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St Peters, Llanbedr
St Peters Church in Llanbedr is where you can find, behind the rear pew, an ancient engraved stone that stands two foot nine inches in height and two foot wide. The engraving is that of a seven turn spiral measuring twelve inches in diameter. It is said to be similar to those associated with the Irish Boyne culture. Read More »
St Tudno and St Tudno’s Church
Saint Tudno (pronounced Tidno) was allegedly one of the seven sons of King Seithenyn, whose legendary kingdom Cantref y Gwaelod (see The Lost Land of Wales) in Cardigan Bay was submerged by tidal activity. In reparation of his father’s neglect, he studied at St. Read More »
St. Beuno's Well
Saint Bueno was born in Powys, and became a missionary who had the protection of the King of Gwynedd, Cadfan. Bueno was awarded the village of Clynnog Fawr where he founded a church in 630.AD. Later the site became a monastery of great importance in Wales, since manuscripts have been found to say that the Abbot of Clynnog was entitled to a seat at the court of the King of Gwynedd. Read More »
St. Llechid's Church, Llanllechid
The Church of St Llechid is a Grade II listed building. Built to replace a much earlier 15th century church, the building dates from 1844. There is a siting legend relating the building of original St. Read More »
Swallow Falls (Rhaeadr Ewynnol)
Found on the A5, to the north west of Betws-y-Coed, this much photographed cascade of water is where the Afon Llugwy drops over ancient worn rocks on its journey eastwards. It is the highest continuous waterfall in Wales and one of the most visited beauty spots in the area due to its accessibility. Read More »
The Anglesey Arms
This traditional Welsh inn is a stone’s throw from the magnificent Caernarfon Castle, at the end of Castle Hill road. It overlooks the Menai Straits, and it is allegedly haunted. The building was formerly the Customs House in the 18th Century, and it situated on the site of Caernarfon’s ‘Hanging Tower’ which was the place of execution in the town. Read More »
The Black Boy (Buoy) Inn
On Northgate Street, in the Royal Borough of Caernarfon, you will find an excellent free house called the Black Boy Inn which is reputedly haunted. When it was built, circa 1522 it consisted of two inns, one the ‘Kings Arms’ and the other the ‘Fleur de Lys’. At some stage, one landlord acquired both buildings and the ‘Black Boy’ as we know it today was created. Read More »
The Castle Hotel, Conwy
The Castle Hotel on High Street is an old coaching inn that was originally made up of two hostelries, the King's Head and The Castle, which was the larger of the two. They were combined to create The Castle Hotel in the 1880's. Read More »
The Copper Mines of the Great Orme
The Great Orme officially has 'The Largest Prehistoric Copper Mines in the World' according to the Guinness World Records team. There are more than five miles of tunnels and passageways that have been explored so far. The mining began in the Bronze Age, about four thousand years ago, when the mining tools included animal bones and stone hammers. Read More »
The Devil’s Tree, Llanrhos
The following account entitled 'The Devil’s Tree by Eglwys Rhos' appeared in Elias Owen's 'Welsh Folk-lore' (1887). 'At the corner of the first turning after passing the village of Llanrhos*, on the left hand side, is a withered oak tree, called by the natives of those parts the Devil’s Tree, and it was thought to be haunted, and therefore the young and timid were afraid to pass it Read More »
The Faenol Estate
The Faenol or Vaynol estate between Y Felinheli (Port Dinorwic) and Bangor, comprises of about 1,000 acres of land and has over thirty listed buildings on the grounds. The estate dates back to the Tudor period, and is enclosed by a wall which is seven miles long. Read More »
The Ghost of Captain Davies, Nefyn
This is a ghost story from Nefyn, a town on the north coast of the Llyn peninsula with a strong sea faring tradition. One night, Captain Davies was apparently seen standing in the lamp light at the junction of Stryd Y Plas and Stryd Y Llan. Read More »
The Gloddaeth Ghost
