CHECKPOINT 11
Dog & Duck Lane & Steps
Dog & Duck Lane
The origins of Dog & Duck Lane is debated - some believe the lane and steps are named after the old Dog & Duck pub a few doors down from The Three Mariners Inn on Quay Street. Or maybe the pub was named after the lane?
Others believe the name comes from an old resident called "Doggy Duck", or a publican known as Ducky - however the lane was called Castle Lane on a plan from the early 1700s, so Dog & Duck was a name given to the lane in recent centuries.
It is hard to believe that this tiny lane would have once been a heavily populated and regularly used street - today most visitors are completely oblivious that this small piece of history exists at all. But if you follow the steps all the way to the top - you'll come out in the Castle grounds to some spectacular views of the town.
This tiny lane was once lined with houses on both sides - housing fishermen and local tradesmen. Daniel Reader, one of the mariners lost at sea on the Evelyn and Maud ship in 1893, lived at number 10 Dog & Duck Lane.
In fact Daniel George Reader was the ship’s First Mate (i.e. second in command), a position he was proudly awarded with only a year before his tragic death at sea - he was only 22!
Daniel left behind 2 very young children - the youngest Ellen was only 2 weeks old. The tragedy hit the town hard, and several charitable ventures set up to support the widows as a result, some of which are still active today - including the tradition of the fishermen vs firemen football match on Boxing Day (mentioned in Checkpoint 6).
The Fishermen and Firemen’s Fund still raises money today, with donations towards Christmas Vouchers for elderly residents - a proud Scarborian tradition.
Ghost STory - A Couple's Tiff
Another site of ghostly hauntings - these steps have seen more than their fair share of tragedies.
The story goes - a couple left the Three Mariners pub centuries ago and headed onto Dog & Duck Lane on their way home. A drunken argument began, resulting in the husband strangling the wife. To avoid punishment, he then slit his own throat and they both died on the steps.
The sound of a couple arguing late at night has been reported, and the ghostly figure of the husband aimlessly wandering has been spotted by nearby local residents.
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