Shaugh Prior is a village and civil parish on the south-western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. It is situated about 8 miles north-east of the historic centre of the city of Plymouth. In 2001 its population was 751.[1] The parish stretches from the edge of Plymouth to the high moorland of Dartmoor.
The River Plym forms its western and northern boundaries up to the river's source at Plym Head. The higher parts of the parish are rich in Bronze Age monuments such as cists and cairns, and there is much evidence of tin mining. The area of Lee Moor that has been much mined for china clay is within the parish, but outside the Dartmoor National Park.
The name derives from Old English sceaga, a copse, and the fact that the manor belonged to Plympton Priory.[2]
The grade I listed church dedicated to St. Edward has its origins in the 11th century, but the present building with its prominent granite tower, dates from the 15th.[1]
Notable people
SHAUGH BRIDGE
to Shaugh Bridge, close to the confluence of the Meavy w ith the Cad, their united waters form ing the Plyme ,the sponsor of Plymouth .
B rid ge and stream are almost hidden by overhanging trees.
T h e present structure replaced an older one sw ept a w a y b y a flood in 1826.
T he scene is a favourite one with artists, and the bridge was a resort of Carrington, “ the poet of the M oor : ”
Oft, as noon
Unnoticed faded into eve, my feet
Have lingered near thy bridge, romantic Shaugh,
While as the sister waters rushed beneath
Tumultuous, haply glanced the setting beam
Upon the crest of Dewerstone.
Near the bridge are two or three houses where tea ma y be obtained. Crossing the river b y a bridge m ade from a
bau lk of tim ber w hich has p a rtly slipped from its p osition and needs to be w arily traversed, we follow th rou gh
th e w ood a p ath w a y w hich leads to a w oodm an ’s co ttage.
T hen turnin g to the right w e h a ve a level tra c k for some
distance. W hen there is again a choice of w a y w e ta k e
the rath er ston y p ath on the left and a t th e top again
turn to the right, and a fter passing some disused quarries
bear to th e left. There is a m ore direct road w hich
in vo lves v e ry rough scram bling throu gh th e w ood.
In a n y case it is necessarily a b it of a clim b to the brow
of th e huge ivy-g ro w n m ass of gran ite know n a s —
The Dewerstone.
T his crag w as another favo urite h au n t of Carrington,
w ho styled it “ T h e Monarch of the M oor.” A flat
stone on the sum m it is inscribed, “ C a r r i n g t o n , O b i i t
S e p t e m b e r i 8 , m d c c c x x x .” T h e nam es of some D e vo n
shire artists h ave recently been added. There are traces
of an old cam p in tw o w alls b u ilt across th e headland,
th e sides facin g the river bein g rendered im pregnable
b y nature. Crossing the rem ains of this ancient fo rtification, we com e upon Wigford Down, on w hich are some
hu t circles, kistvaen s and barrow s. H ere also are the
quarries from w hich the china clay w hich is w orked near
Shaugh Bridge is raised.
SHAUGH CHURCH 99
A m ile from Shaugh B rid ge, on the steep hillside, is
Shaugh Church, w here m a y be seen a granite tom b,
ornam ented by tw o united hearts, coverin g the rem ains of
tw o sisters, w ho were so fond of each other th a t the death
of one w as fa ta l to the other. T h e Church (dedicated
to St. Edm und, K in g and M a rtyr) is in the P erpendicular
Style.
T h e oak fon t cover, of fifteen th century work, is particularly interesting. I t is betw een 8 ft. and 9 ft.
high and is finely carved.
T here are two ancient altar stones with incised crosses, one of which now serves as a credence table.
