Of Dartmoof and its Borderland. 121 From Okehampton we shall make our way up the hill to^ the park. This is an enclosed portion of the moor and formerly part of the hunting-ground of the old barons. In a return of the boundaries of '< the Chase of Okehampton belong- ing to Henry, Marquis of Exeter," in the 24th of Henry VHI., A.D. 1532-3, two crosses are named as bond marks. The chase seems to have been of considerable size, extending some distance beyond Brightley Bridge on the north. The crosses mentioned in the record are Durdon Cross and Dunsland Cross neither of which were in the district now under notice. Ere we reach the brow of the hill we shall see close to the corner of an enclosure an old cross set upon a base composed of stones and turf, by the side of a small pool, which is known as Fitz's Well. It is said that a practice formerly existed among the young persons of the neighbourhood of visiting this weU on the morning of Easter Day. It probably had some wonderful powers ascribed to it, and those who gathered round its brink did so, we may suppose, with the idea of discovering their destiny, for which purpose we find springs visited at certain seasons.* There is another Fitz's Well on Dartmoor, a little to the northward of Princetown, which tradition affirms was erected by Sir John Fitz, in consequence of his having on an occasion of being '* pixy-led " on Dartmoor, found that on tasting the water he was able to discover his way home. A counterpart of this story exists in connection with the well in the park, and was related to me by the late Miss LfUxmore, of Okehampton, a lady who found great delight in antiquarian and legendary lore. According to this a man and his wife, who were proceeding from Halstock to Okehampton, by some means lost their way. They tried in vain to find the track leading to the town, and at length the female gave it as her opinion that it was useless for them to continue their search, as it was evident they were under a spell, and consequently all their efforts would be futile. She also asserted that its influence would continue until they discovered _^ — ^
- In the journal of Richard Shebbeare is the following entry under
date 29th Sep., 1676 : " There was not any water to be seen at Fitze Well,. the summer soe hot and dry."
