The oligotrophic pool is important for its palynological record of the vegetation since the last ice-age. It is also part of a network of sites in south-west England for the reconstruction of vegetation history. In the fine granitic gravel on the bottom of the pool grows spring quillwort. At the time of designation in 1951 it was the only known site in Cornwall, but since 1988 has been found in three nearby pools. Growing on the margins of the pool is six-stamened waterwort, a nationally scarce plant in the UK. Richard Carew describes the pool as a mile or more in circumference and nowhere more than deep. He tells how some gentlemen of the district experimented to see whether the pool contained fish and found only eels. A rare cladoceran, Drepanothrix dentate and a copepod, Diaptomus vierzejskii occur in good numbers. In 1951, at the time of designation of the SSSI, the pool was considered valuable for wintering birds and migrating wildfowl such as Eurasian coot, Eurasian teal and Eurasian wigeon. Since the opening of the Siblyback and Colliford reservoirs on Bodmin Moor, its relative importance has declined. Breeding birds around the pool include Eurasian curlew, dunlin, northern lapwing, common snipe and European stonechat.
Legend and literature
Dozmary Pool is one site that is claimed to be the home of the Lady of the Lake. According to the legend, it is here that King Arthur rowed out to the Lady of the Lake and received the swordExcalibur. The pool is also claimed to be the place where Bedivere returned Excalibur as Arthur lay dying after the Battle of Camlann. Another tale associated with Dozmary Pool is that of Jan Tregeagle. In search of deviant exploits, Tregeagle makes a Faustian bargain with the Devil and is given money and power. At the conclusion of his life, he is damned to the bottomless Dozmary Pool, where he is tormented to this day; it is said that Tregeagle's ghost can still be heard howling across the moor. Sabine Baring-Gould included an extensive article on the witch's ladder in his novel Curgenven published in 1893. In his account the ladder was made of black wool, with white and brown thread, and at every two inches it was tied around cock's feathers. The maker would weave into it aches and pains and other ailments intended for the victim. The ladder was then thrown to the bottom of Dozmary Pool. They believed that as the bubbles rose to the top of the pond, the curse was released.
