When the Stones of the York Cathedral Spoke

BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, TV series

If only these stones could speak; what stories would they tell? Mr. Norrell had done just that, he had made the stones of the York Cathedral speak and stories they had to tell were horrifying.

“Long, long ago (said the voice), five hundred years ago or more on a winter’s day at twilight, a young man entered the church with a young girl with ivy leaves in her hair. There was no one else there but the stones. No one saw him strangle her but the stones. He let her fall dead upon the stones and not one saw but the stones. He was never punished for his sin because there was no witness but the stones. The years went by and whenever the man entered the church and stood among the congregation the stones cried out that this was the man who had murdered the girl, but no one heard us…”

February 1807

Chapter 3, The Stones of York, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke