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Folklore
Ruthven Barracks
The castle that once stood on the site of the barracks, was said to be haunted by its notorious lord, who was trapped in limbo playing cards with the Devil.
Ruthven was first used as a Barracks in 1689. It was taken by force twice; once when the garrison surrendered to Bonnie Dundee, the other time being in 1746 when it was overrun by Jacobite troops. Read More »
Salem Village Parsonage (1692)
Salem Village (now Danvers) was settled by European farmers from nearby Salem Town in the 1630's becoming a separate parish in 1672. The Parsonage dated from 1681, and from 1689 when the covenant church was established it was the home of English born Rev Samuel Parris (born 1653 – died 27 February 1720), his family and household slaves. Read More »
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay is one of the most northerly sandy beaches in Scotland, and would be well worth a visit without the added interest of the strange phenomena that has happened here. Read More »
Satan Appearing As A Lovely Maiden
A young man who was walking from Dyserth to Rhyl was overtaken by a lovely young lady dressed in white. She invited conversation, and they walked together awhile talking kindly, but, when they came opposite a pool on the road side she disappeared, in the form of a ball of fire, into the water. All that has reached our days, in corroboration of this tale, is the small pool. Read More »
Satan At Work Near Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn
Elias Owen gives the following account of a series of disturbing experiences that befell a Sabbath breaker in his 1887 book ‘ Welsh folk-lore: a collection of the folk-tales and legends of North Wales’. The account relates to the experiences of one William Davies and was given to Owen by the late Rev. J. L. Read More »
Satan Frightening A Man For Gathering Nuts On Sunday
In his 'Welsh-folklore' (1887) Elias Owen tells the following tale related to him by Rev. W. E. Jones, rector of Bylchau, near Denbigh:— Read More »
Satan Outwitted In Trefeglwys
The following account appeared in 'Y Brython', a popular Welsh-language periodical devoted to literature, antiquities and folklore published between 1858 and 1863. It was later reprinted in Elias Owen's 'Wesh Folkore' (1887). Read More »
Satan Playing Cards At A Merry Meeting
It was formerly a general custom in Wales for young lads and lasses to meet and spend a pleasant evening together in various farmhouses. Many kinds of amusements, such as dancing, singing, and card playing, were resorted to, while away the time. The Rev. Read More »
Satan Seen Lying Right Across A Road
The following story appeared in Elias Owen's 'Welsh folk-lore' (1887). 'Near Pentrevoelas lived a man called John Ty’nllidiart, who was in the habit of taking, yearly, cattle from the uplands in his neighbourhood, to be wintered in the Vale of Clwyd. Read More »
Satan Taking Possession Of A Man Who Fished On Sunday
The following tale is in its main features still current in Cynwyd, a village about two miles from Corwen. The first reference to the story that I am acquainted with appeared in an essay sent in to a local Eisteddfod in 1863. The story is thus related in this essay:— Read More »
Scales Tarn
Scales Tarn can be found below Tarn Crags and Sharp Edge on Blencathra (Saddlebeck). It has a local tradition of being bottomless and its position was thought to be so overshadowed that sunlight would never reach it. Read More »
Scarborough
Scarborough also has a Robin Hood legend. On one of his adventures he joined the small fishing fleet, but turned out to be a useless fisherman, as he forgot to bait the hooks. Read More »
Schiehallion
The dark brooding presence of Schiehallion (pronounced She-hal-e-on)- the fairy hill of the Caledonians - looms over the Eastern end of Rannoch moor like a voluminous guardian. The mountain is one of the traditional haunts of otherworld beings. Read More »
Searrach Uisge
The creature, possibly a water horse of Loch Suainbhal is referred to as the Searrach Uisge. The creature was said to inhabit the loch for over a century and in the nineteenth century it was described as being like an capsized boat when it was seen swimming around. Another description has it being forty foot long and eel like. Read More »
Sedgley’s Beacon Tower
Sedgley Beacon lies some 237 metres (777 feet) above sea level in the heart of the West Midlands. It is said that the top of Beacon Hill is the highest point between Sedgley and the Ural Mountains in Russia. Commanding views were once enjoyed right across the industrial Black Country and beyond to the Clee and Malvern hills and the mountains of Wales. Read More »
Segontium Roman Fort
This is the remains of a Roman auxiliary fort, one of the largest, and last to be abandoned by the Romans in North Wales. It was built by Gnaeus Julius Agricola in around 77 AD after his victory over the native tribe, the Ordovices. Read More »
Sheebeg Cairn
Sheebeg Cairn (Sí Beag) is traditionally considered to be the burial site of Gráinne, (daughter of Cormac mac Airt, High King of Ireland ) and the giant hero of Irish legend, Fionn Mac Cumhaill (or Finn McCool), leader of the Fianna warriors of Ben Bulben. Read More »
Silkies
Silkies are shape shifting sea fairies usually in the form of bright-eyed seals. They are localised to Northern Scotland and the Shetland Islands.
Silkies often came on to land in human form, where they would dance, especially on the night of the full moon. Read More »
Sir David Llwyd of Yspythi Ystwyth
The village of Ysbyty Ystwyth is thought to have been the property of the Knights Hospitallier ( Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem) and also, maybe the home of one of Wales infamous magicians. Read More »
Sittal Hill, Freiston
Thought to be the site of monks hospital, Spittal Hill can be found at the end of Fox Hole Lane on the A52 and it has a repution of being the haunt of a shag-foal. Read More »
The Six Hills, Stevenage
The six hills which occupy prominence in the town are tumuli or Round Barrows dating from the Bronze Age. According to legend the hills are spade fulls of earth taken from Whomerly wood and thrown at the town by a giant (or the Devil) intent on destruction. His last shot went well off mark and knocked the steeple off Gravely Church two miles away. Read More »
Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave is a limestone cavern consisting of three chambers, a burn enters the second chamber through a hole in the roof falling for a distance of 80 feet. Read More »
Snakes Of The Derwent Valley
According to local folklore, before 1715 there were no venomous snakes in the Derwent Valley, but after the execution of the Earl of Derwentwater an abundance of adders started to appear along the length of the river Derwent. Read More »
Snarly Yow
"Snarly Yow" is the name given to a phantom hound which haunted a section of the National Pike near Turner's Gap (Frederick County). The hound was first mentioned by Madeleine V. Dahlgren in 1882. Her book South Mountain Magic details no less than a dozen sightings of the beast. One account is from a Daniel Mesick, whose father kicked at a huge dog near Dame's Quarter. Read More »
Snowdon
Standing 3650 ft above sea level, Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales, second highest mountain in Britain and is also probably the busiest due to it popularity with hillwalkers. Read More »
