Another witch dwelt at Crowborough Common, at Slaughterham Ghyll, or, as the natives pronounced it, "Slapham Ghyll." The cottage in which she lived still exists.

The wife of her neighbour began to pine away, to become listless and unable to work, and moped about in a very unhappy state. The husband, after trying several remedies and decoctions of medicinal herbs, felt sure she was under the influence of a spirit. So he went off to Tunbridge Wells to consult a Mr. Oakley, who had a great reputation amongst these simple folk as a detector of witches and a frustrator of their nefarious practices. Having described to him all the ailments of his wife, and mentioned his suspicion of witchcraft, he was asked whether he would be able to recognise the witch if a picture or image of her was shown to him. Having replied that he certainly would be able to recognise any of the Crowborough people, Mr. Oakley proceeded mysteriously to mix some chemical ingredients in a cup; then pouring a liquid upon the mixture, a fizzing and hissing took place, followed by fumes of yellow, then blue, then white vapour. When these had passed off, the composition in the cup became quiescent and transparent, and the man was told to look into the cup steadily till he could see the image of a person. Having done so, he exclaimed excitedly, "I see her; 'tis witch Killick. She is the person tormenting my wife."

He returned home with full instructions how to exorcise the evil spirit from his wife. As I stated before, it is believed that a witch cannot die until someone is present into whom the witch-spirit can enter, and this person has to continue the traditions of witchcraft.

When Dame Killick was very ill - that is, when the spirit was getting dissatisfied with its abode, and desired a change for the better - her daughter would not remain in the room with her, but would occupy herself in the garden or in the room below.

The nurse who was attending upon the old dame, commiserating the poor creature, who was convulsed in her struggles to get rid of the witch-spirit, hurried down stairs to the daughter and urged her to come up to her mother, who could not die until she was present. The daughter reluctantly went to her mother's room, and then the struggles ceased, and the spirit went out of her and entered into the daughter, who thus became a witch. This happened not more than twenty-five years ago.

We will turn to the left for a short distance over the Common, and then, leaving it behind, wend our way to South View. A little way on this road we come to a bye-road on the right; let us go down this road to visit the finest spring in Crowborough, known as Lord's Well. There is no authentic account of the reason of the application of this name, though imagination has been busy in attaching a legend to it, viz., that after a battle between Britons and Saxons at Slaughterham Ghyll, on the Common just below, the chiefs assembled at this spring to settle the terms of an armistice. The name Slaughterham Ghyll may have suggested such a possibility. It appears to me to be more probable that it should derive its name from the lord of the manor.

Retracing our steps, we pass some cottages and a chapel, and get into the main road again, near the grocery stores of Mr. Deeprose, in the wall of which shop is a postal box. On the right and left, as we proceed, are several houses and cottages until we reach Trunches Corner, where four roads meet. The one on the left leads to the Cross; on the right is the way to White Hill, and the one in front of us, called Myrtle Road, leads to the village green, or, as it is generally called, Chapel Green. Here is situated the parish church, All Saints, and the vicarage. This church has no traditional history beyond that of the original building having been erected by Sir H. Fermor, Bart, The old chapel was too small for the accommodation of the increased number of parishioners; it had also by decay become unfit for use as a place of public worship. After it had been separated from the Charity and handed over to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, it was pulled down, and the present building erected by subscription in 1882. Unfortunately, from a sentimental desire to preserve the old tower, the opportunity was lost of erecting an imposing architectural building. The space not allowing room for a structure of fine proportions without the removal of the tower, we have now a church nearly as broad as it is long, with no decoration to compensate for the want of elegant symmetry. This will not, however, disturb the manes of Sir H. Fermor.

There is a charm in the situation of the church, and the distant views seen from it must call forth the admiration of anyone having the slightest appreciation of beauty in nature.

Going up Church Road, in the direction of the Beacon, we take the first turning to the right, and so wend our way back to the Cross.