Cauld Lad of Hylton
Encyclopedia
The ruins of Hylton Castle
(in Sunderland, Northern England
) are reputed to be haunt
ed by the ghost
of a murder
ed stable boy Robert Skelton, known locally as the Cauld Lad of Hylton. The events are said to have taken place in the 16th or 17th century and there are several legend
s concerning the ghost's origins.
One story states that the stable boy was caught courting
Baron Hylton
's daughter, and was killed.
Another version says that the baron ordered that his horse be prepared for an important journey, but Skelton had overslept. There are several versions of what happened next. The enraged baron was said to have either
He was then reported to have disposed of the body in a deep pond, or an unused well
.
Several months later, the body was recovered. The baron was tried for Skelton's murder
, but had an alibi
. An old farm worker stated that the baron had ordered the boy to remove a tool from the top shelf in the barn, and the boy had fallen, seriously wounding himself in the process. The baron had tended to the wounds, but the boy had died. It is on record that Robert Hylton, 13th Baron Hylton was pardon
ed in 1609.
Soon afterwards, strange events began to occur in the castle
. The kitchen
would be tidied at night if left in a mess, or messed up if left tidy. An unseen person would take hot ashes from the fires, and lie on them, leaving an imprint of a body. Chamber pot
s were emptied on the floor.
After a while, a cook
stayed up until midnight
to see who was causing the mischief. He saw the ghost of a naked boy, and heard him crying "I'm cauld" ("I'm cold"). The cook and his wife left a warm cloak
for the ghost, and the next night they heard, "Here's a cloak and here's a hood, the Cauld Lad of Hylton will do no more good." The ghost disappeared and the strange occurrences ceased, though even now people claim to have heard the ghostly cries of the Cauld Lad.
The behaviour of the ghost suggests a poltergeist
. Other versions of the tale describe the Cauld Lad as an elf
, barghest
or brownie who is under a spell from which he can only be released by being given a gift. His mischief is intended to draw attention to himself in the hope that he will be saved. He sings the following song, which indicates how long he expects to be enchanted
:
This song is included in the tales where he is laid by the gift of clothing; as a prediction, the song is inaccurate.
According to Robert Surtees
, a local antiquarian, as well as haunting the castle, the Cauld Lad also appeared as a ferry
man on the North Hylton side of the River Wear
and would take passengers halfway across before disappearing and leaving them stranded. Even as late as the 1970s, long after the ghost was supposed to have been laid, local people claimed to have seen mysterious lights high up in the castle. This is despite the fact the upper floors in the castle had gone.
Joseph Jacobs
included this tale in English Fairy Tales; he noted that the ghost's behavior is similar to that of the elves in The Elves and the Shoemaker
, collected by the Brothers Grimm
. There is a fairy tale
titled The Cauld Lad of Hilton in the anthology Old Witch Boneyleg
by Ruth Manning-Sanders
.
A 36 pages Paperback book titled HYLTON CASTLE GHOST documenting an investigation in to the Cauld Lad haunting at Hylton Castle
was published in 1999 by Island Light Publishing ISBN-13: 978-1903151150. Written by the Paranormal Investigator Matthew P Hutton, the book is a firsthand account of an investigation conducted at the monument in 1989.
In July 2009 Mark McGann Mark McGann
, John Baxter and Ed Thomas from Drama Direct produced the world premier of 'The Cauld Lad of Hylton Castle' by Colin Swash at Monkwearmouth School. The young actors produced the performance in just one week and featured live scenes interspersed with scenes filmed inside the ruin of Hylton Castle itself.
Hylton Castle
Hylton Castle is a ruined stone castle in the North Hylton area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. Originally built from wood by the Hilton family shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was later rebuilt in stone in the late 14th to early 15th century...
(in Sunderland, Northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) are reputed to be haunt
HAUNT
HAUNT was a straightforward but engagingly irreverent text-based mainframe computer game. It was created in OPS4 language in 1979 by John E. Laird....
ed by the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
of a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed stable boy Robert Skelton, known locally as the Cauld Lad of Hylton. The events are said to have taken place in the 16th or 17th century and there are several 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...
s concerning the ghost's origins.
One story states that the stable boy was caught courting
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
Baron Hylton
Baron Hylton
Baron Hylton is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in the Peerage of England 1295 when Robert Hylton was summoned to the Model Parliament as Lord Hylton by writ. His son, Alexander, was called to...
's daughter, and was killed.
Another version says that the baron ordered that his horse be prepared for an important journey, but Skelton had overslept. There are several versions of what happened next. The enraged baron was said to have either
- decapitated the boy
- hit the boy on the back of the head with a riding crop, striking a spot that had been injured (and weakened) the day before, causing a fatal blow
- stabbed him with a nearby pitchfork.
He was then reported to have disposed of the body in a deep pond, or an unused well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
.
Several months later, the body was recovered. The baron was tried for Skelton's murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, but had an alibi
Alibi
Alibi is a 1929 American crime film directed by Roland West. The screenplay was written by West and C. Gardner Sullivan, who adapted the 1927 Broadway stage play, Nightstick, written by Elaine Sterne Carrington, J.C...
. An old farm worker stated that the baron had ordered the boy to remove a tool from the top shelf in the barn, and the boy had fallen, seriously wounding himself in the process. The baron had tended to the wounds, but the boy had died. It is on record that Robert Hylton, 13th Baron Hylton was pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
ed in 1609.
