The Hound of the Baskervilles, Hunting the Dartmoor Legend

Review: With Commentary and Annotations. Foreword by Edward Hardwicke

There is no doubt that The Hound of the Baskervilles is the best known and loved of the 60 Sherlock Holmes adventures which flowed from the pen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle between the years of 1887 and 1927.
The story first appeared in serial form in the Strand Magazine between the months of August 1901 and April 1902, with some 61 illustrations by Sydney Paget, and despite its age, continues to attract the attention of film makers.

Philip Weller and publisher Halsgrove have between them produced a volume which in the opinion of this reviewer is an outstanding study of this Gothick story, copiously illustrated with both archival photographs and modern coloured illustrations of the Moor and other locations referred to in the story.

To quote the author's Introduction, "This Investigation is not only the result of many years of intense archaeological, historical, literary, geographical and Holmesian study.... but of an even longer love of Dartmoor, developed over four decades of teaching survival and navigational techniques on the Moor,as a former Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Team Leader, during which a total of more than 40,000 miles of walking on the Moor have been logged, not counting the occasional casual strolls."

With such a background, it is hard to think where one could find a better qualified guide.

Beginning with an exegesis of what he terms 'The Holmes Saga'. the author recounts the history of the writing of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Conan Doyle's efforts to rid himself of the incubus which his invention had become, and the eventual resurrection when pressure from his publishers for more of the same grew too intense.

The origins and development of the Hound story are explored, including the several 'Hound' legends which may have given rise in Doyle's mind, to the basis for the story of the spectral beast, roaming the Moors and slaying the newest incumbent of Baskerville hall.

Likewise the controversy about the extent of the involvement of Fletcher Robinson, a friend of Doyle's, to whom he gave acknowledgement for the central idea.

Examining the Historical, Literary and Legendary Sources available to Doyle, the author refers in some detail to the 'Dartmoor' books of the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, Frederick Adye, Eden Phillpotts, R.D. Blackmore and others, before visiting the real and the invented Houndian locations.

A number of likely candidates for the original Baskerville Hall are examined; Brook Manor, for example, home in the 17th century to Richard Cabell, the 'real live' wicked squire of his day, believed by many to be the original of Hugo Baskerville, the roysterer whose violent end upon the Moor was supposedly the harbinger of all the mysterious deaths of his successors in the occupancy of the family seat.

Cabell's pagoda-like tomb in Buckfastleigh churchyard features among the illustrations, with a caption retelling the superstition that if you put your finger through the bars, the Devil will bite it off.

Among the tales of 'ghostly hounds' recounted is that of the spectral hound of the Eastern coastline of Norfolk, 'Black Shuck' one of whose 'haunting grounds' was said to pass close by the Royal Links Hotel, where Doyle and Robinson spent a golfing holiday in 1901. It is entirely possible that in this legend lay Doyle's inspiration for his Gothick tale.

The author presents a brief critical assessment of the 19 film versions of the story - the most filmed of all the Holmes adventures, ranging from the 1909 Danish version entitled The Grey Lady ('Den Gra Dame') made by Nordisk and featuring Viggo Larsen as Holmes, up to the year 2000, and the version made by CTV in Canada, with Matt Frewer in the starring role, which is evidently far from Mr. Weller's favourite version ! (Australian readers will be interested to know that Burbank Films (Sydney) Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse, a cartoon version with the voice of Peter O'Toole as Holmes is to say the least, well thought of)

The story itself then ensues; included in the text are a selection of the Paget illustrations. These reproductions are clear-cut, and free from the 'muddiness' which mars some editions of the Holmes stories.
There follows some 15 pages of Annotations, and a Selected Bibliography.
The endpapers comprise Victorian Pictorial Maps of the Moors. A very nice finishing touch .

The highest recommendation for this intensely interesting, informative and entertaining work comes from Edward Wardwicke, Watson of the Granada series, and writer of the Foreword.
"A book with all the information you have here is a must for all of us who love the adventure."

About the Author
Philip Weller retired from the Royal Air Force in 1990, with the rank of Squadron Leader after 32 years in the service. Starting as a boy apprentice, he worked his way up through the ranks to Warrant Officer, before eventually receiving his Queen's Commission.
He is the Chairman of fhe Baskerville Hounds, one of the leading Sherlock Holmes societies, and Honorary Member of scores of other Holmesian Societies around the world, where he has lectured, and for which he has written hundreds of articles.

LATE NEWS FOR AMERICAN MEMBERS
Further to my review of Philip Weller's book, I am advised that it is available in the USA from a number of booksellers, for US$39.95. According to the author, Classic Specialties have just replenished their stock.

Reviewed by: Alan C. Olding BSI, [News from the Diggings September, 2001]