TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
Plain Mummeries Tor A small yet quite distinctive outcrop of fissured rock stands on a gentle spur on the north-western edge of Caseley Cleave. It resides in a woodland clearing and 19th Century Tithe Maps show this plot of land as 'Plain Mummeries', hence the use of the name for the tor which seems most appropriate. The use of the term 'mummery' has declined in recent decades but it is rather peculiarly defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as: "A traditional play of a type performed by mummers esp. at the major holidays and popular in England from the 18th cent."  It gives rise to a small rock field of moss-covered boulders that extend through the trees and into a ruined wall below, the substance of which may have been used to construct sections of the wall.  Please note, this outcrop was visited back in 2016 when access was unclear. It has now been confirmed that NO ACCESS is afforded to this site and you should respect the wish of the current landowner. 
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