PEW TOR (PROTECTIVE BOUNDARY MARKINGS TO PREVENT ENCROACHMENT BY QUARRYMEN)

Steve Grigg and Frank Collinson

In the 19th Century, leases giving the right to cut granite on Western Dartmoor needed to be obtained from the Duchy of Cornwall. However, such was the demand for granite at the time, it resulted in damaging encroachments from the quarrymen on the tors themselves. The problem around Pew Tor, was addressed in 1847, when limits were set, within which it was forbidden to remove stone. All contractors to whom leases were made were obliged to conform to these limits. References: a) Nineteenth Century Granite Working on Pew Tor and Staple Tor Western Dartmoor Transactions of Devonshire Association 1981 by Helen Harris and b) Dartmoor Boundary Markers (1986, 1st edition and 2002, 2nd edition).