Mystery of Finchdale Priory sword found in tree
Walker Alan Finnegan said he stumbled across the "sword in the tree" on the way to the priory."It was on the other side of the river, up the steps towards the car park," he said.He posted images of the mystery sword on social media, said he had discovered nothing concrete about the weapon's past.Through his appeals, people told him that the sword might not have been in the tree for a very long time. "I personally don't know much about the history but I've heard that it wasn't there for long, but with not much information on it, I'd say that it's a brilliant conversation starter," Mr Finnegan said."It makes people wonder about the history of the sword and where it has come from."
The council confirmed the sword was on its land but said it did not know anything about it. It added the police had been informed, but no action needed to be taken as it was firmly lodged in the tree.
Godric's sword?
Finchdale Priory was founded in 1196 and became an outpost of Durham Cathedral, functioning as a holiday retreat for monks until the dissolution in 1538.English Heritage spoke to its volunteers at the priory, who believe the sword must have been put there recently.One volunteer said: "I walked past the tree many times without noticing it and I only became aware of it when a visitor asked me what the story was behind it. "Following that, I was asked by some of the younger visitors where 'Godric's sword' was."In the Harry Potter book series, Godric's sword belonged to one of the founders of the Hogwarts houses, Gryffindor, and would only present itself to a worthy candidate."It's definitely not that sword, however, as it is described as having a handle that is encrusted with jewels," the volunteer said."My theory is that a Harry Potter fan made the sword and hammered it into the tree and then posted a pic on his or her social media asking 'is this Godric's sword?'"
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Swimmers protest after Weymouth's ‘beloved' sea rafts removed over health and safety fears
Protesters have taken to the sea in Weymouth over the sudden removal of the 'beloved' floating sea rafts – which had been in place for over 80 years – over health and safety concerns. The town council removed the two platforms due to safety concerns around blind spots to the RNLI lifeguards on duty, but the move has been accused of being a 'cost-cutting measure'. Local residents have taken to the waters to protest against their removal and demand their return as soon as possible. Jade O'Brien, who launched a petition to the council, said: 'For over 40 years the rafts have stood in these waters, providing safe recreation and cherished experiences for generations. ' Weymouth town council decided to remove these beloved rafts, citing safety concerns of blind spots to the lifeguard on duty. 'However, incidents have been rare, and Greenhill Beach has consistently maintained a strong safety record. It doesn't make sense.' She continued: 'The rafts not only signify leisure but are integral to our community. They encourage children to exercise, learn to swim, and develop water confidence. 'By removing them, we are not only subtracting an element of enjoyment but also diminishing the vitality of Greenhill Beach.' Nearly 4,000 people have signed a petition to restore the rafts, while the council have denied it forms part of a cost-cutting move. In a statement on their website, they said that the council had been informed on 10 July that RNLI would not include a platform or pontoon as part of their primary or secondary areas of operation, and so the rafts would not be considered as part of their immediate responsibilities. This was due to them creating a 'blind spot for the lifeguards which operate from the beach and therefore pose a risk to members of the public'. As a result, the council's insurance providers confirmed they were unable to offer cover in the event of claim for incident or accident. A spokesperson for the council said: 'We remain committed to trying to find a way to get the rafts returned to Greenhill Beach. To do this we will continue to work with our partners and take advice on how we can achieve this. 'Our goal is to get the rafts back out in the sea as soon as possible, whilst ensuring that the council's legal health and safety obligations are met.'
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trevor Green dead: ITV newsreader passes away aged 74 after a brief illness as his devastated wife pays tribute
ITV newsreader Trevor Green has passed away aged 74. The news veteran tragically died after developing breathing problems. 1 Trevor was best known as a long serving member of Granada Reports and ITV News for many years. His devastated wife Joanna posted on Facebook last night via Piccadilly Radio in a heartfelt statement. She said: 'Trevor slipped away peacefully this morning in the early hours of what is today his 74th Birthday. He developed breathing probs last evening. 'I've lost my soul mate and feel rather at sea. But thankfully he's now out of pain and we've been blessed with lots of time in recent weeks and months to reminisce and shape his wishes. "Sorry we couldn't fix another visit…Taking quiet me-time out today to reflect on our 44 years together. "Will miss him like mad. Let u know plans in due course.' Chris Moore, who worked with Trevor at Piccadilly paid tribute to him as a "gem". He said: "Trevor and Jo fought his illness together in a way which I can only describe as humbling. I would not be able to come anywhere close. "He was one of the nicest, kindest, sharpest, wittiest, coolest and most professional people I ever had the honour to work, and that's saying something. "His marriage to Jo was something special too. She is a wonderful person who gave him everything for their whole life together. "A David Vear signing, he was part of a golden generation in a golden era of radio. "Those who knew him will have their own stories and memories. "Suffice to say, we've lost another gem….God speed my friend." Green, who was based in Knutsford, spent almost 20 years as a fixture on regional TV news flagship Granada Reports. He left Granada Reports in 2006 to focus on running his own Vision Impact media consultancy alongside his TV and radio work. Green then spent several years serving as a media relations officer for his local Cheshire East Council.
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
Norfolk school with 17 pupils to close
A school that had just 17 pupils will not reopen in the new academic declining student numbers means Cantley Primary has been closed by Norfolk County Council and merged with Freethorpe Primary, which is also run by AIM Federation of authority warned falling birth rates both locally and nationally could see more schools affected as funding was linked to student numbers."We have to put the children's education first and we just can't see how Cantley can continue to provide a good education with so few children," said Penny Carpenter, councillor for children's services. "Next year there would have been just one class for children from year 1 to year 6 and that would make delivering a broad curriculum almost impossible."The authority added that the majority of students at Cantley had come from outside the catchment area and there were surplus places at several nearby a consultation on the merger began in May, parents argued they were not being given enough time and the trust had not promoted the school enough. On 11 July, the council discussed school sustainability amid falling numbers at its children, families and community select that, the local authority said it would work with groups of schools to help them prepare "for a future with fewer children".It was suggested schools could reduce admission numbers, change their catchment area, share resources, merge or face closure. David Hopkins, executive head teacher at the AIM Federation of Schools, said: "Our priority as a federation is to ensure that all of our children get the very best education. "Unfortunately, we just don't feel we can deliver a broad enough curriculum with the numbers as they are at Cantley."Freethorpe is a good school and we will spend the last days of term preparing children for their transition and marking the end of an era at Cantley, which has been a much-loved school for so many."This is a sad decision but we believe that amalgamation will give us a stronger, more resilient school community and is in the children's best interests." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
