Page 26 - Illustrated Reditch History

The Black Dog Of Arden

If you happen to be walking across the Bordesley Abbey meadows when darkness
is falling and the black shape of a dog appears on a distant mound, you have caught
sight of the Black Dog of Arden. This is said to be the spirit of Guy of Warwick and
he has been haunting the abbey grounds in the shape of a dog since he was buried
there in 1313, the year after he committed a dreadful murder that shocked the
nation.
He has gone down in history as a villain but in actual fact he was quite kind and
generous. He was very clever and spent much of his life reading and studying. One
of the richest people in England, he lived in Warwick
Castle, where there was a large library. He gave 30 books
to Bordesley Abbey.
Guy was nicknamed The Black Dog of Arden
by a young trouble-maker, Piers Gaveston. Guy
had black hair and a tanned skin, and his castle
was in the Arden area, so the nickname was
very appropriate. However, to call someone a
dog in those days was a severe insult. When
Guy heard about the nickname, he said that one
day Piers would feel the teeth of the black hound.
Piers was causing a lot of trouble in England. Edward II
was on the throne, Piers was his friend and his favourite,
the king loved him more than he loved his wife. There
was one occasion when the king came back to England
from a trip abroad and a number of important people were
waiting on the quay side ready to welcome him. The king
ignored his wife, who was standing there, and rushed
straight into the arms of Piers. The onlookers were very
shocked.
The king kept asking the barons for more and more
money, then he was spending it on Piers, on pieces of
land and priceless jewels. To make matters worse, the
king made him Earl of Cornwall! The barons were
so angry that Piers was sent abroad until things
calmed down. When he came back to England
he was kidnapped and taken by Guy of
Warwick to Warwick castle. At last Guy could
get his revenge. There, a mock trial was held and Piers was condemned to death.
The site chosen for the execution was Blacklow Hill, just outside Warwick. Kicking
and screaming, Piers was dragged up the hill and at its summit he was run through
by a sword and then his head was chopped off. His body was left on the hill to rot.
Of course, the king was furious. Guy fled to Bordesley Abbey where he was able to
seek sanctuary. Because it was a holy place, no-one was allowed to arrest him.
However, the following year, in 1313, Guy suddenly died. It was said that he had
been poisoned but this may have been just a rumour. He was buried in Bordesley
Abbey.

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