Tales from the Withywindle

a place to put your folk tales or queer goings on.

The Wizard of Alderley Edge

Alderley Edge may have been a sacred site for many thousands of years; the area is steeped in folklore and legend. King Arthur and his men are said to sleep somewhere beneath the sandstone cliffs, and the area is associated with the wizard Merlin. There is a carving of a bearded face above a well next to which the words "Drink of this and take thy fill, For the water falls by the wizard's will" are carved. The date of the carving is unknown.

The Legend
Once upon a time, a farmer from Mobberley was on his way to Macclesfield Market to sell a white mare. The horse was the finest of his stock, and he was sure that he could get a good price at the market.

As he passed by the steep sandstone cliffs that make up Alderley Edge, he was stopped by an old man of noble stature with a white beard, and clothes that seemed to belong to an earlier period of history. The old man asked if the farmer would sell his horse to him for a fair price. The farmer refused, hoping that he could get a better price for such a fine animal at the market.

Once at the bustling market it seemed as though he had been bewitched. Although his animal was admired and commented on, not a single offer was made, although lesser animals were sold quickly for good prices.

Dejected the farmer set off back to Mobberley, as he passed Alderly Edge the same old man appeared and asked if he could buy the horse. The farmer agreed and the wizard motioned him to follow, he led the farmer through trees to the foot of the sandstone cliffs that make up the edge. The wizard touched the rock with his staff, and the rock parted with a thunderous sound to reveal a huge cavern. The old man led the farmer inside the earth reassuring him not to be afraid.

The farmer could not believe his eyes, for inside the cavern hundreds of armour clad warriors lay in a deathly sleep. Every warrior bar one had a white horse standing next to him. The old man (who seemed now to be a wizard of great power) explained that the host was ready and waiting for the day when their countrymen would need them, then they would arise and fight to save the country. The wizard led on to a pile of gold and jewels, and told the farmer to take his fill as payment for his mare.

The farmer grabbed a handful of golden coins and jewels, stuffed them into his pockets and walked out through the opening into the bright sunlight. The farmer, overwhelmed by his strange experience, set off running as the rock closed with a dull thud behind him. Although he tried, neither he nor anyone else could ever find the door again.

The theme of sleeping warriors is repeated at a number of sites in Britain including the Eildon Hills and Blencathra.

I thought at 1st I was reading one of your tales but, this is one of those "true" mythical local legend type tale isnt it. I liked this one, with the sleeping knights,waiting silently till needed.

I think my town has mostly ghost stories....................................

"""Over the wind-swept moor of Beachy Head where howling winds blow, a mysterious and malicious monk loiters, haunting the edge of cliffs. The monk wears black robes, and beckons visitors to take the plunge over the 535 foot cliff edge to their death.

The monk approaches lonely or sad visitors and points over the edge of the cliff, encouraging those he encounters to take their own lives. Many have reported the same unsettling feeling of being compelled to walk over the edge. Death by misadventure, suicide, strong gusts of wind or the influence of the malevolent monk in black? The frequent deaths at Beachy Head may be a combination of all four.

Other ghosts seen at Beachy Head include a female dressed in Victorian clothes, whose ghost can be seen walking towards and then over the edge of the cliff. A dapper gentleman carrying a walking stick has also been seen, walking over the edge and disappearing. A farmer’s wife carrying a baby stands by the cliff edge before taking her last steps, with her baby, to their doom below. Countless other sightings or other ghosts at Beachy Head have been reported over the years.

A great many people have been seen walking over the edge of the cliffs, and their bodies are almost always recovered at the base, or in the sea below. But not every sighting of a suicide leads to a body being recovered. Might these suicides be the ghosts of those lost souls who’s bodies were never recovered? Why does the Monk walk the cliffs and why does he wish others harm.

On average, there are just over two suicides per month at Beachy Head. Death arrives in less than five seconds, which is roughly the time it takes to plummet from the top to the bottom. Allegedly, some people literally do die of fright, after the initial rush of air, before they hit the ground. For a brighter look at the cliffs, check out our Beachy Head page. And stay clear of the monk in Black."""

crikey that's a bit bleak.

Mmm, sadly its all death, died, killed, murdered, stabbed, knifed,poisened, strangled, pushed under a lorry, car, train & bus down here, Dont know whats the matter with people ??