Worm of Linton
Encyclopedia
The Linton Worm is a mythical beast referred to in a Scottish
borders legend
dating back to the 12th century. "Wyrm" is the Old English for serpent
. A 12th century writer believed it to be "In length three Scots yards and bigger than an ordinary man’s leg - in form and callour to our common muir edders." The myth is similar to that of the more famous Lambton Worm
.
The monster lived in a hollow on the northeast side of Linton Hill, a spot still known as the "Worm’s Den", in Roxburghshire
on the Scottish borders. Emerging from its lair at dusk and dawn to ravage the countryside, eating crops, livestock and people, it proved invulnerable to the weapons ranged against it. The surrounding area became ruined by the beast's predations.
The news reached the ears of one (William or John) de Somerville
, the Laird of Lariston a man of reckless courage who was in the South at that time. He came to the nearby village of Jedburgh
and heard the lurid tales of the locals. Observing the beast himself he saw that the creature would open its mouth wide to swallow anything in its path but when faced with something too large to eat would remain still, with its mouth open. Sensing an opportunity he went to a local blacksmith
and had him forge an iron covered spear with wheel at its tip which could impale a hunk of peat
tipped in tar
and brimstone. He practised riding with the burning spear to accustom his horse to the smoke.
He approached the worm's hideout with his servant at dawn. He knew that sitting on his horse he would prove too large for the creature to swallow. As if at a joust
, he attacked it, plunging his burning lance into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat, mortally wounding it.
The writhing death throes of the Linton Worm supposedly created the curious topography
of the hills of the region, an area that came to be known as "wormington". The animal retreated to its lair to die, its thrashing tail bringing down the mountain around it and burying it forever.
The legend states that his heroism was memorialised with a carved stone at Linton Kirk. He was made Royal Falconer
, knighted and made "First Barrone" of Linton. The crest of the Somervilles was a wyvern
(heraldic dragon) perched on a wheel.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
borders legend
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...
dating back to the 12th century. "Wyrm" is the Old English for serpent
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
. A 12th century writer believed it to be "In length three Scots yards and bigger than an ordinary man’s leg - in form and callour to our common muir edders." The myth is similar to that of the more famous Lambton Worm
Lambton Worm
The Lambton Worm is a legend from North East England in the UK. The story takes place around the River Wear, and is one of the area's most famous pieces of folklore, having been adapted from written and oral tradition into pantomime and song formats....
.
The monster lived in a hollow on the northeast side of Linton Hill, a spot still known as the "Worm’s Den", in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
on the Scottish borders. Emerging from its lair at dusk and dawn to ravage the countryside, eating crops, livestock and people, it proved invulnerable to the weapons ranged against it. The surrounding area became ruined by the beast's predations.
The news reached the ears of one (William or John) de Somerville
Lord Somerville
Lord Somerville was a title in the Peerage of Scotland which is subject to a number of ambiguities. The date of creation is not known with certainty but it was probably created about 1435 for Thomas Somerville, Justiciar of Scotland...
, the Laird of Lariston a man of reckless courage who was in the South at that time. He came to the nearby village of Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
and heard the lurid tales of the locals. Observing the beast himself he saw that the creature would open its mouth wide to swallow anything in its path but when faced with something too large to eat would remain still, with its mouth open. Sensing an opportunity he went to a local blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and had him forge an iron covered spear with wheel at its tip which could impale a hunk of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
tipped in tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
and brimstone. He practised riding with the burning spear to accustom his horse to the smoke.
He approached the worm's hideout with his servant at dawn. He knew that sitting on his horse he would prove too large for the creature to swallow. As if at a joust
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
, he attacked it, plunging his burning lance into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat, mortally wounding it.
The writhing death throes of the Linton Worm supposedly created the curious topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
of the hills of the region, an area that came to be known as "wormington". The animal retreated to its lair to die, its thrashing tail bringing down the mountain around it and burying it forever.
The legend states that his heroism was memorialised with a carved stone at Linton Kirk. He was made Royal Falconer
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
, knighted and made "First Barrone" of Linton. The crest of the Somervilles was a wyvern
Wyvern
A wyvern or wivern is a legendary winged reptilian creature with a dragon's head, two legs , and a barbed tail. The wyvern is found in heraldry. There exists a purely sea-dwelling variant, termed the Sea-Wyvern which has a fish tail in place of a barbed dragon's tail...
(heraldic dragon) perched on a wheel.