Brent Tor is a tor on the western edge of Dartmoor, approximately five miles (8 km) north of Tavistock, rising to 1100' (330m) above sea level. A tor is a rock outcrop formed by Weathering, usually found on or near the summit of a Hill. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Tavistock is a Market town within West Devon, England on the River Tavy, from which its name derives and has a
The Tor is surmounted by the Church of St Michael, the parish church of the village of Brentor, which lies below the Tor. Brentor is a village in West Devon, England. Its population in 2001 was 423
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Geology
A unique example of an early Carboniferous basaltic volcano, now weathered down. The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian period about 359 Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the [1]
History
Around the Tor are (apparently) Iron Age earthworks, the remnants of a Hill fort. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Unusually, the fortifications are at the base of the Tor, rather than the summit as is more normal (compare with Brent Knoll in Somerset). Brent Knoll is a village in Somerset, England, at the foot of a hill (correctly referred to as the Knoll at Brent with a height of 137 Metres (450 Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Unfortunately, no serious archaeological work has been carried out on the site. However, the northern ramparts in particular are well preserved, displaying a multi-valate pattern characteristic of the Iron-A, or early -B, culture. There are 3 distinct consecutive ramparts in this sector, and traces of internal partitioning.
The Church of St Michel de Rupe ("Saint Michael of the Rock") atop the Tor dates to the 13th century, and measures 15 feet wide and 37 feet long. Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an The tower is 40 feet high and houses three bells. [2] At one point, the Church may have been used as a Beacon tower, used to spread word of enemies seen out to sea (see also Spanish Armada). Beacons are aids to Navigation devices Intentionally conspicuous beacons help guide navigators to their destinations The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible
The Church has a capacity of approximately forty people. Although there is a newer (19th century) church (Christchurch) in the village, which is used for many services, St Michael's is still used on Christmas Day, Easter Day and for Evensong during the summer.
In 1995 the Church was struck by lightning, which caused extensive damage; but this has since been repaired.
Legends
There are many legends surrounding Brent Tor. One of the most common is that of the Merchant and the Storm. According to this version, an early medieaval merchant was struck by a storm in Plymouth Sound. Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England. As the ship was on the verge of sinking, he swore that he would build a church on the highest piece of land he could see. When the storm duly dissipated, he fulfilled his promise. It is true that Brent Tor can be seen from Plymouth Sound, and it is (apparently) the highest point.
Others involve the Building of the Church. According to one version, the church was originally to be built at the bottom of the Tor, but the Devil threw the stones to the top, so the congregation built it there instead. mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. Another version states the opposite, and adds that St Michael himself eventually defeated the Devil and allowed the church to be completed. [3][4]
References
- ^ Dartmoor National Park Authority, Educational Register of Geological Sites [1]
- ^ Brentor Church: A Guide, Church of England publications
- ^ Legendary Dartmoor [2]
- ^ Sacred texts [3]
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