Pizwell

On this mornings walk we passed this small group of buildings called Pizwell.

Up until 1239 Dartmoor was an ancient Royal Hunting Forrest and then King Henry III granted the Forest of Dartmoor and the Manor of Lydford to the Earl of Cornwall, (Prince Charles today) to whom the rights still belong

In 1240 the Perambulation of Dartmoor took place and shorty afterwards sevveral farms were established with permission to graze stock. One of these ancient settlement was Pizwell which was first recorded in 1260 and is today one of the few that still survive .

Just before I retired (for first time) in 1996 I had lost my dog called Meg who was a wonderful Collie cross who had been my companion on many Dartmoor walks.
So now I had time on my hands and in 1997 I saw an advert for puppies born at Pizwell. Although I was only going to look, it was a full gone conclusion that I would come away with one of the litter. They had been born in the early hours of New Years Day 1997, in a barn in the middle of a Dartmoor blizzard to a pair of working dogs, the father of which has been deemed to be to young to father a litter.

Jess, as she was called, was a Dartmoor dog through and through. There were many times when her habit to round up anything nearly led to me getting her re-homed on a farm in fairness to her. but with patience from both her AND me, we got to a stage where she knew it was wrong !! But some days when a sheep was being a bit bossy to her!!! NO JESS was enough but you could see her mind working.

Alas she had also now gone and we have Jinxy who we took on as a favor. He is a lovely dog but not a collie. Collies are a bit special.

No I am being called to go off to Castle Drogo for a walk and a cup of tea and cake. They know how to tempt me.