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Deadmans Hill, Clophill
The ruined church of St Mary's and the churchyard on top of Deadmans Hill was the scene of a particularly grisly black magic ritual during the 1960's. The sixties were a time of occult revival in many parts of the country and some groups seem to have been interested in the more diabolical side of magic.
In March 1963 the tomb of an 18th century apothecary's wife was broken into and the bones arranged ritualistically in the nave of the church. Again on Midsummer's Eve 1969 graves were broken into and bones arranged. It was never discovered who had carried out these acts and for what purpose although it is likely that the black mass was involved.
The actual site has a very strange atmosphere, probably just imagination because of the ruined church and knowledge of what has happened, but you can not help feeling that the site was chosen because of the atmosphere, a ruined house of God and its sighting on the aptly named Dead Mans Hill.
Directions: Reached from a minor road off the A507 from the A6 out of Bedford.
St Mary's Church
Hi,
Clophill Church is not on Deadmans Hill, which is on the A6. The church is about 800m away.
Cheers,
Dave
Hi Dave,
Our map above is correct though, just or directions are a bit confusing :) You can zoom in and out of the maps and look at a satelite view which shows the church itself.
Hi Ian,
I agree, the map is spot on. It's just that the church is not on top of Deadman's Hill which is further west. I'm up around by the church quite a bit as you can get some nice sunset shots nearby. Fantastic site, by the way.
BTW,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z533nM25MrE
I took this video a few days ago. Apologies for the spooky sounds. A little over the top. LOL!
Cheers,
Dave
Dave, great video:) I must admit I turned the volume to mute so did not hear your music. It is amazing to see all the graffiti so closely and how little respect some people have for our heritage. I have never been to Clophill, though Dan has. Maybe we should embed footage like that in the article to highlight that these sites are being damaged.
Thanks for sharing Dave.
hi this is michael collings.
When i last went to clophill chruch going back in 2005. Me my ex parter went up there and i saw the lady of the tower and we was chaced down the hill by a black figer which revilad to me as a monk. If offered the chance would like to go back there.
Hi,
I am an English lady now living in Colorado USA. I am fascinated by the comments on the old Clophill church. I know it very well. My grandparents lived in Clophill many years ago, almost opposite the pasture gate at the back of Brickwall farm and after that down in the village.
We would spend out summer holidays there. My dad's hobby was studying old churches and the two of us wiould go by bus to many of the small villages to study their architecture and the old grave stones.
One time he got the key to the church from the vicar and off we went up the hill. By the way I am now 75 and that time I was about 6-7 years old. He insisted that we climb up the tower. I was reluctant as there were some giant spider webs up there and I did not like spiders. Yes there were a few bats too. As I remember the old bell was still up there. We could look down on the old roof. I also think that the font was in there still.
I must admit that I was shocked when I saw the photos of how ruined it is now. I had heard from my parents, in England, when the vandalism took place, another shock. It seems from that spookey video that a lot of the grave stones are missing.
I have an old book and my dad paid 2shillings for. It's called The Cleft in the Hills and it was written by the vicar of the new church in about 1957/8. It's mainly on the history of the church.
Would love to here more recent news on the village. I bet the blacksmith is no longer shoeing horses down by the old mill. Are the Green Man and the Flying Hores pubs still there, and the Stone jug up on the other hill? i have not been back to Clophill since I was about 21 or 12 years old.
Hope to hear from someone in Clophill
Hi Junebug,
Have just sent you a message about Clophill.
Best,
Kevin