The Mermaid of Blake Mere Pool, Staffordshire, England
By zteve t evans
The British Isles has its fair share of myths and legends concerning mermaids attached to many different places all around the coast. Surprisingly there are also a number of mermaid legends attached to many inland lakes and pools from all over Britain.

Blake Mere Pool, Staffordshire
Hidden away on a bleak edge of the south west part of the Staffordshire Peak District is Blake Meer, or Black Mere Pool, sometimes known as Blackmere Pond, which, according to local legend has its very own mermaid. It was believed to be a bottomless pool though in more modern times it has been proved otherwise. According to local legend Blake Mere is reputed to be linked to nearby Doxey Pool by a "U" shaped tunnel. Both are a similar height above sea level and maintain similar water levels but one has been shown to be higher than the other and the local geology is not thought to uphold the notion of a tunnel.
Landlocked Blake Mere Pool
What is a mermaid doing in Staffordshire, a landlocked county in England with Blake Mere Pool many miles from the nearest sea? There are legends of other pools with mermaids inhabiting them in the Peak District and other parts of England also miles distant from the sea. Some are said to be linked to the sea by a tunnel which the mermaid traverses at certain times of the year such as Easter. Blake Mere Pool has two very different explanations concerning the origin of its mermaid.
For the love of a sailor!
One account tells how a sailor from Thorncliffe, a nearby town, fell in love with a mermaid he met on one of his voyages and brought her to the pool so that they could both live close together. However he was a mortal and she was an immortal being and the sailor eventually died leaving her in the pool all alone.
She is said to have wept bitterly at his death and pined and pined over many long years for her love. She longed to leave the small, land-locked lake which now seemed like a prison to her and yearned to return to the freedom of the open sea but could not do so because it was so far away. Eventually she grew bitter and angry towards humans and haunted the lake, luring people to their death.
The condemned girl
The other account is more violent and brutal and tells of how a beautiful local girl refused the affections of Joshua Linnet, a local man. Linnet, furious at being spurned falsely accused the girl of witchcraft. She was tried and sentenced to death by drowning in Blake Mere Pool.
As she drowned, with her dying breath she is said to have cursed Linnet. His body was found three days after at the side of the pool with his face bloodied and rent by claw marks. Local legend says that animals will not drink from the pool, or birds fly over, or settle on it, because the girl’s spirit turned into a mermaid and haunts the pool.
Sightings
Many people have claimed to have seen the mermaid. In the 19th century local people tried to drain the pool to see if it was indeed bottomless. They commenced digging a ditch from the southern banks of the lake. Evidence of this can still be seen.
As they were digging the Mermaid is said to have rose menacingly from the lake and frightened them into stopping the work. She warned them she would drown the local towns of Leekfrith and Leek unless they ceased immediately. Terrified they obeyed and returned home.
"Mere-maid" or mermaid?
In the second explanation it may be the spirit is a "mere-maid" rather than a mermaid. It may refer to the girl who was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death by drowning.
What ever the original explanation it does seem extraordinary that mermaids are reputed to inhabit such pools of water so far from the sea. There are two other pools in the Peak District reputed to be the homes of mermaids, the Mermaid’s Pool, Kinder Scout and Doxey Pool. Like Black Mere Pool they are also said to be connected to the Atlantic Ocean. These are two common traits that are held by other pools in Britain that are reputedly the home of mermaids.
The Mermaid Inn
Nearby the pool is the 17th century Mermaid Inn is a Grade II listed 17th Century Coach Inn that has great traditional and modern facilities with marvellous views of the area. It is about 500 metres or a 10 minute walk to Blake Mere Pool from the inn.
© 22/01/2015 zteve t evan
Hidden away on a bleak edge of the south west part of the Staffordshire Peak District is Blake Meer, or Black Mere Pool, sometimes known as Blackmere Pond, which, according to local legend has its very own mermaid. It was believed to be a bottomless pool though in more modern times it has been proved otherwise. According to local legend Blake Mere is reputed to be linked to nearby Doxey Pool by a "U" shaped tunnel. Both are a similar height above sea level and maintain similar water levels but one has been shown to be higher than the other and the local geology is not thought to uphold the notion of a tunnel.
Landlocked Blake Mere Pool
What is a mermaid doing in Staffordshire, a landlocked county in England with Blake Mere Pool many miles from the nearest sea? There are legends of other pools with mermaids inhabiting them in the Peak District and other parts of England also miles distant from the sea. Some are said to be linked to the sea by a tunnel which the mermaid traverses at certain times of the year such as Easter. Blake Mere Pool has two very different explanations concerning the origin of its mermaid.
For the love of a sailor!
One account tells how a sailor from Thorncliffe, a nearby town, fell in love with a mermaid he met on one of his voyages and brought her to the pool so that they could both live close together. However he was a mortal and she was an immortal being and the sailor eventually died leaving her in the pool all alone.
She is said to have wept bitterly at his death and pined and pined over many long years for her love. She longed to leave the small, land-locked lake which now seemed like a prison to her and yearned to return to the freedom of the open sea but could not do so because it was so far away. Eventually she grew bitter and angry towards humans and haunted the lake, luring people to their death.
The condemned girl
The other account is more violent and brutal and tells of how a beautiful local girl refused the affections of Joshua Linnet, a local man. Linnet, furious at being spurned falsely accused the girl of witchcraft. She was tried and sentenced to death by drowning in Blake Mere Pool.
As she drowned, with her dying breath she is said to have cursed Linnet. His body was found three days after at the side of the pool with his face bloodied and rent by claw marks. Local legend says that animals will not drink from the pool, or birds fly over, or settle on it, because the girl’s spirit turned into a mermaid and haunts the pool.
Sightings
Many people have claimed to have seen the mermaid. In the 19th century local people tried to drain the pool to see if it was indeed bottomless. They commenced digging a ditch from the southern banks of the lake. Evidence of this can still be seen.
As they were digging the Mermaid is said to have rose menacingly from the lake and frightened them into stopping the work. She warned them she would drown the local towns of Leekfrith and Leek unless they ceased immediately. Terrified they obeyed and returned home.
"Mere-maid" or mermaid?
In the second explanation it may be the spirit is a "mere-maid" rather than a mermaid. It may refer to the girl who was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death by drowning.
What ever the original explanation it does seem extraordinary that mermaids are reputed to inhabit such pools of water so far from the sea. There are two other pools in the Peak District reputed to be the homes of mermaids, the Mermaid’s Pool, Kinder Scout and Doxey Pool. Like Black Mere Pool they are also said to be connected to the Atlantic Ocean. These are two common traits that are held by other pools in Britain that are reputedly the home of mermaids.
The Mermaid Inn
Nearby the pool is the 17th century Mermaid Inn is a Grade II listed 17th Century Coach Inn that has great traditional and modern facilities with marvellous views of the area. It is about 500 metres or a 10 minute walk to Blake Mere Pool from the inn.
© 22/01/2015 zteve t evan
References and Attributions
Copyright January 22nd, 2015 zteve t evans
Copyright January 22nd, 2015 zteve t evans