Dartmoor storytelling project explores moor’s folklore and modern-day spirit

A creative project exploring Dartmoor’s ancient folklore and how it resonates with communities today has culminated in a touring performance and online audio feature.

Chasing Crockern, led by Dartmoor-based storytellers Sara Hurley and Lisa Schneidau, set out to investigate the enduring question: What is the spirit of Dartmoor?

The initiative, developed in partnership with rural arts charity Villages in Action and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, brought together traditional storytelling, community participation and visual art.

At the heart of the project is Old Crockern, a shape-shifting figure from Dartmoor legend said to embody the wild, watchful spirit of the landscape. While popularised by Victorian writer Sabine Baring-Gould, the character has been rooted in local oral traditions for generations and in recent years has become a symbol in campaigns defending public access to the moor.

Between early 2024 and spring 2025, Hurley and Schneidau travelled across Dartmoor gathering personal stories and reflections from residents, walkers, schoolchildren and others who live and work on the moor. The result is a curated audio tapestry, produced with Kerry Priest of Skylark FM, featuring voices from across the region and now available online.

Four Dartmoor primary schools also took part in the project, creating new folktales during workshops with the storytellers. The resulting stories featuring imagined creatures such as black dogs and mer-pixies are available to hear on the Villages in Action website.

Meanwhile, artist Monica-Shanta curated a related exhibition at Field System Gallery in Ashburton. It included photographs, recordings and work from three emerging photographers Louis West, Daniel Dayment and Mahni Clear, mentored by visual artist Fern Leigh Albert.

All these elements came together in Chasing Crockern, a live storytelling show blending traditional myths, community tales and recorded voices. Directed by Paula Crutchlow, the performance toured to six Dartmoor communities: Princetown, Cornwood, Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Chagford and Okehampton.

Reflecting on the process, Sara Hurley said: “Wherever Lisa and I went we told people the folk tales of Dartmoor. We noticed how these short, often peculiar, stories strongly connected people to the landscape, its heritage and their own personal experiences of it, as either a resident or visitor. The folk tales held a key to unlocking reminiscences, newly imagined stories and brilliant conversations about the ever elusive ‘Spirit of Dartmoor’.”

Lisa Schneidau said: “We have learned so much about Dartmoor (and Crockern) during this project, and also about the wild imaginings and priorities of many folk who love this special place. It’s been a privilege to work with Sara and the rest of the team, and to create a new show which really feels soaked in the spirit of Dartmoor. I won’t forget seeing people’s faces light up as they heard their own voices, or recognise their special places on the moor, during the performance.”

Mair George of Villages in Action said: “It’s clear that the spirit of Dartmoor is not just in the tors or the legends, but in those who know it, fight for it, and remember its changes. That the old stories still hold power, but so do the new ones being created every day.”

The Chasing Crockern performance is expected to return for further dates. The project’s recordings, new folk tales and online exhibition remain available at: www.villagesinaction.co.uk/crockern