Lady of the Dingle? (Toxteth)

[kr236rk]

Hi,

Does anyone know about this lady please - once associated with the Dingle Brook?

The Nymph of the Dingle:

[about half way down the page]

http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/the-dingle-digging-into-the-past/

Thanks,

Ric

[Ronijayne]

I think we had a thread about this before, quite recently and there was a lot of chat on there. I will see if I can find it

[dazza]

Here's the thread.

http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?21638-Dingle-Glen-in-Old-Photos

[Ronijayne]

That is the one Dazza, thank you. It brought tears to my eyes as I am from the Dingle and my Uncle Ernie had an allotment in Aigburth

So interesting and beautiful

[dazza]

You're welcome Roni.

[kr236rk]

Thanks to all!

The naiad interests me especially - I wonder if she appears in any books on Liverpool folklore?

Thanks again ;)

Ric

[ChrisGeorge]

Hello Ric

It was a statue that was in the grounds of the Turner Convalescent Home in the Dingle. I believe the statue in itself was occasioned by William Roscoe's poem that appears on the website you cited. There is no folklore behind the poem. Roscoe wrote a lot of poems that had classical influences. The lady of the Dingle or the naiad represented the "spirit" of the place or the origin of the stream that flowed through the valley and out to the Mersey.

Chris

[kr236rk]

Hello Ric

It was a statue that was in the grounds of the Turner Convalescent Home in the Dingle. I believe the statue in itself was occasioned by William Roscoe's poem that appears on the website you cited. There is no folklore behind the poem. Roscoe wrote a lot of poems that had classical influences. The lady of the Dingle or the naiad represented the "spirit" of the place or the origin of the stream that flowed through the valley and out to the Mersey.

Chris

Thanks Chris,

Shame about the folklore - I was assured by someone on another forum that there had been or was a legend of a hill top lady in this region, and there do appear to be various high points in the landscape associated with the Toxteth-St Michael's Hamlet region, including the headwaters of the Dingle Brook I should think.

Ric

[Ronijayne]

Not the Liverpool Naiad but Naiads in general

The essence of a naiad was bound to her spring, so if a naiad's body of water dried, she died.

They were often the object of archaic local cults, worshipped as essential to humans. Boys and girls at coming-of-age ceremonies dedicated their childish locks to the local naiad of the spring. In places like Lerna their waters' ritual cleansings were credited with magical medical properties. Animals were ritually drowned there. Oracles might be situated by ancient springs.

---------- Post added at 12:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:53 AM ----------

Just as a point of interest, there is a Naiad Corp in Liverpool, Texas!!!

[marky]

"The History of the Royal and Ancient Park Of Toxteth" (Robert Griffiths, 1907)

"The memories of this sylvan glen are still preserved in a beautiful legend which tells how a certain nymph, locally known as the "Lady of the Dingle", used on calm summer evenings to be seen in the pale light of the silver moon, disporting herself in the limpid waters of the Dingle. This legend no doubt was a romantic conception the popular mind wove around an old statue "The Lady of the Dingle" which many years ago stood in the old alcove already referred to, on the head of the promontory overlooking the Mersey."
The "Lady of the Dingle" statue was removed to the Turner Memorial Home and is now missing.
Griffiths reports that the alcove was "removed to the grounds of the old "Shrubberies" on the West side of Aigburth Road, which was pulled down in 1904 to make room for the present shops and houses. The ruthless hand of the builder spared this ancient looking cupola until the last moment. It stood upon the site of the houses in Colebrooke Road. We believe at the present moment the remains of it are lying in a contractor's yard in Lodge Lane."

Another statue, that Griffiths calls "The Nymph of the Dingle" was placed in Stanley Park Conservatory. This looks to be the one in the Walker Art Gallery, or a copy, shown at extreme left in this photograph:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49460098@N07/4611504722/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Psyche at the Well:
http://www.victorianweb.org/sculpture/spence/3.html

[kr236rk]

"The History of the Royal and Ancient Park Of Toxteth" (Robert Griffiths, 1907)

"The memories of this sylvan glen are still preserved in a beautiful legend which tells how a certain nymph, locally known as the "Lady of the Dingle", used on calm summer evenings to be seen in the pale light of the silver moon, disporting herself in the limpid waters of the Dingle. This legend no doubt was a romantic conception the popular mind wove around an old statue "The Lady of the Dingle" which many years ago stood in the old alcove already referred to, on the head of the promontory overlooking the Mersey."
The "Lady of the Dingle" statue was removed to the Turner Memorial Home and is now missing.
Griffiths reports that the alcove was "removed to the grounds of the old "Shrubberies" on the West side of Aigburth Road, which was pulled down in 1904 to make room for the present shops and houses. The ruthless hand of the builder spared this ancient looking cupola until the last moment. It stood upon the site of the houses in Colebrooke Road. We believe at the present moment the remains of it are lying in a contractor's yard in Lodge Lane."

Another statue, that Griffiths calls "The Nymph of the Dingle" was placed in Stanley Park Conservatory. This looks to be the one in the Walker Art Gallery, or a copy, shown at extreme left in this photograph:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49460098@N07/4611504722/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Psyche at the Well:
http://www.victorianweb.org/sculpture/spence/3.html

Thanks Robert and Ronijayne,

It seems that my quest for the hill top lady may be in vain, I think she may be a folk memory of the Nymph of the Dingle though - yes, that certainly looks like the statue, well done! I have also noticed that the Victorian church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is situated not far from the Dingle, so possibly this is the other half of the folk memory of 'a lady on a hill at Toxteth'?

I will continue searching though ;)

Bests,

Ric

[joe scouse]

Yea you mention mount carmel (our lady) the site of this church is he highest point in toxteth the street is high park street cheers joe


Hi,

Does anyone know about this lady please - once associated with the Dingle Brook?

The Nymph of the Dingle:

[about half way down the page]

http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/the-dingle-digging-into-the-past/

Thanks,

Ric

[kr236rk]

Yea you mention mount carmel (our lady) the site of this church is he highest point in toxteth the street is high park street cheers joe

Thanks Joe, I bet you there's a preChristian site underneath Mt Carmel ;)

Ric

[Ronijayne]

I went to Mt. Carmel school and church!! It is most certainly in the Dingle

---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 AM ----------

Keep in touch and let us know how you do KR

[kr236rk]

I went to Mt. Carmel school and church!! It is most certainly in the Dingle

---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 AM ----------

Keep in touch and let us know how you do KR

Hi Ronijayne :)

Will do - most hilltops were sacred I believe in antiquity.

But the Lady of the Dingle is a question of revelation - if there is something there it will either show up eventually or decide to remain hidden I feel ;)

Bests,

Ric