"The Devil at Cockerham"

by Hugh Sherdley

Legend tells us that sometime in the past the Devil took up his residence in Cockerham churchyard and tormented the villagers with his evil doings in the daytime and wailing and howling round their houses during the night. At length in desperation a meeting was held by the now thoroughly terrified rustics. After much argument as to the best way to deal with Old Nick, the schoolmaster, being the only educated man left in the village the parson having fled - was appointed an unwilling volunteer to free the village of its troublesome visitor.

Entering the churchyard he was confronted by an awesome sight: there was Old Nick himself, with eyes like blazing saucers, breathing fire and smoke and complete with forked tail and cloven hooves. When asked what he wanted the poor schoolmaster was almost too terrified to speak, but at last managed to stammer out what his mission was.

Glaring at the trembling man the Devil said, 'Well, I'll strike a bargain with you, if you can set me three tasks, any one of which I cannot do I will leave Cockerham forever. If, however, you fail then your body and soul are forfeit, and straight off to Hell you go'.

By now the schoolmaster had recovered his composure a little. It was early morning and he noticed a nearby hedge was covered with dewdrops, so he commanded the Devil to count these dewdrops. Running swiftly up and down the hedge he came back with a figure, the truth of which the schoolmaster could not dispute. The same happened when he asked the Devil to count the ears of corn in a nearby field. The master had lost the first two rounds, and the gates of Hell loomed near. Perhaps inspired by this he had a brilliant flash of inspiration.

'Let us go down to the River Cocker', he said, 'and I want you to spin me a rope of sand, a rope that will bear washing in the river'. So down to the river they went, where, with great speed and dexterity a beautiful rope was spun from sand, but to the Devil's chagrin as soon as he put it in the water it dissolved instantly. Three times he tried, and after the third failure he admitted defeat. He bounded up onto the tower of Cockerham church and strode off to the west with a flash of lightning. His first stride took him four miles to Pilling Bridge, where he came down with such force that his hoof made a dent in the stone parapet which can still be seen about twenty-five yards from the vicarage gate. His next stride took him to Preesall hill and so on to the Pennystone rock a mile off the Blackpool coast and he was last seen striding off in the direction of Ireland, and peace and tranquillity returned to Cockerham.