pure joy

‘The History of Colerne’ (1975 – no author) says that local tradition has connected them with the Danes and the large mound was a one time known as “The Danes Tump”, where a Danish King was supposed to have been buried.

The village of St.Agnes still holds a ‘Bolster Festival’ in April / May. This consists of two weeks of celebrations in the village including workshops, culminating in a weekend to celebrate the rise and fall of the Giant Bolster. First a lantern and torch procession through the village to the top of the St. Agnes Beacon and a large bonfire and barbecue. Then the next day witness the deeds of the giant revealed in street theatre and dance, before a colourful procession of giant moving puppets to the cliff top at Chapel Porth where the wicked giant was tricked into death whilst proving his love for Agnes.

For the latest info contact St Agnes Tourist Information Centre: Tel – 01872 554150 / Web – www.stagnes.com

Craig Weatherhill, in ‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly’ (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000), mentions that “local tradition warns that any attempt to dig the barrow will invoke violent thunderstorms”.

Craig Weatherhill and Paul Devereux, in ‘Myths and Legends of Cornwall’ (Sigma Leisure, 1994) write that the Giant’s “sightless petrified head is said to protrude from an outcrop at the eastern end of this impressive hill, while his hand, also turned to stone, can be found at the opposite end of the great system of prehistoric earthworks which surround two of it’s three summits. Later tradition gives this giant the unlikely name of John of Gaunt.”

They add that Carn Brea has one of the most remarkable examples of a mythical sacrificial rock (at SW683407)...“a huge oval boulder studded with basins and which has the name of the ‘Giant’s Crocks and Kettles’.” I think this is the rock pictured by Hamish, and to a lesser extent in one of my pics.

The reason that Carn Brea is covered in stones whilst St.Agnes Beacon is not, relates to the legend of Bolster (the giant of St.Agnes) feuding with the giant on Carn Brea and throwing all the rock around the Beacon at Carn Brea.

When Borlase was excavating the graves the excavation apparently had to be halted because of a violent and destructive thunder storm. Islanders attributed this to the wrath of the giants who lay buried here.

The panoramic plate on the Beacon gives a tale about the cairns.....“Legend has it the Giant Bolster could stand with one foot on St.Agnes Beacon and the other on Carn Brae. Giant Bolster’s wife was made to clear the neighbouring field of stones, three aprons full are seen today as barrows (burial mounds) on top of the beacon”.

I’ve also read that the two giants on St.Agnes Beacon and Carn Brea would hurl bolders across the space between the two hills, and Bolster was able to stride from the Beacon to Carn Brea with one mighty step.

Like Trencrom Hill and St.Agnes Beacon, there is a legend of a Giant of the hill. The giant feuded with the giant Bolster at St.Agnes Beacon, which is 10km (6miles) to the north.

The Carn Brae giant has several natural rocks named after him on the hill, such as The Giant’s Head, Hand, Couch and Cradle.

The devouring Bisterne Dragon is said to have had a lair on Burley Beacon (which is a few hundred metres to the east of the barrow)

This giant must have been killed twice! The info board at Warbstow Bury says that local tradition believes the internal mound is the burial site of the Warbstow Giant who was slain by the giant of Condolden Beacon, who lived near Tintagel. I suspect that this might the hill on which the Condolden Barrow stands.

This barrow is probably on the beacon hill that is attached by folklore to Warbstow Bury, via a story of two giants fighting (I love stories about giants!).

As well as being the legendary grave of Boudica, legend says that this barrow (like many others) contained buried treasure in the form of a golden coffin or table.

There was a belief that a gold chair was buried in the ramparts. Another old story says that Upavon village was originally sited at Casterley Camp.

This tree-covered hilltop includes a fort, dykes, and a now-destroyed burial mound. The Romans also built a temple here. Numerous traditions have grown up such as that the Devil will appear if you run backwards seven times around the clump of trees at midnight on Midsummer Eve and he will offer you a bowl of milk, soup, or porridge. Although you may have worked up an appetite with all the exertion I would advise you to refuse – it’s really payment for your soul.

The trees are said to be uncountable (although the 1987 hurricane did apparently thin them out); but anyone who does count the right number will raise the ghosts of Julius Caesar and his army. The ghost of an old white-bearded man is said to search for the treasure buried in the hill; and the hooves of invisible horses have been heard.

Considering its age and fame, very little folklore seems to exist. The only reference I can find is that the ghost of a priest enters the barrow at sunrise on Midsummer Day followed by a ghostly white dog with red ears, which is pretty similar to what Rhiannon found.

The legend I’ve read about the Marston Moretaine church is that the division of the tower happened when the Devil was trying to steal it; it was too heavy for him so he put it down and left it. Great story!

Said to be the resting place of a giant. And if you run around it seven times the giant is supposed to come out (and say ‘why the hell did you wake me up’ I guess)

Also said to be a named after a Civil War general called Hoar, but that sounds a bit pony to me.

