Dartmoor Peat
by B. Crocker

IN our village of South Zeal and near-by Sticklepath, both in the parish of South Tawton , wood for burning is scarce. Until the coalman arrived with his lorry about a quarter of a century ago, we relied for heat on the peat, or dags, which we cut every year on Dartmoor in the third and last weeks of September. As a social event peat cutting came next in importance to the club walk and agricultural show; all but the very aged took part.

Early in the morning men, women and children left the village in carts and wagons loaned by employers and supporters for the occasion. On board was plenty of refreshment, including good farm cider, the gift of the transport owners. When they arrived at a spot selected many months earlier, the men staked out their claims, while the women settled down to knit, sew, gossip and keep an eye on their young. Cutting continued until midday . Then came a break, and all ate their fill of pasties, bread, cheese, ham, pickles and other substantial fare. The peats were stacked with plenty of air-space between the layers and later transported back to the village, where each man built his rick, thatching it with ferns or straw; thus ~ the supply of winter fuel was assured.

The peat fires were never let out; they were banked at night, and burned up merry and bright when the ashes were raked out next morning. At the Warren House Inn, between Moretonhampstead and Princetown, there is a fire that has been burning for two hundred years, though not in the same hearth. Some years ago the old inn was in bad repair, and another was built across the road. The fire was kept going until this was ready for occupation; then the smouldering turves were transferred to the new hearth, where the fire still burns.-B. Crocker, Devon

From "The Countryman" Autumn 1962   p 590