Behind the monastery at the foot of Bredon Hill, enclosed by two copices, lies Benedict's Pool. Few villagers fish from the dark pond, nor will they visit it on moonlit nights, for it is said to be haunted. Fred Archer recalls the folklore and myths which surround the pool at Beckford, and the life of the surrounding villages where Fred lived and worked as a farmer. The history of Bredon Hill provides a colourful background to the local mythology: the remains of an Iron Age camp on the summit; Roman coins and pottery turned up by the plough; and mutilated skeletons - evidence of a bloody battle before the Roman invasion. The spirits of the ancient soldiers - Briton, Roman and Saxon - are thought to live on in the beech trees, and the sound of men marching has been heard from under the soil. The mysterious lady in white also haunts the pool. Interwoven with the stories of ancient folklore are anecdotes of country life during the early part of the 20th century up to the end of World War I - haymaking, the Boxing Day Meet and excursions to Weston-super-Mare.
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Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 156 mm
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ISBN-13
978-0-7509-2135-0 (9780750921350)
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Schweitzer Klassifikation
Plougman and shepherd; the horse camps and the amphitheatre; at the cider mill; the bald-headed woman in the moonlight; the lady in red; changes on the hill; Ruth's visit to Cobblers Quar; more ghosts and spirits at Netherstone; excursions; the bundling stocking; the meet and after; back at the cider mill; threshing Daisy's barley rick; the earth moves; the shepherd leaves the fold; the hiring fair; a new vicar for Netherstone; Sep Sands, handyman?; Owen Pritchard's goose; Christmas to Mothering Sunday; Easter at Netherstone; autumn in Netherstone; Ayshon's former monastery?; the wartime village; from horse power to tractor power.
