Plan B Forum

One could lay a camping mattress over it , then lie down and stare up at the stars.

Maybe the deceased was a grate person.

It's hard to keep a good man down, but they're trying their best.

-"BB"-

One of my favourite places to visit when I'm up on Dartmoor.

Squire Cabell’s body was interred in the graveyard at Holy Trinity Church, perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Buckfastleigh and was placed in an altar tomb outside the south door of the church.



This still surviving structure is known locally as the ‘sepulchre’ and is more akin to a prison than a grave, albeit a symbolic one.

The parishioners first buried Cabell deeply in the earth and then placed a heavy stone upon his head. Once the grave had been filled they placed the building on the top. The structure is solidly built and has a wide iron grill on the side facing the church. On the opposite side is a strong wooden door with a locked keyhole.

Holmesians amongst us will know that Squire Cabell was the inspiration for the character of Hugo Baskerville ,of Hound fame.

Holmesians amongst us will know that Squire Cabell was the inspiration for the character of Hugo Baskerville ,of Hound fame.

Interesting. I did not know that. I may have known it once but, like many things, it's gone. Old facts, such as childhood phone numbers, cling onto the rocks of my brain like barnacles and will never be dislodged by newer, more relevant, information.

If you follow the link in the quote, it takes you to a Wikipedia piece about Squire Cabell which quotes Sabine Baring-Gould's 1907 Little Guide on Devonshire. That name rang a very large bell in my head, because I am a bit of a Holmesian. Years ago I found, in a used bookstore, a copy of William Baring-Gould's 1967 The Annotated Sherlock Holmes. This two volume work is a must for the serious Holmesian. It contains the four books and the 56 short stories, with many extra illustrations and much background information. William is (was) Sabine's grandson. During an attempt to downsize some years ago (a miserable failure - I still have 70 boxes of books in the basement) I gave my precious Annotated to Goodwill. I hope someone somewhere gets as much pleasure from it as I did over the years.

Oh balls, I'd have given you a good price for that! I have the three volume Leslie Klinger annotated books, but not the Sabine B-G.

If you're a fan mate, I would heartily recommend this