Neil Jopson's Blog - Posts Tagged "windermere"
The real story behind The Tarn
The idea for The Tarn germinated in the hinterland of my memory. I thought I’d read a tale nearly 30 years before, about a boatman who terrorised Windermere. In my mind a hooded figure loomed like the ferryman to Hades, Death, or the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. But when I looked the old tale up it turned out my memory was wrong. I’d been provided with the cornerstone of my story, but the material it was formed from had no hooded figure in it at all. Not that it mattered, it still helped me create my first ‘ghost story.’
The misremembered tale did involve ferrymen, Windermere and terrorised residents. It was said to have taken place on the route of the current car ferry at Bowness Nab. Originally the ferry was a rowboat and the ferrymen, living in cottages along the banks of Windermere, would respond to the needs of travellers as and when they arrived. One night, as the foul weather kept the ferrymen snuggly in the local pub, a voice could be heard calling over the lake. Whether he needed the money or felt a sense of duty, one ferryman decided to cross the water and fetch the poor traveller caught out in the storm. It was a while before he returned, alone, pale and unable to speak, dying hours later. It was said that the voice could be heard calling during stormy nights; though no ferryman was foolish enough to heed it. Eventually a priest was called in to perform an exorcism and banish the spirit (if that is what it was) to a quarry; where it remains to this day….
It's a great tale, one among many to be found in the Lake District. Writing about it has caused a few more ideas to form for stories of my own. Maybe it sparked one or two for you. Don’t forget you can use my summary of MR James’s guidelines for writing an English ghost story to help you if you fancy trying your hand at writing it down. I also hope that I might have encouraged you to visit what I believe is one of the most beautiful places in the world; the English Lake District. Be warned though: there might be strange spirits about. And there definitely will be a chance of rain.
The TarnThe TarnNeil JopsonMontague Rhodes James
The misremembered tale did involve ferrymen, Windermere and terrorised residents. It was said to have taken place on the route of the current car ferry at Bowness Nab. Originally the ferry was a rowboat and the ferrymen, living in cottages along the banks of Windermere, would respond to the needs of travellers as and when they arrived. One night, as the foul weather kept the ferrymen snuggly in the local pub, a voice could be heard calling over the lake. Whether he needed the money or felt a sense of duty, one ferryman decided to cross the water and fetch the poor traveller caught out in the storm. It was a while before he returned, alone, pale and unable to speak, dying hours later. It was said that the voice could be heard calling during stormy nights; though no ferryman was foolish enough to heed it. Eventually a priest was called in to perform an exorcism and banish the spirit (if that is what it was) to a quarry; where it remains to this day….
It's a great tale, one among many to be found in the Lake District. Writing about it has caused a few more ideas to form for stories of my own. Maybe it sparked one or two for you. Don’t forget you can use my summary of MR James’s guidelines for writing an English ghost story to help you if you fancy trying your hand at writing it down. I also hope that I might have encouraged you to visit what I believe is one of the most beautiful places in the world; the English Lake District. Be warned though: there might be strange spirits about. And there definitely will be a chance of rain.
The TarnThe TarnNeil JopsonMontague Rhodes James
