Legends and Folklore of Richmond Castle
It's history dates from ancient times, with the castle continuing to dominate the town. Work on its construction begain in 1071 by Earl Alan Rufus and a remarkable amount of Norman stonework remains, especially in its keep. Standing high on a massive rock overlooking the river, its tall keep rises above the rooftops of the town as it has for many centuries.
Richmond's ancient history has given rise to some legends, one of which said that a bridge in the original town was constructed by the Devil. It seems that Satan was in need of rest and refreshment while exploring these dales and a good shepherd took him in and fed him. So grateful was Satan that he built a bridge across the river Swale and that led to the creation of the community we now call Richmond.
It is the castle which provides the setting for much repeated folk tales. It is said that King Arthur and his Knights of the round table sleep somewhere deep beneath Richmond Castle, awaiting the time when England needs their services. They did operate in the Yorkshire Dales and it is claimed that Arthur's last battle was either at Catterick or on the slopes of the Eston Hills, now in Cleveland.
Among those who knew that Arthur and his Knights were buried in a cave beneath the castle were some members of a regiment of soldiers based at the castle. They knew that somewhere beneath their feet, lay the secret cave, and they had also been told stories of a secret tunnel which led from Richmond Castle to Easby Abbey, about a mile to the south east of the town.
Stories of that tunnel continue today, but no one has ever proved that it existed - and no one has disproved the story either.
The soldiers, working as a group, did find some deep cellars and dungeons far below the keep of the castle, and decided that they should be explored. Perhaps one of them had a secret opening which led into King Arthur's chamber? Or perhaps concealed in one of them was the entrance to the secret tunnel leading to Easby Abbey? During their scrutiny of the casltes interior, they had found a tiny entrance which might be the one they sought.
Not one of them, however, was brave enough to enter the dark hole, and they suddenly realised that their tiny drummer boy would be able to squeeze through. They went to find him and offered him lots of money and good things if he would do them a favour - and in his childish innocence, he agreed. They said they would equip him with a lantern and some food, and he had to explore the tunnel whose entrance they'd found deep inside the cellars. He must find out where it went. They explained it might lead into King Arthurs chamber in which case the drummer boy would become the luckiest lad alive - or it might lead to Easby Abbey or it might emerge somewhere else. No one knew. If he found out, he would make history and become famous.
The gallant drummer boy agreed to this task. He would follow the route of the secret tunnel, and the soldiers told him to take his drum, and to keep beating it so that they could monitor his progress underground. And so, being very brave, the young drummer boy, only twelve years old, did as they wished. Deep in the cellar of the castle, they showed him the entrance and once inside the narrow, dark tunnel, he began to beat his drum. They could hear the rhythmic sounds as he moved slowly along the dark route. The soldiers returned to the daylight at ground level, leaving him to find his way.
They could hear the drum beat as the boy made his way through the tunnel, and it never stopped. Day after day, the sound of his drum could be heard below the surface of Richmond, sometimes down by the river, sometimes heading towards Easby Abbey and sometimes the high town.
And to this day, the drummer boy has not returned. No one else would search for him, and the soldiers were too large and heavy to squeeze into the narrow opening in the cellar. And so he is still down there, beating his drum.
It is said that if you walk in certain parts of Richmond in the very quiet times of night or early morning, you can hear the faint sound of a drum beat far below the ground as the lost drummer boy continues his important duty.
Peter N. Walker
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