Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Folklore

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Hoghton Tower

Dating from 1560-1565, Hoghton Tower is a Grade I listed fortified manor house situated on the highest hill in the Hoghton area. The following tale by John Roby was published in his ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ in 1872. He refers to it being left to decay and by the middle of the 19th century it was derelict.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings

Ince Hall, Ince-in-Makerfield

John Roby in his ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ (1872) relates the following tale which he entitled ‘The Haunted Manor House’, which he identifies as being Ince Hall in Wigan. As Roby acknowledges, there are a few buildings known as Ince Hall which leads to confusion when trying to identify the exactly where this tale is said to be based.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Raven’s Castle

Raven’s Castle is a cluster of rocks on the moors about 6 miles north of Slaidburn and close to the Lancashire border with Yorkshire. John Roby in his ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ (1872) set the following folk tale amongst these rocks.

Ancient Sites / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Mab’s Cross

The remains of this 13th century (earliest known mention 1277) stone cross can be found on Standishgate and is thought to have been a medieval waymarker between Chorley and Wigan.  It was moved from its original position on the other side of the road in 1922 when the road was widened.  The cross’s name is derived from its legendary association with Lady Mabel Bradshaw.  T

Folklore / Hauntings

Pickens County Courthouse

A mysterious and ghostly tale is told about the Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton, Alabama. It concerns a supposedly innocent man being lynched, the evidence of which is still there for all to see today.

Apparitions / Folklore / Hauntings

Hornby Park Mistress and Margaret Brackin

John Harland and T. T. Wilkinson give the following account of a haunting tradition in Lancashire Folk-lore (1867). ‘The following story is told and believed by some persons in Hornby. The Park Mistress may be supposed to be the ghost of Lady Harrington, who committed murder three hundred years ago. Margaret Brackin was born in 1745, and died in 1795.

Apparitions / Folklore / Hauntings

Peg O’Nell of Waddow Hall, Waddington

The Grade II listed 17th century Waddow Hall has been owned by the Girl Guides Association since 1928. There is an old folk tradition associated with Waddow Hall and the ghost of Peg O’Nell or Peg o’ th’ Well. The following account of the tradition is extracted from ‘Lancashire Folk-lore’ (1867) by John Harland and T. T. Wilkinson.

Folklore

Waddington Hall

Waddington Hall near Clitheroe is one of the locations that sheltered King Henry VI following his defeat at the Battle of Hexham in 1464 and it was shortly after leaving here that his was captured and taken to the Tower of London. The following story entitled ‘The Grey Man of the Wood or The Secret Mine’ appeared in John Roby’s ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ (1872)

Devil / Folklore / Legends

Clitheroe Castle

It has been suggested in Roby’s Traditions of Lancashire, that the Motte and Bailey Clitheroe Castle may date back to before 1086, being built by Roger de Poictou (also known as Roger Pictavensis). Roger was a supporter of King William I and was granted 398 Saxon Manors following the Norman invasion of 1066.

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.)’