Hero
Jack o' Kent
Tops or bottoms? Either way, the Devil loses.
Stand where it happened
- What's there
- Small border church near the River Monnow
- Legend from
- Border tradition; printed c.1590
- Tone
- Light-hearted
The Devil built the bridge in a night. Jack sent a hungry dog across first.
Jack o' Kent, or John of Kentchurch, is a trickster of the Herefordshire and Monmouthshire border, first in print in Anthony Munday's play of around 1590. Many stories have him outwit the Devil. With the Devil's help a bridge over the Monnow between Kentchurch and Grosmont was built in one night, the price being the soul of the first to cross. Jack threw a bone across and a starving dog chased it. He also offered the Devil the tops or bottoms of a crop: the Devil chose tops, and got turnip leaves; next year he chose bottoms, and got wheat stubble. One version makes Kentchurch his home.