Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Author: Ian

Apparitions / Hauntings

Bishop’s Palace, Darlington

Built in 1970, the Town Hall now stands on the site of the old Bishop’s Palace in Darlington and there is a story associated with this older building concerning the English Civil War, the murder of a local Lady and her subsequent ghost.

Cryptozoology / Fairies / Folklore / Scottish Fairies

Loch Leetie

According to an article by W Gregor in Folklore [A Quarterly Review Of Myth, Tradition, Institution & Custom] Vol III (1892) ‘This is a loch in Nairnshire. It was the common belief that a bull lived in it. He was often heard roaring very loudly, particularly during frost. (Told by Mrs. Miller.)’

Apparitions / Hauntings

Whiteleas Ghost Plane

The following account of an experience with a phantom aircraft was published in the Shields Gazzette on Wednesday 4 February 2009 in an article entitled ‘Did Dougal see a ghost plane?’

Apparitions / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Roman Hauntings

The Lookout Inn, Lawe Top

The Lookout Inn stands opposite the partially reconstructed Arbeia Roman Fort which dates from around 120AD and served as a maritime supply base for the garrisons on Hadrian’s Wall. We probably should not be surprised to hear of a Roman ghost haunting The Lookout Inn.

Apparitions / Civil War Hauntings / Haunted Battlefields / Hauntings

Piper’s Hollow, Sandbach

On 3 September 1651 the final battle of the English Civil War was fought, the Battle of Worcester. Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian New Model Army had a recorded strength of around 28,000 and they defeated the 16,000 strong Royalist Army, many of whom were Scottish.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Wycoller Hall

The ruin of the sixteenth century Wycoller Hall is Grade II listed building and a scheduled ancient monument with a reputation of being haunted. The following account of the one of the halls ghost stories was published in 1873 in John Harland & T T Wilkinson’s ‘Lancashire Legends’.

Apparitions / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings

Joseph Hempsall’s Ghost

Here’s an interesting piece of Cambridgeshire folklore I found in a book called "Folktales of the Fen Country". Joseph Hempsall was a true born "Fen Slodger". He lived in a small cottage on the Soham side of Wicken Fen during the late 17th century. Every evening Hempsall would cross the fen, known locally as "Big Bog" to drink with his friends at tavern in Wicken.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Head of Steam, Darlington Railway Museum

The Darlington Railway Centre Museum is located on the original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway which opened in 1825 as the first steam powered passenger railway and it has a reputation of being haunted.