The Cheviot Redcaps
The Cheviot, Northumberland
“It is said that they gather in ruins of castles or hillforts, or anywhere blood has been spilled or a wicked deed has taken place.” Northumberland National Park
A lot of folklore stems from historical turbulence, those in the clutches of stress inventing fanciful stories to cope with what was unfolding (which makes me think we need to come up with a mythical creature to explain away the current Cost of Living crisis).
Border wars between England and Scotland had a hand in creating a constant state of tension for the border families and stories began forming to encapsulate the bloodshed local experienced. One such tale involves The Cheviot Redcaps.
The Cheviot is an ancient, extinct volcano on the highest peak in Northumberland National Park. Within these hills you’ll find many odd creatures (or at least, legends about them), of which includes the Redcaps. Terrifying creatures, said to haunt the region’s remote castles and windswept hills, the Redcaps have been described as troll-like old men wearing caps stained red from human blood… supposedly from their victims.
A supposed mummified Redcap made by Jacob Petersson
Many legends say that these little terrors gathered anywhere ‘blood had been spilled or a wicked deed had taken place’… which I’m sure would have been easy to find during the Border conflicts of the 15th to 17th centuries when these tales emerged. Supposedly, if one was to carry a crucifix around with them the Redcaps would leave them alone… much like the stories of Vampires that emerged from European folklore.
There is one particular tale of a Redcap that is more infamous than others. Michael Scot, a medieval scholar who was born in the Border regions, worked hard and became one of Europe's leading intellectuals and advisor to Emperor Frederick II. Despite his associations with the elite, Scot fell into some criticism due to his interest in the occult. Legendary tales began circulating that Scot was not just a scholar, but a fully fledged wizard! It didn’t help that Scot appeared in the eighth circle of hell in Dante's Divine Comedy, of course people are going to think he’s a wizard.
The legend goes that Lord William II de Soules, a nobleman who ruled in the border region, was trained in the ‘dark arts’ by supposed wizard Scot. Soules kept Scot by his side a redcap familiar, known as Robin Redcap. Chaos ensued whenever these two were around, ensuring that misery, death and heartache was wrought upon the border families.
Sick of their crap, and who wouldn’t be, it is said that peasants decided to revolt against the pair and Soules met his end by being boiled alive at Ninestane Rig, a stone circle near the Scottish border.
William II de Soules with Robin Redcap as depicted in Magicians, Martyrs, and Madmen (August 2022)
Embodying the raw, unforgiving spirit of the borderlands, if you ever come across a little old man in a striking red cap… I’d turn and walk in the other direction…
