The Skinningrove Merman
From the ebb and flow of time.
Strange Tales of the NE Coast
Skinningrove is a small village, remote and isolated on the North Yorkshire coast. The name Skinnara-Gryfja is from Old Norse meaning ‘Skinnari’s, or the tanners’ ravine’ and is derived from the leather tanning industry once set up here by Viking invaders. (Also recorded as Scinergreve 1273, Skynnergreve 1301, 1404, -gryf 1348, Skyn(n)ingrave 1275, 1579. Although the Old Norse gryfja survives as griff meaning ‘a narrow valley’ in Yorkshire dialect, it has been replaced in this and other nearby names by the more common term grove.)
It lies in a deep low creek under lofty, projecting, precipitous cliffs with a broad smooth sandy beach at Cattersty Sands and a shingly beach below Hummersea Point. The long narrow valley is richly wooded before it widens out into the sea.
Over the years the fortunes of this small fishing community have greatly diminished. Skinningrove has suffered from invasion, flooding, bombing and the demolition of entire streets. The fishing, alum quarrying, ironstone mining and steel making industries which once brought people to the village have disappeared or diminished significantly. The village, however, continues in its struggle to survive.
1.
The Merman
The first mention of the Skinningrove Merman is to be found in the Cotton Manuscripts, a collection once owned by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631), and now held in the British Library. The mention of the sea man is found in the Cotton MS Julius F VI 1529-1640 collection, in a letter from one H. Tr[…] thought to have been sent to Sir Thomas Chaloner concerning the antiquities in the North of England, particularly around Guisborough. ff. 453r-462r.
A merman as depicted on an ancient map.
A merman as depicted on an ancient map.
The seaman of Skinningrove is mentioned in both the Rv. John Graves’ The History of Cleveland (1808) and John Walker Ord's The History and Antiquities of Cleveland (1845), and both give the sources of the tale as from the Cotton Ms and William Camden. Graves quotes the tale directly from Camden. Ord speculates that the seaman had probably been a seal or porpoise. An idea that can be given credence from the fact that many seals frequented this coastline and were hunted, often by men dressed in women’s clothes. Indeed, Camden writes “For women they care not so much, and therefore whosoever would take them use to bee clad in womens apparell.”
“Old Men that would be loath to have their credyt crackt by a tale of a stale date, report confidently that sixty yeares since, or perhaps 80 or more, a sea-man was taken by the fishers of that place, where duringe many weeks they kepte in an oulde House, giving him rawe fishe to eate, for all other fare he refused; insteade of voyce he shreaked, and shewed himself courteous to such as flocked farre and neare to visit him; – fayre maydes were wellcomest guests to his harbour, whome he woulde beholde with a very earneste countenaynce, as if his phlegmaticke breathe had been touched with a sparke of love. – One day, when the good demeanour of this new gueste had made his hosts secure of his abode with them, he prively stoale out of doores, and ere he coulde be overtaken recovered the Sea, whereinto he plounged himself; – yet as one that woulde not unmannerly depart without taking his leave, from the mydle upwardes he raysed his shoulders often above the waves, and making signs of acknowledgeing his good entertainment to such as beheld him on the shore, as they interpreted yt; – after a pretty while he dived downe and appeared no more.”
Rev. John Graves quoting William Camden
The History of Cleveland. 1808
William Camden 1551-1575. was an English antiquarian and historian. He wrote the first ever published topographical survey of the whole British Isles county by county and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.
'Britannia' does not describe a particular journey but within counties it often follows the main rivers. The work, which was written in Latin, was very popular, going into seven editions by 1607. The first English language translation, prepared by Philemon Holland (probably under Camden's direction) appeared in 1610. It is in Britannia that the first printed version of the tale of the merman can be found.
Over the centuries people have believed in and reported sightings of strange creatures that were half human and half fish, to which they gave the name, Merfolk, or People of the Sea. The most common sightings were usually of Mermaids, the female version of Merfolk, but, as we can see, there was once a famous Merman brought ashore in Yorkshire, and it is his story we now tell.
William Camden
William Camden
Britannia Frontispiece
Britannia Frontispiece
A strange catch…
In 1535, we are told, the fishing boats were out as usual for their daily catch. One three man coble was out on the swell, aware of a brewing storm, and pulling in the shoals of herring hard and fast. Suddenly there was a pull of something large and heavy in the nets. Hauling the catch aboard the fishermen were shocked at the sight of what they had caught.
