Creswell
is a small fishing village, overlooking Druridge Bay about six miles north
of Newbiggin-by-the-sea. The Baron of Creswell lived in Creswell tower,
with his only daughter and his three sons. The Barons daughter was a
beautiful girl who was in love and planning to marry a Danish prince, he
owned a small fort a few miles north. Unfortunately for the girl her
brothers hated the Danish prince and they also hated the thought of her
marrying foreign blood. On a day when the prince was due to visit their
sister, the brothers decided to hide in the long grass of the sand dunes
and wait for the prince.
When the
prince came riding into view he was singing a love song, not knowing of
the terrible fate that awaited him. As the prince got closer, the brothers
leapt from their hiding places and attacked the prince. With swords and
spears the brothers attacked the prince and caused him some terrible
wounds. As the prince fell from his horse his foot got caught in the
stirrups, but he had no time to free himself, as the horse also injured
and frightened bolted towards Creswell tower. The prince was left hanging
from the stirrups now most certainly dead.
The young
girl who could not wait to see her lover had been looking from the top
tower, to watch for him arriving. As she stood looking she saw the
attack on her lover and it drove her insane. The girl also cursed her
brothers and said they would all die a violent death within a year for
their terrible deed. Then in her madness and grief she threw herself from
the tower, she broke her neck as she landed on top of her dead prince. As for the girls brothers,
one was killed fighting the Scots, another was killed while hunting, he
was thrown from his horse and dragged by the stirrups breaking his skull.
The third and youngest brother was drowned at sea in a capsized boat, all
three had died within a year of their sister and her prince.
Since the
tragic deaths of the lovers, it is said that a lady dressed in white has
haunted the tower. Every year on the anniversary of their deaths the lady
in white is seen looking from the top of the tower as if waiting for her
prince. According to local people she looks to the north shading her eyes
impatient for his arrival. They hear horses hooves and a terrible wail of
agony which dies away with an unearthly groan of pain and
desperation.
