Easton Wood Devil
In her ‘Nummits and Crummits’ (1900), Sarah Hewett gives the following account. ‘An old man living in South Devon, once told me that as he was one night returning from Starcross to a farm...
Category: Legends
Harry ca Nab
Harry ca Nab (also known as Harry Cannab) is traditionally thought to be the Devil’s Huntsman. This phantom is described as riding a bull or a winged horse and goes out hunting wild boar....
St Mary’s Church, Broadwater
‘Be careful if you have any plans to go for your evening jog around the churchyard in Broadwater – legend says that if you run around the oldest tomb in the yard, the devil...
Giant’s Cave, Edenhall
At Giant’s Cave, near Eden Hall, it has been the custom from time immemorial for the lads and lasses of the neighbouring villages to collect together on the third Sunday in May, to drink sugar and water, when the lasses give the treat: this is called Sugar-and-Water Sunday. They afterwards adjourn to the public house, and the lads return the compliment in cakes, ale, punch, etc.
Wimbell Pond
Tradition says an iron chest of money is concealed: if any daring person ventures to approach the pond, and throw a stone into the water, it will ring against the chest ; and a small white figure has been heard to cry in accents of distress, ‘That’s mine’. [W Sparrow Simpson from Notes and Queries 1889 & County Folk-Lore: Suffolk (1893) Lady Camilla Gurdon]
Maiden’s Castle, Reeth
The following treasure legend was published in Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson (1879). ‘I learn from Mr. Robinson, of Hill House, Reeth, Yorkshire, that in his neighbourhood as in many others is a place called Maiden’s Castle, in which tradition avers a chest of gold is buried.
Kirkstall Abbey
The following tunnel legend was published in Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson (1879). ’A…..tale is told of Kirkstall Abbey, near Leeds.
Dallinghoo Treasure
In ‘County Folk-Lore: Suffolk’ (1893), Lady Camilla Gurdon gives the following story ‘Beneath a post of a high gate in Dallinghoo lies a hidden treasure; the ghost of its former owner haunts the spot and twelve clergymen have unitedly failed to lay the spirit.’
Llanilar Church
The following account from ‘Haunted Churches’ (1939) by Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) refers to a Devil tradition associated with three churches in close proximity, though he does not name the individual church.
Lancashire Folk by Melanie Warren
I’ve known Mel for over 20 years, meeting though ASSAP while investigating paranormal cases in the North of England. We share a passion for collecting stories and coming from Lancashire myself I have been looking forward to reading Mel’s new book and revisiting some of the old stories, coming across some new ones..and of course, I can now add the book to my collection!
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