'This seaside village's mermaids myth is still growing'
From Shakespeare to Disney's Ariel and Darryl Hannah, mermaids make frequent appearances in theatre, literature and film, and are often mentioned in folk tales from all over the world. Now, the historical roots of a mermaid myth with its origins in Yorkshire - the Staithes Mermaids - have been uncovered."The Staithes Mermaids have interested me for a long time because I'm from Yorkshire and we don't have other mermaid legends," explains Prof Sarah Peverley, from the University of Liverpool.Alongside colleague Chloe Middleton-Metcalfe, Prof Peverley, who is originally from Hull, has been researching mermaids for the past decade.They have now released findings suggesting that while the tale of the Staithes Mermaids, which is Yorkshire's only known mermaid myth, was first published in 1924, it has probably been circulating in the local fishing community for at least 300 years.It was no easy task trying to dive deep into the murky depths of history to find where the myth of the Staithes Mermaids first emerged, says Prof Peverley."It's very difficult to pin down where they've come from when they've circulated in oral traditions before they get captured in print," she explains."It's not until the late 19th Century and the early 20th Century that collectors of folklore started recording and going around communities capturing these great stories our ancestors told."
This legend from Staithes, in North Yorkshire, tells of two mermaids who were washed up on the seaside village's beach after a storm, only to be incarcerated, mocked and even stoned by locals. When they finally escaped, one of the mermaids cursed the village with the words: "The sea shall flow to Jackdaws' Well" and, so the myth goes, part of the village was eventually lost to floods. Prof Peverley says she first tracked down the tale of the Staithes Mermaids in an edition of The Whitby Gazette from March 1924, which mentioned a talk by local resident Robert Brown."Brown had been born with paralysis of the legs, which I think is one of the reasons the legend got captured in the first place," she says."If he hadn't have been born with that disability, he would have followed his father and grandfather to sea as a fisherman. Instead, he became a kind of lifelong scholar and self-educator."He'd given this talk to the Staithes Study Circle in January 1924, and in that talk he relayed the version of The Mermaids of Staithes legend that he has in his printed version. It appeared in the paper a couple of months later."
Prof Peverley says that by comparing this tale with similar legends in the North West, Cornwall and Wales, she concluded the story was probably much older."What's unique about Brown's version, and then the next version that's told 53 years later by another local resident called Ian Crowden, is that both of them contain a really enigmatic reference to 'egg broth'," she says."If you search on the internet for it, all later retellings miss that out because it didn't make sense to most people. "So, when you then start digging, other unique tales get thrown up. "There's one in the Isle of Man first recorded in 1726 that has a similar story of a mermaid talking to other merfolk about how humans are silly because they throw away their egg broth - the water their eggs have been boiled in."When that particular tale was being told, like the Staithes one, egg broth must have meant something later audiences are missing."It turns out it's connected with superstition: it's about the sea, about witches, changelings and fairies. "Supernatural creatures have special knowledge of the powers of egg broth, whereas humans don't."Prof Peverley says it was "100% difficult to prove", but it seemed to hint at the fact the story from Staithes "was circulating in a much earlier period, when all of this would have made sense to the people telling these stories".Meanwhile, further research into "Jackdaws' Well", also mentioned in the tale, and the dating of storms that hit the coastline, back up Prof Peverley's claim of a much earlier date for the legend than its telling in 1924.
However, despite its age and the question marks over how far it goes back into the mists of time, the tale of the mermaids certainly lives on in Staithes to this very day.Prof Peverley says: "This was one of the reasons we managed to track down Brown, because we talked to communities there, especially the staff at the museum."There are some individuals who still work in the fishing community and who have copies of typescripts of Brown's story."Prof Peverley says she believes that the telling of the story is linked with changes in the economic fortunes of Staithes, with the mermaids reportedly resurfacing at times of decline in the fishing industry.Today, Staithes is more reliant on tourists than trawlers, but the famous story of the mermaids continues to thrive in the local art scene and among visitors. "One gentleman we spoke to does tours and he takes people out and he'll tell them the legend of the Mermaids of Staithes, to which he adds his own unique bits," Prof Peverley says."He adds in a joke that some of the rocks near the bottom of the cliff are where Neptune meets his mermaids. So the legends are still growing."
