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Wiltshire abounds with folklore, ancient myths and superstitions. A drive through the countryside yields plenty of examples of our ancestors’ belief in the need to keep on the right side of supernatural forces. From the famous White Horse on Pewsey Downs to the ancient sites at Avebury and the mysterious Silbury Hill, Wiltshire is steeped in mythology and legend.

Perhaps the most famous legend is that of the Moonrakers, which is reputed to have taken place at the Crammer (the town’s pond) in Devizes.

A group of Wiltshire smugglers, so the story goes, had concealed a barrel of brandy in the pond. They were in the process of retrieving the brandy when an Excise man came upon them and asked them what they were up to. In a flash of inspiration, they pointed to the reflection of the moon in the water and replied that they were trying to rake out the cheese from the moon.

The Excise man rode away, convulsed with laughter. The smugglers, also laughing heartily at their quick-witted story, carried on with the serious business of retrieving their brandy.

To this day, Wiltshire people are known as ‘Moonrakers’.