According to legend, one of the most mystical women in England - Mother Shipton - was born in a cave in Naseborough, Yorkshire.
Unusual child
Mother Shipton was born in 1488 under the name Ursula Southale. Ursula's mother, Agatha Southale, gave birth to her at 16. By all accounts, Ursula was ugly: her head was too big, her cheeks were sunken, her limbs were twisted, her eyes burned like embers. It was also said that at birth her mouth was full of teeth. Legend has it that at the time of her birth, terrible sounds were heard from the cave, reminiscent of a thunderclap. Locals believed that Ursula was the daughter of the devil.
An alleged portrait of Mother Shipton
Photo: WellcomeTrust
Ursula grew up as a lonely child, focused on her inner world. She was very attached to nature, the forest and her own thoughts. It is unknown when she began the prophetic visions.
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Mother Shipton's Cave
Photo: chris 論 / CCBY 3.0
Glory of the local witch
Although Ursula was ugly, her reputation as a witch made her attractive to many men. She became a popular person in society. Some were afraid of her, but many were attracted to her like a magnet. In 1512 Ursula married a local carpenter, Toby Shipton. Evil tongues claimed that she must have used a love potion to get the wedding to take place. According to sources, the Shiptons' marriage was calm and happy. Although they had no children, the couple lived together for the rest of their lives without quarrels and scandals. Toby understood and accepted his wife's witchcraft. He also prided himself on her ability to predict the future.
Portrait of Mother Shipton
Photo: Public Domain
This was the period of the reign of Henry VIII, the reign of the Spanish Armada, the empire of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the great "discoveries" of the New World. Shipton's prophecies were among the most discussed topics in the British royal court in the 17th century.
One of the most famous stories of the royal court concerns Cardinal Wolsey. According to the prediction of Mother Shipton, he will see York, but will not reach it. In 1530, Wolsey fell out of favor with the king and went north in search of refuge. York had already appeared in the distance when Lord Percy caught up with him with the king's decree ordering him to return to London and stand trial on charges of treason. How could it happen that a woman who had no connections with the court knew about this?
Mother Shipton and Cardinal Wolsey. Drawing from The Study of the Shipton Mother Case: A Critical Study of the Yorkshire Witch Literature in the British Museum Library.
Mother Shipton became famous for her gift of clairvoyance. She wrote down her prophecies, perhaps she was also a healer and a good counselor. People came to Nazborough from afar. Ill-wishers have warned many times that she could be burned as a witch because of her activities. According to legend, she once revealed her visions to people who were trying to blackmail her. She explained what would happen to them if they tried to harm her. No one dared to sue Shipton's mother.
Mother Shipton's home
Photo: Public Domain
Prophecies of Mother Shipton
“The carriages will move without horses, and disasters will fill the world with sorrow.
Thoughts will fly around the world in the blink of an eye …
Underwater people will walk, ride, sleep and even talk;
They will see a man in the sky in white, black and green …
Iron will float in the water as easily as a wooden boat."
In 1665 London suffered from a plague epidemic, and a year later a great fire destroyed most of the city. Samuel Pipps wrote in his diary: "Mother Shipton's prophecy came true."
Some of her prophetic verses described iron ships, submarines, and airplanes. Her legacy specialists claim that she even foresaw the Internet. Another of her most famous prophecies is related to modern civilization. She believed that the world would come to an end in the 19th century. Some say this could be a reference to the industrial revolution.
Mother Shipton died in 1561 or 1567. She was buried in unconsecrated ground, possibly near Clifton. For the next 80 years, her prophecies were hidden, unpublished, and her name inspired fear. Later, she was remembered as a person who knew more than others, and people believed that all her predictions were true.
Mother Shipton's legacy
It is currently believed that many of the facts about Shipton's mother were invented by Richard Head, who edited her prophecies, but his publications lacked biographical details about this woman. Many decades after her death, no one remembered this information, so it was said that he invented it. At the same time, Head was convinced that the prophecies were written by Mother Shipton.
A well adjacent to Mother Shipton's cave on the southwestern bank of the river. Nidd in County Naseborough
Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0
For centuries, the cave where Mother Shipton was born has been a gathering place for occultists. Now it is a popular tourist attraction. Scientifically, Mother Shipton's Cave is an interesting energetic site.
Mother Shipton is popular in Australia, North America, and many European countries. Many pubs and other public places are named after her. The moth Callistegemi is named after her because of its unusual appearance. In 2013, Naseboro residents began raising funds to erect a monument to their famous countrywoman, Mother Shipton.
A mole named after mother Shipton
Photo: CCBY 2.5