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Black Dogs and Phantom Hounds, Part Two: Pennsylvania
It is probably no coincidence that many of the oldest counties in Pennsylvania share the names of counties and regions of England (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, Westmoreland, York) and that like Maryland and Delaware, dealt with in a previous article, Pennsylvania also has a number of tales of phantasmal dog-creatures. Read More »
The Black Down Hills
The Black Downs have a long tradition as a haunt of the fairies, and stories tell of many sightings as recently as a few hundred years ago, when many country folk believed we shared this land with supernatural denizens. Read More »
Black Sea Mermen
In 1996 a man named Borovikov was diving in the Anapa region of the Black Sea hunting sharks. Whilst he was eight meters deep he had a strange encounter with a mermaid type creature. In his article UFOs in the Soviet Waters, Paul Stonehill described the encounter. ‘He saw giant beings rising up from below. They were milky-white, but with humanoid faces, and something like fish tails. Read More »
Blue Dog of Rose Hill, Frederick
It could be just another variant of an urban legend or a wholly separate story, but the city Frederick (Frederick County) has its own Blue Dog of Rose Hill. The grounds of Rose Hill Manor off Route 355 in the northern part of the city are also haunted by a phantom blue dog. This blue dog was the pet of a previous owner of the manor. Read More »
Blue Dog of Rose Hill, Port Tobacco
Perhaps the oldest ghost story of Maryland is that of the Blue Dog of Rose Hill. Near the town of Port Tobacco (Charles County) is a rock covered in reddish discolorations. Called the "Peddler's Rock", it supposedly marks the spot where a trader was killed at some point in the latter part of the 1700s. In true ghost story fashion, there are many variants of the tale. Read More »
Blue Stane, St Andrews
The Blue Stane (stone) now largely ignored, was once a Celtic place of power in the landscape around St Andrews. Read More »
Boabhan Sith
The Baobhan Sith is a particularly evil and dangerous female vampire from the highlands of Scotland. They were supposed to prey on unwary travellers in the glens and mountains. The name suggests a form of Banshee.
A common tale is told of 4 young friends who set off on a hunting trip in the glens, benighted the men take refuge in an abandoned Shieldig (small cottage). Read More »
Boggart
The Boggart is most commonly found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, its name appears in places such as Boggart's Clough and Boggart's Hole in Lancashire. Boggarts were mischievous spirits responsible for mishaps and poltergeist activity within the home and in the countryside. Read More »
Boggart Hole Clough
The clough was in former times, said to be haunted by a boggart, and there are a number of stories attached to it. Some of these tales probably became attached to the area after they had been written about other similar boggart infested places. Read More »
Bowscale Tarn
Bowscale Tarn is 56 feet deep and during the Victorian era was popular with tourists. According to folklore two immortal fish live in this corrie tarn and depending upon which version of the story you read, they may, or may not have the ability to talk. Read More »
The Brahan Seer
The Brahan Seer is undoubtedly the most famous of all Celtic seers although the reality of the 17th Century Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche or Kenneth Mackenzie is hidden deep in legend. The roots of these legends may have come from a holy man in the 1600’s, about whom legends have grown with the years. Read More »
Branwen The Daughter Of Llyr
Branwen The Daughter Of Llyr is part of The Mabinogion. The following is taken from Lady Charlotte Guest's translation which was published in 1877. Read More »
Brimham Rocks
The rocks are associated with a wealth of folklore, and were perhaps a place of ancient worship. They were once thought to have been carved by the druids, although their strange weathering is entirely natural. One stone is called the wishing stone, it has a hole into which you would place the fingers of your right hand and then make a wish. Read More »
Brownies
A widespread name for a fairy or supernatural creature, they were small in appearance and wore brown coloured clothing.
Like many mischievous spirits they were thought to be attached to houses or families and could be helpful in menial household tasks. If offended they became malignant and mischievous, creating poltergeist activity and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Read More »
Bryn-y-Castell
Taking the B4391 towards Bala from Llan Ffestiniog for just over a mile, you pass close to an Iron Age hillfort situated in rough moorland known as Bryn-y-Castell. The site was excavated by students from Plas Tan-y-Bwlch (Maentwrog) between 1979 and 1985, and it was found to be an important site for iron production until the arrival of the Romans in North Wales when it was abandoned. Read More »
The Buggane
The Buggane is a fearsome supernatural creature from the rich folklore of The Isle of Man. It appears in literature in various forms, usually having the power to shape shift. In one of its forms it is associated with water, and is similar to the Cabbyl-Ushtey the Manx Water Horse. Read More »
Burrafirth
Two Norse giants lived on the Isle of Unst, which is the most northerly of the Shetland Islands. One giant was called Herman and his rival was Saxi (Saxa). Read More »
Burscough Priory
Robert Fitz-Henry, Lord of Lathom (Born 1135) founded the Augustinian Burscough Priory around 1190. It was dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII circa 1536 and today very little remains of the building. Read More »
Byard's Leap
Black Meg was a man-eating ogress who lived in a cave on the wild and lonely expanse of Ancaster Heath. She terrorised the countryside for miles around, devouring anyone she came across. Her foul, evil spells made the land barren and she used her long iron claws to maul and kill livestock. Read More »
Cabyll-Ushtey
These are the water horses of the Isle of Man and they are said to be just as dangerous as their Scottish counterparts, the Each Uisge or the Aughisky of Ireland. Read More »
The Caillech Bheur
The Cailleach Bheur was a blue hag, said to frequent parts of the Scottish Highlands. Associated with winter, she was reborn on every All Hallows Eve and returned to bring the winter and the winter snows. She carried a magical staff, which froze the ground with every tap. Read More »
The Cait Sith & The Cu Sith
Cait Sith - Literally translates to fairy cat, the creature was said to haunt the Highland region. The cat was said to be as big as a dog and completely black, apart from one white spot on its breast. Like a real cat it could be ferocious if stumbled upon. Read More »
Callanais (Callanish) Stone Circle
Situated near the village of Calanais, Isle of Lewis on a ridge of land above Loch Roag, Callanais is one of the more remote stone circles in the British Isles. The circle consists of a central stone just under five metres in height, surrounded by a circle of thirteen stones. Read More »
Canobie Dick
This story relates to a legend common throughout Britain, namely that of a secret cavern containing sleeping warriors. Often a test is conferred to the person who is shown into the cavern. Usually the tests are failed.
Once upon a time in the Borders region there lived a horse cowper (trader) named Canobie Dick, he was widely admired and feared for his fierce courage. Read More »
Capel Garmon Church
There have been a series of churches in Capel Garmon, the latest of which is the now closed, this being St Garmon's Church that was built in 1862. In his 'Welsh folk-lore' (1887) Elias Owen recounts the following legend he heard pertaining to the church in Capel Garmon from his friend Rev. Owen Jones of Pentrevoelas. Read More »
