Dragon Legends of Olde England

By Debbie Brewer

There are many references to be found in old English history, of dangerous dragons and heroic knights, saving maidens and villagers from death and destruction. These ancient folklores and legends are drawn from across the length and breadth of the country. The fascinating descriptions of each of these ferocious animals are truly startling from their curious and terrifying appearances, to their inherent, and sometimes magical abilities. They are among the first of the ancient mythical creatures and are often referred to as beasts, monsters, demons and serpents. Such enchanting tales have been passed down over thousands of years, depicted in cave paintings, rock art, manuscripts, documents, paintings and sculptures, and preserved for the wonderment of all. Some tales have much detail and evidence attached to them, whereas for some, the details are scarce. Enjoy this comprehensive captivating catalogue of fascinating dragon legends of old England.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9780244508999

Book preview

Dragon Legends of Olde England

Dragon Legends of Olde England

written by

Debbie Brewer

Artwork by

Solomandra

Copyright © 2019 Debbie Brewer

First published in August 2019 by Lulu.com

Distributed by Lulu.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording. Nor may it be stored in a retrieval system , transmitted or otherwise be copied for public or private use, other than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews, without prior written permission of the author.

ISBN-13: 978-0-244-50899-9

First Edition

Contents

Foreword

Wyvern Dragons

Wyrm (or Worm) Dragon

Bisterne Dragon

Blue Ben Dragon of Kilve

Merlin’s Red and White Dragons

Dragon of Faygate

Green Dragon of Mordiford

Kellington Dragon

Dragon of Loschy Hill (Nunnington Dragon)

St Leonard’s Forest Dragon

Dolbury Dragon

Bignor Hill Dragon

Farnworth Dragon

Dragon of Helston

The Dragon and Beowulf

Wievliscombe Dragon

Dragon of Churchstanton

Dragon of Walmsgate (Worms Gay Dragon)

Dragon of Aller

Challacombe Dragons

Castle Neroche Dragon

Cawthorn Dragon

Dragon of Low Ham

South Barrule Dragon

Bilsdale Dragon

Lambton Worm

Fittleworth Wyrm

Sexhow Worm

Dragon of Wharncliffe Crags (Dragon of Wantley)

Laidly Worm

Dragon of Moston

Whitby Wyrm

Dragon of Buslingthorpe

Sockburn Worm

Linton Worm (Dragon of Wyrmiston)

Dragon of Well

Longwitton Dragon

Deerhurst Wyrm

Slingsby Serpent

Christchurch Dragon

Knucker

Henham Dragon (Dragon of Essex)

Handale Worm

Leicester Dragon

Bishop Jocelyn’s Wyrm (Dragon of Dinder)

Wormingford Dragon (Bures Dragon)

Castleman’s Hill Dragon

Cissbury Ring Dragons

Uffington Dragon

Dragon of Anwick

Kinver Edge Dragon

Earl’s Hill and Pontesford Hill Dragon

East Horndon Dragon

Dragon of Bures

Dragon of St Osyth

Carhampton Dragon

Dragon of Wormenhert

Brent Pelham Dragon

Unsworth Dragon

West Clandon Dragon

Runcorn Dragon (Cuerdley Dragon)

Dragon of Padstow

Winkleigh Dragons

Berkhamstead Dragon

Dragon of Castle Carlton

Dragon of Kingston St Mary

Gurt Wyrm

Gunnarton Fell Wyrm

Dragons of Little Cornard

Brinsop Dragon

Dragon of Norton Fitzwarren

Sudbury Dragon

Dragon of Ludham

Orford Sea Dragon

Dragon of Crowcombe

Dragon of Manaton

Dragon of Filey

Dragons of Tynemouth Priory

George And The Dragon

References

Connect With The Author

Foreword

There are many references to be found in old English history, of dangerous dragons and heroic knights, saving maidens and villagers from death and destruction. These ancient folklores and legends are drawn from across the length and breadth of the country.

The fascinating descriptions of each of these ferocious animals are truly startling from their curious and terrifying appearances, to their inherent, and sometimes magical abilities. They are among the first of the ancient mythical creatures and are often referred to as beasts, monsters, demons and serpents.

Such enchanting tales have been passed down over thousands of years, depicted in cave paintings, rock art, manuscripts, documents, paintings and sculptures, and preserved for the wonderment of all. Some tales have much detail and evidence attached to them, whereas for some, the details are scarce.

