Dartmoor - John Bishops Cottage

Today I have walked up the River Swincombe which flows from Fox Tor Mire, to visit John Bishops Cottage, which years ago when I was a member of the Dartmoor Expedition Panel of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, was a regular point of call when we ran training courses nearby. In fact this bridge was dedicated to the Paned.
At one time there were plans to build a dam just up stream of the bridge to form another reservoir on the moor but public opinion caused it to be abandoned.

Situated just beside the bridge, on the right, you will find the remains of a cottage in which from 1847 until 1892, live a laborer named John Bishop who was a famous builder of stone walls that you see all over Dartmoor. His walls differed from those built from the rough stone found laying on the moor, in that he used larger semi dressed stone which fitted together better and therefore made a more solid wall. It is said that his reputation was so good, if any land owner complained of John's work, John would place them on his black list and didn't work for him again.

Originally it would have had a thatched roof but later was fitted with slates.. Over the years it slowly fell into disrepair. In 1969 the house was used in a film called "The Stallion" and it was rebuilt, however soon after the filming it soon fell into disrepair again.