St. Michael D'Rupe, Brentor.
Brentor village nestles on the eastern side of the river Burn valley.
This small a village with little in the way of facilities for the
visitor.
The parish has two churches, one is situated within the village itself
and is dedicated as "Christ's Church", the other is located some 1/2
mile away on top of Brent Tor.
Brentor is approximately 4 miles from the ancient market and stannary
town of Tavistock. There is a regular bus service from Tavistock to
Brentor via Mary Tavy.
It should be on the list of anyone who enjoys rambling and wishes their
route to take them along picturesque country lanes and occasional
stretches of open moorland. Local guide books will help to ensure
an enjoyable walk.
Of particular note is the tiny church of St. Michael Du Rupe.
This tiny church sits atop of Brent Tor where it dominates the countryside
for miles around. The tor is in fact all that remains of a volcano.
The outer parts of the volcano have weathered away and the core plug
remains.
St. Michael D'Rupe, Brentor.
The church is 37ft long and just under 15ft wide, and has a belfry.
The tower was struck by lightning in 1995 and extensive repairs
have been carried out.
This quaint little church atop the tor is a must for tourists, whether on foot or by car. The views from the summit, which is just a gentle climb of short duration, are magnificent. See for yourself! There is a steep way up for those who like to climb!
One legend associated with the church is that the devil threw down the
stones when the builders began construction at the top. In the end the
builders decided to build at the foot of the tor. The devil, being very
contrary, threw the stones to the top where they formed themselves into
the church!
It is also reputed to have been built by a sailor who promised to build
a church on the first point of land he saw after a bad storm at sea!
The church is also said to be located on very important ley lines and is just the place for those who enjoy dowsing these magical lines of force. Lots of people try it here!
The book "The Sun and the Serpent" gives lots of details about the ley
lines at this site. It is here that one can detect the ley line that runs across country to Glastonbury.
There are also signs of prehistoric hut circles and old
trial workings for minerals nearby. Ochre was once produced at Brentor.