Benedict's Pool

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.