Taking on the Devil in East Anglia

Submitted by: Steadfast Trust news team, 22nd Sep 08

Trust volunteers, Tim, Tony, Julien and Craig set out on Devil's Dyke walk

On the 21st September 2008 local Steadfast Trust supporters from the Cambridgeshire and Suffolk counties took part in a 7.5 mile sponsored walk along the historical monument known as Reach Dyke or Devil’s Dyke. The walk started from the village of Woodditton where Craig, Tim, Tony and Steve set off with the charity’s trustee Julien along the footpath that leads to the village of Reach.

Devil's Dyke is the last in a series of defensive linear earthworks that stretch in a north-west south-east alignment, including Fleam Dyke, Brent Ditch and Bran Ditch. These ditches controlled both the ancient Icknield Way and the Roman Roads (e.g. the modern A11) that passed through them and would have posed formidable obstacles. Devil's Dyke is the biggest and best preserved of these, and was constructed to control trade and access as well as being a military or defensive barrier.

It is not known who built the Dyke. It lies on the border of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of East Anglia and Mercia and given the defensive ditch is on the west side, it seems highly likely it was built by the East Anglians against their Mercian neighbours. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and other sources record the frequently tense relations between the two kingdoms, and it is likely that this provoked the need to strengthen the border and control access.

The footpath has been well maintained by the authorities and consists of bridges, steps and gateways in good condition.

The creation of the A14 (which goes through the Dyke) resulted in the building of a bridge across the dual carriageways to ensure that walkers weren’t interrupted.


An impressive view along the dyke heading north west.

The Dyke also cuts through the Newmarket Racecourses and remains a lasting and respected achievement from our English past.

Reward

At 1:45pm we completed the trek, and having made it to the Reach village had a pleasant Sunday roast at the famous Dyke’s End pub.

The participants raised £125 for the Steadfast Trust and have promised to beat that sum next year when they intend to link the hike with the local Reach Festival in May 09.


Tony, Julien, Craig and Steve at Dyke's end

Having enjoyed our meal Tony Linsell read out a marvellous story on the history of the Dyke, which was as followed:

From "Legends of the Fenland People"

Long, long ago, when the whole of East Anglia was a mighty forest, there dwelt in what is now the fen land, a race of giants, renowned alike for cunning, strength and ferocity. Of them the chief was Hrothgar, whose daughter Hayenna was desired by many, particularly by the fire demon.

Oft-times, when her kindred went on hunting expeditions, the maid would be tormented by visions of her unwelcome suitor, in the guise of burning bushes, comets and thunderbolts. But Hrothgar told her to be of good cheer for the fire demon should never have her. Was not the water-god the sworn enemy of fire and his (Hrothgar’s) ally ?.

So Hayenna lucked up courage and sacrificed two rams to the water-god as a propitiatory offering. Then, one night, Hrothgar had a dream in which the water-god appeared to him in the shape of an old man and bade him prepare for battle. "The fire spirit has allied himself with the tempest," said the apparition, "and all devils of the woods will flock to his standard. But fear not, for with my help you will overcome them." The vision then told him what to do and bid him summon his kin on the following day.

Accordingly all the giants of the forest assembled at the sound of Hrothgar’s horn and listened while he outlined his plans. First they set to work to hew down trees and uproot bushes and shrubs, till a plain trackway appeared. Then they dug deep into the ground with their hands, scooping out the soil and heaping it by the side of the pit.

Thus they laboured for three days, and at the end of the third day they had constructed a trench, some eighteen feet deep and seven miles long, reaching from the river bank to the heights of Mount Dithon. But as they stood in the trench the demon of the air perceived their handiwork and sent a mighty east wind to blow down the trees of the forest on top of them.

And the storm-devil rode on the wings of the gale, bringing hail and sleet from the frozen north. Then did the giants reproach Hrothgar, saying that the gods were angry and that he should not have opposed the fire-demon. But he laughed and bade them wait to see the miracle, which the water-god would that day perform. As he spoke there arose on a sudden a cloud of smoke in the air and the rain ceased. Then did tongues of flame leap and dance amid the bushes and presently a great wall of fire advanced against the trench. Swift as the wind came the fire-devil, laughing at his enemies’ discomfiture and the giants ran trembling before the monster’s onslaught.

But Hrothgar, obedient to his dream, leaped last from the stronghold and with his hairy hands tore away the strip of earth separating the dry dyke from the river. With a roar as of a thousand bulls, the water foamed into the chasm and thundered through the dyke to Mount Dithon, seven miles off. A broad shining channel barred the fire-god’s path and from the safety of the barricade, the giants watched the defeat of their enemies. In vain did the tempest rage against that solid wall of water - in vain did the fire-devil destroy everything in his path up to the brink of the chasm.

He was powerless before his mighty adversary. And Hayenna climbed to the topmost peak of Mount Dithon and praised the water-god for his miraculous intervention, while Hrothgar and his fellows stood amazed at the results of their handiwork. At length the fire died down and the tempest abated - nothing remained as evidence of the fire-demon’s malignity, sane a few charred stumps and the smoking carcasses of animals.

Then did Hrothgar swear a solemn oath to sacrifice daily to the water-god and to keep for all time that rampart between his people and the dangers of the forest. The second part of that oath has been preserved intact, for if you go to Reach Fen, where the River Cam meanders through the Cambridgeshire lowlands, you will see the great dyke as it was constructed by the giants in the dim ages before history begins. And you may trace the course of their labours for seven miles, to Mount Dithon, or as it is called at this time, Wood Ditton, three hundred and fifty feet above the river - the gem of upland villages.

A tale of community survival

Dyke’s End also has an inspiring story of survival as recorded in the ‘ALE - Cambridge & District CAMRA Branch Newsletter Spring 2000 No. 297’ which recorded the following.

Reaching for Success

The rural pub has recently been the subject of much gloomy prognostication in the media and not without good reason. It is estimated that between six and ten country locals are going to the wall every week as income declines and costs increase. All of this makes the story of the Dyke's End at Reach especially heartwarming.

The pub had more recently been known as The Kings but had fallen on hard times. The owner/licensee reckoned he couldn't make a living and applied for planning consent to convert the building into a private house. Local residents, led by the pub's nextdoor neighbour, Brian Pearson, started a vigorous campaign to save it.

East Cambridgeshire District Council had, fortunately, included a policy within their Local Plan to safeguard last pubs in villages and so they refused the planning application. In the meantime the campaign group Reach for a Pint found 48 people willing to chip in to raise the £160,000 needed to buy the pub. A further £30,000 was sufficient to renovate the place, mainly because local craftspeople offered services at reduced rates.

The Dykes End reopened last October and has been buzzing ever since. Much of the credit here must go to landlord Phil Vincent, formerly of Stocks Restaurant in Bottisham. Few village pubs can thrive nowadays without doing food and Phil is a chef of some renown. In the evenings most of the eating goes on in the newly created first-floor restaurant, the bar being mostly given over to drinking. At lunchtimes a full range of bar snacks and meals can be had downstairs.

On the real ale front, four handpulls are kept busy including Adnams and ales from the pubs very own brewhouse. The drinking area itself is simply appointed but comfortable, with an open fire and an areas tucked round the side which can be used by families.

Editor Steadfast Trust concludes

“This is an excellent example of the English Community working together and should be an inspiration to us all”