Handsel sister tree

I go for a run through Grovely wood on a regular basis. I find it good to get out in the fresh air as I am not an indoors person by nature. 

As I was running I spotted a bright orange coloured object from the path. I knew that I was running near the Handsel sister trees, being quite familiar with one that is very near to the Roman road that I was running along. However, for some reason, I hadn't really spotted this tree before.  After the run I came back with my camera and took a few images. It was a slightly creepy, but interesting place to be. 

The Handsel sisters were apparently four Danish women who came to Wilton. Shortly after their arrival, an epidemic of small pox broke out and apparently 136 people died. As was the way of the day, they were believed to be witches, taken to the woods without trial, then murdered. Their bodies were separated so that they couldn't seek revenge beyond the grave. There is some debate about how the trees got there (they are unusual in this part of the wood), some say they grew up over the bodies and others say they were planted there to mark the gruesome locations. 

I love how even though we live in the age of high technology such sites still exist. The offerings at the tree (if that is what they are) make not just for a surreal photograph, but also a reminder that no matter how technologically competent we are at human beings, such superstitious thoughts still pervade.