AfterthefailureoftheDukeofMonmouth'srevoltagainstJamesⅡofEngland,JohnSwain,oneoftheDuke'ssupporters,wasmarchedtowardsBridgewatertostandtrial.Knowingwhathischanceswouldbeifheeverreachedhisdestination,Swaindecidedtoescape.
AshemarchedalongtheBridgewaterroad,withhiswifeandchildrenwalkingglumlybehind,hepassedLoxleyWood.Hestoppedandaskedhisguardsifhecoulddemonstratetohischildrenhisskillsasalongjumper,sothattheywouldhavesomethingtorememberhimby.Hisguardsagreed,andastheystoodbacktowatchSwainsuddenlymadethreegiantleapsfromonestonetoanotheracrossthenearbyriveranddisappearedintothewood.Thestonesremaintomarkhisathleticskills,andsuggestatriplejumpof41feet!
英王詹姆斯二世敉平蒙默思公爵叛亂之後，參與叛亂的約翰．斯溫被押往布里奇沃特受審。他知道自己上到法庭，一定凶多吉少，決心逃命。
在往布里奇沃特的路上，他看見路旁的洛克斯利樹林。跟在他後面的，是他愁眉苦臉的妻子和孩子。斯溫停下來，問衞兵可不可以讓他向孩子表演跳遠，給他們日後一點回憶。衞兵同意，就靠後看他表演。斯溫突然向附近那條河飛身一躍，從一塊石上再飛身跳到另一塊之上，連跳三下，越過河流，消失在樹林裏。他踏腳的石塊，至今仍在，顯示了斯溫的不凡身手：那連環三跳，共跳了四十一英尺！