Devil's Chimney

Doing a few errands for my wife's school and as I was passing this Cheltenham landmark I took my daughter and dogs along to show them the 'Devil's Chimney' - my daughter asked how it got there and I'd always been told it was where the softer rock around it had eroded and left this column but the following explanation gives it a better link to the devil and it far more interesting.

"For generations the Devil's Chimney has been popular landmark for locals and a destination for Sunday walks but it has defied all investigation into its origin. Numerous theories have been put forward over the years to explain the existence of this craggy outcrop. According to the legend, the formation rises straight from the bowels of Hell. Visitors would climb to the top and leave a coin as insurance against the wrath of the Devil, to protect the chimney from further erosion .

People always tried to scale the Chimney and an unofficial record is held byroup of 13 people all of whom stood on top of the column at the same time. To avoid further erosion of the landmark, climbing has since been prohibited.