Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Legends

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / King Arthur / Legends

Glastonbury Abbey, Arthur’s Grave

This is a reproduction of the cross said to have been found in Arthur’s grave at Glastonbury Abbey. The actual grave seems to have been a very early burial but the Arthur link is tenuous. The actual cross disappeared many years ago and the only depiction is from a drawing by William Camden in 1607, from which this picture has been redrawn.

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Buried Treasure / Giants / Legends

The Giants of Stokesay Castle

This legend belongs to the area around Stokesay Castle in Shropshire, and was first recorded in Shropshire Folklore, A Sheaf of Gleanings by Burne and Jackson London 1883. What follows is a short adaptation of the original folklore.

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Articles / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Giants / Legends

The Origin of The Wrekin

This is one of two folktales, which explain the origin of the Wrekin, a 1,334 foot high hill standing on the Shropshire plain. The hill has the remains of an Iron Age Hillfort on its summit, and folk evidence suggests it was an important focal point for our prehistoric ancestors.

Ancient Sites / Legends / Stone Circles

Mitchell’s Fold

Fourteen stones remain of this circle which probably numbered about thirty when it was built around 2000-1400BC. It sits on the ridge of Stapeley Hill, in view of the Stiperstones and the Welsh border. The circle is 27 metres in diameter and is 330 metres above sea level.

Ancient Sites / Giants / Legends

The Wrekin

This impressive hill sits in the middle of a rolling landscape and at 1,334 feet is an impressive landmark for miles around. The hill is crowned with the remains of an Iron age Hill fort and it is said that a beacon fire was lit on its summit during the Spanish Armada.

Devil / Folklore / Legends

Stiperstones

As with many tales regarding in Britain about the Devil, this one also has him carrying an apron full of stones, in this case from Ireland. He sat to rest upon what is now called The Devil’s Chair and is the highest rock on this ridge. As usual, the apron strings break and he drops his load of stones.

Buried Treasure / Giants / Legends

Stokesay Castle

This thirteenth century fortified manor house is supposedly the hiding place of a treasure chest full of gold, which was hidden by two giants. The legend says the treasure is guarded by a raven which sits atop the chest. The key to the chest was apparently lost when one of the giants dropped it in the moat.

Legends

Great Mere, Ellesmere

This 100 acre lake was reputedly a meadow that once surrounded a well that was used by all the local inhabitants. According to legend the meadow flooded to create the lake in response to either the locals being banned from using the well by the meadows owner or in response to the prayers of the locals complaining that the price to draw water was too high.

Devil / Legends

St Mary’s Church, Ambrosden

The church has a siting legend attached to it, every morning when the stone masons returned to the field in which the church was being built, they would find the stones to have mysteriously moved to another site. Eventually after happening on a number of occasions the workmen gave up and built the church where the stones reappeared. The Devil was blamed as the prime suspect.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Legends / Roman Hauntings

Icknield Way

This ancient trackway, believed to date to the Neolithic period, is said to be haunted by Roman legionaries and Black dogs.

At one time, before modern transport allowed freedom of movement, it was believed to lead directly to hell.