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Bardney Abbey
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If visiting the home of a Lincolnshire family, someone leaving a door open might be asked the unusual question "Do you come from Bardney?" This is said in a similar tone and meaning to "Were you born in a barn?" elsewhere in the country. The saying has its roots in an old tale about a miraculous occurrence at Bardney Abbey. Read More »
Bearnshaw Tower and Lady Sybil
The 17th century Bearnshaw Tower (or Bernshaw Tower) is said to have collapsed in the 1860's when its foundations were dug away by people hunting for hidden treasure. This pele tower though is best known for its association with a witch, Lady Sybil, who's story below appeared in 'Lancashire Legends' (1873) by John Harland & T T Wilkinson. Read More »
Cauldshiels Loch
This stretch of water in the Scottish Borders has a ‘Water Bull’ Tarbh Uisge legend attached to it. Read More »
Consumption Vine, Dummerston
Tuberculosis has been known by various names throughout history, phthisis, scrofula, Pott's disease, white plague and of course, consumption. There are several cases throughout New England where a fear of the disease and the lack of medical knowledge to treat it, led to people seeking a supernatural explanation and a cure in old folklore. Read More »
El Pipila
A poor Nahuatl Indian boy was born in the countryside near the city of San Luis Potosi in Guanjuato state sometime around the year 1790. The unfortunate child was born with hideous deformities which gave him a peculiar walk and ensured he was picked on by others in the community. Read More »
Elphin Irving The Fairie's Cupbearer
Corrie Water is a stream running seven miles from Eskdalemuir to the Water of Milk near Lockerbie. The stream runs through Corrie, an ancient parish annexed to Hutton in 1609. It is here, according to a story by George Douglas in his Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales (1901) that fairies lived. Read More »
Hylton Castle
The Grade I listed ruin of Hylton Castle, seat of the Hylton (previously Hilton) family was built by Sir William Hylton (1376–1435) shortly after 1390. This small four storey gatehouse styled castle, replaced the earlier wooden fortification of Henry de Hilton, which had been built on this site around 1072. Read More »
Jewett City Vampires
The following article by Megan Baird entitled 'In 1854, vampire panic struck Connecticut town' was published in the Register Citizen on 2 November 2008.
GRISWOLD, Conn. (AP) — In May of 1854, the Ray family of Jewett City was frantic. Read More »
Joseph Hempsall's Ghost
Here's an interesting piece of Cambridgeshire folklore I found in a book called "Folktales of the Fen Country". Joseph Hempsall was a true born "Fen Slodger". He lived in a small cottage on the Soham side of Wicken Fen during the late 17th century. Every evening Hempsall would cross the fen, known locally as "Big Bog" to drink with his friends at tavern in Wicken. Read More »
Kersal Cell
The Grade II listed Kersal Cell which dates from 1563 is the second oldest building in Salford and was the home of the English poet John Byrom (also known as John Byrom of Kersal and John Byrom of Manchester) (Born 29 February 1692 – Died 26 September 1763). Read More »
Llyn Cowlyd
On the edge of the Carneddau range of mountains in Snowdonia lays the deepest lake in North Wales, Llyn Cowlyd. The lake has been dammed so it is unnaturally deep, but it has given soundings of 229 feet, and has a mean depth of 109 feet. The lake is almost 2 miles long, and a third of a mile wide, with the adjacent hills dropping steeply to the lakes edges. Read More »
Llyn Ebyr
Edwin Sidney Hartland gives the following tale about how a mother retrieved her twin children after they had been replaced by fairy changelings in his ‘The Science of Fairy Tales’ (1891)’ ‘Water's antagonism to witches is notorious; and ample use was made of it in the old witch trials. Read More »
Mary Lena Brown, Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
Rhode Island has a few cases that were by some considered to involve vampires. One of these suspected vampires was Mercy Lena Brown who died of consumption (tuberculosis) on 18 January 1892, aged 19. Read More »
Nancy Levi New England Vampire
The Foster town records dated 14 October 1892 give the following account of the case of Nancy Levi who was died of consumption on 6 April 1827 but was subsequently exhumed and burned in a belief that this could prevent further deaths of the disease in her family. Read More »
Peg O'Nell of Waddow Hall, Waddington
The Grade II listed 17th century Waddow Hall has been owned by the Girl Guides Association since 1928. There is an old folk tradition associated with Waddow Hall and the ghost of Peg O'Nell or Peg o' th' Well. The following account of the tradition is extracted from 'Lancashire Folk-lore' (1867) by John Harland and T. T. Wilkinson. Read More »
Rachel Burton (nee Harris), Vampire of Manchester
Captain Isaac Burton and Rachel Harris (stepdaughter of Esquire Powel) married on March 8, 1789. Unfortunately the marriage did not last long and she died of consumption (Tubercolosis) on 1 February 1790, after which she was considered by some to have become a vampire. Read More »
Raven’s Castle
Raven’s Castle is a cluster of rocks on the moors about 6 miles north of Slaidburn and close to the Lancashire border with Yorkshire. John Roby in his ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ (1872) set the following folk tale amongst these rocks. Read More »
Shozenji Temple And The Procession Of Ghosts
In 'Ancient Tales and Folk-lore of Japan' (1918), Richard Gordon Smith gives the following account of the ghosts that are said to haunt Shozenji temple. The temple once stood near Fushimi, which is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto. Read More »
St Michaels Parish Church, Ashton-under-Lyne
St Michaels Parish Church is thought to have been founded by Sir John Assheton (died 1428), Member of Parliament and soldier. Read More »
The Lions
The two peaks known as The Lions are one of Vancouver's most recognizable landmarks measuring 5400ft (West Lion) and 5269ft (East Lion). Named Ch'ich'iyúy Elxwíkn (Twin Sisters) by the indigenous Squamish people, the peaks represent two Squamish sisters who marred Haida men and created a peace between the two nations. Read More »
The Mermaid Of Knockdolion
'THE old house of Knockdolion stood near the water of Girvan, with a black stone at the end of it. A mermaid used to come from the water at night, and taking her seat upon this stone, would sing for hours, at the same time combing her long yellow hair. Read More »
The Siege of Lathom
Nothing now remains of the original Lathom House, the last Royalist stronghold in Lancashire, which was besieged by Parliamentarian forces for three months in 1644. Read More »
The Submerged Island
There was supposed to be a submerged island near Port Soderick which appeared every seven years. Train relates the story of one of these appearances as follows:--Many a time and oft had Nora Cain heard her old grandsire relate the tradition of the enchanted island at Port Soderick, while sitting spinning by the turf fire on a winter's evening. Read More »
Whalley Abbey
In 1296, Cistercian monks moved from Stanlow Abbey and founded Whalley Abbey, with the first stone being laid by Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, Baron of Pontefract, 10th Baron of Halton, Lord of Denbigh and 7th Lord of Bowland (Born 1251 – Died February 1311). Following the dissolution of the monasteries, Whalley Abbey was closed in 1537 and now stands in ruins. Read More »
Creatures of Scottish Folklore
Baobhan Sith
A very dangerous female vampire who haunted the highland regions.
Bean Nighe
The Scottish version of the washer woman at the ford. She always wore green and had webbed feet. She was not always a death portent, and would grant three wishes in certain circumstances.
Baisd Bheulach Read More »
