KING ARTHUR’S LAND

Alderley Edge

Cheshire, England

 

 

The Legend of Alderley Edge

Legend has it that beneath the hill in a cavern stretching the outcrop of sandstone, King Arthur and the knights of the round table lie sleeping. According to the local tradition, a farmer was passing by the ledge on his way to the market in Macclesfield, a nearby town, when suddenly an old man appeared and had him stop. The old man who made him an offer on a white horse he was leading to town to sell, but the farmer refused the low offer and continued on his way.

Within the hill, the surprised farmer saw the great King Arthur and his knights of the round table, together with their horses all asleep in a vast cavern.

Once at the market, the farmer received many inquires about the horse, but no one made him an offer. So, on his way back home the same mysterious, old man appeared, and this time the farmer decided to part with the horse and sell him, accepting the offer of the old man. The old man then lead the farmer and his horse to the hillside below and laid his hand on a grouping of rocks, at which an iron gate was revealed. Behind the iron gate was an entrance into the hill itself. Within the hill, the surprised farmer saw the great King Arthur and his knights of the round table, together with their horses all asleep in a vast cavern. The horse was for one of the knights, and the farmer received a bag of gold for it before he fled, hearing the gates clang shut behind him.

The Wizard’s face that’s carved into the cliff at Alderley Edge.

Photo by Pete Birkinshaw.