This chapter of R.D. Blackmore’s The Maid of Sker contains language and attitudes which today are rightly recognised as racist and offensive. Listeners may wish to skip this episode. While we in no way condone the views expressed by the narrator, the unabridged recording has been maintained to give a true reflection of the novel as it was written in the 19th century.

The inclusion of these words and sentiments highlights why The Maid of Sker would not be published in the same form today. Some things are best left “Under the Rock” — but hearing them in context - the depiction of a shipwreck at Sker - allows us to learn from the mistakes of the past and understand more clearly the world in which Blackmore was writing.

For listeners in Porthcawl, Kenfig, and the surrounding area, this chapter remains part of our literar ...