with contribution by
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
