THE DARLEY DOG
1. Long ago Vincent Darley lived in a house called Battens in North Hill.
Every day he walked from North Hill Churchtown to Darley Ford.
- When he died a ghostly black dog appeared on his route.
Is fy Darley Dog was tough, strong and proper ugly tempered.
- Farmer, farmhand and boy from Darley Farm all went ghost hunting down Darley Ford.
The night was dark as a dog's gut.
They heard it first, a padding and a growling, then two eyes in the night.
'Tis what we've been expecting,' said the farmer.
The dog's eyes blinked, the farmer swung his stick.
YOWL, and the dog disappeared into the night.
- Some time after, Darley Dog framed up before loitering friends.
In a terrifying moment they thought he would attack.
The dog pushed between them and walked on into the night.
- One night a maid called Catern and her lover were sitting near the porch of her cottage.
They stared agape as the Darley Dog paced in front of them.
'He's fair spine chilling' cried Catern.
The young man threw a broom and the dog swelled up as big as a young horse, then
disappeared in a ball of fire. Thunder and lightening followed him.
- Grace Blatchford and two friends were up late like night crows, walking arm in arm across the field from Batten's yard.
The Darley Dog appeared, walked forward and pushed between them before scooting off
into the night.
7. Next evening a woman was weeding her garden at Battens when who did she see but
Vincient Darley, wearing a beaver hat and leggings, with a log on his back.
8. Battens has been much rebuilt, and well haunted. Darley sometimes drives a ghost coach
through the yard. He terrified one of the Palmer's men who was saddling up a horse in the
yard early one morning... Darley's coach thundered by, spooking the horses, scaring the
man..but inside Battens folk heard nothing.
So when you are traveling along the B3254 from North Hill to Darley Ford
listen out for a coach thundering by,
watch out for a man with a log on his back,
or a pair of shining eyes in the dark.