Turning the Devil’s Stone

What to expect

The evening begins with a peal from St Michael's Church, rung discordantly to ward off evil. Then the ringers come out to the Devil's Stone, which lies under an oak at the west end of the village square just outside the churchyard. After a few words, often from the vicar, they set to with crowbars and heave the great boulder over. It is a short, cheerful, slightly breathless ceremony, with spectators encouraged to lend a hand. Afterwards many head to the Devil's Stone Inn across the square.

The story behind it

Legends differ. One says the Devil dropped the stone when he was thrown out of Heaven and it has pinned him down ever since. Another says it was meant for a church at Henscott, but kept being moved to Shebbear overnight. Whatever the reason, turning it every year is said to keep bad luck away from the village. The date is believed to have moved from 1 November to Bonfire Night after the Gunpowder Plot. In 2024 nine people did the turning, including a veteran turner a month short of his ninetieth birthday.

Getting there and home

Shebbear is a small village between Holsworthy and Great Torrington in north-west Devon. There is no nearby railway; Barnstaple and Exeter are the nearest stations, a long taxi ride away, so most people drive. Park considerately around the village, as space is limited. Bideford, Holsworthy and Great Torrington offer more places to stay.

Watching, taking part and tips

This is a small village custom; visitors watch, and may be invited to help push. Stand well back when the stone is moving, as it is very heavy. It is dark and cold in November, so bring a torch, a warm coat and sturdy shoes. Children traditionally jump over the stone once it has been turned.

Eating and drinking

The Devil's Stone Inn is the obvious place to eat, not least because, by its own account, the stone sits just across the village square. There's a dining room as well as a bar, and it serves afternoon and evening meals on selected days. Ring ahead about food on the evening you're coming: normal service hours don't mean a special stone-turning supper, and the website gives slightly different versions of its Friday lunch hours.

Dogs are welcome at the inn, though that's the pub's policy, and whether a busy ceremony will suit your dog is another question entirely. The games room has a pool table and a dartboard, which gives you another reason to call in on a longer stay. There are also five en-suite guest rooms. Sleeping upstairs could make the evening wonderfully simple, but ask about availability directly rather than assuming a room comes with any event arrangement.

Make a day of it nearby

RHS Garden Rosemoor at Great Torrington makes a lovely daylight outing, with formal and informal planting in a Devon valley. Take a leisurely wander there before heading into Shebbear, and check the RHS visitor information for admission, opening times and reserving mobility equipment. It's a separate attraction, so your garden ticket has nothing to do with the village ceremony.

For a wilder walk, Devon Wildlife Trust's Halsdon reserve near Dolton has woodland and riverside meadows beside the Torridge. The trust suggests allowing about an hour and a half to explore. Pick your entrance with care: the Ashwell paths are steep and uneven, while the flatter approach from Quarry can still be muddy in winter. There are no toilets on the reserve, and dogs must be on leads. If time is short, choose one outing; both deserve daylight rather than being crammed into the dark gap before the bells.

Where to watch

This is a village custom centred on one object, so don't expect a procession with several places to catch it. The local newspaper's account describes the bellringers gathering on the green and the story being told before the stone is turned. Listen as well as look: understanding why the villagers are shifting this particular stone is half the point of coming. A photo taken once the job's done won't tell that story on its own.

That newspaper report dates from 2017, so it can't tell you who'll be there, what will be said or how things will run in 2026. Ask locally which side spectators should stand before you settle in, and keep the working space around the stone clear. If a bellringer asks for help, follow their instructions, and don't read an old report as an invitation to bring your own tools. Expect a brief, focused ceremony: the appeal lies in its local continuity, not in a long programme of entertainment.

Accessibility and families

The published material we checked doesn't include an event access plan, a reserved viewing area or a confirmed accessible toilet. If you need step-free access or a seat, contact the village or the inn before travelling and explain exactly what help you need. Being close to the stone doesn't mean the pub's facilities are open to every spectator, or that a window will give you a clear view.

If you're bringing children, present the Devil story as folklore rather than a literal warning of what's about to happen to them. The old newspaper account is quite clear that nobody knows exactly how the ceremony began, whatever grand claims get attached to it. Let the stone and the bells supply the oddness, without embroidering the history. If you're pairing the evening with Rosemoor, read the RHS's own family and access information separately; a managed garden's facilities won't be waiting for you on a village green.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Shebbear village website: The Devil's Boulder ↗
• The Post: Villagers gather for Turning the Stone ↗
• The Devil’s Stone Inn: food, rooms and facilities ↗
• Cornish & Devon Post: ceremony report, 7 November 2017 ↗
• RHS Garden Rosemoor: official visitor information ↗
• Devon Wildlife Trust: Halsdon reserve and access ↗