THIRLWALL CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

THE CASTLE AND THE CAT

BY

BARRY VAN-ASTEN

 

 

Whilst walking the Hadrian's Wall Path in Northumbria the crumbling edifice of Thirlwall Castle looms into view near the village of Greenhead, alongside the River Tipalt and it has a spooky connection! Thirlwall Castle dates from the 12th century and later on stones from Hadrian's Wall were used to strengthen the fortifications. It was the home of the Thirwall family and the castle fell into disrepair sometime in the seventeenth century. The last of the Thirwalls to live there was Eleanor Thirlwall who married in 1738 and abandoned the castle. Walking around the old stone walls and what is left of the towers one certainly gets a sense of its imposing position on the hillside and there is definitely an eerie feeling around the remains. The legend says that it is haunted by a malevolent and hideous dwarf and according to the first volume of the 'Local Historian's Table Book' (1843):

‘A baron of Thirlwall castle returned from a continental war laden with abundance of treasure, amongst which was a table of solid gold. The gold table, it was furthermore said, was guarded day and night by a hideous dwarf, represented by many to be the foul fiend himself. In a predatory excursion of the Scots, however, the castle was stormed and taken by night, and the baron and his retainers after a desperate resistance were slain. The castle was ransacked for the treasure, the room containing it, was forcibly entered, but dwarf – gold table – and money bags had disappeared. They searched dungeon and vault, but nothing could be found, so after setting fire to the castle they departed. The dwarf (according to tradition) during the heat of the engagement removed the treasure, and after throwing it into a deep well jumped in after it, and by his infernal power closed the top of the well over himself and his charge.’

On my way around the castle I did not see any evil dwarfs but there is the sense of being watched, especially late in the evening when nobody is about and the clouds are brooding ominously overhead and the bats are starting to swoop over one’s head.

Sometime around 1793 it is said that a local farmer ploughing nearby came across the legendary well and that night returned to the sight with the intention of investigating further but to his dismay the well was nowhere to be found and has never been found again!

As I left the remains of the castle I crossed the little footbridge over the River Tibalt and suddenly came upon a magnificent black cat sitting on a gate post like some sentinel – it is a witch’s cat I thought, come to aid or hinder the wayfarer on the path. I had enough sensitivity to recognise a fellow nature spirit and greeted her accordingly with an open heart and she in turn was very affectionate and I returned the affection only to have her follow me half way up the steep pathway which curves around a line of trees; she bounded and watched and bounded and watched again as I waved her goodbye and I thought it would be a good omen of protection along the walk, alas it proved otherwise – not only had I upset the Roman Gods I had upset the spirit of the castle who defends it against intruders and the actions of the profane. The cat’s curse later came into being when descending the mighty hills on which Hadrian’s Wall clings; there were several slips and falls as night closed in and the rain began to hammer down and after many miles of following stone walls by torchlight towards Haltwhistle, the way was lost! It was thanks to a friendly man in a secluded farmhouse that the way was regained and two path-walking souls survived the curse of the castle and the cat!