Exmoor

Exmoor, high moorland of the Cornwall peninsula, SW England, comprising much of Exmoor National Park (265 sq mi/686 sq km; est. 1954). Underlaid by slate and sandstone, the rugged region with wooded glens rises to 1,707 ft (520 m) in Dunkery Beacon; the Exe River is nearby. The region is sparsely populated. Sheep and the small Exmoor ponies are grazed on the moorland. Exmoor is a popular tourist attraction and contains many interesting prehistoric earthworks. It was the home of a legendary nomadic group of brigands called the Doones; Doone Valley became more famous after R. D. Blackmore incorporated the legend in his novel Lorna Doone.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.