Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Legends -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Miscellanea
On the north-west of Kirk-Hammerton Moor the road to Knaresborough
joined the main road which leads to Borough Bridge by a sudden turn to
the left; but Metcalf cleared that without any difficulty. When they
came to Allerton-Mauleverer, the stranger asked whose large house that
was on the right, and was immediately informed by Metcalf. A little
farther on, the road is crossed by the one from Wetherby to Borough
Bridge, and proceeds along by the high brick wall of Allerton Park.
There was a road leading out of the park opposite to the gate upon the
Knaresborough road, which Metcalf was afraid of missing, but the wind
being from the east, and he perceiving a blast coming through the park
gate, readily turned his horse to the opposite gate, which leads to
Knaresborough. Reaching out his hand to open it, and feeling the heel,
as it is called, he believed the gate had been changed in the hanging
part, as he had not been there for seven months; and backing his horse,
exclaimed, "Confound thee! thou always goes to the gate's heel, instead
of the head!" The gentleman observed to him that his horse seemed
awkward, and that his own mare was good at coming up to a gate;
whereupon Metcalf permitted him to perform this office. Darkness, which
had now come on, being no obstruction to him, he briskly led the way,
resolved that his companion should not again see his face till they got
to Harrogate. As they were going through Knaresborough the gentleman
proposed a glass of wine, which Metcalf refused, alleging that the
horses were hot, and that as they were near their journey's end, it was
not worth their while to stop.
Forward they went, and presently some one cried out, "That's Blind
Jack!" This, however, was contradicted by another person, who could not
clearly distinguish him; and by this means the stranger was kept in the
dark as effectually as his guide. They then proceeded over the High
Bridge and up Forest Lane, and entered the forest about a mile from
Knaresborough. They had now to pass along a narrow causeway which
reached about one-third of the way to Harrogate, the forest at that time
not being inclosed, and no turnpike being made. Metcalf still kept the
lead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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