The Orford Merman
- By Joseph Adkins
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- 10 Jan, 2017
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Historical mysteries today- smells like fish.
Well, Sarah and I have been talking and (short of actually getting something to solve) we thought we would like to share with you our favourite mysteries. The only rule we have come up with is THEY MUST REMAIN UNSOLVED TO THIS DAY.
Here's one of our all time favourites- introduced to us by Miss Chambers in a divergent history lesson.
So there's this well respected Chronicler called Ralph of Coggeshall, he must have been the Samuel Pepys of his day, and in 1197 Ralph writes about this wild man or merman. He was fished up in the nets of local fishermen in the Suffolk town of Orford in around 1167. The man was naked but covered in hair, he did not speak. He was taken to the town's pretty impressive castle, where he was kept a prisoner for 6 months, existing on a diet of raw fish. He was tortured by his gaolers but did not utter a word the whole time.
Eventually, someone got slack with security and the hairy merman was able to escape back into the ocean. He was never seen again, nor has any other sighting ever taken place in the area. Several churches in Suffolk have carvings which are claimed to depict the ocean going biped, but that's all that's left. A total mystery.
So, short of a new species being discovered, we can be fairly sure that mermen don't exist. But what type of person or beast could it have been? A bear washed up from a trading vessel? A fish loving monkey?
Deffo weird.
Here's one of our all time favourites- introduced to us by Miss Chambers in a divergent history lesson.
So there's this well respected Chronicler called Ralph of Coggeshall, he must have been the Samuel Pepys of his day, and in 1197 Ralph writes about this wild man or merman. He was fished up in the nets of local fishermen in the Suffolk town of Orford in around 1167. The man was naked but covered in hair, he did not speak. He was taken to the town's pretty impressive castle, where he was kept a prisoner for 6 months, existing on a diet of raw fish. He was tortured by his gaolers but did not utter a word the whole time.
Eventually, someone got slack with security and the hairy merman was able to escape back into the ocean. He was never seen again, nor has any other sighting ever taken place in the area. Several churches in Suffolk have carvings which are claimed to depict the ocean going biped, but that's all that's left. A total mystery.
So, short of a new species being discovered, we can be fairly sure that mermen don't exist. But what type of person or beast could it have been? A bear washed up from a trading vessel? A fish loving monkey?
Deffo weird.
Look, we've been pretty quiet for a very long time now. But don't think its because we got bored! No, something crazy happened and we're kind of now just at the end of it. Watch this space for more info, when we get the all-clear to write about it!
This is a bit more recent this one. Back in 2007, park rangers in a remote area of Chile, South America, made a chilling discovery on one of their routine patrols. An enormous mountain lake, in a region named March, had simply disappeared. Dried up. Gone. All that was left was the iceberg, which was normally submerged beneath the icy waters of the lake.
There are several accounts of lakes 'disappearing' due to cracks or fissures opening up on the lake bed, allowing the water to drain away, into underground streams and rivers. But that's a lot of water- right? You would think that maybe a village lower down the mountain might get flooded maybe? Or a river might become swollen? Apparently, there were reports of earthquakes in the area earlier that year, and the landscape is constantly changing.
Sarah and I have found many accounts of lakes being drained unexpectedly by UFOs, seeking to drain the world of it's natural resources and consume our energy. Could this lake have literally been plundered by extra-terrestrial bandits searching out our planet's h2o? This one needs further investigating.
Another thing that stood out (for Sarah) is that it bears a similarity to one of our favourite books- one with a disappearing lake. Louis Sachar's 'Holes' is set on the flatlands of a dried up lake in the USA. Camp Greenlake is a boot camp for young offenders. Each day, the evil Warden sets them to work digging holes on the lake, secretly getting the boys to do her dirty work- digging for buried treasure.
Maybe there is something big lost in one of these mountain lakes- maybe visitors are looking for it, or them!
There are several accounts of lakes 'disappearing' due to cracks or fissures opening up on the lake bed, allowing the water to drain away, into underground streams and rivers. But that's a lot of water- right? You would think that maybe a village lower down the mountain might get flooded maybe? Or a river might become swollen? Apparently, there were reports of earthquakes in the area earlier that year, and the landscape is constantly changing.
Sarah and I have found many accounts of lakes being drained unexpectedly by UFOs, seeking to drain the world of it's natural resources and consume our energy. Could this lake have literally been plundered by extra-terrestrial bandits searching out our planet's h2o? This one needs further investigating.
Another thing that stood out (for Sarah) is that it bears a similarity to one of our favourite books- one with a disappearing lake. Louis Sachar's 'Holes' is set on the flatlands of a dried up lake in the USA. Camp Greenlake is a boot camp for young offenders. Each day, the evil Warden sets them to work digging holes on the lake, secretly getting the boys to do her dirty work- digging for buried treasure.
Maybe there is something big lost in one of these mountain lakes- maybe visitors are looking for it, or them!
So, after going live last night, we have had our first email asking for help in solving a mystery. I don't know why I am giving this credit really, but here it is.
Message from Anon: Quick Joseph, solve this mystery!!! The bakers on the High street has been broken into and thieves have stolen the centres to all their buns!!! Wooooo!!!
Well, thanks a lot for that guys. That'll teach me to put up posters in the school canteen. I'm not going to indulge you with an answer, Anon.
Message from Anon: Quick Joseph, solve this mystery!!! The bakers on the High street has been broken into and thieves have stolen the centres to all their buns!!! Wooooo!!!
Well, thanks a lot for that guys. That'll teach me to put up posters in the school canteen. I'm not going to indulge you with an answer, Anon.
Well, here it is guys, my mum has finally said it's ok for me to have a blog with my actual name on it as it was my birthday last week (and apparently being thirteen is sooo much more responsible than 12). Sarah and I have been talking for age about finding a way to reaching out to all those of you with niggling, creepy unsolved mysteries that you need some help with. No job too small. Get in touch! Don't be afraid!
