Thursday 8 May 2014

#BEDM Day 8 - Local History Month


Day 8 of Rosalilium’s 'Blog Every Day in May' Challenge


This is going to be a bit of a cheating blog post as the local history tale I'm going to share with you is actually from a place about 3 miles away.


Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon


Just down the road, the pretty little village of Kilmersdon is home to several things - a lovely village hall (we had Andrew's 30th birthday party there), a proper local pub (with a landlord who grew up with my in-laws and seems to know every person who walks through the door) and a very very very steep hill.


View up Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon



Remember this little ditty from your childhood?

Jack and Jill went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water,
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after


Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon
 Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon


Well Kilmersdon is reputed to be the home of Jack and Jill; the well where they went to get said pail of water is firmly at the top of the hill (although I'm pretty sure it's a replica) and I can vouch for it being one long climb to the top. If you fell and tripped, you certainly wouldn't stop!


The well at the top of Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon

View from the top of Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon



What's less well-known outside of the local area though, is the real story behind the seemingly-innocent rhyme...

Jack and Jill went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water,
Jill came down with half a crown,
But t'weren't for fetching water!


The legend continues with the fact that one of the most common surnames in the local area is Gilson (ie. Jill's son) - highly unusual seeing as most babies were given the father's surname.


Jack and Jill Hill, Kilmersdon


A sweet tale of two children and their water pail?
Or something a bit darker with long-lasting consequences?

What do you think?

4 comments:

  1. Oh how interesting! Looks a cute little place too it's really interesting about the real story about the rhyme - certainly learnt something new there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's definitely a case of something not many people know! :-) x

      Delete
  2. How fascinating! I didn't realise that it was based on anything real (which is silly, really, because I know others like Ring o Roses are based on historical events). xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interestingly within a 5 mile radius, as well as Jack and Jill, we also have legends about 'Little Jack Horner' (apparently something to do with Mells Manor) and 'Ring O' Roses' (apparently (although I'm not convinced) based on the old village of Holcombe) :-) xxx

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...