The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Campville

Hillfort

Folklore

Campville - formerly known as Lanternside - the shooting box of Major Thompson of Walworth Hall, Darlington, stands about a quarter of a mile west from Holystone, on the verge of a romantic gorge, and within the lines of an ancient camp, the ramparts of which are quite distinct in the field below the house. A Roman causeway, leading from Rochester, Redewater, passes through a portion of the camp. In the deep ravine close to the house, where the Dove Crag burn tumbles and tosses in a series of waterfalls, there is a cave-like recess, known as "Rob Roy's Cave." The cavern is only accessible by a very narrow path along the face of the rock, other means of ingress being entirely closed by the lofty cliffs overhead.
If you follow the burn back to its source, there's a big waterfall, and "in days gone by, this was reputed to be one of the favourite haunts of the Fairies, and stories were told by the country folk of belated travellers when near the spot at the 'witching time of night' having been spell-bound by the sweet entrancing music of the little elves, while in the midst of their midnight revels at the foot of the Dove Crag."

From 'Upper Coquetdale, Northumberland: its history, traditions, folk-lore and scenery' by D D Dixon (1903).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
3rd June 2010ce
Edited 5th June 2010ce

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