Whiteworks, Devon, England

Childe's Tomb

Childe's Tomb

Childe's Tomb is a granite cross located southeast of Whiteworks. Although not in its original form, it is more elaborate than most of the crosses on Dartmoor, being raised upon a constructed base, and it is known that a kistvaen (a tomb) is underneath.

 

The legend concerning a wealthy hunter named Childe was first recorded in 1630 by Tristram Risdon. Childe was riding his horse across the bleak landscape but became lost in a snow storm. Despite disembowelling his horse and climbing into its body for protection, but eventually succumb to the conditions. The legend states that Childe left a note saying that whoever found and buried his body would inherit his land at Plymstock. This created a greedy race between the monks of Tavistock Abbey and the men of Plymstock. The Abbey were triumphant.

 

Coxe states that two girls, who were strangers to the area, witnessed the ghosts of monks here sometime between the first and second World War.

 

Coorindates:

50°31'01.9"N 3°56'27.1"W.

 

For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Antony D. Hippisley Coxe.

Location

Visitor Information

Whiteworks (or White Works) is a former mining hamlet in Devon, England.

It is situated near the town of Princetown, within Dartmoor National Park.

Pictured left is a view of Uplyme courtesy of Herby. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.