The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

In 1917, amidst the chaos of World War I, two English cartographers, George Garrad, a pompous man, and his junior, Reginald Anson, arrive in the fictional Welsh village of Ffynnon Garw to measure its mountain. It’s a quiet Sunday, and most of the villagers are at church, with the exception of Morgan the Goat (who manages the local inn and is the only redhead in the village). Most of the men are away fighting in the war, while the women are visiting the inn and caring for their redheaded children.

The cartographers conduct initial measurements atop the mountain, determining its height to be around 930 feet—just below the 1,000-foot mark that would qualify it as a mountain, rather than a hill. Anson reassures the villagers that they will take more precise measurements the following day. When these new measurements come in, they indicate the mountain is 984 feet tall—still shy of the 1,000-foot cutoff by only 16 feet. The villagers are disappointed, and a town hall meeting is held to discuss their options.

Morgan the Goat suggests raising the mountain by 20 feet. The villagers, eager to see their mountain exceed the threshold, approach the cartographers with the hope of persuading them to stay and help, proposing to build an earth mound on top of the existing hill. However, Reginald Anson firmly declines, citing their tight schedule and impending departure. To their surprise, Reverend Robert Jones (initially opposed) recognizes the symbolic importance of the mountain for the community’s self-esteem and conspires with Morgan to delay their departure. Together, they plan to build the mound using earth excavated from local backyards.

As the villagers begin digging and piling earth onto the existing hill, the effort gains momentum. They successfully raise a mound approximately 14 feet high on the first day. Meanwhile, setbacks occur: the cartographers’ car gets sabotaged—broken by the village mechanic who reports needing a replacement part from Cardiff—and they are misinformed that the trains only carry coal, making their departure more complicated. A local woman, Betty (who shares a growing closeness with Hugh Grant), is enlisted by Morgan to entertain the Englishmen.

The weather turns against them—rain begins to wash away the mud, reducing the mound’s height from 14 to 10 feet. Morgan declares an emergency, instructing the mechanic to cover the construction site with a tarpaulin from the broken car. The rain persists through the night and into Sunday, a day when religious customs usually prevent work. Nevertheless, Reverend Jones, viewing their efforts as a form of prayer made real, encourages the villagers to continue. They labor tirelessly, covering the mound with sod before sunset. Tragically, Reverend Jones collapses and passes away from exhaustion and old age—yet, in a symbolic act of reverence, the villagers bury him atop the mountain.

Encouraged by their collective effort, the villagers persuade Anson to stay overnight and measure the mountain at dawn before their train departs. Betty, who has grown closer to Hugh Grant, stays with him, and they share a tender kiss. The next morning, Anson announces that their hard work has paid off—the mountain now measures 1,002 feet—exceeding the threshold. He also reveals that he is engaged to Betty, symbolizing hope and renewal for the community.

Years later, the mountain has settled back down to approximately 997 feet, reverting to a hill. The spirit of Reverend Jones, buried at its peak, groans in a whisper, “a hill,” signaling the mountain’s return to its original state. Undeterred, the villagers unite once more—this time with buckets of earth—to raise their beloved hill again, embodying resilience, community spirit, and the enduring hope that comes from collective effort and belief in something greater than oneself.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:15