THE LEGENDS OF ST JOHN OF BRIDLINGTON

In the past there were many powerful abbeys and monasteries situated in the locale of East Yorkshire. At Bridlington, for instance, could be found an Augustinian priory which claimed to be one of the very largest and wealthiest monasteries in the entire north of England.  At one time Bridlington Priory even boasted its very own fleet of ships, exporting items such as wool which was widely cultivated thereabouts. After dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536 and 1539, however, its said that stones were ignominiously stolen from the once magnificent site to build up, of all things, the harbour walls. These days all that is left to see of the former glory of the Bridlington Priory is the parish church of St. Mary.

Bridlington, of course, can even pride itself on having its very own saint --St John of Bridlington. St John was actually born in the tiny East Yorkshire village of Thwing. He was christened John de Thwenge and formally educated at Oxford. He was actually one of the very last saints to be canonised before the Reformation.
Several miracles are attributed to St John of Bridlington. One concerns a fire which broke out at the nearby  village of Langloft, in the Wolds, and which, if not for the miraculous intervention of St  John, looked certain to consume the life of a woman and her small child.
There is also a ghostly tale attributed to St John.  Legend tells us that a ship was caught in a terrible storm off the east coast and that, in desperation, the sailors on board knelt and gave prayers to the local saint. Suddenly, it's said, a brilliant light appeared on the Bridlington shoreline and the ghostly figure of a monk, presumed to be St John, started to walk towards the doomed ship, calming the waves as he went. Eventually, having reached the ship, the monk smiled down upon the kneeling sailors, grabbed hold of the bow and pulled the ship gently towards the shoreline and safety.

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