11/11/2025
Devil's Chimney Cheltenham 11.11.25
🗿 RAW WALK: The Devil’s Chimney – Cheltenham’s Legendary Landmark! 🎥
Join me, Martin of Codex Projects, as I take you on a breathtaking walk through one of Gloucestershire’s most mysterious and iconic landmarks — The Devil’s Chimney, perched high above Cheltenham on Leckhampton Hill. 🌿⛰️
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https://www.facebook.com/cheltenhamwalkingclub
Standing alone against the sky, this strange limestone pillar rises from the edge of an old quarry, like a natural totem of stone. Locals have debated its origin for generations — is it a quirk of geology, or the work of the Devil himself? 😈🔥
According to local legend, the Devil lived deep underground, and the quarrymen of Leckhampton disturbed him with their noise and labor. In anger, he hurled stones at them — yet one of those stones froze mid-flight, standing upright ever since as a warning to mankind. Some say the column is the Devil’s own chimney, releasing smoke from his infernal dwelling below... a legend that gave the site its unforgettable name. 💨🕳️
But behind the folklore lies fascinating natural and industrial history. The Devil’s Chimney is made of Jurassic limestone, formed around 180 million years ago when this region lay beneath a warm tropical sea. 🐚🌊 The stone here was later quarried for building material during the 18th and 19th centuries — much of Regency Cheltenham itself owes its foundations to these very rocks. The pillar that remains today likely formed as a harder core of limestone resisted the erosion that stripped away the surrounding stone.
At the summit of Leckhampton Hill, the views are spectacular — stretching across Cheltenham, the Severn Vale, and out towards the Malvern Hills. It’s a place where history, myth, and geology all meet. Nearby lie traces of Iron Age earthworks, ancient hilltop boundaries, and long-forgotten paths used by shepherds and travelers for centuries. 🏞️
In 1926, local conservationists saved the hill from further quarrying, ensuring this dramatic landscape — and its haunting pillar — survived for future generations. Today, The Devil’s Chimney remains a cherished part of Cheltenham’s heritage, blending deep time, local legend, and human endeavor in one extraordinary landmark.
📍 Location: Leckhampton Hill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
🎙️ Presented by: Martin – Codex Projects
📅 Filmed: 11th November 2025
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kndcs22F5jE
🗿 RAW WALK: The Devil’s Chimney – Cheltenham’s Legendary Landmark! 🎥Join me, Martin of Codex Projects, as I take you on a breathtaking walk through one of ...