Wistman's Wood
Encyclopedia
Wistman's Wood is one of three remote copses of stunted oaks on Dartmoor
, Devon
, England
. It lies at an altitude of between 380–420 metres in the valley of the West Dart River near Two Bridges
, at grid reference SX613770.
Wistman's Wood is a rare relict example of the ancient high-level woodlands of Dartmoor, and because of this it has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest
since 1964, and is an NCR site
. Its name probably derives from Wisht-man's wood, the vernacular word wisht meaning pixie-led or haunted.
The wood consists mainly of stunted pedunculate oak
trees that grow from between moss-covered boulders and are festooned with epiphytic
mosses, lichens and ferns. There are also some rowan
, holly and willow
trees.
Over the centuries the wood has changed considerably. In 1620 Tristram Risdon
wrote that the trees were "no taller than a man may touch to top with his head". In 1912 a geological survey party tried to walk the wood but gave up due to the dense vegetation. In the early 1970s the trees were reported as being very distorted and on average 10 ft high, with occasional specimens over 25 ft.
In Devon, the Wild Hunt
is said to be that of hellhound
s chasing sinners or the unbaptised. The dogs in the Devonshire dialect are known as Yeth (Heath) or Wisht Hounds. This legendary hunt is particularly associated with Wistman's Wood, the name of which may derive from the dialect word 'wisht' meaning 'eerie' or 'uncanny'.
The source of the Devonport Leat
, at a weir on the West Dart River, is just north of the wood.
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies at an altitude of between 380–420 metres in the valley of the West Dart River near Two Bridges
Two Bridges
Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. It is situated around north east of Princetown on the old turnpike road which was built across Dartmoor in the late 18th century ....
, at grid reference SX613770.
Wistman's Wood is a rare relict example of the ancient high-level woodlands of Dartmoor, and because of this it has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
since 1964, and is an NCR site
A Nature Conservation Review
A Nature Conservation Review is a 2-volume work by Derek Ratcliffe, published by Cambridge University Press in 1977. It set out to identify the most important places for nature conservation in Great Britain...
. Its name probably derives from Wisht-man's wood, the vernacular word wisht meaning pixie-led or haunted.
The wood consists mainly of stunted pedunculate oak
Pedunculate Oak
Quercus robur is commonly known as the Pedunculate Oak or English oak. It is native to most of Europe, and to Anatolia to the Caucasus, and also to parts of North Africa.-Taxonomy:Q...
trees that grow from between moss-covered boulders and are festooned with epiphytic
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
mosses, lichens and ferns. There are also some rowan
Sorbus aucuparia
Sorbus aucuparia , is a species of the genus Sorbus, native to most of Europe except for the far south, and northern Asia...
, holly and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
trees.
Over the centuries the wood has changed considerably. In 1620 Tristram Risdon
Tristram Risdon
Tristram Risdon was an English antiquary and topographer, and the author of Survey of the County of Devon. He was able to devote most of his life to writing this work. After he completed it in about 1632 it circulated around interested people in several manuscript copies for almost 80 years before...
wrote that the trees were "no taller than a man may touch to top with his head". In 1912 a geological survey party tried to walk the wood but gave up due to the dense vegetation. In the early 1970s the trees were reported as being very distorted and on average 10 ft high, with occasional specimens over 25 ft.
In Devon, the Wild Hunt
Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is an ancient folk myth prevalent across Northern, Western and Central Europe. The fundamental premise in all instances is the same: a phantasmal, spectral group of huntsmen with the accoutrements of hunting, horses, hounds, etc., in mad pursuit across the skies or along the ground,...
is said to be that of hellhound
Hellhound
A hellhound is a supernatural dog, found in folklore. A wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon...
s chasing sinners or the unbaptised. The dogs in the Devonshire dialect are known as Yeth (Heath) or Wisht Hounds. This legendary hunt is particularly associated with Wistman's Wood, the name of which may derive from the dialect word 'wisht' meaning 'eerie' or 'uncanny'.
The source of the Devonport Leat
Devonport Leat
The Devonport Leat was a leat constructed in the 1790s to carry fresh drinking water from the high ground of Dartmoor to the expanding dockyards at Devonport, Devon, England. It is fed by three Dartmoor rivers: the West Dart, the Cowsic and the Blackabrook...
, at a weir on the West Dart River, is just north of the wood.