THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL'S PULPIT

The Devil's Pulpit has been a historical landmark and a topic of conversation for many years. Often the questions have been asked, "Where is it, what is it like, how did it get its name?" East of Belfountain, a high wall of solid rock forms the south bank of the Credit River. The wall is several hundred feet high and in one place a shaft of rock has split off from the mainland. This separate piece is in the shape of a pulpit. In the April 14, 1932, issue of the Toronto Telegram, the Legend of the Devil's Pulpit was told:

In far off days, there were two Indian tribes living in the valley, one on the south side and the other on the north side. A third tribe lived just south of the Caledon Mountain. One brave of the south tribe fell in love and was refused the hand of a maiden from another tribe south of the mountain. He stole her away and took her to his tepee on the edge of the cliff. When her tribesmen followed to give battle, the braves from the south of the mountain were driven back. However, the maiden apparently did not relish her new home, pined away and died.

"The strife angered the Gods, the God of Lightning was sent to take revenge. This he did by striking the cliff behind the Indian brave's tepee, splitting the rock and leaving it standing so far out from the mainland that no one could reach that portion. The brave starved to death on top of the rock. More punishment came on the two erring tribes. The blow killed all the game on the land and the fish in the river. Starvation, accompanied by disease, wiped out both tribes leaving nothing to show for their stay, except the huge rock which became known as ... The Devil's Pulpit."

Excerpted from the book Belfountain: Caves, Castles and Quarries by Berniece Trimble.

DEVIL'S PULPIT GOLF ASSOCIATION
3035 Escarpment Sideroad
P.O. Box 68
Caledon Village, ON Canada L7K 3L3
Tel: 519.927.3001
Fax: 519.927.3850