150/365: The Dragon of Wantley

Years ago, when I was a nipper, I was walking over Wharncliffe Chase with my family and Grandma told me about the Dragon of Wantley - a ferocious beast that once stalked there - destroying everything in its path. It ate children and cattle whole, and laid a village to waste. A brave knight eventually killed the mean old nasty dragon and there was much rejoicing... yay! 

As we approached the dead old tree in the picture she told me that it was all that remained of the dragon. I forgot all about it until years later, when I was much older, and I was walking up here again and it all started to come back to me and then there it was... the dead old dragon tree. I honestly wondered if I had dreamed what Grandma had told me.

About 10 years ago I was really into geocaching and someone set a series up here, all about a dragon and when I looked into it (thanks to internet!) I found that what my grandma had told me was true. Not literally of course! The dragon was in fact George Talbot, the Lord of the Manor of Sheffield, who misappropriated money put aside for the poor. He was taken to court by George More (the brave Knight) on behalf of the 'free men' of Sheffield. The tale was subsequently turned into a comic ballad. There are actually 2 different versions of the ballad. A clean version and a much more Chaucer-like bawdy version... I prefer the latter :)

I love Wharncliffe and the wonderful legend. And I was glad to see that the dead old dragon tree is still going strong. It *does* look more dragon-like in real life... honestly!