Places of legend aren’t always ancient—or even that old. Take the “Devil’s Arch” in Worcester. Built in the 1950s as a simple pedestrian underpass beneath a railway line, it leads to a quiet residential area and canal. Yet despite its mundane appearance, this tunnel has developed a chilling reputation.
As a boy, I was warned: If you stand in the middle of the tunnel at midnight and recite the Lord’s Prayer backward, the Devil himself will appear at one end. Turn around to flee—and he’ll be waiting at the other end too, slowly closing in.
Decades later, my own son repeated the tale back to me, having heard it from one of his friends. That’s almost 40 years of folklore passed down, unchanged, proving the eerie power of urban legends.
But Devil’s Arch holds more mysteries. When walking through it, the tunnel seems to shrink, forcing taller visitors to duck—yet the same thing happens in reverse when walking back. I measured both entrances—they’re identical in height. Stranger still, phones often lose signal inside the tunnel, triggering nervous laughter and hurried exits.
Maybe it’s just sagging bricks and spotty reception… or maybe, just maybe, the Devil is listening.
Disclaimer:
This story is based on local folklore and personal accounts. It is shared solely for entertainment purposes. No part of this tale has been independently verified.