The strange man-like creature tangled in their net was exhausted and barely alive and so they turned for shore. Once there they took him to an old house and set him free from the net that bound him. When he had roused himself they offered him all sorts of food but he would only eat raw fish from the catch.
The fishermen were both confused and delighted with their find, especially since he seemed friendly enough but they could not understand him no matter how hard they tried. He also tried to communicate with his captors, but had no human voice, only “skreakes’ we are told.
No report tells us what he looked like but he was always courteous towards his captors as they nursed his weakened self back to health.
Visitors flocked to see him from near and far and were always welcomed with a smile but the ladies were his favourite guests and were greeted most earnestly and with much close attention, as if he had been touched ‘with a spark of love’.
2.
The end of our Fishy Tale
There are two endings as our story unfolds.
In one we learn that despite the care and kindness shown to him the merman yearned for home and the company of his own kind.
The fishermen had grown so relaxed about their guest that the moment came when he was able to slip outdoors. His health and vitality being fully restored allowed him to reach the sea with some speed and he was able to swim out into the open water before the alarm was raised.
Once out in the deep he raised his shoulders above the water and waved and skreaked at the onlookers who stood watching on the shore. Then with a final bow he plunged into the waves and was seen no more.
In a different tale we learn that the ladies were so captivated by the merman that the fishermen became quite jealous and decided they would have to find a mermaid to attract his attention.
While out fishing in their cobles they searched and searched until they found one and then they struck up a bargain with her.
Every time they went fishing they would throw the first fish they caught back into the sea for her if she would entice the merman back out to sea.
When the merman heard the mermaid singing he couldn’t resist her song. He slithered quickly out to sea to follow her and was never seen again.
To this day the fishermen of Skinningrove always throw the first fish caught back into the sea.
3.
Heritage trails
The local history group aims to keep the tale alive and the village commissioned a mermaid wall ceramic. Created by artist Glynis Johnson with the help of the children from Whitecliff Primary School it is now proudly displayed on the front of the Riverside Building which was once the village school. The merman can also be found on the Village Story wall mosaic which encapsulates Skinningrove’s history in a vibrant way.
There is a Skinningrove Valley Trail created by the history group which can be found here.
A Skinningrove Heritage National Trail Leaflet created by The Skinningrove History Group can be found by clicking on the link.
Skinningrove Merman, part of the Village history mosaic.
Skinningrove Merman, part of the Village history mosaic.
Why do we no longer see Merpeople? Kei Miller expresses his thoughts.
Why do we no longer see Merpeople? Kei Miller expresses his thoughts.
Words: Laine Thompson, with a little help from the Cotton Ms, Camden, Graves and Ord.
Photos: Laine Thompson
Attacking a merman.
Attacking a merman.
The Staithes Mermaids
One of the strangest tales about mermaids comes from the small fishing village of Staithes.
Situated on the north-east Yorkshire coast between Whitby and Saltburn and perched between high overhanging cliffs which enclose a deep narrow creek, Staithes is renowned for its fishing history, sheltered harbour and quaint houses that cling precariously to the cliffs. The fishing for cod, haddock, and herring, was once the main employment of the men of the village, and also the women who collected bait and looked after the gear. The men were hardy but superstitious, the women were the purse bearers, which may account for their delight in bright coloured bonnets; few among them married strangers.
Captain Cook was apprenticed here as a boy to a haberdasher; and exchanged a shilling of his own for one bearing the initials of the South Sea Company; his master charged him with theft, and so the boy determined to go to sea. Finding a friend in John Walker, a Quaker shipowner of Whitby, he entered on board the "Free-Love " collier.
This coast was famous for smugglers, one of whom, the clerk of an adjoining parish,
made the church steeple his hiding-place.
One of the strangest tales about mermaids comes from here.
Staithes
Two mermaids and a curse.
One stormy night…
The date of the story is uncertain but it seems to have occurred long before Staithes became a fishing village. As the name suggests, this was originally a small landing place for the nearby village of Seaton.
