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Summary

Crockern tor. Stannary parliament believed to have been held there. Lysons says the table and seats of moorstone were destroyed by sir francis buller's workmen and the fragments used for some buildings. One stone table reported to have been moved to dunnabridge farm. At crockern tor, from 1305 onwards was held the stannary parliament for devon, at which all matters relating to stannary laws were discussed and grievances raised. The last occasion was probably the year 1749. After then the tor was used as a quarry, when stone removed probably included slabs of granite used by the parliament as tables and chairs. There is evidence of tinners workings at numerous places on the banks of the rivers, including blowing house remains near tributaries of the east dart - stannon brook, and wallabrook (sources for above unclear). The earliest record of the proceedings of the parliament, held annually, dates from 1494. Although the parliament met at crockern tor, members generally adjourned to tavistock. Last meeting of which certain evidence exists was held in 1703 (radford).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW20
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442565
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/74

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MOOT (XIV to XVIII - 1305 AD (Between) to 1703 AD (Between))
• STANNARY COURT (XIV to XVIII - 1305 AD (Between) to 1703 AD (Between))

Full description

MARCHAND, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245957.

Crockerntor was one of only 3 features on dartmoor included in risdon's c17 survey of devon. It was also shown as the tinners parliament on donn's map of 1765. In 1752 milles, the dean of exeter, described a row of stone benches round an area c.7m x 4m with a stone table which had all collapsed. Swete in 1797 stated that crockerntor was chosen as a site 'consecrated by druids'. Polwhele stated in an annotation that the 'judges seat' had been taken to trobridge near crediton in 1855 where it is known as the druid's chair and is 1.35m tall x 0.65m wide x 0.9m deep (marchand).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245958.

Pengelly, w. /tda/19(1887)250/prince's "worthies of devon" and the dictionary of national biography.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245959.

Laskey, j. /gentleman's magazine/(1795)35.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245960.

Harris, h. /industrial archaeology of dartmoor/(1968)204.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245961.

Lysons, d. + s. /devonshire/(1822)314.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245962.

Risdon, t. /chronological description of devon/(1811)223.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245963.

Osa=sx67nw20.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245964.

Worth, r. H. /dartmoor/(1953)282.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245967.

Radford, lady/tda/62(1930)230,236,237,238,240,242,244/notes on the tinners of devon and their laws.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245968.

Greeves, t. A. P. /tda/119(1987)145/the great courts or parliaments of devon tinners 1474-1786.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245969.

Des=os 6"(1906)107nw.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245971.

Brown/tda/93(1961)213.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245972.

Marchand, j. /pdas/53(1995)1-10/a high rock called crockern torr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245973.

Polwhele, r. /historical views/(1793)20.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245974.

Worth, r. N. /tda/73(1941)201-25/dartmoor 1788-1808.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245975.

Rowe, s. /a perambulation through the ancient & royal forest of dartmoor/(1856)209.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245976.

Crossing, w. /hundred years on dartmoor/(1967)140.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245977.

Crossing, w. /guide to dartmoor/(1965)130.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245978.

Des=rendell, p. /dtrg newsletter/7(1994)3-4/which way to cockerntor?.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV245979.

Des=passmore, a. /dtrg newsletter/19(july 2000)2/stannary celebration at buckland abbey.

PASSMORE, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV315068.

On 27 october 1600 sir walter raleigh presided over a great court at crockerntor of 96 devon tinners from chagford, ashburton, plympton + tavistock. This was the last gathering to be held at crockerntor itself although there were a few later 'great courts' (passmore).

RENDELL, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV155289.

In september 1494 twenty four 'jurates' from tavistock stannary attended the 'tinners great court' at crockerntor (rendell).

Radford, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV18671.

Crockern tor. Stannary parliament believed to have been held there. Lysons says the table and seats of moorstone were destroyed by sir francis buller's workmen and the fragments used for some buildings. One stone table reported to have been moved to dunnabridge farm. At crockern tor, from 1305 onwards was held the stannary parliament for devon, at which all matters relating to stannary laws were discussed and grievances raised. The last occasion was probably the year 1749. After then the tor was used as a quarry, when stone removed probably included slabs of granite used by the parliament as tables and chairs. There is evidence of tinners workings at numerous places on the banks of the rivers, including blowing house remains near tributaries of the east dart - stannon brook, and wallabrook (sources for above unclear). The earliest record of the proceedings of the parliament, held annually, dates from 1494. Although the parliament met at crockern tor, members generally adjourned to tavistock. Last meeting of which certain evidence exists was held in 1703 (radford).

Finberg, H. P. R., 1949, The Stannary Of Tavistock, 19 (Article in Serial). SDV245965.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 282 (Monograph). SDV231148.

The Stannary districts of Chagford, Tavistock, Ashburton and Plymton held their Parliament on Crockern Tor (SX 615757) from post 1305, although written records only go back to 1494. Its last recorded session took place in 1730 (Finberg 1949).

Brown, T., 1961, Tales of a Dartmoor Village: Some Preliminary Notes on the Folklore of Postbridge, 213 (Article in Serial). SDV238060.

Brown states that the last meeting took place in 1749.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8642 - Crockern Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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