Wookey Hole cave is a tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole, on the edge of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, an area which has long been famous for its spectacular caves. The cave was formed by the action of the River Axe on the limestone hills. Before emerging at Wookey Hole the waters enter underground streams and passes through other caves such as Swildon's Hole and St Cuthbert's Swallet.Legend has it that in the dark Ages the cave was lived in by an old woman who kept a dog and some goats. The local people believed her to be a witch and blamed her for all the misfortunes of the village. They sought the help of the Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey to get rid of her. A monk by the name of Father Bernard, armed with only a candle and a bible, was sent to exorcise the witch's spirit. According to the legend he pursued her deeper into the cave, before scooping a handful of water from the river that runs through the caves, threw it over the witch and turned her to stone. Her frozen figure remains in an area of the cavern, known as The Witches Kitchen, to this day.
A modern day attraction at the cave is the employment of a witch, who, at certain times of the year inhabits the cave. The previous witch recently retired from the position and auditions were held to find her successor. Candidates must be able to cackle and not be allergic to cats. The annual salary offered was £50,000 pro rata, and based on work done as required, mostly in the summer holidays, but also at Halloween and Christmas.
The tourist site said it wanted the appointee to go about her "everyday business as a hag, so that people passing through the caves can get a sense of what the place was like in the Dark Ages". The post attracted about 1,000 applicants.
The successful candidate was Carole Bohanan, an estate agent, who will now take over her post as the witch of Wookey Hole.
To see an interview with Carole Bohanan click on the video link below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8173277.stm
