The Wiltshire Moonrakers
Edward Slow (1841-1925) is remembered for writing many rhymes and stories in the Wiltshire dialect, but primarily for this rendering of an old ...
The Wiltshire Moonraker Legend
The story goes that in 1791, a group of smugglers based in Wiltshire, had hidden contraband brandy in the Crammer pond. Their presence at the Crammer on one particular moonlit night, had drawn the attention of a group of passing excise men. Taking cover nearby, the excise men observed the smugglers pawing at the reflection of the moon in the pond with what appeared to be rakes. Unknown to the excise men, the smugglers were trying to rake in their barrels of brandy using the moonlight as a guide. Seeing enough and with their suspicions aroused, the excise men broke cover and quickly confronted the smugglers enquiring as to what they were up to. The smugglers, quick to think on their feet, played dumb and said they were trying to “rake out that gurt yaller cheese in yonder pond”. Briefly translated this means “we are trying to get that yellow cheese out of the pond“. The excise men consumed by laughter and assuming these men were simpletons from the village of ...
