Phil Rickman: The Prayer of the Night Shepherd

‘Oh.’

‘Despite the name, this doesn’t normally happen until February. Personally, I’m taking it as a sign of something. Jane thought you’d want to know. She wanted to bring you a sprig, but they wouldn’t let her touch it.’

Merrily smiled. ‘I should think not. Erm, have you spoken to Alistair Hardy?’

‘At length.’

‘Right. Well, about the twelve priests...’

‘I’m sorry?’ Mrs Pollen said.

‘Oh. Well.’ Merrily watched Lol playing with Ethel the cat. His sweatshirt had ridden up. An area above his waist was still purple and black. ‘Well, I hope you have a good Christmas,’ she said.

ALLOWING THE PARANORMAL limited access to a mystery novel is a perilous business. All I can say is, I’ve lived not far from all of this for a long time, and there are some aspects of it that nobody in the area even tries to explain away.

The central theme was founded on fully-documented (as well as some original) research. Some years ago, there was a programme I wrote and presented and which Penny Arnold produced for BBC Radio called The Return of the Hound , investigating the origins of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous novel. The quotes between the text, from people with experience of the so-called Hound of Hergest (and, of course, the bull in the church), are taken from that programme. It would be hard to doubt the sincerity behind any of these interviewees, so thanks to all of them, and also to Susan and Ken Reeves of Kington Museum, historians Bob Jenkins and Alan Lloyd, Alun Lenny and Roy Palmer, author of Herefordshire Folklore (Logaston Press) the very worthy successor to Mrs Leather’s classic, The Folklore of Herefordshire . Incidentally, I’ve heard other intriguing stories relating to the Hergest mystery from people unwilling to be quoted, and you get the feeling that the spirit of Sebbie Dacre may also still be abroad in the Kington area.

However, the legend of Black Vaughan doesn’t always add up and leaves much to be unravelled. It would have been easy enough to add or alter a few details to make it more fiction friendly, but I didn’t like to touch it.

In the late 1980s, there was amused press speculation about the return of the Hound of the Baskervilles, when a mystery predator was said to be at large in the area of Clyro, in Radnorshire, where the Baskerville family had a country house and where the village pub is called the Baskerville Arms. Nothing was ever caught. The recent Beast of Llangadog also had its curious aspects.

You can see the remarkable double tomb of Thomas and Ellen in the Vaughan Chapel at Kington Church, and you can also see Hergest Court from the road, although it’s not open to the public. You may have difficulty finding Stanner Hall (or any trace of the Chancery family) although the Rocks are very apparent from the bypass. Thanks to Fred Slater, author of The Nature of Central Wales , and Andrew Ferguson, custodian of Stanner Rocks. Seriously, don’t go up there without permission ; the ascent can be dangerous and some unique plant life is at risk. Besides, it’s more intriguing from a distance, and you can spot the body parts.

On healing and deliverance, many thanks this time to Peter Brooks (who provided much technical assistance and a timely copy of Is Spiritualism of the Devil? (1919) by Rev. F. Fielding Ould) and John Woolmer, whose penetrating book, Healing and Deliverance , I discovered thanks to its publisher Tony Collins of Monarch Books. Healing the Family Tree by Dr Kenneth McAll is published by Sheldon Press.

Recommended biographies of Sir Arthur are: Teller of Tales by Daniel Stashower (Penguin) – very strong on the spiritualist years – and The Doctor, The Detective and Arthur Conan Doyle by Martin Booth (Hodder and Stoughton).

Thanks, for technical assistance, to Tim Green and Julian Carey, of BBC Wales, John Mason, Pam Baker and Jane Froud of the Original Cloak and Dagger Company, deviser of murder-mystery weekends. To Prof. Bernard Knight for hangings. To editors (in order of appearance) John Jarrold, Peter Lavery and Nick Austin, for crucial tweaks. To Stefanie Bierwerth for smoothing paths.

Finally, the contribution over six solid weeks during the final rewrite by my wife, Carol – editor, director, inspired plot-doctor – was unparalleled and rescued this book from that familiar abyss. No one else could have done this with such perception and precision.

The background to this novel, with pictures of Stanner Rocks, Hergest, Kington Church, etc. can be found in Merrily’s Border (Logaston Press). The songs of Lol Robinson are available on two CDs, Songs from Lucy’s Cottage and A Message from the Morning , available through the website, www.philrickman.co.uk.

P.S. A short while ago, when the Hergest Pool was drained for cleaning, a large stone was found in the centre. Historian Alan Lloyd, who was quite interested to find out if there was anything underneath it, said no local farmer could be persuaded to use his tractor to find out.

PHIL RICKMANwas born in Lancashire and lives on the Welsh border. He is the author of the Merrily Watkins series, and The Bones of Avalon . He has won awards for his TV and radio journalism and writes and presents the book programme Phil the Shelf for BBC Radio Wales.

THE MERRILY WATKINS SERIES

The Wine of Angels

Midwinter of the Spirit

A Crown of Lights

The Cure of Souls

The Lamp of the Wicked

The Prayer of the Night Shepherd

The Smile of a Ghost

The Remains of an Altar

The Fabric of Sin

To Dream of the Dead

The Secrets of Pain

THE JOHN DEE PAPERS

The Bones of Avalon

OTHER TITLES

Candlenight

Curfew

The Man in the Moss

December

The Chalice