CHECKPOINT 2
From the starting point head around the corner of Leading Post Street (the cobbled street outside our building), and onto Merchant's Row. You should be facing the Mariners House (now a B&B), with the 18th Century residences on your right hand side.
Early Residents
Previously called Flesher Row (a flesher was a butcher), many of the buildings are Grade II listed historical residences and alehouses dating back to the 18th century. This tiny lane has a rich history as one of the earliest routes down to the sea front which allowed access for horse drawn carriages. This meant that mariners, traders, locals and even smugglers used this as their main access point to the town from the front. Some of the early residents listed in the 1823 Baines History, Directory & Gazeteer, of the County of York show a real mix of occupations: Francis Clark (Gentry) John Woodall (Painter) George Taylor (Hairdresser) Abraham Gibson (Plumber & Glazer) William Stalker (Rope & Twine Manufacturer) Clark Davison & John White (Ship Owners) Caleb Williams (Surgeon) Plus several Shop Keepers, Tailors and Drapers, Tallow Chandlers, Boot Makers, Academics, Cabinet Makers & Fish Mongers. The full entry is a fascinating read, describing Scarborough in the early 1800s. You can read it here: https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=-xgHAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA524&hl=en
Smugglers, wreckers & owlers
As early as the 13th Century, smuggling became a common way of life in many British coastal towns. Known as "Owlers", early smugglers were most active in the night to evade capture.
Before the lighthouse was built, shipwrecks were common in the shallow waters of Scarborough bays - and anything washing ashore was free game to whoever found it. Known as "Wreckers", these smugglers hid their wares from prying eyes to evade paying the excise duty on these imports. Prison or hefty fines were a common punishment for getting caught with illegal items. Smugglers often demanded any local witnesses "watch the wall" as they passed - because hearing the crime could not be used as evidence in court.
Sailors caught smuggling or concealing items, were sometimes ordered to serve on Royal Navy warships for as long as 5 years. But in many cases, the rewards outweighed the risk - the mark-up on many products could be as much as 900%, and at a time where poverty was rife it was common to purchase smuggled goods daily.
Watch the wall
If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet,
Don't go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street;
Them that ask no questions isn't told a lie.
Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!
Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark —
Brandy for the Parson,
Baccy for the Clerk;
Laces for a lady, letters for a spy,
And watch the wall, my darling,
While the Gentlemen go by!
- A Smuggler's Song by Rudyard Kipling, 1906
A SMUGGLER'S TALE...
Several local smugglers lived in this very street in the 17th and 18th Centuries. They favoured houses with underground compartments, and access to secret tunnels running under the streets and down to the harbour (there are rumours that one tunnel leads as far as the headland and cliffs).
Many of the old properties in this street have double storey cellars, and deep storage compartments linking these tunnels - the last few remnants of the old smuggling era.
One famous smuggler of the time was caught along with some of his comrades, fishermen from Robin Hood’s Bay. Records show he was tried in London, but miraculously evaded any charges. To celebrate, a huge bonfire was lit in Newborough, much to the dismay of the revenue officers.
We'll have more smugglers' tales to tell later in the trail - if you can't wait, skip to check point 10.
The smuggler's Apprentice
Acknowledging Merchant's Row's smuggling history, the steel statue overlooking the harbour is called The Smuggler's Apprentice.
It was installed in 2012 and created by artist Ray Lonsdale. The inscription on the barrel at the smuggler’s feet reads:
“If someone whispers, you whisper back.
If someone shouts, you run.
But keep away from the well worn track
for there waits a man with a gun"
A few other sculptures created by Ray Lonsdale include Freddie Gilroy on North Bay, The Tunney on Marine Drive - and the famous Tommy in Seaham commemorating World War 1
A LOCAL GHOUL - MARY of Merchant's Row
No one likes a grass - and this cautionary ghost story shows how, in the days of smuggling, telling tales could cost your life.
In the shadows of Merchant's Row, Mary, a diligent servant known for her unwavering faith, stumbled upon a hidden network of tunnels that snaked beneath the house, extending all the way down to the harbour. Shockingly, she uncovered a sinister truth: the homeowner's involvement in smuggling activities. Determined to uphold justice, Mary bravely reported her findings to the authorities. However, her faith in righteousness was shattered when the supposed enforcers of the law, the policemen, succumbed to corruption. Instead of bringing the house owners to justice, they yielded to a bribe and let the perpetrators escape the clutches of the law.
Overwhelmed by a sense of injustice and betrayal, Mary's frustration reached its peak. Fueled by her anger, she took matters into her own hands and decided to sabotage the tunnels, hoping to cut off the illicit operations for good. In a grim twist of fate, the vengeful house owners discovered her intentions. Consumed by their desire for retribution, they hatched a sinister plan. Before Mary could realise the danger that loomed, they imprisoned her within the very tunnels she sought to destroy. As the tunnels collapsed, she found herself trapped, entombed beneath the weight of the earth, her voice forever silenced.
But even in death, Mary's spirit endured. Distorted echoes of her pain and despair lingered within the old buildings, manifesting as haunting apparitions. Those who venture onto the cobbles at night have reported hearing screams from underneath the street, as Mary relives her last moments over and over again.
Take a break and admire the view
The sitting area by the Smuggler's Apprentice is the perfect spot to take a few pictures, and sit for a moment to take in the views of the harbour.
On a clear day you can see as far as Filey Brigg.
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.
