TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
Middle Staple TorMid Steeple Tor, Mid Stapletor, Mid Steepletor, Staple Tors
 The splendid rocks of Middle Staple Tor command a fine position above the Middle Walkham Valley, with views focussing southward down between the sentinels of King's and Vixen Tor. Despite its name, the middle rockpile of the trio of Staple Tors is stunning in its own right. The core of the main tor consists of a collapsed avenue, with the bulk of the rockpile sitting on the east side of the natural pathway. With its proximity to the metamorphic aureole, that being a ring of non-granite rock that encapsulates several of the outcrops on this side of the moor, has led to the strange formation of xenoliths or protrusions in the rock, a curious effect that appears as knobs on the granite faces. Josephine Collingwood (2017) explains: "Middle Staple Tor shows some excellent examples, where 'country rock' was incorporated into the granite magma intrusion, then chemically altered."  Huge joints are noticed in the most cohesive part of the tor, which is well worth ascending (with care) to enjoy the panorama. It is also worth perambulating the base, as many visitors take no notice of the east side of the massive pile here which is a spectacular ruin, rampart like, with a tremendous clitter beneath. This abundance of freely available granite moorstone was plundered in the mid to late 19th Century for the manufacture of street cobbles for the towns of Tavistock and Plymouth as new pavements were being laid. The moormen knelt down beside the so-called sett makers' bankers to carry out their work. The remains of these setts which are still visible on the eastern slopes of the tor are described by Dell and Bright (2008) as: "a lasting testament to the moormen of the second half of the nineteenth century, who toiled long hours for poor pay, sometimes in atrocious weather conditions..." The greatest concentration of these setts can be found under Middle Staple Tor. It is recommended that you follow the bridleway up from Merrivale Quarry to notice them.  Almost due west of the tor numerous springs initiate the start of Beckamoor Water, or Brook. At the head of a succession of tinners' gullies and pits extending southward, one of Dartmoor's best-preserved and magnificent tinners' huts can be found at SX 5354 7570. On the east side of the boggy pan where colourful foxgloves and cotton grass typically thrive in summer, the three walls of this ruin stand in complete solitude, standing testament to the bustling industry that once dominated this valley. Inside the building little has been modified of its shell; you can look up through the chimney from the underside.  In Walking Dartmoor's Ancient Tracks Hemery (1986) explains that: "the ruin of Mid Steeple Tor makes clear its original immense size." Although frequently passed en route to its more illustrious neighbour, Great Staple Tor, a visit to the Middle Tor is recommended to enjoy its unique outlook across the expanse of Western Dartmoor and to explore the plethora of history at its foot.
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