What is the legend of the Brinkburn Bells in Northumberland?

Church bells appear in a range of ways within folklore. Sometimes they continue to ring far beneath the waves in a church under the sea. Or perhaps their peeling in the darkness guided a lost traveller back to the path and away from danger. In some tales, they’re stolen by the Devil, or by mermaids.

Other times, they’re stolen by people. That’s the case in Northumbrian folklore, in which the Brinkburn Bells now ring in Durham Cathedral. That lies some 37 miles to the south of the original priory.

Or do they?

As with any legends, other versions exist that place the lost church bells in the nearby river Coquet. Perhaps the water carries the ringing of bells as it winds its way through Northumberland.

Either way, several tales of the Brinkburn Bells resound through local folklore. So let’s take a trip to the quiet spot in Northumberland and see what we can find in this week’s episode of Fabulous Folklore!

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