Osebury Rock

Osebury Rock (or Rosebury Rock) is a remarkable cliff with dense woodland on the River Teme which, according to Edwin Hartland in his ‘English Fairy and Other Folk Tales’ (1890), has an association with fairies. ‘ACCORDING to tradition, that interesting headland called Oseberrow, or Osebury (vulgo Rosebury) Rock, which lies not far from Alfrick, and is situated upon the border of the river Teme, in Luisley, opposite to Knightsford Bridge, was a favourite haunt of the fairies (vulgo pharises). It is said they had a cave there (which is still shown); and that once upon a time, as a man and boy were ploughing in an adjoining field, they heard an outcry in the copse on the steep declivity of the rock; and upon their going to see what was the matter, they came up to a fairy, who was exclaiming that he had lost his pick, or pick-axe. This, after much search, the ploughman found for him; and thereupon the fairy said if they would go to a certain corner of the field wherein they had been ploughing, they would get their reward. They accordingly went, and found plenty of bread and cheese, and cider, on which the man feasted heartily; but the boy was so much frightened that he would not partake of the repast.

It also is said that upon another occasion a fairy came to a ploughman in the same field, and exclaimed:

“Oh, lend a hammer and a nail,
Which we want to mend our pail”

There likewise is a saying in the neighbourhood, that if a woman should break her peel (a kind of shovel used in baking bread), and should leave it for a little while at the fairies’ cave in Osebury Rock, it would be mended for her.’