St. Dunstan

St. Dunstan was an adviser to one of England’s Anglo-Saxon kings but found himself accused of witchcraft and banished from court. He took up the holy life of a hermit, supporting himself by playing the harp and working as a blacksmith. As ever, the Devil was not going to allow someone to live a simple, sacred life.

One day while Dunstan was working in his smithy, the Devil took the form of a young woman and danced to tempt Dunstan to sin. He ignored the intruder and continued with his work. The Devil’s dance became wilder, and his skirts lifted as he twirled, revealing the hooves beneath.

Dunstan grasped the Devil’s nose with the red-hot tongs from his forge and drove him out. Dunstan forced the Devil to promise never to trouble him again by hammering horseshoes into the Devil’s hooves.

The red, sulfurous water of the spring at Tunbridge Wells is supposed to have been spoiled by the Devil quenching his burned nose in it.