Legends

The third wonder of Glenn Dallan in Tirowen mentioned in the The Triads of Ireland or the Trecheng Breth Féne is the Ox of Dil. Following the mention of the The Beast of Lettir Dallan which is centred around a lake by the church, of Ox of Dile it is said: Read More »

1st May - The festival starts at midnight in the early hours of Mayday. The actual Hobby Horse is a hoop covered with black material with an African mask, and a horses head with snapping jaws. A man stands inside the hoop and the procession parades around the town. The festival has ancient origins. Read More »

Known charmingly as the Devil's Arse in past centuries, the cavern has long been seen as an entrance to the otherworld.

Legend tells how during the one winter during the Middle Ages, a swineherd lost one of his sows. Read More »

Located on St Patrick's Isle, Peel, Isle of Man, the castle is reached over a causeway. The castle buildings are now in ruin but the outer walls are mostly intact. The first fortifications were built by the King Magnus Barelegs of Norway in the 11th Century. The Viking castle was made of wood, though there were earlier Celtic monastic structures on the island. Read More »

Pendragon Castle is associated with an Arthurian legend. It is said that Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon tried to re-route the river Eden to create a moat for the castle.

The ruin dates to the 1100's and was built by Hugh de Morville one of the knights who killed Thomas of Cantebury, so is out of the time scale for King Arthur. Read More »

The buried town of Langarroc; Legend has it that seven churches stood on land now covered by sand dunes. The town was buried in a violent storm, sent to punish the people for their wicked ways.

Ancient human skeletons have been found in the area, adding substance that there was a settlement here in the distant past. Read More »

Penmon is a parish found on the south-east tip of Ynys Môn (the Isle of Anglesey). Things to see here include Penmon Priory, Saint Seiriol’s Church, Saint Seiriol’s Well, a dovecote and the Penmon crosses. Read More »

Peredur The Son Of Evrawc is one the tales in the Mabinogion. This English translation by Lady Charlotte Guest was published in 1877. Read More »

The phantom of Croglin Grange is one of the best known vampire stories in Britain. It is as famous in the annals of vampire lore as Whitby and its Dracula associations. The actual story bears the marks of fiction and first appeared in a book called 'In My Solitary life' by Augustus Hare. What follows is an adapted and shortened version of his story. Read More »

Often mooted as the most haunted village in England, this picturesque Kentish village is certainly steeped in ghost stories, whether based on actual sightings or just modern folklore. Its reputation as a ghost village is not without its problems and the village can be a magnet to thrill seekers and also those with a genuine interest in the paranormal, especially around Halloween. Read More »

Following a 1585 Act of Parliament, Plymouth Leat or Drake's Leat was built to divert water from the River Meavy on Dartmoor, seventeen and a half miles to Plymouth. The idea itself dates back to 1559 when Plymouth Corporation asked Mr Forsland of Bovey to make an initial survey for its construction, in order to create a new supply of fresh water. A more detailed survey was completed in 1576. Read More »

Pont Aberglaslyn has a bridge with a connection to the Devil. It is very similar to other Devil and bridge related stories found throughout the British Isles. The Devil built the bridge on the understanding that he would receive the soul of the first living creature to cross over it. When the bridge was finished he went to the local inn to inform the magician Robin Ddu that it was ready. Read More »

The castle at Portencross dates to the 14th Century and is thought to have been used by the Scottish Kings as a halfway house between Dundonald and Rothsay. There is a story that Robert the Bruce stayed here. Read More »

In 1733 a cockatrice terrorized Renwick when the church was being demolished. The beast was slayen by John Tallantire with a rowan branch. The creature was described as resembling a bat. Apparently the cockatrice was again reported as having been seen in 1959. Read More »

There is a legend associated with Rhyd-y-Cae Bridge where a local man was enticed into a game of cards with Satan himself. The following account of the story appeared in Elias Owen's 'Welsh folk-lore' (1887). Read More »

The castle is one of many sites associated with Arthur and his sleeping knights, ready to stir from their slumber in a cave under the castle in times of need. A potter called Thompson once found his way into the cavern (or was shown into the cavern by a stranger) via a tunnel from the castle. Read More »

A legend associated with this mound was reflected by archaeological findings during excavation. A druid priest was said to haunt the mound, he would offer travellers a drink from a golden cup filled with a magical brew, which could not be drained. Read More »

Whilst reading part of Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1849), I came across a link between the River Artro and Taliesin. Read More »

In 'The Folk-Lore of Herefordshire' (1912), Ella Mary Leather gave the following account of a bridge associated with the Devil. This bridge crosses the River Monnow which separates Gwent from Herefordshire. Read More »

A worm type of dragon was supposed to live at the bottom of a whirlpool in the River Taff. It was said to drown people and suck down their bodies to eat.

The above was taken from an article by Richard Freeman.

The myth of Robert Johnson is an enduring American blues legacy rooted in the hoodoo culture of the Deep South. The basic myth is that Robert sold his sold to the Devil in exchange for his supernatural guitar prowess. (Part of this legend about the Crossroads is examined here). Read More »

A chapel, dedicated to St Michael, was built on this rock in 1409 by a hermit. Traditionally a leper is said to have taken refuge here.

The area is reputed to be haunted by a miner, he makes his presence known either by making noises within the chapel, or by a shadow that flits from rock to rock with no earthly presence to cast it. Read More »

The tower house, now a hotel, is an altered 17th century tower-house built by Sir William Grierson. The tower-house reputed to be haunted by the spectre of a whistle-blowing monkey, the spirit of Sir Robert Grierson's pet, which was killed by servants after his death. Read More »

On a popular walking route for ramblers and hikers, from Cwm Bychan through Bwlch Tyddiad and around Rhinog Fawr, you will encounter the Roman Steps. These steps made in the hills are commonly said to have been constructed by the Romans to facilitate the ascent and descent of their sentries to and from the pass of Bwlch Tyddiad (1,294 ft and 7.5 miles out of Llanbedr). Read More »

Rosslyn Chapel is touted as being one of the most mysterious places in Scotland, especially with the current gloat of books purporting to show how hidden secrets lurk within every crack of stone at this venerated place. Anybody who has ever visited the chapel may feel that it deserves its current status, and I must confess the atmosphere even on a busy day is something to be experienced. Read More »