Jingling Geordie's Hole
Encyclopedia
Jingling Geordie's Hole is a cave that has inspired a legend
in Tynemouth
, England
.
The cave is between King Edward's Bay and Tynemouth Castle. It was originally known as "Jingling Man's Hole", the "Geordie" being a later addition. The cave is between King Edward's Bay and Tynemouth Castle. It was originally known as "Jingling Man's Hole", the "Geordie" being a later addition.
Jingling Geordie is reputed to have been a 17th century pirate and smuggler who used the cave as a lookout for incoming ships. This gave him advance opportunity to lie in wait at the nearby Black Middens where he would lure the ships onto the rocks with lanterns placed to look like boats waiting safely at anchor. He would then plunder the strewn cargoes and hide his booty away in a labyrinth of tunnels running beneath the Castle. Legend has it that Jingling Geordie still had fetters fixed around his legs and the chains rattled everywhere he went. Supposedly the jingle can still be heard on some evenings around the castle walls as his ghost stalks the cliffs keeping a watch over the headland.
Jingling Geordie’s Cave can be described as follows: Tynemouth Castle lies perched on a promontory surrounded on three sides by cliffs which drop for about 100 ft to the sea below. The cliffs on the south side mark the uppermost point of the mouth of the River Tyne and slope at the bottom into a little beach called the Priors' Haven. The north cliffs overlook a small sandy bay which stretches for about 300 yards. Carved into these cliffs, about half-way up, is a perfectly rectangular window that looks out across the bay and gives a wide view of the North Sea. The window is about 5ft high by 3ft wide.
To get down to this lookout point you must crawl down a steep zigzag path about a foot wide. Once you reach the entrance of the cave you find yourself in a narrow gap between the cliff on your left and part of the castle wall which stretches upwards for about 60 feet to the walkway above. It is in this wall that the window is cut, while on the other side there is a very small hole which was formerly the tunnel entrance but was blocked off some years ago to stop people venturing down there. All that is left is a slit about a foot long and a couple of inches wide. A torch can be shone down this hole but it’s impossible to really make anything out.
The legend says that the cave conceals a fabulous amount of treasure. This inspired a further legend that a boy named Walter went to look for the treasure when his mother told him the story. He resolved to make the finding of the treasure his "quest" as part of his knighthood. He began the quest on the Eve of St John (24 June, traditionally the day before Midsummer
).
Sir Walter entered the cave and ignored the spectre and dragon
that attempted to distract him. He discovered a gateway with a bugle
hanging from a golden cord. He blew the bugle three times, which caused the doors of the gateway to open to reveal a large and brightly-lit hall. The hall was supported by pillars of jasper
and crystal
, with gold lamps illuminating piles of gold and gems. The treasures were removed by Sir Walter and he became a wealthy landowner, called "the Lord of a Hundred Castles".
The legend is mentioned in a folk song, which ends with the lines
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
in Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The cave is between King Edward's Bay and Tynemouth Castle. It was originally known as "Jingling Man's Hole", the "Geordie" being a later addition. The cave is between King Edward's Bay and Tynemouth Castle. It was originally known as "Jingling Man's Hole", the "Geordie" being a later addition.
Jingling Geordie is reputed to have been a 17th century pirate and smuggler who used the cave as a lookout for incoming ships. This gave him advance opportunity to lie in wait at the nearby Black Middens where he would lure the ships onto the rocks with lanterns placed to look like boats waiting safely at anchor. He would then plunder the strewn cargoes and hide his booty away in a labyrinth of tunnels running beneath the Castle. Legend has it that Jingling Geordie still had fetters fixed around his legs and the chains rattled everywhere he went. Supposedly the jingle can still be heard on some evenings around the castle walls as his ghost stalks the cliffs keeping a watch over the headland.
Jingling Geordie’s Cave can be described as follows: Tynemouth Castle lies perched on a promontory surrounded on three sides by cliffs which drop for about 100 ft to the sea below. The cliffs on the south side mark the uppermost point of the mouth of the River Tyne and slope at the bottom into a little beach called the Priors' Haven. The north cliffs overlook a small sandy bay which stretches for about 300 yards. Carved into these cliffs, about half-way up, is a perfectly rectangular window that looks out across the bay and gives a wide view of the North Sea. The window is about 5ft high by 3ft wide.
To get down to this lookout point you must crawl down a steep zigzag path about a foot wide. Once you reach the entrance of the cave you find yourself in a narrow gap between the cliff on your left and part of the castle wall which stretches upwards for about 60 feet to the walkway above. It is in this wall that the window is cut, while on the other side there is a very small hole which was formerly the tunnel entrance but was blocked off some years ago to stop people venturing down there. All that is left is a slit about a foot long and a couple of inches wide. A torch can be shone down this hole but it’s impossible to really make anything out.
The legend says that the cave conceals a fabulous amount of treasure. This inspired a further legend that a boy named Walter went to look for the treasure when his mother told him the story. He resolved to make the finding of the treasure his "quest" as part of his knighthood. He began the quest on the Eve of St John (24 June, traditionally the day before Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
).
Sir Walter entered the cave and ignored the spectre and dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
that attempted to distract him. He discovered a gateway with a bugle
Bugle (instrument)
The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments, having no valves or other pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure, since the bugle has no other mechanism for controlling pitch. Consequently, the bugle is limited to notes within the harmonic series...
hanging from a golden cord. He blew the bugle three times, which caused the doors of the gateway to open to reveal a large and brightly-lit hall. The hall was supported by pillars of jasper
Jasper
Jasper, a form of chalcedony, is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color; and rarely blue. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for...
and crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
, with gold lamps illuminating piles of gold and gems. The treasures were removed by Sir Walter and he became a wealthy landowner, called "the Lord of a Hundred Castles".
The legend is mentioned in a folk song, which ends with the lines
-
-
-
- Gold heaped upon gold, and emeralds green
- And diamonds and rubies, and sapphires untold
- Rewarded the courage of Walter the Bold.
-
-
Further reading
- Watson, Ian The Fire Worm Gollancz, London 1988. ISBN 0-575-04300-8. Fictional science fiction/fantasy work based upon the legend of the Jingling Geordie's Hole.