The tale begins with a terrible storm and a dangerously rough sea off that coast when all the local boats were sheltered in the quiet bay. Out at sea, two beautiful mermaids were fighting for their lives against the massive waves, being bruised and buffeted and battered until they became exhausted.
As night drew in, they could see the welcoming lights of the small coastal community in the shadows of Cowbar Nab with its miniature harbour and a safe beach. They struggled to shelter and safety, wanting only to rest on the beach until the storm subsided, when they would return to the sea.
The mermaids were described as beautiful doe-eyed creatures with the faces and torsos of maidens and the scaly tails of huge fish.
They had long fair hair which stuck to their faces and arms and, when eventually they reached the beach, they were utterly exhausted and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Upon awakening next morning, the storm had abated, but they found themselves totally surrounded by villagers who stood and stared at the strange creatures. The people did not appear to be at all friendly and the mermaids were terrified they would be harmed. The tide was a long way out and, as they tried to cross the sands to regain the security of the sea, the villagers took them prisoner.
The mermaids tried to explain they meant no harm, but they were bundled into a fishing net, carried away by force and hung up in the village lock-up with a handful of fish to eat. There they were stared at and some people hit them with sticks or threw stones at them, and the village boys teased them for their nakedness.Not knowing what to do with their prisoners, the people kept the mermaids for many long months, but during that time they became accustomed to their strange appearance and even became more friendly, spending time talking to them. The creatures were allowed out of their prison on occasions, but always under close supervision.
As time went by, the people became much more relaxed about their strange visitors, then one morning the mermaids were taken down to the beach where a party was being held. When the attention of the people was diverted, however, the two mermaids made a dash for the sea.
Too late, the people realised what was happening and gave chase, throwing sticks and stones to halt their bid for freedom, but with a flourish of their tails, the mermaids reached the safety of deeper water.There they halted for a moment as one of them stood on her tail in the sea to express her disappointment at the way they had been treated, and she then cursed the village by calling: “The sea shall flow to Jackdaws’ Well.”
Both then dived under the waves and were never seen again.
The villagers laughed at the curse because Jackdaws’ Well was a long way inland, quite safe from any storms and waves. It was close to Seaton Garth and its name came from the flocks of jackdaws which gathered there to drink fresh water from the well.
But the mermaid’s curse did come true. As time passed, the coast was eroded by the sea, taking with it many cliffside houses and fields. During one storm, 13 people were killed and Jackdaws’ Well vanished.
You can listen to this strange tale as re-told by Stan Helsing below.
The Selkie and the Saltburn Comb
A tale of a tail worth the telling.
Saltburn by the Sea has a rich and varied tapestry of historical development. Although Saltburn's most obvious features are of Victorian origin, its history goes back much further. There is evidence that the area was inhabited by a hermit in the thirteenth century and even earlier, during Roman times, it was the site of a fortified Roman signalling station. Saltburn's more covert history lies in smuggling and the town is immensely proud of its famous smuggling past. The resort of Saltburn by the Sea was founded by the Victorian entrepreneur Henry Pease and the legacy of his vision is the Station complex, Zetland Hotel, Pier, Cliff Lift and Valley Gardens as well as the so called "jewel streets" along the sea front. Today Saltburn's Victorian heritage is brilliantly preserved whilst modern Saltburn presents an excellent surfing beach so that recent years have seen the development of a large community of surfers. Our story however begins at Old Saltburn, on the rocks beneath Huntcliff.
Old Saltburn, nestled below the looming outcrop of Huntcliff, is mentioned in William Camden’s ‘Britannia’. In it he describes the craggy rocks, the large groups of seals which gathered along the shoreline and the strange, perfectly round rocks scattered beneath the cliffs. (The rocks can still be found today but that’s a tale for another time.)
Here, beneath the cliff, an unusual rock ‘table’ seat can be found. It is not hard to imagine the Selkie in our story sitting here as our tale begins.
.
There was once a great storm. Gale force winds blew, torrential rain fell and the sea was whipped into a turmoil. The tempest was so great that many of the selkies who frequented the far north beyond the Orkney Isles were tossed and driven south along the edges of the North Sea coastline until eventually, when all was calm, they found themselves in the offing near Saltburn.
Unlike most of their kind these selkies had the appearance of mermaids but were still bestowed with the gift of being able to shed their lower fish-like tails and walking on legs upon the land. Finding themselves so far from their old swimming grounds they quickly built new homes for themselves and began to explore.
