CHECKPOINT 10
The Three Mariners - 47 Quay Street
the three mariners - a smugglers haven
This traditional cobbled street contains one of the first pubs in the town. Dating back to the 1300s, The Three Mariners at number 47 holds the earliest known license.
It is now a holiday let, and was lovingly restored at the turn of the century - the original cellar is now a kitchen and dining room, the old bar on the ground floor is now a snug, and the parlour (once used by bone setters to mend the fractured bones of fishermen) is now a sitting room. There are bedrooms upstairs, one with a coat of arms belonging to a knight, and a large study in the converted attic room. One of the rooms is affectionately referred to as the "Ghost Room" due to the frequent supernatural events.
When the property was restored in the 1990s, cubbyholes, trap doors and concealed compartments were discovered, including a priest hole - alluding to the history of this amazing building.
Along with Paradise House (checkpoint 14), this is one of the most popular smugglers hideouts - it once had 4 entrances and contains concealed cupboards and compartments, secret passages and a tunnel from the cellar that runs underground to the headland where it opens up into a cave. It also has a window half way up the steps - a perfect lookout for smugglers checking that customs officers weren’t on their way over from the harbour.
There are very few surviving stories from the smuggling era in Scarborough - mainly because locals knew not to discuss the smugglers' business or face severe consequences (remember the ghostly tale from checkpoint 3 on Merchant's Row?). It is hard to verify the various accounts, but we've managed to dig out a few local folklore tales from the smuggling era, many of which have been passed down quietly through the generations.
Famous Scarborough Smugglers
Snooker, Stoney, Captain Mitchell and The Kent
In the 1770s, George “Snooker” Fagg was a well known smuggler and pirate in Scarborough. He owned a heavily armed ship called the Kent and used it to carve out a very successful smuggling career. Intercepting merchant ships on their way into Scarborough, the crew would pillage the ship and hide their loot all along the rocky headland and inside the caves.
The Kent was skippered by a man name “Stoney” and saw its fair share of battles with other smugglers as well as Revenues cutters (ships), Stoney ended up in prison in 1777 after a run in with Captain Mitchell (a well known Captain of the HM Revenue ship "The Swallow"). Captain Mitchell, Snooker and Stoney all ran in the same circles, it was only a matter of time before they all came face to face.
Snooker's eventual downfall was a shock to many, when his ship was seized just off the coast near Flamborough Head by Revenue cutters the Pelican and Aruthusa. Stoney managed to escape capture, however The Kent was sailed into Hull by corrupt revenues officers, and Snooker's handsome haul of teas and spirits were unloaded and split between the bent officers. The heavily armed ship was seized with her guns and ammunitions taken to the King's warehouse, and the 39 crew taken prisoner.
Snooker was set free, without his ship, but with a warning from the officers that should he sail again he would be targeted for the rest of his piracy career. An angry Snooker promised to seek revenge on each of the officers for their theft, and bruising the Captain's ego. The story takes a sinister twist, as many believe Snooker is to blame for the deaths of every officer on the Revenue ship, who each died under mysterious circumstances within a few years of the incident.
After being released from prison, Stoney went on to Captain his own vessel, and apparently died in Jamaican waters after upsetting one of his comrades on a "Rum Run". He was believed to be heavily involved in the slave trade in the late 1700s and his ship smuggled copious amounts of Rum (and people) into America.
Pirate, Privateer, Smuggler or Buccaneer?
"A General History of the Pyrates" written in 1724 is a fascinating read - including Black Beard, Mary Read & Anne Bonny, and other infamous pirates.
What a difference a title makes - it literally could be life or death!
Depending on the perceived title, a pirate could find themselves on either side of the law - and the only difference seems to be whether proceeds from piracy ends up going to the crown or not.
Pirates
The most well known term for bandits of the seas. Involved in any illegal activities including murder, kidnap, plundering other ships, raiding coastal towns as well as smuggling - pretty much anything to make a quick buck.
Smugglers
Anyone who illegally imports goods into a country, or evades paying the import duty. In the 17th and 18th Century, a large proportion of any British coastal town were probably involved in smuggling.
Privateer
An authorised pirate, attacking ships on behalf of the crown and government in an act of legal piracy. Not considered illegal as their "quasi-military" activities were conducted on behalf of the crown (by paying a tax or levy on profits). Sailing in private vessels, they attacked merchant ships from other countries, the most famous privateer was Francis Drake, and English admiral who acted under the direction of Queen Elizabeth I.
Buccaneer
A pirate who did not prey on ships of their own nationality, and therefore escaped capture from authorities while in their own nation's waters. Mostly associated with pirates who plundered Spanish ships in the West Indies and Caribbean throughout the 17th century, with consent of their home governments. A Corsair is a buccaneer associated with the Mediterranean and a more religious mission.
Captain Gray - A Privateer Ghost Story
The Three Mariners is said to be haunted by quite a few spirits - mainly because at one point the building was used as temporary morgue, to store the dead bodies of people who had washed up on the sand after drowning.
But there is also a local folklore tale about a greedy privateer turned smuggler. Captain Gray who, even in death, continues to guard his hidden treasures with a vengeance is said to haunt the building out of fear that someone will discover his hidden loot. Whether the loot was ever discovered after his death is unknown - it is probably long gone by now, but the Captain's spirit seems to be stuck. Creaking floorboards, angry muttering, banging cupboards and the jingling of coins have all been reported.
Captain Gray and his crew operated from a hidden cave, tucked away inside the headland which shielded their illicit activities from prying eyes. A secret tunnel led from the cave to hidden chambers beneath the Three Mariners, where contraband goods were stashed away.
However, as the tides of fortune are prone to turning, Captain Gray's reign eventually came to a dramatic end. Betrayed by a trusted confidante, he was caught in the midst of a daring smuggling operation. A fierce skirmish with the authorities left him fatally wounded, and as the sea spray mingled with his blood, Captain Gray breathed his last.
It's said that Captain Gray continues to guard his hidden treasures, and those who dare to venture too close to the hidden stash are met with warnings to stay away.
To this day, visitors to Scarborough can sense his presence, a ghostly guardian of hidden tales and untold treasures, forever tied to the whispering winds and restless waves of the town's coastline.
CHECK POINT NAVIGATION
This section will be repeated at the bottom of every check point page, so if you want to skip ahead, or go back at any time, you can easily get to the check point page of your choice by clicking the corresponding button.
Lost your map? No problem - just download the pdf document again using the map icon, or view and download the map image at the bottom of the navigation section.