Another ‘cadbury’ and another Arthurian legend! There is rumoured to be a cavern in this hillfort where King Arthur and his knights lie sleeping, waiting to be called out to help England face her enemies. Black magic and witchcraft were said to have been practiced here, plus dancing around a thorn tree on May Eve and Midsummer Eve

I’m no expert on these things but I read that ‘Grim’ is a nickname given to Woden, who was held in awe by many Anglo-Saxons and had many sites thus named after him including this hill fort. Somewhere in the nearby woods there is supposed to be a bottomless pond in which lies a golden calf.

Legend gives us a pretty traditional and widespread ‘earth from the spade’ story. The story goes that a giant called Gorm (uuuum, Gorm? Gormless?) was wandering around with aload of earth on his spade. Not remembering what it was for he dumped it and made the tump on Maes Knoll.

The camp is an Iron Age hillfort sited in woodland and the course of the Roman Road known as the Devil’s Highway runs Eat-West half a mile to the South. This might be the source of the phantom footsteps heard at the Camp one night during WWII by two women who lived in a house that has now been demolished. They were aware of what sounded like voices and soldiers marching, but nothing could be seen. On another occasion, one of the women also saw the ghost of a red-haired man standing by her bed.

Beedon Barrow (on Burrow Hill). Legend has it that a man named Burrow was buried here in a gold or silver coffin. It is also supposed to be a fairy dwelling, and ploughman who broke his ploughshare found it had been mended by them while he was away fetching tools. It was believed that the barrow could not be ploughed away; it would always remain the same. Desecration of the barrow by digging was said to bring on a thunderstorm; this apparently happened in the 19th Century.

The Fairy’s Toot is a damaged burial chamber which was said to be the home of fairies and goblins, and to be haunted – strange noises have been heard here.

I’ve not been to the site but it is still shown on the OS Explorer map.

The healing properties of Bath’s mineral springs were said to have been discovered by Prince Bladud around 900BC. Banished from court because of his leprosy, he became a swineherd. When the pigs were suffering from cracked skins he took them done to a marsh where the warm water gave off steam which healed them so completely that Bladud immersed himself and cured his leprosy.

You will find Bladud references dotted around Bath (e.g. the Bladud Arms pub and Bladud Buildings)

A deep channel in the hillside was said to have been dug by the Devil, who was trying to drown the local people in anger at their religious enthusiasm. He was hurrying to dig as far as the sea before daybreak, but a cock crowed – the Devil, hearing that sound and seeing an old woman’s candle, thought the sun was rising and abandoned his task. He is said to be buried along with his wife in two mounds on the hill. Apparently this is rare because the Devil’s wife rarely appears in British legend! Interesting marriage.

Note earthworks, fort, barrows etc in the general area.

An underground passage at least a mile long is said to lead from Montacute House to Ham Hill. Ham Hill is the site of a huge 210-acre hillfort, one of the largest in Britain. Although it is now much damaged by quarrying there are apparently still some very impressive ramparts to be seen.

As is often the case, there are alternative versions of the tales below – other versions say the Devil was throwing it at Blindon Abbey or Salisbury Cathedral. Another name for it is the Devil’s Anvil.

It was believed that the fairies would dance on this hill at midnight on Midsummer Eve. Gold was supposed to be hidden underground. Little trace apparently remains of the Iron Age hillfort on the summit.

There have been many suggestions as to what the Long man represents, including a warrior, a god, or the giant who was killed by the Firle Beacon giant. Another legend has it that the long man fell and broke his neck, his body being outlined in chalk where he lay before it was buried in a long barrow on the hilltop. A Roman in a golden coffin is said to lie buried beneath the Long man.

The long barrow on the hill was said to be the burial place of a giant who lived up here. he regularly quarrelled with another giant on Windover Hill and they would throw boulders at one another; one of them struck and killed the Windover giant, who can still be seen on the hillside (cf The Long man of Wilmington). there is also said to be a silver coffin buried somewhere on Firle Beacon.

An Iron Age hillfort crowns this hill, traditionally formed from a clod of earth thrown here by the Devil while feverishly digging out the Devil’s Dyke. Another legend says that a giant called Gill who reputedly lived on the Downs would throw his hammer from the summit of the Caburn. Somewhere in the hill a silver coffin and a knight in golden armour are said to be buried.

The church apparently stands on an ancient mound, although legend says that originally it was intended to be built elsewhere. Each morning the builders found their work destroyed and the stones thrown over on to the mound. They didn’t know whether to persist in the original location or move the site, but when ‘wise men’ saw 4 oxen lying on the mound in the shape of a cross this was taken as a sign that the church should be built there.

Following a battle at this hillfort a dragon was said to have been formed by ‘spontaneous generation’ from the pile of dead bodies. It terrorised the neighbourhood until it was killed by a local hero known as Fulk Fitzwarine. The events are commemorated on a carved and painted rood-screen (circa 1500) in the church (or did the rood screen inspire the dragon tale?).

I’ve read something a bit confusing about the remains of the prehistoric tomb being connected with a 10th Century battle, but according to legend they were thrown here in a contest between the Devil and a giant as mentioned in Rhiannon’s post. On the leaning stone the Devil’s handprint can apparently be seen but I’ve not yet been to this site....