The following extract concerning a ghost in Gloddaeth Wood (now Coed Gaer) appeared in 'Welsh folk-lore: a collection of the folk-tales and legends of North Wales' (1887) by Owen Elias. He obtained the story from Rev. Owen Jones of Pentrevoelas who was had received a first hand account from Thomas Davies of Tycoch, Rhyl, who appears in the tale. Read More »
The Grapes Hotel
In the village of Maentwrog on the A496, the Grade II listed Grapes Hotel is the local hostel. It was originally a 17th Century coaching inn but its cellar dates from the 13th Century. Read More »
The Gwiber of Penmachno
The word "gwiber" in Welsh means viper or adder but many centuries ago the word actually meant "flying snake" . This is the story of how Wibernant (meaning "valley of the gwiber) which is near Penmachno got its name. Read More »
The Llyn Eiddew Bach Stone Circle
This stone circle is located close to Bryn Cader Faner, just to the east of the path that leads to this more famous ancient monument. The circle is difficult to find in the Welsh mountain moorland, chiefly because the stones are low to the ground and have been overgrown by the moor. Read More »
The Lost Land of Wales
This tale is one of two stories of a similar theme attached to Cardigan Bay in Gwynedd. This story is the later one of the two and explains how a realm was lost to the sea through debauchery and drunkenness. There are traces of walls and roadways under the sea at Cardigan Bay, they can be seen at low tide and may have given rise to the legend of the 'Lost Lowland Hundred'. Read More »
The Maes-y-Neuadd Country House Hotel
This famous country house hotel situated between Harlech to the south, and Talsarnau to the north, just off the B4573 is reputedly a haunted house. The oldest part of the building dates from the 14th Century, and it was extended several times over the centuries, becoming a manor house. Now it is a first class hotel and restaurant. Read More »
The Tale of Nant Gwrtheyrn
When Thomas Pennant was touring Wales, he noted that the three farms on the Nant were Tŷ Hen, Tŷ Canol and Tŷ Ychaf respectively. Read More »
The Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain
These treasures are ancient magical items of Welsh tradition that are mentioned in 15th and 16th Century manuscripts. Most of the treasures are from and in ‘The North’ of the Island of Britain. Read More »
Tre'r Ceiri (Town of Fortresses)
To the North of Pwllheli, between the main road from Llanaelhaearn to Llithfaen, and the coast, are three peaks known as ‘the Rivals’ in English and ‘Yr Eifl’ in Welsh. Upon the eastern peak is an Iron Age hill fort called Tre’r Ceiri which is regarded by many as the most important prehistoric town in North Wales if not the whole of Europe. Read More »
Ty Mawr hut group (a.k.a. Cytau'r Gwyddelod, or Irish Huts)
These Iron Age remains of circular buildings can be found on Holy Island, near South Stack on Anglesey. The site consists of ten large circular stone rings (the remains of Iron Age huts) on the hillside with nine smaller rectangular structures (probably workshops for metal working) scattered among them, covering an area of up to twenty acres. Read More »
Tylwyth Teg of Cwm Llan
In this valley below the south eastern side of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), it is said that the Tylwyth Teg (Fairy Folk) live. It is said that one day, a shepherd heard a wailing sound, and he moved a rock where the sound was coming from. When he did this he rescued a Tylwyth Teg who has trapped there. Later, he encountered two old men who thanked him, and gave him a staff. Read More »
Tylwyth Teg of Llyn Cwellyn
In 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901) John Rhys mentioned a story concerning fairies that had been passed to him by two brothers who had in turn heard it from Mari Domos Siôn, who died around 1850. 'A shepherd had once lost his way in the mist on the mountain on the land of Caeau Gwynion, towards Cwellyn Lake, and got into a ring where the Tylwyth Teg* were dancing: it was only af Read More »
Tyn-y-Groes Hotel
The Tyn-y-Groes Hotel is an old drovers inn dating the sixteenth century. I found a reference in a Snowdonia walking book stating strange haunting like phenomena was supposed to have been reported shortly after a young girl was run down in a traffic accident on the A470, just outside the building. Read More »
