‘A woman and half my lands to kill last wolf’
Published at 12:00, Saturday, 31 December 2011
THERE has been talk since 1999 about the merits of bringing back the wolf to the British Isles as a way of controlling the deer population in Scotland.
The final Scottish wolf was killed in the 18th century but Humphrey Head, near Allithwaite on Morecambe Bay is claimed to be where the last English wolf met its end.
A romantic version of the hunt – including knights in armour and a wedding – is told in a late Victorian book called The Last Wolf by Mrs Jerome Mercier which was published by J Wadsworth of Main Street, Grange.
It transports its readers back to the 14th century when the Morecambe Bay sands were a highway for travellers and raiders from the North.
She notes: “Now, as the sands themselves were full of danger at low tide, so was the sea at high tide; for Scottish lords came over in their barques, glad to annoy and rob any of the subjects of the English king.
“To keep these lords in awe, castles were built along the Morecambe coast, and of these Arnside was one.”
Margaret, 15, of Arnside Tower, hears talk of a great hunt to slay the last wolf in England, one which has taken many sheep, and shares it with her friend Adela, an orphan niece and ward of Sir Edgar Harrington of nearby Wraysholm.
Adela – along with half the lord’s lands – was offered as the prize for the knight killing the wolf.
Along comes a stranger knight in armour, fresh from the crusades to the Holy Land on a milk-white Arabian horse who would not remove his visor or reveal his true identity before the hunt.
Could he be the estranged son of Sir Edgar and childhood admirer of Adela?
The knight, owner of the wooded Holme Island, gave his name as the mysterious John Delisle.
Tradition held that “Adela of Wraysholm was truly very beautiful. Her clear skin was of creamy hue; her brown hair lay soft as satin on either side of her sweet face.”
The hunt was to start from Wraysholm with the stranger knight’s main rival being the Knight of Leyburne on a Flemish horse.
The book notes: “With the first dawn, a horn was blown to arouse the slumberers.
“They started up, and all was soon life and bustle; the knights looking to their horses and harness, the cooks busily preparing an ample breakfast.”
The chase went on for many hours.
The book notes: “The grisly wolf, strong and cunning, led them over Kirkhead and Holker to Newby Bridge.
“There he plunged into the brawling Leven, and over it after him went pack and crewe.
“On through woodland glen and over wild hill they go, in clamorous dash, till the grey beast finds brief shelter in the recesses of Coniston Old Man.”
The hunters rested before the dogs picked up the trail and went by Esthwaite and the shores of Windermere to Gummers How.
It was all over at Humphrey Head, near Allithwaite, the tallest limestone cliff in Cumbria.
The stranger knight speared the wolf before removing his visor and revealing himself as the son of Sir Edgar.
The next stop was Cartmel Priory for an on-the-spot wedding ceremony by the Prior without any Hollywood trimmings.
Sir Edgar is supposed to have said: “And here is our old grey enemy, the last wolf in England, stone dead.
“King Edward will rejoice over his head.
“Our stranger knight has claimed his prize right gallantly, and the lady seems nothing loth.”
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
More Grange news
- Fears for increased traffic in South Cumbria town (1 comment)
- Crowds bask in glory of Grange Edwardian festival
- TV star to lead the way during inaugural South Cumbria cycling event (5 comments)
- Disused Grange pool may be knocked down
- Grange jewellery thieves jailed
- Cumbria County Council election
- Grange child porn man turned in by own sister
- Cumbria man found in possession of child porn
- Cumbria police appeal after £4k quad bike stolen in South Lakes (2 comments)
- Two-hour struggle to free digger stuck in mud at Grange
- My 50 golden years patrolling the sands to Morecambe Bay
- Historical food expert to attend Holker festival in Cumbria
- Thieves swipe safe from Grange family butcher
- Lindale farmer buried hard drug stash (1 comment)
- Drug dealer "spooked" by car hides drugs stash on South Cumbria farm (4 comments)
- South Lakes residents invited to comment on dog control orders (4 comments)
- Thief blasted for targeting wishing well
- South Lakes restaurant gets AA cooking award
- Flookburgh based Bay Search and Rescue charity in bid to boost funds (2 comments)
- Driver praised after collision
- South Lakes energy scheme recharged (1 comment)
- UPDATED: South Lakes man located
- Satnav stolen from locked car in Grange
- Post box blown up in Grange
- Grange event starts festive fun
Hot Jobs
Featured companies
Evening Mail homepage
ENERGY FOR LIFE 5.1k WALNEY FAMILY FUN RUN
Did you enjoy the Energy For Life 5.1k Walney Family Fun Run?
• Click here to pledge to take part in next year's event on September 2, 2012
Handy Links