Dunkery Hill was supposedly formed when the Devil was digging out the Punchbowl on Winsford Hill – he dumped the rock and soil to form Dunkery Hill. On the north-east promontory are several large Bronze Age stone Cairns. Two of them are called Joaney How and Robin How, but there is no surviving folklore to explain these names. One suggestion is that they derive from Robin Hood and Little John.

When the Devil first say the Mendip Hills they were smooth in outline, and legend has it that he decided to spoil them by digging out a deep channel which became the Gorge. His first spadeful of rock and soil was thrown out to sea to become the islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm (off of Weston Super Mare). The next load became Brent Knoll. He also meant to destroy the Minehead and Watchet area but when he jumped over the River Parrett the basketload of soil he was carrying flew off in several directions.

Robin Hood was said to have used these three barrows for target practice, but it was also believed that the bodies of warriors killed in battles between the Danes and Saxons (or in the Civil War) were buried there. Another tradition is that they were formed by giants throwing clods of earth at one another. The largest mound is supposed to conceal a hoard of gold but no one could reach it because however much they dug, the holes would fill up again overnight.

I’ve read similar things, re an underground passages and snakes. It was also believed that fairies could be seen dancing on Cissbury at midnight on Midsummer Eve.

Fairies are believed to dance in a stone circle near to Huccaby Tor – I guess it’s this one??

Folklore says it was thrown here by the Devil and now cannot be moved; it has proved impossible to shift, even when using horses.

A man was supposed to have been chased by the Devil across this Iron Age hillfort. I’ve also read about the Diana one mentioned below.

Like many others, these round barrows are said to contain hidden treasure.

The pool in this earthwork is one of the places here King Arthur ‘s sword Excalibur is said to have been thrown (cf Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor). Ghostly galloping hooves and wailing voices are rumoured at Trent barrow, following an incident when a coach and horses with all the passengers aboard drove into the pool. This site is only a few miles from South Cadbury Castle which is often believed to be the site of Camelot.

The Anchoret’s Well inside this Iron Age hillfort was said to contain a golden table or tablet. On 21st September (i.e. the Autumnal Equinox) each year the local people used to come to the well and drink its water which was believed to have healing powers.

Legend has it that the hill was built by the giant Cormoran and his wife. They were using white rock which had to be carried some distance, so Cormoran’s wife tried to cheat by bringing local greenstone in her apron instead. Cormoran kicked her when he found out, her apron string broke, and she dropped the stone. Far be it for me to pour scorn on folklore, but it seems a pretty mixed up case of folklore, and all a bit male centric!

In 495 AD some fishermen had a vision of St.Michael over the summit of the mount. Thereafter it became a Christian settlement. St.Keyne came on a pilgrimage there and left her influence on a rough stone seat known as St.Keyne’s Chair. Whichever one a newly married couple first sits on the chair, he or she will dominate the marriage.

John Michell believes the Mount marks one end of a very long distance alignment which he called ‘the ‘St.Michael Line’, and which includes the Hurlers Stone Circles on Bodmin Moor and Brent Tor church on Dartmoor.

Jan Tregeagle was reputed to be an evil lawyer who sold his soul to the Devil, as a result of which his ghost was given endless tasks by clergymen in an attempt to save it. one of these tasks was to empty Dozmary Pool (said to be bottomless) with a leaky limpet shell.

This atmospheric pool is also one of many places where Sir Bedivere is reputed to have throw away the sword Excalibur at King Arthur’s command as he lay dying, with a hand emerging from the water to grasp the weapon.

According to tradition it was formed from a shovel full of earth thrown down by the Devil when he was digging out Cheddar Gorge. In Arthurian legend it was the Mount of Frogs, and three giants lived there. The knight Ider, who had the task of challenging them, galloped off and killed all three without waiting for Arthur and the knights who were going to help him.

As Rhiannon says this tree-covered barrow marks the breast of the Virgo figure in the ‘Glastonbury Zodiac’. Virgo is the fertile Earth Mother, and Wheathill lies at her feet. Her profile and front are outlined by the River Cary, and she is lying on her back, her head pointing west. Barrows are often breast-shaped, and ‘toot’ is a apparently a variant of ‘teat’. Wimble Toot certainly resembles a breast lying on the fertile farmland.

The 13 foot stone is a probable remnant of a Neolithic long barrow. legend has it that the stone was thrown here by a giant, the smaller stone being thrown by the Devil. Alternatively the Devil dropped some stones from his overloaded cart. There was also a belief that Druids used to meet at this stone.

According to Paul Devereux and Ian Thomson’s ‘Ley Guide’, Winchester lies on an 11 mile ley from Tidbury Ring to a barrow beyond St.Catherine’s Hill. There was an Iron Age hillfort on this hill and in the 12th Century a small chapel dedicated to St.Catherine was built, of which slight traces remain. The Castle Hall in nearby Winchester has lots of Arthurian legends attached to it, which I’m afraid to say do bore me.