The Peak District Mermaids
Legend has it there is not one, but two mermaids dwelling in pools within the Peak District …
The Peak District is a land locked National Park in England. It was the first area to be recognised as a National Park in 1951. The area spans around 555 square miles and encompasses five counties: Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Greater Manchester. The Peak District is one of the most popular National Parks in England, with somewhere in the area of 10 million visitors each year.
The highest point in The Peak District is Kinder Scout, a moorland plateau sitting approximately 2,088 feet above sea level.
Mermaid’s Pool
Sitting in the shadows of Kinder Scout is a bleak and foreboding pool known as Mermaid’s Pool. This pool has long been thought to have healing qualities for anyone brave enough to submerge themselves in its waters. It is also believed to be the site of ancient Celtic water worship rituals. This may be due to the fact that water is salinated or that the waterfall which runs off the edge of Kinder Scout appears to flow upwards on windy days.
Legend states that deep within the depths of this pool dwells an immortal water nymph, or mermaid as it is more commonly known. It is said that if you gaze into the pool, you may be granted visions of your future. However, beware, if you catch sight of the mermaid, she just may pull you to your death deep within the waters.
The best time to see the mermaid is at midnight on Easter. Anyone who dares to gaze into the shadowy depths of the waters at this exact time should hope she looks on them with favour. If this is the case, then she will grant them immortality. If not, however, then once again, their fate will be dragged down into a watery grave to meet their end.
Black Mere Pool
Black Mere Pool is tucked away at the edge of south-western tip of the Staffordshire Peak District. There are two separate tales that tell of how the mermaid arrived at Black Mere Pool.
Legend 1:
The first legend is a love story of sorts. It is said that a sailor from the nearby town of Thorncliff fell in love with a mermaid during one of his journeys. He brought her back to the pool so she would always be near him.
Sadly, he was mortal, and she was not. Eventually he died. She is said to have grieved bitterly at the loss of her love for years. With him gone, she longed for the open waters of the sea. Unable to return to it, she grew angry and began to haunt the pool, luring people to their deaths.
Legend 2:
The second tale is much more sinister and violent.
A beautiful young girl rejected the advances of Joshua Linnet. Furious at her rejection, he accused her of witchcraft. She was tried and found guilty. Linnet persuaded the townsfolk to punish her by drowning her in Black Mere Pool. With her last breath, she is said to have cursed Linnet. Three days later, his body was found near the pool, his face bloodied and covered in claw marks.
Legend has it that to this day livestock will not drink from the pool, nor will birds fly over it because she still haunts it in the form of a demon mermaid.
If you ever find yourself wandering through the Peak District near Kinder Scout or at the south-west edge of Staffordshire, beware of gazing into the pools or you may find yourself the next victim of the Peak District mermaids.
Originally published on Out of the light, into the Shadows: 21 September 2021
