DevilHidden
The Devil's Trough
Seven times round, one sip, and he's behind you.
See it clearly
- What's there
- Steep chalk valley with views over the Weald
- Legend from
- Local tradition (undated)
- Tone
- Curious
Walk round the Devil's Kneading Trough seven times, drink from the spring, and he'll come to meet you.
The Devil's Kneading Trough is a deep, bowl-shaped dry valley cut into the chalk of the North Downs above Wye. Its name compares it to the trough where dough was left to rise, and local tradition credits the Devil with gouging it out. Discovering Britain, the Royal Geographical Society's viewpoint series, records a further piece of lore: if you walk around the Trough seven times and then drink from its natural spring, you will see the Devil. The same page explains the real origin: meltwater from Ice Age freeze and thaw carved the steep coombe out of the soft chalk.
One sourceOnly one written account of this legend has been found so far.