Bovey was one of the manors of the De Tracy who was a principal hand in the murder of Thomas à Becket, and it is to this ambitious and turbulent prelate that the church is dedicated. The story goes that William de Tracy built the church at Bovey as penance for his part in the murder; but the church constructed by him was burnt about 1300, and was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style. The story was diligently propagated that De Tracy died on his way to the Holy Land, in a frenzy, tearing his flesh off his bones with his teeth and nails, and shrieking, "Mercy, Thomas, mercy!" But, as a matter of fact, no judgment of God fell on the murderers. Within four years after the murder, De Tracy was justiciary of Normandy. The present Lord Wemyss and Lord Sudeley are his lineal descendants. The pedigree, contrary to all received opinions on the subject of "judgments" on sacrilege, exhibits the very singular instance of an estate descending for upwards of seven hundred years in the male line of the same family. Fitzurse, another of the murderers, went to Ireland, and became the ancestor of the McMahon family. There are some curious pictures on the Bovey screen which are supposed to have reference to the story of Becket and his quarrels with the king. Chudleigh is at some distance, but it is worth a visit, partly because of the good screen in the church, but mainly because of the very pretty ravine through which the Kate (_Cad_, fall) tumbles. The rock here is of limestone, a fine and beautiful marble, and in its face is a cavern supposed to be haunted by the Pixies, with a stalagmite floor that was broken up by Dr. Buckland in 1825, and the soil beneath it examined in the slip-shod, happy-go-lucky style usual with explorers of that period. It deserves to be reinvestigated systematically. NOTE.--Books and articles on Ashburton:-- WORTHY (C.), _Ashburton and its Neighbourhood_. Ashburton, 1875. AMERY (P. F. S.), Articles already noticed in the _Transactions of the Devonshire Association_, 1876 and 1896. CHAPTER XV. TAVISTOCK Origin of Tavistock--Foundation of the Abbey--S. Rumon--Edgar and Elfrida--Abbot Aylmer--Aldred--The Parish Church--Glanville--The Story of Mrs. Page--John Fitz--The Story of Sir John Fitz--The Story of Lady Howard--Sir Richard Grenville--Early inscribed stones--Statue of Sir Francis Drake--Buckland Abbey--Morwell--Lydford, its castle, ravine, and waterfall--Brent Tor--Endsleigh--Mary and Peter Tavy--Whit Tor. Certain towns tell you at a glance what was their _raison d'être_; Tavistock has clustered about its abbey, that lay low near its fish-ponds, whereas Launceston clings about its castle, that stood high to command the country round.