The Shadow of Ragged Stone
Hill
It is said to be bad luck to stand in the shadow of the Ragged
Stone Hill on the Malvern Hills. This derives from the story of a
14th Century monk called John, who as a punishment for seeking the
company of a woman was made to crawl on all fours up Ragged Stone
Hill each morning to say his prayers. After weeks of this
punishment John had had enough and whilst staggering to the top he
noticed a dark shadow coming over him. He shouted out "I will say
no more prayers today, I lay instead my curse upon my punishers.
May all upon whom the shadow of this rock falls die before their
time, as I do!" With this he fell to his death in the valley
below and his body was never found.