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Danny Dyer ‘never felt nerves' like it on daughter's wedding day
Actor Danny Dyer said he had 'never felt nerves' like those he experienced when he gave his daughter away as she married West Ham player Jarrod Bowen. Love Island star Dani Dyer wed sportsman Bowen last month. Advertisement Discussing the ceremony on their podcast, Live And Let Dyers, Dani said the day left her feeling so emotional she 'couldn't talk about it'. Her father, former EastEnders actor Dyer, said of the moment he walked her down the aisle: 'My heart was beating through my f***ing chest. 'I've done a lot of heavy s***. You know, I've done a lot of theatre and the awards things and everything like that, and there's a little bit of nerves, but I've never felt nerves like that. You know, just hanging on for dear life!' Dyer, who has recently been filming the second series of hit drama Rivals, said he felt 'choked up' at seeing the happy couple together. Advertisement He went on: 'I needed just to contain myself. Because obviously it's a huge day for everyone in your family, but particularly the tradition of marriages – it's your father giving away your daughter, you know?' The pair also joked about how Bowen's nerves meant he got his bride's name mixed up during the vows. 'He f***ed your name up a few times,' Dyer told the podcast. 'Obviously it's Dani Charlotte Dyer, then he called me Charlotte, didn't he?' Dani added. Advertisement 'We had to start it again! It was so funny!' Live And Let Dyers is available to listen to now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
EastEnders' Max Bowden pictured snogging new girlfriend for the first time ahead of shock soap return
EASTENDERS star Max Bowden has gone public with his new girlfriend - with a sweet birthday kiss. The actor - who will soon return to play Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap - had grown closer to co-star Tori Allen-Martin. 3 3 3 The Sun revealed earlier this year how Max, 30, had grown close to actress Tori Allen-Martin, 39, after appearing together on stage in the musical Midnight Cowboy. And now they have confirmed their relationship by kissing in a sweet post on Instagram during Tori's birthday celebrations. A source said: 'Max and Tori hit it off pretty much straight away. "They have the same sense humour and Max was always making her laugh, they just got each other. "Neither was looking for romance, it just kind of happened. "They're having a lot of fun together.' Glamorous Tori is known for BBC sitcom, Here We go, where she starred alongside Gavin and Stacey's Alison Steadman and Rivals actress Katherine Parkinson, as well as cop drama London Kills, as trainee detective Billie Fitzgerald. But he has been given another chance by the BBC soap's new boss Ben Wadey. A source said: 'Ben had a list of characters he wanted to bring back and Ben Mitchell was one. It's taken a little while to sort out but Max will be back filming on Albert Square later this year.' 'I wasn't me' reveals EastEnders star Max Bowden as he speaks out over controversial Ben Mitchell exit Max famously dated his co-star Shona, 33, before moving on with Danielle, 32, who he secretly dated for more than a year before they split. It was recently revealed that the couple were no longer on speaking terms and had unfollowed each other on Instagram. Real-life soap couples Soaps are renowned for their sweet and scandalous romances – but it's not just in scripted storylines where love is blossoming. A number of our favourite small-screen actors have fallen for co-stars and soapland rivals when the cameras have stopped rolling. Max Parker and Kris Mochrie Despite playing brothers Luke and Lee Posner on Emmerdale, the pair never actually shared any scenes together. But the pair still fell in love after meeting on set. Max and Kris got together in 2020, moving in together later than same year and got engaged in 2022. In a sweet Instagram post, the couple confirmed they're planning a 2025 wedding. Beth Cordingly and Ian Kelsey Beth, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan, announced her love for her co-star Ian Kelsey, who played Dean Glover, shortly after she joined Emmerdale at the beginning of 2024. 'I am very in love with Ian and very happy. I think it really does work him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic," she gushed. Laura Norton and Mark Jordan Kerry Wyatt and Daz Eden actors Laura and Mark met on the set of Emmerdale in 2014. The couple, who got engaged in 2018, told Loose Women they spent a long time deciding whether they should "just stay as friends." Although it seems they were meant to be and the pair now share two children together. Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley Emmerdale favourites Zoe and Jeff, who play Rhonda Goskirk and Cain Dingle met at drama college in 1994 and have been together ever since. While working together might be too much for some couples, that's definitely not the case for Zoe and Jeff. Zoe previously told The Sun: "Working on the same show as Jeff also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand." Lesley Dunlop and Chris Chittell Lesley and Chris are another Dales romantic success story. Unlike some of the other soap stars, the pair who play Brenda Walker and Eric Pollard, are together on and off screen, officially tying the knot in 2016. They also adore working together, but have clear home-work boundaries. "We make a point of not talking about Emmerdale when we're at home, though – that would be just too sad, wouldn't it?" Chris revealed. Sally Carman and Joe Duttine Abi Franklin and Tim Metcalfe actors Sally and Joe got together after meeting on the set of Coronation Street in 2017 and they tied the knot in July 2022. But unlike some of the Emmerdale stars, Sally and Joe prefer that their characters don't interact much. Sally previously admitted it "would be horrendous" to work on a storyline with Joe because "he's too funny." Anthony Cotton and Peter Eccleston Sean Tully may have been unlucky in love on the cobbles, but in real life Antony's met his Prince Charming. The soap star started dating long-term partner Peter in 2005, after they met when he was working as an assistant props buyer on Corrie. Jane Danson and Robert Beck Corrie favourite Jane Danson tied the knot with soap star Robert Beck in 2005. The actress, who plays Leanne Battersby, shares two children, Harry and Sam, with the former Brookside star. During their marriage, Robert has also done a stint in Weatherfield playing criminal Jimmy Dockerson. Caroline Harding and Chris Gascoyne Chris, who played pub landlord Peter Barlow, married soap star Caroline in 2002. Although she is best known as an Emmerdale star, Caroline did visit her husband at work when she did a two-episode stint as doctor on the Manchester soap in 2020. The couple share a daughter called Belle, plus two children, Pip and Freddie from Caroline's previous marriage. Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed Nadine Mulkerrin, and Rory Doulas Speed are known for their Hollyoaks alter egos Cleo McQueen and Joel Dexter. The loved-up pair got engaged on a December 2018 trip to Amsterdam - just over a year after they announced they were dating. They now share two kids, Reggie and Dougie. Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward Former Hollyoaks star Sophie, whose best known for playing villain Lindsay Butterfield, was introduced to singer and ex-Corrie star Shayne through mutual friends. She gave birth to their daughter Willow in December 2016 and they welcomed a son in 2022. A TV insider said: 'Max just can't help himself when it comes to his co-stars. "He has this energetic charm that the ladies seem to love.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
New money-saving pass gives unlimited visits to your favourite UK theme park this summer – for less than £1 a day
A NEW theme park pass will let you visit one of four of the UK's top attractions as much as you want this summer. For £59, Merlin Entertainments has launched a new limited time only, three-month pass that allows visitors to visit one of four theme park s as much as they want in that time period. 5 5 Visitors will be able to choose from Chessington World of Adventures, Legoland Windsor Resort, Alton Towers Resort or Thorpe Park. So if you were to go every day for the three-month period, it means you would be paying less than £1 a day. There are some exclusion dates which apply to all of the theme parks in the offer. They include August 24 and 25 and October 18, 25, 26 and 31. Jordan Middleton, head of Merlin Annual Pass, commented: "A Merlin Annual Pass is the perfect way to access a summer of adventure for families and thrill-seekers alike for a great price. "With unlimited access to a whole host of exhilarating attractions, a Merlin Annual Pass offers unforgettable memories right on your doorstep. With the Thorpe Park Thrill Pass, for example, visitors can enjoy three months of access to the attraction - which is home to over 25 rides, including its 'Big 6' coasters. One of these rollercoasters boasts the title of the UK's tallest, fastest and most weightless rollercoaster - Hyperia. There are also water rides to enjoy on the hotter days. At Alton Towers Resort - the UK's largest theme park - there are over 40 rides and attractions for all ages. Kids can enter Diggerland for free with this trick There are 10 main rollercoasters, each of which have record-breaking elements too. For younger children, there are 20 attractions including the only place in the UK where visitors can meet some of CBeebies best-loved characters. Meanwhile, at Chessington World of Adventures there is a theme park, zoo and Sea Life centre. The destination boasts over 40 rides and attractions and over 1,000 animals. And finally, at Legoland Windsor Resort there are over 55 rides and attractions based on Lego and Duplo brands and designed for three to 12-year-olds. There are approximately 47million Lego bricks throughout the park, with around 20million in Miniland alone. 5 5 Alternatively, annual passes are still available, with multiple different options that also have free parking and discounts on food and hotel stays. In addition, Legoland is even getting a grand new look. Earlier in June, new images revealed that the entrance gates to the park will undergo an upgrade. The plans show that two new structures will be built on either side of the Legoland sign - which look like giant Lego bricks. They will also include Lego characters such as knights and ninjas. Lego characters such as knights and ninjas are also on the towers. Other upgrades at the park include a new Brick Street Cafe, improved bag search and ticket areas and crossing. Plus, The Sun's Veronica Lorraine recently tested all the rollercoasters at Thorpe Park. 5
