The Night Watchman of Ribe
Every evening from 1st of May until 15th of September you may accompany the night watchman in Ribe on his route through the old, winding streets, while he is singing to alert citizens about bedtime approaching. Along the way he will tell you tales about witches, floods and fires.
As early as the 14th century the night watchmen have made their nightly rounds in Ribe. The most important task for the watchmen was to make sure citizens could walk in the streets at night unharmed. Citizens were also able to sleep without worries, because they could be sure the watchmen would be warning them in case of fires or threatening floods.
It was a tiring job and at winter time a very cold job to walk around the streets in Ribe from sunset to sunrise. Around 1850 sentry boxes were built, where the four night watchmen could rest in between the rounds. However, they were taken down again, when one of the night watchmen fell asleep in a sentry box and didn’t manage to warn citizens in his district about a flood. At that occasion some cattle drowned at the meadow and the warehouse of a merchant called Kolvig was flooded.
To keep awake the night watchmen were obliged to sing a verse with certain intervals all through the night.
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The night watchman’s song at 10 pm
Master, maid, and boy,
would you the hour know
It is the time that you
to rest should go
Trust in the Lord with
faith – and careful be
of fire and light, for ten o’clock has struck.
Before the first street lighting was introduced in Ribe in the 19th century, it could be difficult to find one’s way in the dark. Assailants could easily hide. Therefore the night watchmen had to make sure that the citizens were not assaulted when they moved around in the pitch-dark streets and alleys.
Although the job as Ribe's night watchman wasn’t particularly well paid, his work was highly valued and the punishment was severe, if anyone should assault a watchman. To defend themselves watchmen were armed with a mace, an awe-inspiring weapon with sharp iron spikes at the top.
Strolling around in the narrow winding streets and alleys of Ribe, it is easy to understand how fast a fire could spread. In the old days open fires were used and the half-timbered houses had thatched roofs as well. An important task for the watchmen was to prevent fires. In 1580 eleven streets and 213 farms and houses were destroyed by a fire in Ribe. After that it was decided to hang up fire ladders and fire-hooks. You can still see some in Kølholt Slippe.
The night watchmen also had to keep an eye on floods. In case of an impending flood, they should warn the citizens and shout from which direction the wind came.
From the beginning of the 19th century the watchmen had to light the 18 oil lamps in the town, except at full moon. In 1854 they had to look after 37 lamps.
The job of the night watchman was abolished in Ribe in 1902. I 1935 Ribe Turistforening reintroduced the watchman round as one of Ribe’s tourist attractions – only during the summer season, though.
© Danhostel Ribe Hostel, Denmark. The story may be used by our guests for private use and for education - and by others by using a link to Danhostel Ribe. Any other use requires permission.
Kilde: Vægter i Ribe – en kort fortælling om vægtertraditioner i Danmarks ældste by. Sparekassen Sydjylland, 1981.
