Data copyright © Historic England unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Oxford Archaeology (South)
Janus House
Osney Mead
Oxford
OX2 0ES
UK
Tel: 01865 263800
Fax: 01865 793496
The strange story of the Orford Merman was recorded in 1207 by the monk Ralph of Coggeshall, in his history of Orford. The legend tells of a wild naked man with long hair and a beard who became caught in fisherman's nets and was brought to the castle. The merman would only accept raw fish to eat and would not speak so was hung by the feet and tortured. Eventually he was freed and returned to the water (Edwards 1991, 71; Jennings 2006).