LegendHidden
The Devil's Arrows
Thrown at one town, fell at another.
See it clearly
- What's there
- Three giant weathered standing stones in a line
- Legend from
- Boroughbridge legend (1721)
- Best time
- Dusk
- Tone
- Eerie
The Devil hurled three stone arrows at Aldborough, but they fell short at Boroughbridge.
The Devil's Arrows are three huge standing stones in a line on the western edge of Boroughbridge. John Aubrey visited and drew them in 1687. Wikipedia reports a legend, going back to 1721, that the Devil threw the stones from Howe Hill, aiming at the next town of Aldborough. As he threw he shouted: 'Borobrigg keep out o' way, for Aldborough town I will ding down!' The stones fell short and landed near Boroughbridge instead. Wikipedia adds that William Camden, in 1722, dismissed such tales as 'silly stories' of bolts shot at cities. The stones still stand in fields and beside a lane.
One sourceOnly one written account of this legend has been found so far.