The Grey Wethers

Like many of the prehistoric monuments on Dartmoor, there is a story behind the twin stone circle that make up the Grey Wethers unlike many that are a bit ghostly or macabre this one is a bit amusing.

Once there was a young farmer who after going to the livestock market at Tavistock decided to stop off to the Warren Inn.

On the way home and have a couple of Ciders.

Having failed to find anything to his liking at Tavie Market he started making disparaging comments about the locals and the quality of the local sheep.

After a while, a couple of the old boys at the bar mentioned that they knew of some fine sheep and offered to show them to him. So after a few more ciders, he agreed and off they set across the moor in the fog. Bet you think they end up in a bog and are never seen again only to have their ghosts wander the moor for eternity but no. After walking for a while they come across a fine flock of sheep and the haggling starts eventually the farmer and locals agree on a price so it's back to the Warren for a few more ciders to seal the bargain.

So the money changes hands and the next day the weather clears and the farmer sets off across the moor to collect his sheep only to find that in the fog he has mistaken the Grey Wethers for a flock of sheep and paid the locals hard cash for the standing stone rings.

Incidentally, Wethers is old English for sheep which may explain how the story came about.