A Most Haunting Castle

with contribution by

Ken Taylor


book front cover


114 pages paperback
207 x 144 x 13mm
March 2012
Longmarsh Press
ISBN 978-0-9561705-2-1



The isolated ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle nestle deep in the Devon countryside, and their brooding presence exerts a powerful influence on anyone who sees them. The site has become a popular tourist attraction, and makes a fascinating study for anyone with an interest in history, but the castle's main claim to fame is its long association with the supernatural.

This new anthology of poetry and prose is ably edited by local author Bob Mann whose respect for and love of the site makes a positive contribution to this no-holds-barred celebration of the castle in all its aspects - ranging from romantic to gruesome. His discursive introduction strikes an entertaining balance of fact and conjecture, and provides everything the reader needs to know to get the most out of the stories and verse that follow.

Many of the tales explore the timeless themes of human passion and pain immortalised in the traditional ghost stories that abound at this picturesque yet undeniably eerie ruin. Some tell of horror and macabre revelation, others are whimsical and full of charm, and a few are playful bordering on precocious, yet all are captivating. Ken's contribution is a four-page poem entitled A Spirit Journey.

Other poems and stories include:



Helen Ashley Remains
Valerie Belsey A mason's mark
Peter Cowlam Follow me down
Pamela Sandry Gorman
 
Berry Pomeroy Castle
The White Lady
Laurence Green Ellie and Mags
Deborah Harvey Berry Pomeroy
Sue Hinds
 
The lost moat
A sonnet to Berry Pomeroy Castle
Idris W Izzard The way back
Anna Lunk The White Lady's tale
Bob Mann
 
Peril in Denim
The story of a vision and a disappearance
Debbie Miller-Wright Berry Pomeroy - the thoughts of a witch
Wendy Ruocco Do you see what I see?
A tale of Berry Pomeroy
Catherine Smith Pomeroy's Leap
Susan Taylor The white roses of Berry Pomeroy
Simon Willians
 
Guardroom, Berry Pomeroy Castle
St Margaret's Tower, Berry Pomeroy



This selection deftly represents the castle's many moods, and like the castle itself, is something to relish not once, but to revisit time and again.





Text & design © Ken & Joules Taylor 2012 - 2020


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