Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Monthly Archive: September 2011

Other Mysteries

Our Lady of La Vang

It is thought that there could be as many as 300,000 Vietnamese Catholic Martyrs, killed through a series of purges and persecutions dating back as far as the 17th Century. In the late 18th Century and early 19th Century, the church in Vietnam was devastated during the Tay Son rebellion and under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945).

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Legends

Glastonbury Holy Thorn Tree

I have visited Glastonbury many times over the last few decades, but only got around to visiting the Holy Thron on Wearyall Hill for the first time in September 2011. Unfortunately it was in a poor state after being vandalised the previous December and then apparently further damaged by souvenir hunters.

Dragons / Legends

The Slingsby Serpent

In 1619 the antiquary Roger Dodsworth (born 1585 – died 1654) gave an early account of the dragon: ‘The tradition is that between Malton and this town there was some time a serpent, that lived upon prey of passengers, and which this Wyvill and his dog did kill, when he received his death-wound.

Apparitions / Green Ladies / Hauntings

Green Lady of Thorpe Hall

Historically, Thorpe Hall was owned by the Bolle family, one of the most colourful of whom was Sir John Bolle (born 1560 – died 3 November 1606). A swashbuckling Elizabethan adventurer, gentleman and patriot, Bolle took part in Sir Walter Raleigh’s 1596 attack and capture of Cadiz.