BY ALLISON LEE
Those that live near the River Tees may have heard of Sockburn. For me, Sockburn is a stone’s throw away from the house I moved into at the end of 2024. However it was not until very recently that I learned of Sockburn’s legend. For a thousand years The Sockburn Worm was the most famous and feared dragon legend in the North of England.
The Sockburn Worm terrorised those who lived in the area. The worm, apparently that was what dragons were called all those years ago, was a monstrous two legged beast. Although its origins are unknown, it appears the Sockburn Worm lived in a lair on the tree-lined banks of the River Tees. Its chosen place was hidden between Yarm and Darlington.
The story has it that the Sockburn Worm wreaked havoc and destruction on the fertile lands of the Tees, leaving behind fear and devastation. In a bid to end the ravages of this monstrous dragon the people of Sockburn built a trough and poured the milk from all their cows into it. The Sockburn Worm drank the milk and bathed itself before returning to the river. However, as time went by, it was impossible for the cattle, owned by the people, to satiate the hunger of the dragon and as such, its hunger encouraged the beast to go on the rampage, destroying and devouring everything in its path.
In a bid to end the suffering of the locals, Sir John Conyers, the Lord of the Manor of Sockburn, went to the ancient Chapel of All Saints and offered up the life of his only son to the Holy Ghost. After a night’s vigil, he returned to his hall and took up the Conyers’ Falchion, a yard-long blade of steel that had been used in countless bloody battles.
Summoning his hound, Sir John waited for the Sockburn Worm. The dragon, satiated from its night of hunting, returned to the black sanctuary of its lair. However, when the sun caught the blade of the sword held by the knight, it struck fear into the dragon. Hate growing inside the beast, it blew its deadly breath at Sir John who, in turn, stood his ground and trusted in the Lord.
The Sockburn Worm, now certain of its doom, fought with claws and jaws, determined to cling on to life. However, Sir John, in a last desperate swing, brought his sword down on the dragon, decapitating it. Blood from the beast flowed into the River Tees as the Sockburn Worm’s head rolled from its lifeless body.
Although joyous, before the people of Sockburn were allowed to celebrate the death of the monster that had driven fear into their community for so long, they were ordered to bury the dragon. A deep, dark pit was dug and the Sockburn Worm was hauled deep into its depths before a giant limestone slab was placed on top of the burial mound. The tomb of the Sockburn Worm is known today as The Greystone.
The Conyers Falchion is on permanent display in Durham Cathedral Museum.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.