128 The Ancient Shne Crosses more set foot in South Zeal. He returned to Amedcat and twenty-four years afterwards came a second time to his native country. He did not break his vow, for on this occasion South Zeal knew him not, as he remained during his sojourn at Hennock, near Bovey Tracey. John Stanbury, who was a Roman Catholic, died in Brooklyn, New York. These facts were obtained for me from a descendant of his, by Mr. S. Westaway, junr., of South Zeal. The similarity of the story gathered by Mr. Ormerod to the tradition attaching to Brent Tor, which we have already noticed, renders it more than probable that the former was suggested by the latter. Close to the chapel of St. Mary a road leads to South Tawton village, which is half-a-mile distant. This we shall follow, and about midway between the two places, or a little beyond, shall reach a large barn, where a road comes in from Zeal Head Cross. In front of this bam is an open space, and here on a bank is the base and part of the shaft of what must have been at one time a large cross. The base, which is ten inches in height, is nearly square, measuring , three feet three inches by three feet four, and has the upper corners roughly rounded off. The height of the broken piece of shaft is two feet and a half ; it is octagonal in form, and is four feet two inches in girth. The cross does not stand quite in its original position. This was nearer the centre of the open space, and being in the way it was deemed advisable to set it back a few yards. It is known as Moon's Cross, and marks the spot where the traveller journeying from beyond South Tawton would diverge accordingly as he desired to skirt the northern or eastern edge of Dartmoor. A pretty rural scene meets our eye in the village of South Tawton, with its open space, in the centre of which is a large tree, and an ancient house with arched doorway near the churchyard gate. The church itself is a fine building, its massive tower being particularly striking, and in the well- kept graveyard many a stone will be seen fashioned from the granite of the moor. We take the road to Oxenham, and passing a mill commence the ascent of a hiU. At some distance up the road is crossed by another, leading from South Zeal to North Tawton and Bow. The spot is known