Enjoy this comprehensive captivating catalogue of fascinating dragon legends of old England.

Wyvern and Wyrm Dragons

Dragons exist in so many cultures, with varying descriptions. In English folklore, there are two main types of dragon; the Wyvern and the Wyrm, although there are a few accounts of others, such as the Griffin, the Cockatrice and the Gwiber.

Wyvern

A Wyvern Dragon is usually a two legged dangerous, dragon, with scales, bat wings and a barbed tail with a diamond or arrow shaped tip. It is sometimes thought to have two venomous fangs, and unlike some dragons, is unable to speak. It is also sometimes said to have eagle claws on its wing tips, and horns on its head.

The name Wyvern comes from the Saxon word, ‘wivere’, which means ‘serpent’.

It has a sea-dwelling cousin, the sea-Wyvern, which has a fishtail.

In some schools of thought, the Wyvern may not even be considered a dragon, as it only has two legs instead of the popular four, but it is mostly accepted as of the dragon species.

The Wyvern Flag of Wessex

The Wyverns are most commonly found in medieval heraldry and many myths surround them.

The death scene of King Harold II in the original Bayeux Tapestry

The Wyvern Flag of Wessex, is similar to the dragon shaped flag in the death scene of King Harold II in the original Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Wyrm (or Worm)

The Wyrm (or Worm) is a type of dragon that usually does not have legs, but resembles a serpent with a fierce dragons head and poisonous blood.

They tend to be very slim and very long. They are less likely to breathe fire, but can usually spit venom and blow poisonous gases, which can lay waste entire fields.

According to legends, as well as their carnivorous appetite, they are also often placated with milk.

Both the Wyrm and the Wyvern are considered to be dangerous carnivorous animals, feeding on livestock and humans.

They will often have a hoard of treasure, gold and precious stones which they will guard in a den or a lair, where they will live in seclusion, often in a hill, cave, under a castle or other large construction, or, in the case of the Wyrm, even in ancient water wells.

Bisterne Dragon

The Bisterne Dragon was a huge green Wyvern, and legend says that it’s secluded den was at the top of Burley Beacon in the New Forest in the 15th century.

Early every morning, it would emerge, beating its great clawed bat wings and would fly to Bisterne where it would terrorise the poor villagers and eat the livestock.

After weeks of terror, the villagers realised they could placate the ferocious dragon by supplying it with large quantities of milk, which they would leave for it at the edge of the forest, in a large trough, just outside the village.

But as time went by, the immense amount of milk required by the creature to keep it tamed was leaving the village poverty stricken.

Eventually, the frightened villagers came to the conclusion that the fearsome dragon must be slayed, and they turned to the Lord Mayor of the village.

The valiant knight, Sir Maurice de Berkeley, Lord Mayor of Bisterne, created a plan.

He built a hide, concealed in the undergrowth of the local forest, and proceeded to patiently lay in wait with his two faithful hounds, Grim and Holdfast.

He’d covered his shining armour with powdered glass to stop the vicious dragon biting him.

When the awful monster came for its daily supply of milk, the excited hounds immediately attacked it, and the brave Knight was able to leap out of the hide and attack the savage dragon by surprise, wounding the beast.

But the evil creature soon rallied. The courageous hounds fought hard, but eventually they succumbed to deadly injuries inflicted upon them and they were killed.

The enduring battle was said to have raged through the leafy forest and into a green field, now called Dragon Field, until Sir Berkeley eventually triumphed, inflicting a fatal arrow strike through the dragons heart.

The heinous beast died outside the pretty village of Lyndhurst, where it’s huge lifeless body turned into a small hill, known locally as Boltons Bench.

The valiant Knight, Sir Berkeley was mentally broken by the bloody battle, it having raged for so long, and he was left exhausted and injured. After thirty days and nights of decaying health, he went back to the hill that had been the dragons body, Boltons Bench, and after dragging his moribund body to the top, he died there, alone.

They say, his trusted bow, made of yew wood, fell on the grassy ground beside him, and grew into a fine yew tree, which is still there to be seen today.

The two faithful hounds, Grim and Holdfast, can be seen immortalised in the stonework of Bisterne Manor.

One account of the slaying of the Bisterne Dragon was documented in records