{"id":2461,"date":"2017-07-10T07:28:55","date_gmt":"2017-07-10T07:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reed-ne.webspace.durham.ac.uk\/?page_id=2461"},"modified":"2017-11-03T18:11:14","modified_gmt":"2017-11-03T18:11:14","slug":"the-oldest-traditions-legends-rituals-and-plays","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reed-ne.webspace.durham.ac.uk\/?page_id=2461","title":{"rendered":"The Oldest Traditions: Legends, Rituals and Plays"},"content":{"rendered":"
Dramatic Traditions in the North East<\/a> | Faith and Community –><\/a><\/div>\n
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Worms<\/h2>\n

Worms \u2013 serpents or dragons \u2013 were defeated heroically, not only by St George, but in legends of local families. Lord Lambton overcame the Lambton Worm<\/a> \u2013 a feat later celebrated in a local music hall song – and Sir John Conyers slew the Sockburn Worm<\/a> with his falchion \u2013 the very one, legend has it, that still belongs to Durham Cathedral.<\/p>\n

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The Lambton Worm<\/h3>\n

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\nLocation:<\/strong> River Wear
\nDistinguishing features:<\/strong> Great big goggly eyes
\nHow to kill it:<\/strong> Armoured spikes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Lambton Worm is today the best-known of the Durham dragons. However, the story seems to have gained real popularity only during the first few decades of the 19th\u00a0<\/sup>century; during the late medieval and Early Modern periods the Sockburn Worm reigned supreme.
\nFind out more<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Sockburn Worm<\/h3>\n

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\nLocation:<\/strong> River Tees
\nDistinguishing features:<\/strong> Foul breath
\nHow to kill it:<\/strong> Falchion<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A young knight named Sir. John Conyers fought to save his lands from a great dragon who had haunted the region for seven years. After offering his prayers at a nearby chapel, Sir John slew the foul-breathed serpent with his trusty falchion, letting its decimated body rest in the River Tees. He buried what was left of the beast under the great \u2018Grey Stone\u2019 still visible today, and received the lands of Sockburn for his efforts from the Bishop of Durham.
\nFind out more<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Linton Worm<\/h3>\n

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\nLocation:<\/strong> Scottish Borders
\nDistinguishing features:<\/strong> Coloured like an adder
\nHow to kill it:<\/strong> Long lance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A mythical beastie whose legend apparently dates from along the Scottish border as far back as the 12th century. The Linton Worm first makes an appearance in a Scots legend in which the writer describes the mythical serpent or dragon as being “In length three Scots yards bigger than an ordinary man\u2019s leg \u2013 in form and callour [colour] to our common muir edders [moor adders].”
\nFind out more<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Over the centuries, worms and dragons have continued to feature in local lore and performance. Listen to some of these stories in this podcast by John McKinnell.
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