Storyteller David Phillips: A stag night in South Devon with the Devil

Alongside the usual aspects of my business, the tours and Ghost Walks, I offer other services like giving talks to groups, or hosting gatherings that want to have a session of storytelling.

Over the past few years, for instance, I’ve shared my stories around a campfire, which has been fun, but it has left my outfits smelling like a bonfire afterwards!

Undeterred, I’ve accepted an invitation to attend a stag do to share tales around a fire pit for a groom who has a penchant for my kind of entertainment.

I’ve been contacted by his brother, who told me they have hired a property on Dartmoor for the occasion and would like my presence to regale them with spooky tales and folklore.

Their age range is between 30 to 40, so it shouldn’t be a rowdy affair but the thing that has drawn me in is their choice of venue...they have hired a place called Dewerstone Cottage.

So, straightaway, I have my theme for the evening. Dewer in Celtic means Devil and as regular readers will know one of my favourite story subjects to share is the Devil’s antics on Dartmoor.

The cottage is close to Dewerstone Rock, allegedly the home of The Devil whilst he is in residence on the moor, so you couldn’t get a more apt location. This takes place in a few months’ time, and I’m really looking forward to this one already.

At the end of last year I was asked to host an event for a 40^th birthday celebration. The birthday girl’s partner got in touch, telling me she enjoyed spooky things and was interested in one of my Ghost Walks.

I told her about the various ones I run and we plumped for a new one that I launched last Halloween around Buckfastleigh.

This one is quite unique in that it starts at one end of the town in one pub and finishes in another at the other end of the high street...one which is allegedly quite haunted. The other Sunday the event happened!

We gathered at The Globe Inn during the late afternoon just as it was getting dark. There were myself and 12 guests, who had travelled from various parts of the country, including Bristol, Gloucester, and London, where the birthday girl and her partner live. They were staying in a manor house near Ermington, the other side of the dual carriageway from Ivybridge, a village that is famous for its church with a crooked spire. The night before, they had hired a chef to come and feed them and had been celebrating until 4am (my kind of night owls!)...which meant that several of them were still suffering the consequences of their over indulgence during our time together. Thankfully, they didn’t let this spoil their enjoyment of what I had to offer.

My partner, Sarah, is a very good online shopper and loves finding little suitable gifts for people.

Last Halloween she found some glow in the dark keyrings in the shape of ghosts and made some spooky hanging decorations out of felt, a supply of which we had left over so we thought it might be a nice touch to give all the guests a little something as a memento of the occasion. They were very appreciative, and several wore them on their coats as we processed around the town...glowing in the dark...

Sarah also thought it would be nice if I gave the birthday girl a card from me. So she then promptly ordered a batch of cards from a well-known printing company, sporting a picture of yours truly, clad in my red jacket and hat to which we stuck a 4 and a 0, to rub in how old she was...both she and her partner thought it was a very nice touch...so much so that when they returned to their manor, they positioned it as a table decoration for that night’s special meal.

Whilst we were gathered in The Globe, after I’d introduced myself, and told them all about my business, what I have to offer, and why I’m so into Dartmoor with its spooky tales, I regaled them with some local ones to set the scene for our walk.

I told them about the monks from Buckfast Abbey and how ghostly processions of them have been seen in the area and elsewhere on Dartmoor even in a private house near Bovey Tracey.

Also, the fact that the Abbey itself might still be haunted by the ghost of one of its original benefactors, Sir William Kingdon, who requested that after he died on the anniversary of his death, the monks were to come and pray for him at his tomb and when they did so, they were joined by his ghost!

He proceeded to appear every year even after the efforts of Henry VIII to close them down, which begs the question does he still continue to appear on his anniversary every year?

One story I shared with them was one I only learnt during my visits to the pub whilst doing my local research for the walk.

It concerns a lady who lived in a house just up the road from The Globe, who was into spiritual healing and went to Africa to learn more from a witchdoctor.

They subsequently fell in love, got married, and returned to her home in Buckfastleigh where in a paranoid state of mind, he tragically murdered her...if you want to hear more about this story and other, then you will have to join me on one of my walks, that I will be hosting later in the year...

Valiant Soldier Pic David Phillips

As for my latest party, we left the pub and set off down the main street towards The Valiant Soldier.

Fortunately, the weather was kind to us and we managed to dodge any rain that afternoon, but it was still quite cold so, after a brief stop to tell the tale of the tragic grey lady in The King’s Arms and admire the many entrance ways between the houses and shops, that would once have accommodated horses and carriages, in the stable blocks behind, we headed back inside.

Once back in the warm where Valerie, the manager, had the fire going for us, I prepared them for what might lie ahead.

Part of that preparation involves my little exercise with plastic pill pots. I place three on a table with an object inside one, then ask participants to dowse for the object, using a pendulum, having first ascertained which direction their yes or no answers go in.

I demonstrated first, and for once it worked for me! My audience were very impressed, some even thought it was a trick! Then I let them have a go, with varying degrees of success.

The best responses came from the birthday girl, herself. Once they’ve had a go with the pendulum, I encourage people to pass their hands over the pots to see if they can pick up the object using just their own instincts, or any latent psychic ability they might possess, which is how mediums work, and is a useful tool to use during a ghost hunt.

In her case, she was successful with the pendulum so I suggested she use her hand instead and as she passed her hand over the correct pot, she let out an audible “ooh!”, for she had felt a distinct tingle as she connected with the object.

A fabulous result! This put her in good stead for the walk around the building, for she felt another tingling sensation, outside of the bathroom area where other people have seen a soldier standing, and where members of my group have felt that something rather unpleasant has happened in the past.

Another switched on member of the birthday group claimed to have heard music in the sitting room area where a record player is present. No one else heard it. She couldn’t name the tune, but she was adamant that she had heard it, faintly in the background. Next time I visit, I must check the title of the record on the turntable, in case it is relevant.

Once we’d all returned to the bar area, everyone said what a wonderful place it was, and what an interesting experience I’d given them.

We then proceeded to toast the birthday girl with champagne, whilst her partner gave us all a miniature bottle of Buckfast Tonic Wine which the monks make, very popular in Scotland apparently and as Vikki has Scottish ancestry, very appropriate too.

David Phillips' birthday card as the centre piece of the Burns' Night Banquet

Even more relevant, was the fact it was Burns’ Night and after leaving me they were heading back to the manor, where another guest chef was laying on a sumptuous Burns’ Night Supper for them, and where my birthday card was to be guest of honour!

If you like the sound of marking a celebration with my brand of entertainment, then please get in touch.

Talking of my entertainment, I have a series of events lined up for the February Half Term week, which is already just around the corner.

On Monday 16^th, I will be in Ashburton, hosting my Ghost Walk, and following in the footsteps of Elijah, the spirit that one of my friends picked up on, whilst we were investigating The Old Exeter Inn, a few Halloweens ago.

On Tuesday 17^th, I’ve been asked, by my good friend Maia, to give one of my talks at her new Pagan gathering in Newton Abbot. Everyone is welcome, and it is free.

On Wednesday 18^th, is my monthly wander around the Haunted Harbour of Brixham.

On Thursday 19^th, I will be returning to Bovey Tracey, for tales of Civil War battles, and hauntings, plus the fate that awaited William de Tracey, when he returned to his family home, after taking part in the assassination of Thomas a Becket.

Finally, on Friday 20^th, there will be tales in Princetown, of hounds and detectives, plus a visit to the church, and as close as I can get you to the empty prison. If the weather behaves, we might even get a glimpse of the open moor.

If any of that takes your fancy, take a look at the poster for further details. I look forward to meeting some of you out there...if you dare to join me...