Demon Rock, Parkmill

A huge piece of rock in the middle of the Killy Willy (River Ilston), known locally as Demon's Rock, has a dark and supernatural tale attached to it. Around 200 years ago it is said that a certain fair maiden from the village of Parkmill started to frequent the woods here during warm summer evenings.

Returning each night in states of ecstasy her friends questioned her as to what transpired during her visits there. The maiden told her friends of the young gentleman she courted there to whom she had given her heart. Intrigued to learn more of her friend's lover, one daring woman decided to follow the maid and see the gentleman for herself.

The maid led her friend deep within the wood and then, stopping by an ancient oak, began a hushed conversation. The friend tried hard to see the gentleman but in the gloom she could make out little. But as she stood gazing, a feeling of dread came about her and, in an instant when the clouds parted and the moon cast a moment ' s light upon the scene, she saw the maiden talking to an empty clearing. Certain that the maiden had become enchanted with the Devil himself, the friend turned and hastened back to the village in terror.

When told of her friend's fears the following morning, the maiden became alarmed but said that she had vowed to return to the woods that night and could not go against her word of honour. She did agree, however, to carry with her a Bible when she visited the woods.

As she talked to her lover that night she was aware of a certain unease in his attitude and an anger that she had brought such a thing to their meeting. In his fury he forgot to mask his true identity and the maiden glimpsed her lover ' s cloven foot. In that instant, when the treachery and horror of the situation became fully apparent to her, the maiden screamed and ran away.

Immediately, the whole woodland became filled with the demon's wrath and thunder and lightning roared and flashed as an almighty storm suddenly rose and tore through the trees. But the maiden made it back to the village safely and never wandered into the wood again.

The morning after the disturbance a great stone was found deposited in the stream where the demon had thrown it at the girl from the hillside but had fortunately missed. It remains there to this day but is now overgrown with ivy and moss.