Long ago, a farmer's daughter fell ill. The farmer could do nothing to ease the girl's fever, and though he desperately nursed her, it was to no avail. While her condition worsened he would pray, day after day, for her recovery, but his prayers went unanswered and she died, leaving him alone with no one else in the world.

She was buried in Abergele Churchyard, and while the minister performed the service the father stood over the grave thinking about how much he missed his daughter and how completely desolate his life was. It was said, later, that his faith died with his daughter, for he gradually became more and more ungodly until he reached a spiritual rock bottom.

One night he ventured alone to a holy well and there, taking and spitting out three mouthfuls of holy water, he renounced all his baptismal vows, thus forsaking the Christian religion, and gave himself to the Devil.

It was some time later that he was ploughing the field near the well, which was supposed to be bottomless. The weather that day had been fine, but as evening approached dark clouds rolled in, the sky became black, the wind died away and an ominous, hostile atmosphere prevailed.

His horses became nervous, and then a sudden bolt of lightning flashed from the murky black sky and sent them galloping off across the field, dragging the farmer and plough behind them.

Some time later the horses were found standing beside the well but there was no sign of the farmer, and he was never seen again.

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Chris is working with others and is doing much to promote the preservation of Gwrych Castle, Abergele.
Website: www.gwrych.org.html

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