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Dragons
The Bamburgh Laidly
The Laidly (Northumbrian for loathsome) worm was once a beautiful princess named Margaret, who lived in Bamburgh Castle. Her stepmother was a witch who, due to jealousy, cast a spell changing the princess into a huge worm. The worm’s breath caused vegetation to shrivel, and it demanded the milk of seven cows every day. Read More »
Bedd-yr-Afanc
Bedd-yr-Afanc means the monsters grave, the Afanc being a name commonly given to a water monster in Wales. The grave is actually the only Bronze Age Gallery Grave in Wales and dates from around 1500BC. Just two rows of parallel stones survive. According to legend the Afanc used to dwell in a pool by Brynberian Bridge, and was captured and killed then buried in this mound on the hillside. Read More »
Blue Ben of Kilve
A dragon called Blue Ben resided here and was supposedly the steed of the devil. He fell from a causeway of rocks and drowned in the mud. His skull (actually a fossil Ichthyosaur) was uncovered and is on display in the local museum.
The above was taken from an article by Richard Freeman.
Brent Pelham and Piers Shonks
‘A mighty dragon made its lair under the roots of an ancient yew tree and wrought havoc in the surrounding countryside. Piers Shonks, Lord of the Manor of Pelham, fought it accompanied by three huge hounds. He finally triumphed by thrusting a long spear down the dragon’s throat. Read More »
British Dragon Gazetteer
No other country on earth has such rich dragon lore as the British Isles. Our tiny little homeland is crawling with legends of these beasts. If you have ever wondered if there is a dragon legend close to where you live, then take a look at the following list. Read More »
Cadbury Castle
This large hillfort has a plethora of traditions attached to it, most notably that it is the site of the legendary Camelot, the stronghold of Arthur. There is a distinct possibility that the historical Arthur - probably a sixth century war leader - had his base here, as the Iron Age hillfort was reoccupied and refortified around this time. Read More »
Dalry Dragon
The worm here was white in colour and this legend may have inspired Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Lair of the White Worm’. It wound itself around Mote Hill and got up to the usual tricks. A local blacksmith made a suit of armour covered with retractable spikes. Read More »
Dinas Emrys
The legendary stronghold of Vortigern, and the place where the young prophet Merlin revealed the fighting dragons. Read More »
The Dragon in Folklore & Legend
The dragon is a legendary creature, which is prevalent to the mythic culture of many countries. Britain, with its diverse history, has a tradition of dragons stemming from Saxon, Celtic and Norse influences, as well as those from further afield. What follows is a brief overview of the dragon in legend and folklore, as well as some theories as to what the dragon may signify. Read More »
Filey Brigg
Filey Brigg is a long ridge of rocks jutting into the North Sea, associated with folklore concerning the Devil and a dragon. Read More »
The Helston Flurry Dance
8th May - The Helston Flurry Dance takes place, where Helstonians take part in a pagan ritual processional dance through the town in a custom that pre-dates Christianity and probably dates back to Celtic times. The dance takes place each eighth of May unless it falls on a Sunday or Monday and was probably originally a fertility or Spring festival. Read More »
In Search of British Dragons
The dragon is the great, great grandfather of all monsters. Before the daemon, before the vampire, before the werewolf, before the giant. Before them all was the original uber-monster the dragon. The dragon's image has crawled across cave paintings 25,000 years old, dwarfing mammoths. It has slithered across Chinese rock art in Shanxi province 8000 years before Christ. Read More »
Jabberwocky
From 'Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There' 1872
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe. Read More »
Kingston St Mary Dragon
A savage fire-breathing dragon terrorized this area until a champion came forth to tackle it. The hero rolled a boulder up a hill opposite to the dragon’s lair and shouted out to the monster. As the dragon emerged, jaws agape, the champion rolled the boulder down into its open maw, choking it before it could roast him with a jet of flame. Read More »
Knucker Of Lyminster
Lyminster has a dragon legend of which three different versions exist. The dragon was known as the Knucker and inhabited a supposedly bottomless pool known as the Knucker Hole and is situated just to the north of Lyminster. Read More »
La Hogue Bie
La Hogue Bie is a major Neolitic ritual site dating back to 3500BC and one of the best preserved cruciform passage graves in Europe. Its passage is twenty meters long and is covered by a 12.2 meter high earth mound. The mound istelf is 58 meters in diameter and covers an area of 2400 square meters. Read More »
Lake Bala
A drowned town is said to be underneath Bala lake. It is said that sounds from the town can sometimes be heard from the shore. The lake is also associated with a water dragon.
Directions: Bala is reached from the A494, the lake lies to the South East of the road.
Read More »The Lambton Worm and Penshaw Hill
Around the time of the crusades (in some accounts) in the area around the river Wear, there is a tale told about a fearsome dragon, which terrorised the area and was dispatched with cunning by a brave warrior. Read More »
The Linton Worm
During the twelfth century a worm lived in a hollow on the Northeast side of Linton Hill (called Worms Den today). Read More »
Loch Maree
Until the middle of the 18th century bulls were sacrificed on August 25th (St Maerlrubha’s Day) to dragons that dwelt in the lake. These may have been akin to the creatures still reported in other Scottish Lochs to this day.
Taken from an article by Richard Freeman.
The Longwitton Dragon
In a wood near to the town of Longwitton there are three wells reputed to have healing powers. The waters were used far and wide for healing purposes. Read More »
Manaton Dragon
A winged dragon made its lair in an old tin mine here. The dragon’s hissing was said to be audible for miles around. It was finally slain in the mine but history does not record by whom. The story was recorded by the late 18th century writer Polwhele.
Mordiford Wyvern
The story of the Mordiford wyvern is one of the most detailed dragon legends in Britain; it is also the one with the most variations, having no less than five. Read More »
Norton Fitzwarren Dragon
Here the Roman general Ostorius was said to have killed hundreds of ancient Britons. Over the centuries a dragon is said to have grown from the corruption of the rotting bodies (this spontaneous growth of creatures from rotting matter was a common belief in Medieval times). Read More »
Padstow Hobby Horse (Oss)
1st May - The festival starts at midnight in the early hours of Mayday. The actual Hobby Horse is a hoop covered with black material with an African mask, and a horses head with snapping jaws. A man stands inside the hoop and the procession parades around the town. The festival has ancient origins. Read More »
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