Folklore: Cleves Cross and the Slaying of the Brawn
A short while ago, I cycled to the east of Ferryhill to find what is alleged to be the remains of "Cleves Cross", a monument steeped in local folklore. Ferryhill is a town to the east of Spennymoor, much of which was built during the County's mining heyday. The coal mines, such as Dean and Chapter colliery, provided employment for many Ferryhill townspeople (it was also the workplace of Spennymoor painter Norman Cornish). But in this post, I will be delving into the area's deeper past. To a time before the industrial revolution. The small stone Cleves Cross monument, sitting unassumingly near a bus stop on the east of the village allegedly marks the spot where Roger de Fery cunningly slayed the wild "Brawn" (boar) which had been terrorising local folk, including those in nearby Branspeth and Croxdale. Below are pictures of Cleves Cross and the nearby information plaque: The Brawn It's difficult to imagine now, but wild boars were once numerous in the f