Worm of Linton: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Latest revision as of 18:58, 31 May 2024

The Linton Worm is a mythical beast referred to in a Scottish Borders legend dating back to the 12th century. "Wyrm" is the Old Norse for serpent. A 12th-century writer believed it to be "In length three Scots yards and bigger than an ordinary man’s leg – in form and callour to our common muir edders." The myth is similar to that of the more famous Lambton Worm.

Legend

The monster lived in a hollow on the northeast side of Linton Hill, a spot still known as the "Worm’s Den", at Linton in Roxburghshire on the Scottish borders. Emerging from its lair at dusk and dawn to ravage the countryside, eating crops, livestock and people, it proved invulnerable to the weapons ranged against it. The surrounding area became ruined by the beast's predations.

The news reached the ears of one John de Somerville, the Laird of Lariston and a man of reckless courage, who was in the south at that time. He travelled to the nearby village of Jedburgh and heard the lurid tales of the locals. Observing the beast himself he saw that the creature would open its mouth wide to swallow anything in its path but when faced with something too large to eat would remain still, with its mouth open. Sensing an opportunity he went to a local blacksmith and had him forge an iron covered spear with wheel at its tip which could impale a hunk of peat tipped in tar and brimstone. He practised riding with the burning spear to accustom his horse to the smoke.

De Somerville approached the worm's hideout with his servant at dawn. He knew that sitting on his horse he would prove too large for the creature to swallow. As if at a joust he attacked it, plunging his burning lance into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat, mortally wounding it. The Orcadian folklorist Ernest Marwick highlights the similarity between the method used to kill the Linton worm and those recounted in the slaying of the Stoor worm of Orkney, which was also killed with burning peat.^[1]

The writhing death throes of the Linton Worm supposedly created the curious topography of the hills of the region, an area that came to be known as "wormington". The animal retreated to its lair to die, its thrashing tail bringing down the mountain around it and burying it forever. The legend states that de Somerville's heroism was memorialised by a carved stone at Linton Kirk.^[2] He was made Royal Falconer, knighted and made "First Barrone" of Linton. The crest of the Somervilles was a wyvern (heraldic dragon) perched on a wheel.^[3]

References

^ Marwick, Ernest W. (2000) [1975], The Folklore of Orkney and Shetland, Birlinn, p. 20, ISBN 978-1-84158-048-7
^ Linton, www.cheviotchurches.org, accessed 12 August 2014
^ Scott, Walter, ed., James Somerville, author, Memorie of the Somervilles, vol. 1 (1815), pp. 6–8, 37–46.

External links

[1] Marwick, Ernest W. (2000) [1975], The Folklore of Orkney and Shetland, Birlinn, p. 20, ISBN 978-1-84158-048-7

