Note: If you click on any of the small 'thumbnail' pictures below, a larger version will be downloaded. This will take a little time, but it is worth it.

The second part of the Beating of the Widecombe Bounds was held on 20th May 2000.

We all met at Holwell Gate at 10.00 a.m. There was a slight panic, as there was no Sylvia with the food wagon, but she eventually turned up having been waiting for us up at Holwell Farm. The bluebells in the field opposite Holwell Gate were beautiful (photographs do not do it justice - at least mine don’t!).

Once all were gathered we set off and initially walked across the fields to Hedge Barton Farm, with some nice views of familiar points of interest from unfamiliar angles - one of the benefits of being able to walk on private land.

We met many cows along the way, some very inquisitive.

In a short time we reached the farmyard with its extensive range of buildings and cottages. 

The roundhouse was thought to be the place where they burnt lime. 

It also has a notable irregular slate roof.

After walking through the farmyard, we followed the stream roughly north and north-west where Manaton Parish extends into Widecombe Parish like a tongue following the stream. This is believed to be because of early tin streaming - Manaton keeping or claiming the rights (may have been very early, based on the dates for the determination of the parish boundaries). This area is very attractive, having been landscaped in the past. The lake, for instance, which the Canadian Geese have adopted, is man made.

We then doubled back, and some of us followed Mike Pascoe, who knows the area well (he was born at Hedge Barton) and he led us up the garden path through dense nettle, bramble and barbed wire, but closer to the boundary (so it had to be worth it!). More trekking across fields and barbed wire followed until we met up with the other group at Jay’s Grave for coffee break.

Then along the trackway, not missing the beautiful view down the valley, to reach Natsworthy Gate, where we stopped for lunch (it’s all go on these walks!). The Lamb’s food had not turned up. Just before we were all getting up to carry on a tractor was heard coming up the lane. A herd of cows followed by Rodney Cruze’s tractor made their way slowly up the lane, followed finally by the food and others who were joining at this point. In the nick of time.

After lunch, we followed the leat, passed the remains of an old longhouse, continued up the hill and followed the series of boundary stones placed by the Duke of Somerset in 1854 to mark his manor (Natsworthy). Each stone has a name: Blue Jug, Gray Weather etc. Gray Weather proved hard to find, but Peter spotted it in the end. Note that when the stones were erected and the names chipped out, spelling accuracy was not high on the list of priorities (or usage has changed) - see ‘Burrow’ below for what should be (today) ‘Barrow’.

Much time was spent daubing peat into the lettering on the stones to make them stand out (see picture). Interesting practice - might catch on.

We got to the top of Hameldown and then walked along the crest visiting the boundary stones on the various barrows. Hameldown Cross was the first. Broad Burrow is the highest point in the parish. Two Burrows was the next one along.

This part of Hameldown has a number of upright poles scattered around, said to have been placed there during the war to prevent enemy gliders from landing. As these are now sixty years old and deteriorating fast, we had been asked by the DNPA if they could remove one for the museum. There are one or two that have already fallen down, so we took one of these and found a young volunteer to carry it on to the finish of the walk (well done Mark).

Reached the boundary wall at Single Burrow, so we turned and followed the wall down with the view of Soussons in the distance. At the foot , we came to Blue Gate where we stopped for tea. We were slightly early. There was a ewe with her lamb by the roadside, the lamb only born that day by the looks of it.

Then across fields to straight mile the road that links the Moretonhampstead road with the Postbridge Road. We walked down here a small way and came across another boundary stone. This marks the spot where the Spitchwick Manor starts. Between here and Newbridge, along the western boundary, the Widecombe and Spitchwick boundaries coincide.

On to the Postbridge Road and then along the road for a bit before turning into a field at Soussons Farm. Then across the fields observing the plantation and on to a fenced area of which the fence on the eastern side marks the boundary. We followed up the old track which led to Soussons, which dates from when it was a Warren, and back to the Road at Ephraim’s Pinch, and the end of section 2 of the Boundary walk.

Ephraim’s Pinch is so-called, so it is said, because Ephraim, a young farm worker (at Runnage?), wanted to marry, and to prove he was ready they gave him three hundredweight of corn to take to the mill and return with as flour. This he had to carry on his back. By the time he got back to this point, he was rather feeling the pinch and collapsed. Unfortunately I do not know the end of the story. Did he survive? Did he get married?

Back to Top