Fiddler’s Hill

Legend of Fiddler’s Hill
Does Warham Discovery Prove Old Legend True.

Is the old legend of Fiddler’s Hill, Warham, true?
What appears to be surprising confirmation of it has been brought to light by Norfolk County Council men working on the roads. They have discovered in a mound at the crossing of the Wighton and Stiffkey road and the Binham and Warham road the skeletons of a man and a dog.

For generations the cross-roads have been known as Fiddler’s Hill because of the old folk story of the fiddler. Centuries ago there was a secret passage joining Walsingham Abbey to Binham Priory. One day a fiddler and his dog, runs the legend, attempted to walk from the Abbey to the Priory by way of the old secret tunnel. Their progress was followed by some friends above ground, for as he walked, the fiddler played. The strains of the music were plainly heard slowly moving away from Walsingham towards Fiddler’s Hill. Then they ceased. The fiddler and his dog were never seen again, but mysterious music, it is sometimes heard at midnight.

The bones have been handed over to the police, who took them to Dr. Hicks, of Wells, for examination. Later they may be seen by an anthropologist.

From the Thetford and Watton Times, 15th April 1933.

Fiddler’s Hill comes complete with picnic site, you lucky people.
It was thought that there was an underground tunnel connecting Binham Priory with the one at Walsingham. One day a fiddler decided to check the tunnel out to see if it was true. He took his dog with him for company. As he set off he started playing his fiddle, and the people of Binham followed the sound above ground. After a while the music suddenly stopped. This coincided with them reaching the mound now known as Fiddler’s Hill. The fiddler was never seen again (although his dog finally made it back to the entrance shivering and whining). The entrance to the tunnel mysteriously fell in.

I belive the story is similar to some in other parts of the country. William Mayne’s ‘Earthfasts’ uses a drummer boy to replace the fiddler.

The veracity of [this incident] is, however, proof against the valiant deeds of bygone generations, becauase “Jimmy Griggs” and his canine friend “Trap” were characters well known to the great-grandfathers of many of the unimpeachable inhabitants of Binham.

From ‘History of the Borough of King’s Lynn, volume 1’ by Henry J Hillen (1907).