Photo © Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lustleigh
Lustleigh is a village and parish in the Wray Valley, inside Dartmoor National Park, between Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead. It is in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Sutrewarde ('south of the wood'), held by Ansgar, and the first record under a form of its present name is Leustlegh in the Book of Fees in 1242. The railway arrived in 1866.
The parish church holds the Datuidoc Stone, a grave marker inscribed to Datuidoc, son of Continoc. Legendary Dartmoor dates it tentatively to AD 550 to 620, and takes it as a sign of an early burial ground on the site of the church. Other named stones include Parson's Loaf on Mapstone Hill, the Bishop's Stone at the village entrance and the May Queen's Rock in Town Orchard. The war memorial at the foot of Mapstone Hill records 19 deaths in the First World War and 10 in the Second.
May Day is the village's main event. Cecil Torr of Wreyland revived the festival in 1905, writing: "There is a May Day festival here, for which I am responsible." The first queen, Mabel Bunclarke, was crowned that year on a rock above Wreyland near Long Tor Farm, and queens' names were carved into the stone up to 1940. There were no ceremonies from 1941 to 1953. In 1954 the crowning moved to Town Orchard, which was given to the village in 1966. A local story that the festival began after the plague of the 1300s passed the village by is tradition, not record.
Lustleigh on the map
In Lustleigh
Bishop's Stone Set In The Garden Wall Of Caseley Bungalow near The Road To Caseley
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A wayside cross stone built into a garden wall near Caseley, likely medieval in origin.
Bullaton Rock
Lustleigh
Bullaton Rock is a granite peak located near Lustleigh, best viewed from below. It offers grand views over the Wray Valley, though access is now private.
Cross About near South Harton Farm Gate
Lustleigh, Moretonhampstead
A wayside cross standing near South Harton Farm, marking an ancient route across the moor.
Great Wood Tor
Lustleigh
Great Wood Tor, a prominent peak near Lustleigh, stands out as a series of large moss-covered boulders that rise from the woodland.
Hatherleigh Tor
Lustleigh
Hatherleigh Tor is a small granite peak located near Lustleigh, east of the A382. It is part of the East Dartmoor landscape, often overshadowed by more famous tors but still a notable feature.
Higher Combe cross
Lustleigh, Moretonhampstead
A medieval wayside cross standing alone in a field east of Higher Combe, marking an ancient route across the moor.
Hisley Bridge
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A modest stone bridge crossing the East Dart River, testament to centuries of moorland travel and trade.
Kestor Inn
Lustleigh, Newton Abbot
Traditional village pub in Manaton serving hearty food, local ales and ciders, with B&B rooms and dog-friendly accommodation on Dartmoor.
Lustleigh May Day
Lustleigh
Every May the children of Lustleigh elect a May Queen, who is crowned on a granite throne in the Town Orchard, with maypole dancing and morris dancing. Cecil Torr revived it in 1905.
Lustleigh Parish Council
Lustleigh, Newton Abbot
The parish council for Lustleigh, one of Dartmoor's prettiest villages, in the Wrey Valley.
Lustleigh Show
Lustleigh
The Lustleigh Village Show is a family day out at a traditional country show in the Dartmoor National Park, held every August Bank Holiday Monday since 1887.
Lustleigh Village Hall
Lustleigh, Newton Abbot
A village hall in the heart of Lustleigh, rebuilt in 2005, with a sprung-floor main hall, stage, meeting room and kitchen, hired out for shows, classes, parties and meetings.
Lustleigh War Memorial
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A quiet memorial to Lustleigh's fallen, standing among the high moorland where community memory endures.
May Day Rock
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A weathered stone monument marking a significant point on the open Dartmoor landscape, rich with local history and mystery.
Milestone On A382 About 1 Metre near Road To Caseley
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A Grade II listed early 19th-century granite milestone on the A382 by the road to Caseley, naming Newton, Bovey and Moreton.
Northcombe Copse Tor
Lustleigh
Northcombe Copse Tor is a small broken tor located on the south slopes of Northcombe Copse, east of Hawkmoor Park. It consists of three distinct sections, with the middle group being the most impressive.
Plain Mummeries Tor
Lustleigh
Plain Mummeries Tor is a small but distinctive rock outcrop located on a gentle spur near Lustleigh. It sits within a woodland clearing and its name comes from the 19th Century Tithe Maps, which referred to the area as 'Plain Mummeries'.
Sharpitor, Lustleigh
Lustleigh, Bovey Tracey
A wooded granite spur tor at the south-eastern end of Lustleigh Cleave, with the Nutcracker logan stone, old postcard views and a steep climb from Lustleigh village.
The Cleave - Lustleigh
Lustleigh, Newton Abbot
The Cleave is a beautiful thatched pub and restaurant dating back to the 15th century. It is situated in the heart of Lustleigh, a picture-postcard village in Devon within the world-famous Dartmoor National Park
The Lustleigh Society
Lustleigh
The Lustleigh Society was formed in 1978 as a society for lectures on local history.
Willmead Tor
Lustleigh
Willmead Tor is a hidden gem among the trees near Lustleigh, featuring a cluster of small, fissured rock outcrops. Access is tricky but possible from the road via a narrow path.
Wray Valley B&B
Lustleigh
Wray Valley is a cosy B&B and campsite in Dartmoor National Park focused on sustainability.
