The St Leonard's Maiden had a dress decorated with lily of the valley, a red dragon lies coiled at her feet, and she held two Nightingales aloft. These features depict the story of St Leonard, who, legend has it, killed a dragon in the Forest. Where the saint's blood was said to fall during the fight, banks of lily of the valley now bloom in spring. As a reward for ridding the area of the dragon, God granted St Leonard his wish that nightingales should no longer sing in the Forest as they disturbed his prayers.
Today, you can visit St Leonards Forest from the Forestry Commission's Roosthole car park. Enhanced rides lead into the dramatic landscape of the Forest and interpretation boards tell more about the Forest's fascinating history - both factual and mythological!