints, are worth a hike in their own rights. There are car parks located in close proximity to both of these tors, although it’s still a bit of hike from the car park up to Hay Tor. The road continues past a stone circle called Seven Lords’ Lands (3), which is featured in Widecombe Fair as a secret trysting place of Elias Coaker and Petronell Shillingford. Approximately half a mile on from Seven Lords’ Lands the road forks at Harefoot Cross (4) with the left fork going straight on into the village, while the right fork takes a small detour up to Bone Hill Rocks (5a) and then intersects with the B3387 again right before it comes into the village. To keep following the path of Tryphena and Mr. Blatchford take the right fork up the hill to Bone Hill Down (5b) if still traveling by car. However, at this point it is suggested to go on by foot in order to gain a better appreciation for the terrain as traveled by the novel’s characters. There is a car park (6) just beyond the left fork with a foot path leading up towards Bone Hill Rocks. Once the hill is gained, the Rocks come into view and from their base there is a lovely panoramic view that looks down into the bowl of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Looking directly across the valley, at about the same elevation, is Kingshead farm (7), the home of Louisa Windeatt in the book. Here we follow the road again and take it down towards the village passing by Bone Hill Farm (8a), the home of Martha and Peter Smerdon, and Bone Hill Cottages (8b), occupied respectively by Joyce and Daniel Reep and their daughter Margery as well as Alfred Mogridge, the sexton, and his son, Jack. The Cottages are the setting for the incident at the beginning of the novel in which the dying Daniel Reep indulges in one last “hunt” and shoots one of Alfred Mogridge’s carrier pigeons. Further down the hill is Bone Hill Villa (unmarked on the map), which can be taken as the setting for ‘Genoa Villa’, the home of Thirza Tapper. Continuing down the hill and crossing a little bridge over the East Webburn River (9), we make a right up a small hill that leads into the village proper. Here is a description of the way Widecombe looked when Tryphena and Mr. Blatchford first arrived: Crossing the village green upon the northern side of the church, Tryphena Harvey and her companion found themselves at the centre of Widecombe. Upon one side the space wherein they stood rose a lichgate, and springing from it extended an ancient Church House—partly used as dwellings for the needy and partly as a school. Before it ran a heavy porch on granite pillars above cobblestone pavement; beside it lay Widecombe’s treasure, a fragment of the village stocks. In the midst of the central square a yew-tree stood, perched on a triple row of granite steps, while westerly appeared the smithy behind a formidable frieze of ploughs and harrows, and the ‘Old Inn’, a comfortable and ancient house, whose entrance was beneath the level of the road. Here Arthur Pierce was licensed to sell beer and spirits, tobacco and snuff. Remarkably, there is little change today from that description written almost a century ago. There are several roads that branch out from the village center (10), and if we take the road out of the village toward Ponsworthy we will quickly come upon a steep lane heading up to the right. Following the lane we soon come to Southcombe Farm (11), home of William and Grace Coaker and their son, Elias, and the final destination of Tryphena Harvey. To get back to where the car has been parked, simply re-trace your steps back to the center of the village and follow the B3387 out of town and the car park will be on your left about a mile and a quarter out. Other points of interest: All these points are within walking distance and labeled in green on the map and all the names listed below are featured in Phillpotts’s Widecombe Fair 12. The Rugglestone Inn
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©Andi Paul 2007
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Images reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.