On
The first location was Roundway Hill.
We all met up at the market-place in Devizes and followed Chris to Roundway Hill.
HISTORY
Chris began telling us the history of Roundway Hill. We were all impressed by his knowledge of the area.
Originally an Iron Age hill fort known as Oliver's Castle Hill fort, Roundway Hill is well-known for the Civil War Battle of Roundway Down. In 1643 Charles 1st attempted to secure the South West for the Royalists. However, the Parliamentarian army chased the Royalists to Roundway Hill and a battle commenced. Royalists were victorious in this battle but were later defeated by Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army in 1645.
There are historic accounts of a ghost that allegedly used to haunt this area. This was the apparition of a headless figure walking over Roundway Down.
Many years ago a shepherd is thought to have met this ghost and he claimed that the apparition had walked alongside him for some distance before vanishing.
When later asked why he did not speak to the ghost, the shepherd replied "I was afraid, for if I hadn't spoken proper to him he'd a torn 'un to pieces."
A farmer at Roundway claimed that the headless ghost of Roundway Down had appeared to people that he knew and that they had been drawn to an ancient barrow.
This barrow was excavated in 1855. A skeleton was discovered inside the barrow, lying on its left side in the foetal position. The skeleton was not headless but interestingly, there have been no further reports of the headless ghost since the excavation of this barrow.
However, claims of a ghostly dog have been reported. People see the dog shortly after they become aware of the sound of chains rattling nearby.
A later story recorded is that of a young couple who were walking on Roundway Hill in September 1973. Suddenly a mist descended upon them. As the mist got thicker they saw several white horses. The couple also noted a strange atmosphere and they were extremely scared. As they watched, the horses disappeared into the mist and then suddenly, the mist disappeared.
While we were there a mist descended also but it was a little way from us and none of us claimed to see any white horses or anything else unusual.
FOLKLORE
There is a story attached to this area of a blacksmith who lived at St. Edith's Marsh. For some reason the Devil was very anxious to convert the blacksmith to his cause. However, the blacksmith refused to be converted to the dark-side.
So the Devil disguised himself as a well-dressed gentleman and presented at the blacksmith's forge. The blacksmith recognised the Devil and was furious that the Devil had tried to deceive him in this manner. In his anger he thrust a red-hot horseshoe onto the Devil's heel causing him to jump into the air. Legend says that the Devil landed on a particular spot of Roundway Hill and this spot is known as Devil's Jump.
This story also claims that this incident caused the Devil a great fear of horseshoes which is why people think that to put a horseshoe above a doorway will keep the Devil away.
UFOs
Roundway Hill is situated on a ley-line and has been a popular focus for UFO sightings. A video allegedly captured on Roundway Hill in 1996 shows balls of light flying around a crop-circle nearby.
Unfortunately there were no crop-circles formed at the time of our visit.
As the sun was setting over Roundway Hill, the mood of the group was poignant as the atmosphere was so peaceful.
It was difficult to imagine the terror and confusion of the massacre of so many human beings occurring in this tranquil place.
Chris showed us the Bloody Ditch where many had fallen. Pete said that he could hear the moans and groans of the dying. He said that most of the men were just left there to die but sometimes men were sent into the ditch to finish the lives of the wounded. While we were at Roundway Hill, Jacky and Pete both experienced abdominal pain at approximately the same time. Were they experiencing pain from the soldiers injured and killed in the battle or was this just coincidence?
I personally found Roundway Hill a peaceful place and I did not experience anything of a paranormal nature.
We eventually decided to move onto our next location - Drews Pond Wood (see separate report).
Maria and James from Twilight Shadows Paranormal would like to thank Jacky from Phoenix Paranormal for arranging this investigation.
Written by: Maria Williams