[2] Linton, www.cheviotchurches.org, accessed 12 August 2014

[3] Scott, Walter, ed., James Somerville, author, Memorie of the Somervilles, vol. 1 (1815), pp. 6–8, 37–46.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''Linton Worm''' is a mythical beast referred to in a [[Scotland|Scottish]] borders [[legend]] dating back to the 12th century.  "Wyrm" is the [[Old English]] for [[serpent]].  A 12th century writer believed it to be "In length three Scots yards and bigger than an ordinary man’s leg - in form and callour to our common muir edders."  The myth is similar to that of the more famous [[Lambton Worm]].
+{{Short description|Scottish mythical beast}}The '''Linton Worm''' is a mythical beast referred to in a [[Scottish Borders]] [[legend]] dating back to the 12th century. "Wyrm" is the [[Old Norse]] for [[snake|serpent]]. A 12th-century writer believed it to be "In length three Scots yards and bigger than an ordinary man’s leg – in form and callour to our common muir edders." The myth is similar to that of the more famous [[Lambton Worm]].
+==Legend==
-The monster lived in a hollow on the northeast side of [[Linton Hill]], a spot still known as the "Worm’s Den", in [[Roxburghshire]] on the scottish borders.  Emerging from its lair at dusk and dawn to ravage the countryside, eating crops, livestock and people, it proved invulnerable to the weapons ranged against it.  The surrounding area became ruined by the beast's predations.
+[[File:Linton church doorway carving.jpg|thumb|right|Mediaeval stone carving above the door of Linton church. Said by tradition to celebrate the heroism of de Somerville, it shows a knight on horseback apparently confronting two large quadruped animals.]]
+The monster lived in a hollow on the northeast side of Linton Hill, a spot still known as the "Worm’s Den", at [[Linton, Scottish Borders|Linton]] in [[Roxburghshire]] on the Scottish borders. Emerging from its lair at dusk and dawn to ravage the countryside, eating crops, livestock and people, it proved invulnerable to the weapons ranged against it. The surrounding area became ruined by the beast's predations.
-A local [[laird]], John de Somerville came to the nearby village of [[Jedburgh]] and heard the lurid tales of the locals.  Observing the beast himself he saw that the creature would open its mouth wide to swallow anything in its path but when faced with something too large to eat would remain still, with its mouth open.  Sensing an opportunity he went to a local [[blacksmith]] and had him forge an iron covered spear with wheel at its tip which could impale a hunk of [[peat]] tipped in [[tar]] and brimstone.  He practised riding with the burning spear to accustom his horse to the smoke.
+The news reached the ears of one John [[Lord Somerville|de Somerville]], the Laird of Lariston and a man of reckless courage, who was in the south at that time. He travelled to the nearby village of [[Jedburgh]] and heard the lurid tales of the locals.  Observing the beast himself he saw that the creature would open its mouth wide to swallow anything in its path but when faced with something too large to eat would remain still, with its mouth open. Sensing an opportunity he went to a local [[blacksmith]] and had him forge an iron covered spear with wheel at its tip which could impale a hunk of [[peat]] tipped in [[tar]] and brimstone.  He practised riding with the burning spear to accustom his horse to the smoke.
-He approached the worm's hideout with his servant at dawn.  He knew that sitting on his horse he would prove too large for the creature to swallow.  As if at a [[jousting|joust]], he attacked it, plunging his burning lance into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat, mortally wounding it.
+De Somerville approached the worm's hideout with his servant at dawn.  He knew that sitting on his horse he would prove too large for the creature to swallow. As if at a [[jousting|joust]] he attacked it, plunging his burning lance into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat, mortally wounding it. The Orcadian folklorist [[Ernest Marwick]] highlights the similarity between the method used to kill the Linton worm and those recounted in the slaying of the [[Stoor worm]] of Orkney, which was also killed with burning peat.<ref>{{citation |last=Marwick |first=Ernest W. |title=The Folklore of Orkney and Shetland |year=2000 |orig-year=1975 |page=20 |publisher=Birlinn |isbn=978-1-84158-048-7}}</ref>
-The writhing death throes of the Linton Worm supposedly created the curious [[topography]] of the hills of the region, an area that came to be known as "wormington".  The animal retreated to its lair to die, its thrashing tail bringing down the mountain around it and burying it forever.
+The writhing death throes of the Linton Worm supposedly created the curious [[topography]] of the hills of the region, an area that came to be known as "wormington". The animal retreated to its lair to die, its thrashing tail bringing down the mountain around it and burying it forever. The legend states that de Somerville's heroism was memorialised by a carved stone at [[Linton Kirk]].<ref>[http://www.cheviotchurches.org/Pages/Linton.aspx Linton], www.cheviotchurches.org, accessed 12 August 2014</ref> He was made Royal [[Falconry|Falconer]], knighted and  made "First Barrone" of Linton. The crest of the Somervilles was a [[wyvern]] (heraldic dragon) perched on a wheel.<ref>[[Walter Scott|Scott, Walter]], ed., [[James Somerville (family historian)|James Somerville]], author, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=RhAXAAAAYAAJ Memorie of the Somervilles]'', vol. 1 (1815), pp. 6–8, 37–46.</ref>
-The legend states that his heroism was memorialised with a carved stone at [[Linton Kirk]].  He was made Royal [[Falconer]], knighted and  made "First Barrone" of Linton. The crest of the Somervilles was a [[wyvern]] (heraldic dragon) perched on a wheel.{{citation needed}}
 ==See also==
-* The [[Lambton Worm]] - a similar myth from NE England
+* The [[Lambton Worm]] – a similar myth from NE England
+* [[The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh]]
+* [[Sockburn Worm]]
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
 *[http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/legends/linton_worm.html Mysterious Britain]
 *[http://www.m-somerville.co.uk/lintonworm.htm The Linton Worm]
+*[http://www.firstfoot.com/scotchmyth/lintonworm.htm Scots Myths]
 [[Category:Scottish folklore]]
 [[Category:Northumbrian folklore]]
+[[Category:European dragons]]
-[[Category:Dragons]]
-*[http://www.firstfoot.com/scotchmyth/lintonworm.htm Scots Myths]