The setting of one of the most famous murder mysteries in the English language is the moor of Dartmoor, Devon, a stretch of approximately 20 square miles in South West England filled with valleys, craggy cliffs, a Napoleonic prison, and neolithic British ruins. The combination of which results in a murky mix of pastoral beauty and infamous history, with a healthy dose of supernatural legend. The murderous marshes, fatal fogs, and dying ponies are only a few of the harrowing images employed by Doyle to enhance his story of an ancient legend presumably come back to haunt and destroy all members of the Baskerville family. It is unclear whether the malevolent forces at work in the novel are as natural as the towering tors they haunt, or an out spurt of hell itself, but in between our supernatural indulgences, it is useful to know a little about the typography of the land itself. I trust that the provided links will assist you as you travel with Holmes and Watson into the heart of moor legend.
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designatedareas/nationalparks/dartmoor.aspx factsheetshome/lab-wildlifehabitatsfactsheet.htm
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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