It was no easy task getting the Ted Hughes’ memorial erected on Dartmoor. It is normal that the Dutchy of Cornwall does not allow memorials to be placed here. This famous individual had the love and support of many. The Prince of Wales even sanctioned that the memorial should be placed in the national park, but it was denied until 2001. In November of that year, it managed to show up in its designated place. Prior to the memorial being laid to rest, the request had to be approved by the Dartmoor National Park Authority and the English Nature. This incredible man certainly deserved to have his wishes honored.
Who is Ted Hughes?
Ted Hughes is a well known poet that was married to another well known poet, Sylvia Plath, until her suicide at the age of 30. He is the author of many incredible poems that are part of these collections: Moortown, The River, and The Hawk in the Rain, to name a few. Some of his most well known individual poems are The Snipe and Crow.
There is no doubt that he had a difficult time once his wife, Sylvia committed suicide. Many feminist groups were convinced that he drove her to her death. Vandalism of her headstone was an issue, as fanatics were desperately trying to erase the name Hughes. This dark time in his life drove his mood and reached the world through his pen and the page.
Where is the Memorial?
After Ted Hughes died from cancer, his remains were cremated and spread in a cemetery close to Taw Head. It was abundantly clear to his friend Ivan Cook, that he wished for a bespoke memorial stone to be erected near Taw Head. This task proved to be a challenge, but somehow the stone managed to find its way to the location. When it was first placed, the location was not divulged. There was much speculation as to why the memorial stone was not made known to the public. Some said it would suffer vandalism from feminist groups, while others said it would be made a shrine by Hughes’ followers. Regardless of the reason, one can visit the memorial stone as much as they please. It is set down at SX 609865 and can be reached by footpath.
When someone you love passes away, a memorial bench, stone, tree, garden, or any way of remembrance can certainly bring peace to the soul.