Jays Grave

Jays Grave also known as Kitty Jay’s Grave is the last resting place of a suicide victim. The young girl is believed to have hung herself in the area, in a barn at Canna Farm. Jay came from the Poor House in Newton Abbot and found work at Canna Farm, the son of the farmer liked Jay and got her pregnant, unfortunately the farmer and wife believed that Jay had tricked their son (the name Jay meant prostitute in 18th century Britain) and threw her out of the farm. Jay knew that her only option was the Poor House again but took the horrible option of suicide, knowing no one else would employ her. In the 18th century it was not possible to bury her in a churchyard. Her body was buried in a burial mound at the side of the lane. Folklore became attached to this as time went on and sightings in headlights of a ghostly figure kneeling at the side of the road by the grave were told, it is believed to be the farmers son, standing watch over his girl and dead unborn baby. Now fresh flowers are laid at the grave, although no one owns up to placing them there (the story goes that pixies put them there). This has grown into a few coins, candles and occasionally toys for the young girl. This place is probably the most visited of the historic sights on Dartmoor and is on the coach trips around this area.