TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
May Queen Stone (new) Between 1905-1940, the Lustleigh May Queen was crowned on a rock on the hill above Wreyland at Long Tor Farm (now on private land) as a consequence of Cecil Torr reviving the ancient tradition. Due to the Second World War the coronation was halted and, according to the Lustleigh Community Archive, it was not until 1954 that it restarted and in a new location, Town Orchard, where there was a suitable elongated boulder for the crowning ceremony. Archivist Karen Stevenson (2015) takes up the story: "Resurrected in 1954, the ceremony became centred on Town Orchard. We can only speculate as to why it was chosen; being central, flat and an easily accessible open space probably made it ideal. With a huge boulder in the middle it was surely perfect..."  The original May Queen boulder at Long Tor resides high above the village on Wreyland Down. Town Orchard is but a stone's throw from the village centre and church, involving a gentle 2-minute stroll to reach. On top of the boulder is a granite seat on which the May Queen is christened. Stevenson explains in her article: "In 2000, a new granite throne was specially commissioned for the Millennium event. Designed by local resident Doug Cooper the granite came from nearby Blackenstone Quarry..."  In 1959 we learn of a potentially tragic accident. The report reads: "After Christine Moore, aged 11, had been crowned May Queen during a colourful ceremony at Lustleigh on Saturday, she fell from the edge of a huge granite boulder, but fortunately escaped injury." It continues: "It was after being photographed with four former May Queens on the boulder that the mishap occurred.  Despite being the 'new' May Queen site, the boulder is already running out of space for the names! The inscriptions were re-carved in 2020 (with the exception of the New Millennium May Queen which was cut in gold in 2000), and we thank Nigel Machin for allowing us to use his image (above). 2022 was a unique year of celebrations because three May Queens were christened. This was to compensate for there being no ceremonies in 2020 and 2021 respectively due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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