Baring-Gould Local Route

Sabine Baring-Gould’s version of the origin of the name “Snaily House”:

Two old maids had long lived at Whiteslade, a solitary cottage on the East Dart below Laughter Tor, hid behind a “clatter” of fallen rocks, overshadowed by half-a-dozen sycamore and ash trees. There they had lived without ostensible means of subsistence for many years. They did not go to market, no dealer, miller, grocer came to their door, remote from every road. They employed no man to till their garden, and all they grew was a few potatoes and cabbages. Nourishing the moor air might be, but it could not sustain life unassisted.

The farmers for some time had missed sheep. At length suspicion was aroused; it was thought that these old sisters lured the sheep by charms to their habitation, and then killed them for their larder, or lese that they went hunting them by night, riding broom-sticks.

The farmers assembled and surrounded the lonesome cottage, forced their way in, and found– jars full of salted slugs; not a particle of meat, not a trace of bones.

Beginning on Dartmoor and driving west on the B3212 from Mortonhampstead towards Post Bridge, you will come to a stretch of open moorland where the road follows an ancient pony trail. Along this barren road to your right will be the first stop on your Baring-Gould explorations, the Warren House Inn, which claims to be the highest pub in Devon. Stop in for a bite and a drink, or warm up by the fire, but don’t get drowsy– there’s a long ways to go yet.

Continue down B3212 until you reach the Post Bridge Information Center, run by the Dartmoor National Park Authority, whose lovely staff will be happy to help you find any feature of the Park you might be looking for. From there you may also be able to take guided tours along the Moor (check listings on

www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk).

Across the road, turn left down the lane. If you want an overnight visit of the area, the Bellever YHA hostel (Grid Reference: 654 773) is available at this juncture. See http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/bellever/index.aspx for details on rooms.

Continuing on this lane, you can pull in your car or take a bathroom break at the car park before beginning your small hike.

Post Bridge is named after the arched Bridge which was built for carrying the post from Princetown to Mortonhampstead. Walk over this and head to the right, off the main path and onto the ‘permitted path’ by the water.

As you walk by, stop and take a look at the old Clapper Bridge which, though sadly in recent years has fallen, is a good example of the relics of medieval life which still exists on Dartmoor. Built out of giant slabs of granite, some of which weigh over eight tons, they were constructed for trains of packhorses transporting goods over the Moors.

Continue following the bend of the East Dart River from the bridge downstream. If you are walking in the spring or early summer, you will see beautiful yellow gorse bushes all around– but watch out, they’re prickly!

After picking your way through the rocks along the river front, you will come to a low stone enclosure wall and gate marker, which you need to hop over to reach your destination on this path.

Beyond and within a few meters of the wall, you encounter an overgrown pile of stones. This is the remains of Whiteslade or the Snaily House, from Sabine Baring-Gould’s short story. The path you’ve been following is the way Janie and Joanie would have taken from the road, dropped off by their ambivalent suitor, Joe Leaman at the beginning of the tale. Though much of the building has fallen into ruin and been covered by brambles, if you take a look around you can see the lintel of one window or cupboard which still stands. If you look very carefully, you may even see some of the large snails and black slugs which give the house its unusual history and name.