It’s only a
child’s book but is of interest to a local historian. The book was written in 1956
but the story goes back for many, many years.
The story starts…
“Once upon a
time there was a giant who lived in Leicestershire, and his name was Bel. Now
the worst thing about the giant Bel was the way he bragged and boasted….
It continues
with Bel saying….
“I could get to
Leicester on my charger in three leaps! Three leaps from this very spot, or I’m
not Bel the giant.”
So…
“At a place near
Farmer’s house, he mounted his great sorrel charger. And that place is called
Mountsorrel to this day.”
“He gathered
himself up, he called to his steed, and away he went, up in the air, a great
long leap, and the people of Mountsorrel said, ‘O-o-oh!’ as he disappeared. In
one leap he reached a place half of the way to Leicester. And that place has
been called Wanlip ever since. All the people gazed to see the giant land.”
“Then Bel drew
himself up, he roared at his charger, and he leapt again, and all the people
said, ‘There he goes!’ as he soared through the air.”
“But then there
was a terrible bursting and crackling noise, a noise like whips of leather, a
roaring noise like a tree falling down. It was Bel’s harness, Bel’s horse, and
Bel’s bones themselves, bursting with the great long leap.”
“With a sigh
like a storm at sea he came down galumph at a place two thirds of the way to Leicester.
And that place has been called Birstall, ever since.”
“Bel groaned and
thought of the farmer’s sheep and cattle [his prize for winning the bet]. He
urged on his dying charger with the great spurs, he gave an echoing shout, and
away he went again with his harness flying in all directions. (Some of the
children ran to pick up the pieces).”
“But Bel had
boasted too much. It was too long a leap for him, too great an effort for his
great sorrel charger. He came down groaning like a winter wind at a place a
mile and a half from Leicester. And there they rolled over dead, the boastful
giant Bel and his sorrel charger. They were buried in once great grave where
they landed, and that place has been called Belgrave from that day to this.”
“As for the
people round Leicester, they rejoiced greatly to know the greedy and boastful
giant was dead, and their sheep and cattle safe. Especially Farmer Hook and his
beautiful bay mare Jennet. He and his wife and his children danced round Jannet
singing a rhyme, and this is the rhyme they sang:
Mountsorrel he mounted
at
Rothley he rode by,
At Wanlip he leaped o’er,
At Birstall he burst his
gall,
At Belgrave he was
buried at.
“You may still hear
it sometimes, in Leicestershire.”
It’s a great
story isn’t it! Mountsorrel, Rothley, Wanlip and Birstall form roughly a
straight line between Loughborough and Leicester. Belgrave was once a village
in its own right but now is part of the city of Leicester. If Bel had made his
wager today he would have won his wager as he did indeed make it to Leicester in
just three leaps! Other versions of the legend states that he started his journey
from Belton near Loughborough (Bel’s tun) – another fitting place name for this
legendary character!
At the time of
Domesday, Belgrave was called ‘Merdegrave,’ but some historians believe it may
have originally been called Belgrave. With Bel meaning ‘beautiful’ in French,
some presume they change it to ‘Merde,’ which means ‘dung’ (to say it politely)
as a way of oppressing the conquered. The other interpretation is that
Merdegrave is the original Old English name, meaning the ‘grove in the meadows’
and it was actually the Norman’s who changed is to Belgrave – the ‘beautiful
grove,’ to remove the French connotation of the word ‘Merde.’
We’ll never know
the truth but the name Bel has been in the region for many years before the
Norman invasion (Belton for example). To the ancient British pagans Bel was the
sun god and it is after him that the ancient May Day festival of Beltaine is
named after, a festival that continues to be celebrated to this day in
Leicestershire. Two ancient British kings, Cassi-Belin and Cuno-Belin were also
named after this important god.
We have read how
Black Annis could have possibly represented the goddess Anu and by being dark
and blue-faced, she represented the darker, more wintery times. It appears that
her opposite and counterpart was the summer sun god – Bel. The story of Bel
could well have been adapted over the years and originally his journey could be
representative for the sun moving across the sky, falling when he reaches Belgrave.
Belgrave is only just north east of the Dane Hills (Black Annis’ Bower) so by
dying in Belgrave, he could have been giving way to his Winter Queen,
Annis/Anu, to rule over the remainder of the year.
Beltaine fires
were lit across Leicestershire on May Day to usher in the god of light, the sun
god, Bel, and his name has lingered in local folklore ever since – in a child’s
story – and long may it live!
by Matthew Sibson
by Matthew Sibson
No comments:
Post a Comment