Amongst the group were seven sisters, six of whom had beautiful, long, golden hair which they easily combed and curled with their fingers and were much admired for their beautiful locks. The seventh, the youngest sister, was also pretty but her hair was never tameable and no matter how much she tried it always looked messy and bedraggled. So much so she longed for a comb and mirror to make her hair as beautiful, long and straight as the hair of her sisters.
One day, playing in the rock pools beneath the cliffs she lost all track of time and found herself stranded with the tide far out. All she could do was wait and so she sat on a rock absent-mindedly combing through her hair with her fingers.
At that moment it so happened that a young fisher lad was out bait digging along that stretch of sand and he saw the selkie sitting on the rock. He thought she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen and fell instantly in love with her. He heard her grumbles and complaints about her hair and how she wished she had a comb. Even a half broken one would do.
Now it just so happened that when she was a girl this young fisherman’s mother had been beachcombing and had come across a strange looking object half hidden in the sand. All whale bone and glittering colours and intricately carved with scrimshaw. It looked like a comb but the teeth were much too wide for human hair. She didn’t know it was a mer-comb that had been lost long ago and far away until it had eventually been washed ashore on Saltburn sands. As time passed and she had her children she would sometimes get the comb out for them to look at and wonder over as she told them strange tales about it. They had all grown up now, only the youngest was still at home and the comb had been left forgotten in an old chest.
Seeing the mermaid in distress over her wild hair the young man stepped out to speak to her. She was startled but the lad spoke quietly and told her not to be afraid. Having heard her complaints he told her he thought he had just the thing to help her and he told her about his mother’s strange find. She listened carefully and knew exactly what it was. When the lad said he would go and get it for her she said she would wait for his return and would let him use it to comb her hair.
Off he sprinted, all manor of thoughts and plans running through his head. “What are you looking for?” his old mother asked as he rummaged about and clattered everything in his search for the comb.
“I think I may have found myself a bride" he answered, although his mother was none too pleased at this and the thought of another mouth to feed.
The young fisherman knew all the tales about the selkies and knew if he could get her to hand her fish tale to him she would be bound to marry him and if he hid it in a linen box she wouldn’t be able to return to the sea. He borrowed his mother’s hand mirror and with the comb hurried back to the rocks beneath the cliffs where the Selkie maid was still waiting. The tide had turned but was not yet flowing close enough to the shore for her to swim away.
When she saw how beautiful the comb was she knew she had to have it and so she encouraged the lad to comb it through her hair. She loved how soothing it felt to have her hair smoothed and detangled sitting there with the sun on her face.
“Ah,” she said, “if only someone could do that every day" as she looked in the mirror at her beautiful straight hair.
Emboldened by her reaction the lad decided to take his chance. “Well,” he said, “if you step out of your tail and let me carry it for you I can take you to meet my mother and can comb your hair for you each morning if you stay with us.”
The Selkie thought for a moment and then agreed. “But let me hold the comb though, it’s such a pretty thing.” He handed her the comb and she went and stood at the edge of the pool. “Close your eyes now, you mustn’t see me stepping out of my tail. That would only bring misfortune.” He closed his eyes and when she called out to him to open them again he saw that with the prettiest pair of legs he had ever seen she had walked across the pool. Smiling, with her fish tail in one hand and the comb in the other she waved at him before suddenly turning and sprinting across the sand and back into the sea. Before he could even react she was walking out into the shallows.
"Thank you for the comb," she shouted over her shoulder before she leaped into the water where she slipped on her tail and was swimming away into the deep.
Once back home as her sisters admired her hair she told them what had happened. One even suggested that perhaps she should have stayed and married him as he sounded kind and would have cared for her and looked after her. However the youngest Selkie wasn’t having any of that. “Oh no," she laughed. "Not for me all that drudgery and children and living with his old mother. He was kind to me though, I will say that.”
The young fisher lad was broken hearted of course. For a long time he would wander down amongst the rocks beneath the cliffs hoping for another glimpse of the beautiful Selkie. He never did see her again but his fishing was always good thereafter with his nets full to bursting and the best lobsters in his pots. He eventually did find a bride and had lots of children and apart from his Selkie he never wanted for anything again.
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