The Coffin
Stone
The story goes that before proper roads and transport all
funeral processions had to make their way to Widecombe Church with
manpower alone. This was sometimes a very long journey following
established routes across the moor, one of which involved the steep
climb from Dartmeet up to Yar Tor.
Half way up the hill is a rock where the procession used to rest
the coffin while they caught their breath. This became known as the
coffin stone and can still be seen today.
Incised on the rock are several crosses along with the initials
of some of the long departed souls who were rested here. It is
reported that as late as 1900 there was a procession which followed
the old Dartmoor tradition and rested a coffin here.
Another tale surrounding the stone is that there was once a
notoriously evil chap who was laid on the rock. God, apparently,
wasn't too happy with him being laid to rest in the Churchyard at
Widecombe so he sent a bolt of lightening and cremated him on the
spot with the resulting heat splitting the rock in two. It's said
that any evil doer who takes a rest on the rock will meet the same
fate.
I, probably, go along with the more scientific theory that it
was frost which caused the split but I have never tempted fate by
sitting on it. Give it a go, if you must, but you have been
warned!
The cache is not hidden at the above coordinates, that is the
location of the coffin stone. The cache coordinates are hidden less
than two paces away and under a stone which is in plain view. There
is no need to destroy any of the nearby gorse bushes, it's not
under them. Please replace the covering stone as found.