The Devil's Beam of Barn Hall

Every night the walls of the knight's new house were pulled down. So he went at midnight to see who was doing it.

Open on the map: directions, what's there today and read-aloud →

Devil

The Devil's Beam

God, myself, and my two spayed bitches.

Private, don't visit

What's there: Private farmhouse and moated site; parish church nearby
Legend from: Georgian tradition, older roots
Tone: Eerie

The DevilCursesTombs & graves

Before you go

Barn Hall is a private house; the moated Devil's Wood site in Virley is also on private land. The church is the nearest public place, but its access is unconfirmed, so check before you go.

Barn Hall and All Saints, Tolleshunt Knights
Near B1026
The pin marks the village; the exact spot isn't recorded.

Out here on the Tolleshunt marshes, a knight once fought the Devil at midnight, and lost by a single word.

A knight set out to build a house called Barn Hall in a place known as Devil's Wood, but every night his builders' work was torn down. At midnight he went there with his two spayed bitches and fought the Devil with a great club. Each time the Devil paused to ask who helped him, he answered God, himself and his dogs. The third time he put himself before God, and the Devil struck him down, swearing to have his soul whether he was buried in church or churchyard. The Devil then hurled his club and said Barn Hall must stand where it fell. The club became the house's main beam.

Sources

Legends nearby

More Essex folklore →