Editing William Crossing (section)

==Later life and writings==
In 1872 he married and settled down at South Brent. In 1871 he had begun making notes about his rambles, but without any systematic arrangement; after his marriage he seems to have become more methodical, and to have decided to write a book descriptive of the moorland district. He published numerous other works in the 1890s, and his ''Guide to Dartmoor'', illustrated by Philip Guy Stevens, in 1909. He was much afflicted by rheumatism in the last 25 years of his life, and in 1921 his wife died. From July 1925 to his death Crossing was an invalid. He died at Plymouth, 3 September 1928.

He is now considered one of the best authorities on Dartmoor and its antiquities, having made it the subject of his life's work. He was one of the earliest members of the [[Dartmoor Preservation Association]], joining it immediately on its formation.
[[Image:Ducks pool memorial.jpg|thumb|Memorial plaque at [[Duck's Pool, Dartmoor|Duck's Pool]]]] It is quite probable that he effectively started the popularity of the modern pursuit of [[Letterboxing (hobby)|letterboxing]]. In his book ''Guide to Dartmoor'' he refers to what is likely to have been the first letter box. It was placed at [[Cranmere Pool]] on northern [[Dartmoor]] by a local guide in 1854. In Crossing's memory in 1938 a plaque and letterbox were placed at [[Duck's Pool, Dartmoor|Duck's Pool]] on the southern moor by some individuals and members of a walking club known as Dobson's Moormen. He was buried with his wife at Mary Tavy: his house at Mary Tavy bears a commemorative tablet unveiled in 1952.

The style of Crossing's work in ''Guide to Dartmoor'' has similarities to the much more recent work of [[Alfred Wainwright]]. The hand-drawn sketches of views and rough maps of walks together with the descriptive nature of the walks are like those of the Wainwright guides to the [[Lake District]] (see [[Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells|Lakeland Guides]]).