THE STORY OF KERRY AND ALDYTH
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ARVED OF OLD ENGLISH STONE, THE RING OF ALDYTH RECALLS A ROMANTIC
SAXON LEGEND WHICH HAS BEEN TREASURED BY THE COUNTRY FOLK OF
SUSSEX SINCE THE YEAR I066 A.D.
KERRY, A YOUNG WARRIOR IN
KING HAROLD'S LEGIONS, FELL IN LOVE WITH ALDYTH, THE GOLDEN-HAIRED
DAUGHTER OF A SAXON FARMER.
HER PARENTS REFUSED TO SANCTION A BETROTHAL.
ALDYTH RETURNED HIS AFF€CTION, BUT
KERRY VOWED THAT
THEIR LOVE SHOULD BE SEALED, DESPITE PARENTAL OBJECTION. INSPIRATION
CAME TO HIM iN A DREAM, IT IS SAID, AND HE FASHIONED A RING THROUGH A
STONE PILLAR ON A LOFTY POINT OVERLOOKING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.
PATIENTLY HE TOILED, AND WHEN THE RING WAS FINISHED -- ON THE EVE OF
THE NORMAN INVASION --ALDYTH CONTRIVED TO MEET HIM. THERE, on THAT
WIND-SWEPT HILL, THEY CLASPED HANDS THROUGH THE RING, KISSED AND
PLEDGED UNDYING DEVOTION.
ERRY WENT OFF TO REPEL THE INVADERS WITH A LIGHT HEART. ALDYTH
KNELT EACH NIGHT BESIDE THE STONE RING, PRAYING FOR HER LOVER'S
SAFE RETURN. THE SAXONS, on FOOT ARD ARMED ONLY WITH BATTLE AXES
AND CLUBS, FELL LIKE WEEDS BEFORE THE MOUNTED AND ARMORED KNIGHTS OF
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.
BUT KERRY SURVIVED THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS
UNWOUNDED, AND WHEN HE RETURNED HOME HE AND ALDYTH WERE MARRIED
FOR THE LEGEND TELLS THAT HER PARENTS COULD NOT PREVAIL AGAINST
THEM, sO POWERFUL WAS THE SPELL OF THE STONE RING.
THE RING OF ALDYTH
FOREST LAWN HAS PLACED
THIS RING HERE AS A
LEGENDARY SYMBOL OF
HAPPINESS AND DEVOTION.
LOVERS, YOUNG AND OLD,
MAY EMULATE THE PLEDG€
OF BRAVE KERRY AND
BEAUTIFUL ALDYTH BY
CLASPING RIGHT HANDS
THROUGH THE RING AND
REPEATING TOGETHER
THE INSCRIBED VOW.
THE RING OF ALDYTH
FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL-PARK, GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
