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I am always of the belief that there is no smoke without fire. So when I came across this bizarre legend, I just had to investigate.
During the 8th Century, Britain was invaded by Vikings, coming from Scandinavian settlements around Sweden, Norway and Denmark. They would use longboats to make the journey across the North Sea where they would land on beaches and invade the local area. These longboats were also specially designed to be able to sail in water less than a meter deep, meaning sails could he lowered, and the men could row up rivers - this was much better for getting to places inland.
These Vikings were feared, especially up the North East coast of England. The most famous invasion occurred on the small tidal island of Lindisfarne, known as Holy Island where a monk monastery was situated. The invasion was so brutal, that monks were used as target practice, and one legend states that some were skinned alive, with their skin folded up and nailed to the monastery door as a warning. The skinned individuals was kept alive and tortured. Local women were raped and abused, and religious figures were slaughtered. Lindisfarne has its own ghostly legends, and we will be bringing you that in a video later in the year.
The Vikings weren’t always brutal. In later years, invasions and pillaging stopped and trade agreements with communities were established, meaning a much less hostile relationship.
But Tyneside has its own legends. It is well known that Viking longboats used the River Tyne as a route inland. There are stories from towns a villages up the Tyne valley of Vikings living there, marrying local women and starting Viking bloodlines. It’s possible that many people aroun here do have some link in their distant family line to Vikings.
There is a legend in Jarrow that a Viking longboat is buried somewhere underneath the town. Jarrow wasn’t a random place for the Vikings to target - there was a monastery here, and it was also the home of St Bede. The site of this Monastry is now built into the church of Paul. The reason for this Viking boat to be buried under here is unknown, but stories do exist in the area that a group of locals ambushed the invaders. By inviting the men into their small village and offering them food and alcohol, these Norsemen were soon drunk and asleep, allowing a massacre to take place.
A similar story exists on the town of Whickham, further up the River Tyne. Whether this ever happened, is a mystery for now.
But locals of the town of Boldon have reported seeing the ghost of a Viking. In the video, I have documented some of these sightings and visited the spot where they were said to have taken place...and that spot is by a narrow stream, which is part of the River Don, a tributary that flows into the River Tyne at...Jarrow.
This River was once a lot deeper ad much wider. Is it possible that a boat once sailed up here? Is it possible that that boat is still here, and this was the site of a bloody massacre? And what did a group of workmen really find when they dug a sewer for a nearby housing estate in the last century?
Visit Jarrow
Jarrow is located up river from South Shields, which is where the River Tyne enters the North Sea.
The area of St Paul’s is located at:
Church Bank,
Jarrow,
NE32 3DY
The River Don flows past the church, and it is very likely that the longboat did go up the river, to this point at least.
To see the site where the Viking ghost has been seen, and where rumours of the boat being buried, it is very close to Brockley Whins Metro station. If you come out of the Metro station but go to the side opposite the housing estate, you will see a big open area of grass and a small stream. This is the location I have been told the sightings occur.
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