Demolishing a legend

This is a shot of a poster of mythical beasts. I’m posting it because Mrs Oons’ ancestor slew the Linton Worm (bottom right hand corner). He was the Baron Somerville who came over with the Duke of Normandy (aka Willie the Conk) and settled in the Scottish Borders.

The Worm wasn’t mythical at all. Viking raiders would come up rivers, some way inland, sometimes carrying their longboat over land between rivers. One day Somerville and his men ambushed the Vikings, burned their dragon (worm) headed boat, and slaughtered the raiders.

It’s commemorated on a carved stone over the entrance to Linton Kirk, where Mrs Oons and I were married.

Google offers more fanciful legends of the Linton Worm though. Which, to be fair, are more fun.