Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Author: Ian

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

St Andrew’s Parish Church, Alfriston

St Andrew’s Parish Church is a Grade I listed building dating back to 1370. It was built in a cruciform shape and is referred to as The Cathedral of the Downs. There is a siting legend attached to St Andrews Church dating back to its original construction.

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Wedding Venue / Hauntings

Deans Place Country Hotel

Dating from the 17th century and formerly being the moated manor house of a large farm estate, the Grade II listed Deans Place has been a hotel since the start of the 20th century. The building has a reputation of being haunted by a female figure in a long blue dress or robe.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Road Ghosts

A23 Pyecombe

According to the BBC News Website ‘The UK’s most haunted road is listed as the A23 between London and Brighton, where ghostly figures include a small girl with no hands or feet, a figure in a white trench coat and a figure in cricketer’s clothing.’

At Pyecombe apparently a strange figure has been seen scampering across the road.

Apparitions / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

Ye Olde Smugglers Inne, Alfriston

Partially dating from 1358, and originally known as The Market Cross Inn or Market Cross House, this public house changed its name in the 1920’s and now reflects its association with Stanton Collins, the leader of the Alfriston gang and their smuggling activities.

Anniversary Ghosts / Apparitions / Black Dogs / Hauntings / Road Ghosts

The White Way, Alfriston

The White Way is a road running between Alfriston and Seaford, which according to local legend has a reputation for being haunted. According to tradition, one Midsummers Eve, a young man, who was the heir to the Chowne* estate was killed with his dog (possibly a white terrier) near Dean’s Place and quickly buried in a shallow grave.

Fairies / Folklore / Folktales

Knurre-Murre

The following Danish story was published in ‘Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales’ by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps (1849). ‘An analogous story is found in the people-literature of Denmark. Near a town called Lyng is the hill of Brondhoë, inhabited by the trold-folk, or imps.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Witchcraft

A Witch-Hare at Sedgefield

The following account of the story is extracted from ‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘A similar incident* is said to have happened at the small market town of Sedgefield, about seventy years ago. A party out coursing hares raised one in a field near that place, towards which they were astonished to see that it ran direct.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Ceddesfield Hall

Ceddesfield Hall is a Grade II listed building dating from the 18thcentury. Now a community centre, Ceddesfield Hall was originally built as a rectory for Reverend George Barrington. The previous rectory which this replaced burned down in 1793. It was this older building that was associated with the ‘Pickled Parson’.

Folklore / Witchcraft

To Counteract Witchcraft

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘A case occurred in old Dundas Street, Monkwearmouth, twenty-four years ago, of a child believed to be witched, so that it was shrivelled up to anatomy.