HISTORY OF MARY TAVI and WILLIAM CROSSING By Paul Rendell

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PAUL RENDELL: “Mr Dartmoor” is back with us yet again with more of his interesting stories and amazing knowledge of Dartmoor.

TALK: The life of William Crossing and how Mary Tavy became important industrial settlement. William Crossing (1847–1928) was a writer and chronicler of Dartmoor opens a new window and the lives of its inhabitants. He lived part of his life in Mary Tavy and was buried at St. Mary's Church in the village. Mary Tavy's history evolved from ancient settlement and farming to a major 18th/19th-century mining hub, famous for copper, tin, and lead, centred around massive water-powered machinery at mines like Wheal Friendship, with its name derived from St. Mary's church and the River Tavy. The village, within Dartmoor National Park, saw significant growth from mining, attracting industry before transitioning back to a rural community, leaving behind notable mining heritage and landmarks like Buller's Wheel