Dead Womans Thorn is somewhere I recall walking as a child and over the past weeks have unsucessfully been trying to remember where it is. I'll ask my folks though, they'll know. As for the name:

"Deddyman's Thorn, i.e. Dead Woman's Thorn. Local legend says that a woman hung herself on a thorn tree near the cottage, and her ghost haunted the neighbourhood"
Eastnor and its Malvern Hills - H.L. Somers-Cocks - 1923

The Somers-Cocks book is very precious to me as it was the authors own copy handed down through history to now reside in the hands of my family.

Of May Hill the Rector informs us -
"May Hill, behind Eastnor Rectory. Maia was the oldest of the Pleiades, and the wife of Vulcan. Her home was on top of the mountains, or in caves. She was regarded as the "fruitful mother", and was specially worshipped on May 1st."

Perhaps the location of May Day celebrations in days gone by?

Not too hot on Mathon though I'm afraid.

*=moggz=*