Soon afterwards, strange events began to occur in the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. The kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
would be tidied at night if left in a mess, or messed up if left tidy. An unseen person would take hot ashes from the fires, and lie on them, leaving an imprint of a body. Chamber pot
Chamber pot
A chamber pot is a bowl-shaped container with a handle, and often a lid, kept in the bedroom under a bed or in the cabinet of a nightstand and...
s were emptied on the floor.
After a while, a cook
Cook (profession)
A cook is a person who prepares food for consumption. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Canada this profession requires government approval ....
stayed up until midnight
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
to see who was causing the mischief. He saw the ghost of a naked boy, and heard him crying "I'm cauld" ("I'm cold"). The cook and his wife left a warm cloak
Cloak
A cloak is a type of loose garment that is worn over indoor clothing and serves the same purpose as an overcoat; it protects the wearer from the cold, rain or wind for example, or it may form part of a fashionable outfit or uniform. Cloaks are as old as human history; there has nearly always been...
for the ghost, and the next night they heard, "Here's a cloak and here's a hood, the Cauld Lad of Hylton will do no more good." The ghost disappeared and the strange occurrences ceased, though even now people claim to have heard the ghostly cries of the Cauld Lad.
The behaviour of the ghost suggests a poltergeist
Poltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
. Other versions of the tale describe the Cauld Lad as an elf
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
, barghest
Barghest
Barghest, Bargtjest, Bo-guest, Bargheist, Bargeist, Barguist, Bargest or Barguest is the name often given in the north of England, especially in Yorkshire, to a legendary monstrous black dog with huge teeth and claws, though in other cases the name can refer to a ghost or Household elf, especially...
or brownie who is under a spell from which he can only be released by being given a gift. His mischief is intended to draw attention to himself in the hope that he will be saved. He sings the following song, which indicates how long he expects to be enchanted
Incantation
An incantation or enchantment is a charm or spell created using words. An incantation may take place during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer, and may invoke or praise a deity. In magic, occultism, witchcraft it may be used with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person...
:
- "Wae's me, wae's me, (= WoeWoeWoe may refer to:*Sadness or suffering*Woe, Ghana, a town in Ghana's Volta region*Woe , by the band Say Anything*Woe, Is Me, a band from Atlanta*War of Emperium, a guild war in the MMORPG Ragnarok Online...
is me, woe is me,) - The acornAcornThe acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
's not yet fallen from the tree, - That's to grow the wood,
- That's to make the cradleCradleCradle may refer to:Mechanical devices:*Bassinet, a small bed, often on rockers, in which babies and small children sleep* Ship cradle, supports a ship that is dry docked...
, - That's to rock the bairn (= That will rock the baby),
- That's to grow to the man
- That's to lay me!" (= That will exorcise me!)
This song is included in the tales where he is laid by the gift of clothing; as a prediction, the song is inaccurate.
According to Robert Surtees
Robert Surtees (antiquarian)
Robert Surtees was a celebrated English historian and antiquary of his native County Durham. Surtees was born in Durham, and educated at Kepier School, Houghton-le-Spring, and later at Christ Church, Oxford. Although a student of law he never practised as a lawyer...
, a local antiquarian, as well as haunting the castle, the Cauld Lad also appeared as a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
man on the North Hylton side of the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
and would take passengers halfway across before disappearing and leaving them stranded. Even as late as the 1970s, long after the ghost was supposed to have been laid, local people claimed to have seen mysterious lights high up in the castle. This is despite the fact the upper floors in the castle had gone.
Joseph Jacobs
Joseph Jacobs
Joseph Jacobs was a folklorist, literary critic and historian. His works included contributions to the Jewish Encyclopaedia, translations of European works, and critical editions of early English literature...
included this tale in English Fairy Tales; he noted that the ghost's behavior is similar to that of the elves in The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Elves and the Cobbler or The Shoemaker and the Elves is an often copied and re-made story about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves....
, collected by the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
. There is a fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
titled The Cauld Lad of Hilton in the anthology Old Witch Boneyleg
Old Witch Boneyleg
Old Witch Boneyleg is a 1978 anthology of 13 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders. This is a companion volume to The Haunted Castle...
by Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders was a prolific British poet and author who was perhaps best known for her series of children's books in which she collected and retold fairy tales from all over the world. All told, she published more than 90 books during her lifetime. The dust jacket for A Book of Giants...
.
A 36 pages Paperback book titled HYLTON CASTLE GHOST documenting an investigation in to the Cauld Lad haunting at Hylton Castle
Hylton Castle
Hylton Castle is a ruined stone castle in the North Hylton area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. Originally built from wood by the Hilton family shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was later rebuilt in stone in the late 14th to early 15th century...
was published in 1999 by Island Light Publishing ISBN-13: 978-1903151150. Written by the Paranormal Investigator Matthew P Hutton, the book is a firsthand account of an investigation conducted at the monument in 1989.
In July 2009 Mark McGann Mark McGann
Mark McGann
Mark McGann is an English actor, director and musician.- Acting career :McGann first appeared on stage in 1981 in the production Lennon at the Everyman Theatre and the London Astoria where he portrayed John Lennon, role which won him the first of his two Olivier Award nominations for best actor in...
, John Baxter and Ed Thomas from Drama Direct produced the world premier of 'The Cauld Lad of Hylton Castle' by Colin Swash at Monkwearmouth School. The young actors produced the performance in just one week and featured live scenes interspersed with scenes filmed inside the ruin of Hylton Castle itself.