14. BEFORE
Myths and legends: Geographical sites and the stories behind them
RIDGE RAYMOND (CLIFF)
Although unremarkable in both its size and beauty when compared to the likes of infamous cliffs such as Great Hangman, Ridge Raymond certainly boasts an abundance of myths and legends surrounding it to any curious tourists looking for a chance to delve into the more mysterious, less well known geographical sites in the UK.
Just an hour's drive away from the small, agricultural town of Yieldfarm, Ridge Raymond stands with a face of 200 ft and below it lays a vast expanse of water that stretches out for miles. To take a reckless jump from Ridge Raymond may not guarantee fatal consequences, but the treacherous rocks that lay waiting beneath the cliff ensure serious injuries and even death to foolhardy divers.
Ridge Raymond was named after Sir Rodger E. Raymond, a high-ranking British officer in the First World War with notable achievements, many of which include saving the lives of wounded soldiers in the bloody Battle of the Somme and vastly improving the economic situation of Yieldfarm in the 20s by introducing new and innovative ideas to agricultural farming. A large forest situated within the town has also been named after him.
Sir Raymond is also (arguably) the root cause for much gossip and superstition surrounding the outwardly normal-looking cliff, as he tragically committed suicide by jumping off of it at a shockingly young age of 40. There is still much speculation among historians as to the reason for his suicide. Many argue that Raymond had been suffering from a severe case of PTSD (as many soldiers do after a brutal war), and on top of it, was struggling with depression and a failing marriage with his wife Edith. Others say that he already had a long history of mental illness, ranging from schizophrenia to manic depression, which was only worsened due to his traumatic experiences in the War.
Raymond's suicide inevitably started off a superfluous overflow of gossip and rumours among the scandalised and deeply religious inhabitants of Yieldfarm. Superstitions, legends and myths soon began to emerge and root themselves firmly into every household; it became tradition to pass down these said stories from parent to child and any outsider visiting the town in the modern day will find that this is still true, for there is not a single person living in Yieldfarm who does not know the legend of the Cursed Cliff—a tale that tells us of the troubled and bitter ghost of Raymond who haunts the cliff, and lures unsuspecting visitors to a watery death. Perhaps it is this very legend that has driven away so many locals and tourists alike, as Ridge Raymond has caused only an average of seven deaths per year.
There is a widely-held belief among the strongly religious (and more elderly) community of locals that Ridge Raymond was carved out by the Devil to prove himself an equally masterful creator to God. It is also believed that the Devil then cast a curse which doomed any sinners that dare visit the cliff to jump to their death and be dragged into Hell for eternity, while those who did not sin would be spared.
Less well-known is the rumour that Sir Raymond did not, in fact, commit suicide. Rather, it is believed by some that he was pushed off of the cliff by his wife Edith during a weekend picnic. Tired by his lack of interest in her, Edith chose the couple's outing to the cliff as a perfect opportunity to get rid of her husband once and for all and finally marry Edmund Harlington with whom she had been suspected of having a long-running affair with. Although the theory may seem far-fetched initially, it is equally shocking to know that there is substantial evidence to prove that this may well have been the true story behind Raymond's sudden demise.
In early 2011, researchers discovered an entire chest full of handwritten love letters, all addressed to an Edmund Harlington with his initials 'E.J.H.' and signed off by Edith Raymond, in the abandoned Raymond Manor home (now no longer in existence, having been destroyed by a freak hurricane in the autumn of 2012). Many question the validity of these letters yet historians maintain that these letters (now preserved in a small museum in Hampshire) are indeed strong evidence to suggest that the marriage between Edith and Roger Raymond was strained and Edith no longer wished to be a part of his life, as stated in one letter dated 18th October 1933: 'My darling E, I am afraid I cannot bear it any longer. This marriage is nothing to me, you must know that by now. Come fetch me so I can be rid of the man I am so sure, surer than I have ever been in my whole life, surer than God when he created this Universe, that I desperately hate with every hair on my head. I so fiercely hate my wretched husband and I so fiercely love you.'
Adding to the mounting evidence of the affair is the definite fact that Edith was married to Edmund Harlington a mere 4 weeks after her husband's death. Having born no children to Raymond, Edith was free to cut off any sort of connection she had to her ex-husband and did so readily by destroying their marriage certificate and refusing to inherit any money that he had left behind. Much of his wealth was passed on to his third cousin, a Spanish immigrant, and the only living relative he had left.
Whatever the case may be and whether or not any superstitions surrounding it are true, it is hard for even the most sceptical of people to deny that there is a certain something about Ridge Raymond that makes it oddly eerie, yet utterly fascinating to anyone who visits it.
Written by:
Casey Williams
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