Kate's Fall above Lydford Gorge ([1804])

Williams, T.H. Picturesque excursions in Devonshire and Cornwall - Part I, Devonshire. London: J. Murray and J. Harding. 1804. pp.81-83. The river itself, about a mile from the bridge, falls over a beautiful assemblage of rocks; it is known by the name of Kate's Fall, from a poor market-woman, who, in attempting to cross the river above the fall on horseback, was unfortunately drowned, and carried by the force of the stream over the rocks, to a considerable distance: the horse having paniers, remained for some time pressed in the narrow channel. This extraordinary place has been the scene of frequent suicide: whether it arose from an expectation that the world would be deceived respecting the real cause, and attribute to accident what arose from premeditation; or, that the gloom of the mind would be increased by a situation, which only awakened images of congenial horror, and strengthened the fatal intention, rather than repressed it; can only be the subject of conjecture. The most remarkable is related of a gentleman, who resided in the vicinity of Exeter: born with the expectation of a large fortune, he had the enviable prospect of enjoying the happiness of affluence: but an unfortunate propensity for play in which he was generally the dupe of designing wretches, blasted the fair promise of fortune, and occasioned the loss of very considerable sums. To pay these he had no immediate means; and, under the impression of the false interpretation of honor, he rashly determined on self-destruction. To execute this dreadful intention he chose this scene, and riding over the moor to it, in the awful hour of midnight, he dismounted, and madly leaped headlong into the destructive chasm; a few days after his disfigured body was found among the rocks. Another instance is related of an unhappy wretch, who drowned himself in a deep pool above the bridge, which takes its name from the circumstance; and also of a poor maniac, who escaped from his keeper, and with a convulsive laugh threw himself over the rocky precipice. A story is also related of a traveller, who being benighted on this road, and wishing to get to some place of shelter from the " pitiless pelting of the storm," spurred his nag forward with more than common speed: in the morning he was informed that the bridge had been swept away by the current, and he shuddered to reflect on his narrow escape, his horse having cleared the chasm by a sudden leap in the middle of his course, the occasion of his making it being unknown at the time. [Text may be taken from a different edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

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S030. WILLIAMS, Thomas Hewitt: PICTURESQUE EXCURSIONS IN DEVONSHIRE AND CORNWALL-PART I, DEVONSHIRE (alt. title VIEWS IN DEVONSHIRE).