Episode 4: The Deadman‘s Plack of Harewood Forest

Test Valley Tales Podcast

In this episode I tell a historical tale full of deceit and murder based in Harewood Forest.

'Halfway along The Middleway, which lies between Picket Twenty and Longparish, there is a small wooden stile hidden in the hedge. Climb over this stile and walk across the sloping field. At the top you will find a path; that will take you into Deadman’s Plack Copse. Here, as legend has it, the Saxon King, Edgar killed his friend Ethelwold while hunting for deer. All for love of the beautiful Elfrida.

You’ll know you’ve found the spot because a grand monument has been built there.'

The Deadman's Plack is a well known local legend which I feel is ripe for a retelling from a different perspective. So I have written it from Elfrida's point of view!

Elfreda’s life is littered with stories of her devious and cutthroat exploits, but that could be more to do with the fact that she was an ambitious woman living in a time when women rarely held positions of such power.

I was so intrigued as to why the character of Elfrida was always painted in such a bad light, that I decided to dig a little deeper and as I did, I came across a wonderful book called ‘Elfrida: The First Crowned Queen of England’ written by Elizabeth Norton, so I was thrilled when Elizabeth agreed to be interviewed for this episode.

There is a great interview after the story in which Elizabeth tells me about Elfrida and how the role of women at that time may have skewed our view of her.

This is a great episode for anyone interested in early English history, the role of women in history, or school projects about medieval history.

The episode is accompanied with music by renowned folk musician Paul Sartin.

This story is part of Test Valley Tales.

'Test Valley Tales' is an Arts Council Funded project and one of Test Valley Arts Foundation's Borough of Culture Legacy Projects. All the stories are set in the beautiful landscape of Test Valley which is in Hampshire in England.

There is also an illustrated book of the all the stories which accompanies this podcast. This is available from my website. Please see link below.

Hope you enjoy it!

Story written by Amanda Kane-Smith, based on a traditional English folk tale.

Podcast produced by Miles Kane-Smith.

Music by Paul Sartin recorded at WildGoose Records in Wherwell.

Test Valley Tales can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as @testvalleytales.

For more information please go to:

www.merry-go-roundstorytelling.co.uk/testvalleytales