Sinister Relics at Penrod Spring

Two years ago, during one of my habitual wanderings, I stumbled upon a peculiar structure concealed within a 19th-century walled enclosure at the so-called Penrod Spring¹NYMNPA HER No: 5435 PENROD SPRING. I say “so-called” because there was no trace of water.

Buried in its crumbling remains was a sinister wooden contraption, shaped like a ‘T’—reminiscent of some oversized bird perch—adorned with a wire and a stainless steel hook, all of which suggested a less-than-wholesome purpose. Beneath it sat a rusted drum, inviting speculation about whatever unpleasantness it may once have contained. At the entrance to the enclosure, someone had thoughtfully placed a wooden plank, carefully rigged with a Fenn trap, primed to dispatch some unfortunate creature.

This morning, braving a snow flurry while crossing Gisborough Moor, I decided to check if the contraption was still there or if anything had changed since my last visit.

It remains precisely as I left it. The only difference is that the plank with the Fenn trap now lies upside down on the ground, hopefully no longer a threat to small animals. Judging by its condition, it has been that way for some time. The drum, mercifully, revealed no new horrors. It is always a relief not to find fresh evidence of brutality.

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  NYMNPA HER No: 5435 PENROD SPRING