The Wild Merman of Orford
“Men fishing in the sea caught in their nets a wild man.” Ralph of Coggeshall The beautiful Suffolk seaside town of Orford boasts the stunning sands of the Ness, a fine Mediaeval castle and the ancient tale of a Wild Man or Merman. Tales of Wild Men exist the world over, from the Himalayas are the tales of the Yeti, in Arctic Scandinavia is the Snömannen and in Scotland there are tales of the Fear Liath. Such Wild Men are usually associated with remote, mountainous areas where many mythical creatures, both big and small are still said to live. Others are thought to be apparitions of the Wild Men of the Woods, akin to the ancient archetypes of the Green Man, the Lord of the Wildwood, Robin Goodfellow or Robin of the Green. What makes the Orford Wild Man different is that he came out of the sea. The coastal areas of East Anglia are rich in myth and folk magic. Over the years many villages have been lost to the sea and many of their churc...