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Holy Brook is a tributary of the River Dart in Devon, England. It rises on the eastern flank of the 495 m (1,624 ft)-high hill of Snowdon on Dartmoor, at grid reference SX678687. It was once a much longer stream, but its headwaters were long ago captured by the River Mardle, and the physical evidence of this stream capture is clear when viewed from higher up the side of Snowdon.[1]

Its course is generally eastwards, and for the first three-quarters of its length it flows roughly parallel to the River Mardle, only about 700 m (about half a mile), north of that river. As Holy Brook comes off the moor, it flows through Gibby Combe Wood and then through Michel Combe, a steep-sided valley (or combe) which is just to the south of the hamlet of Michelcombe. It then passes between the villages of Scorriton (to the south) and Holne, and as it approaches the River Dart it flows through a wooded valley that forms the southern boundary of Hembury Woods, below Hembury Castle.[2] Here it is crossed by the road from Buckfastleigh to Holne at Hembury Bridge, which has a single arch and a parapet topped by flat stones that are joined together by iron clamps.[3] From this bridge to its confluence with the River Dart near the grounds of Buckfast Abbey at grid reference SX741677, Holy Brook forms the boundary between the Teignbridge and South Hams districts.[2]

The first known documentary reference to the stream appears in the 13th-century cartulary of Buckfast Abbey, in which it is called Nordbroc and Northbroke ("north brook"), probably because of its course just to the north of the River Mardle.[4]

A report on folklore published by the Devonshire Association in 1976, states that the name "Holy Brook" is not an ancient one, though it notes that two fields named "Paternoster" lie on its course. It has been proved, the report says, that its water is slightly radioactive and, according to the Holne branch of the Women's Institute, it was still believed in 1976 to have curative powers: strained muscles, bruises and rheumatism could all be alleviated by wading in its waters.[5]

Holne Chase Castle is an Iron Age hill fort situated close to Buckland-in-the-Moor in Devon, England. The fort is situated on a promontory on the Northern slopes of Holne Chase in Chase Wood at approx 150 Metres above Sea Level overlooking the River Dart.[1]

References

 Sellman, R.R. (1985). "The Iron Age in Devon (ch.2)". Aspects of Devon History. Exeter: Devon Books. pp. 11 (Map of Iron Age hill forts in Devon includes Holne Chase Castle). ISBN 0-86114-756-1.

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Hembury Castle is an Iron Age hillfort about a mile north-west of the village of Buckfast on the south-eastern edge of Dartmoor in Devon, England (grid reference SX726684). The fort is about 178 metres above sea level on a promontory between the River Dart on the east and the Holy Brook, south-west.[1] The slope down to the River Dart is very steep and is covered by Hembury Woods which is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[2]

The fort is said to cover about seven acres and it is surrounded by a prominent rampart and ditch.[1] It is one of several Iron Age forts on the eastern edge of Dartmoor, others include Holne Chase Castle, Wooston Castle, Cranbrook Castle and Prestonbury Castle.[3] Inside the fort, on the western side, is an 11th- or 12th-century motte with a surrounding narrow inner bailey. The ramparts of the earlier hillfort may have been used as the outer bailey of the castle.[4] The entire site has legal protection as a scheduled monument.[5]

The first documentary reference to Hembury Castle is in the 13th-century cartulary of nearby Buckfast Abbey, where it is referred to as vetus castellum quod dicitur Hembire. The name probably derives from Old English hean byrig, "at the high burh".[6]

A legend relates that the fort was held by the Danes, but it was taken from them by a stratagem. Some local women allowed themselves to be captured by the Danes and taken into the fort, but in the night when their captors were in a drunken sleep, the women rose, killed them and let in their countrymen.[1]

References

 Crossing, William (1976). Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor (Reprint of 1912 ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 350. ISBN 0-7153-4034-4.

 "Hembury Woods" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 18 January 2017.

 Hemery, Eric (1982). Historic Dart. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 58. ISBN 0-7153-8142-3.

 Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1989). The Buildings of England: Devon (second ed.). Penguin Books. p. 227. ISBN 0-14-071050-7.

 "Hembury Castle". Historic England. Retrieved 19 January 2017.

 Gover, J.E.B., Mawer, A. & Stenton, F.M. (1931). "The Place-Names of Devon". English Place-Name Society. Vol viii. Part I. Cambridge University Press: 295.

Sellman, R.R. (1985). "2: The Iron Age in Devon". Aspects of Devon History. Exeter: Devon Books. p. 11 (Map of Iron Age hill forts in Devon including Hembury Castle). ISBN 0861147561.

B

Beacon Castle

Belbury Castle

Berry ball

Berry Camp

Berry Castle, Black Dog

Berry Castle, Huntshaw

Berry Head

Berry's Wood

Blackbury Camp

Blackdown Rings

Bolt Tail

Boringdon Camp

Bremridge Wood

Brent Hill

Burley Wood

Burridge Fort

C

Cadbury Castle, Devon

Capton

Castle Close

Castle Dyke

Castle Head, Devon

Castle Hill, Torrington

Clovelly Dykes

Cotley Castle

Cranbrook Castle

Cranmore Castle

Cunnilear Camp

D

Denbury Hill

Dewerstone

Dolbury

Dumpdon Hill

E

Embury Beacon

H

Halwell Camp

Hawkesdown Hill

Hembury

Hembury Castle, Buckfast

Hembury Castle, Tythecott

High Peak, Devon

Hillsborough, Devon

Holbury, Holbeton

Holne Chase Castle

Huntsham Castle

K

Kentisbury Down

Killerton

Knowle Hill Castle

L

Lee Wood

M

Membury Castle

Milber Down

Mockham Down

Musbury Castle

Myrtlebury

N

Newberry Castle

Noss, Dartmouth

P

Peppercombe

Posbury

Prestonbury Castle

R

Raddon Top

Roborough Castle

S

Seaton Down

Shoulsbury castle

Sidbury Castle

Slapton Castle

Smythapark

Stanborough

Stockland Castle

Stoke Hill

V

Voley Castle

W

Wasteberry Camp

Wind Hill

Windbury Head

Woodbury Castle

Woodbury, Stoke Fleming

Wooston Castle

Y

Yarrowbury

Yellowberries Copse