Context

• Skirrid Hill is located near Abergavenny in Wales, near to where Sheers grew up. 
• Skirrid Hill has a ‘chunk’ missing out of its side which lies to its south and is often referred to as ‘Little Skirrid’; it is thought the chunk fell during a landslide in the ice age. However, many people believe that during the crucifixion of Christ, God created an immense storm because of his anger which caused the mountain to shake and then a bolt of lightning hit it causing Little Skirrid to break off. Some say that it wasn’t a storm but the mountain itself got so angry at the crucifixion that it shook with fury causing it to break.  
• Skirrid Hill is sometimes referred to as the Holy Mountain or Sacred Hill because of its connections with Christ and his crucifixion through legends. 
• Because of the mountains holy connotations, it is believed that the land there is particularly fertile and blessed. Locals used to sprinkle the soil on their crops and the foundations of their houses and churches for protection and luck. They also used to sprinkle it onto the coffins of their loved ones: in the 19th century, it was custom to scatter the soil from the chapel of St Michael on coffins. 
• Another myth revolving around the chunk missing out of Skirrid Hill suggests that Satan stamped on the hill when he tried and failed to seduce the Archangel Michael.