Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Ancient Sites / Wells

Ffynnon Fair (St. Mary’s Well), Aberdaron

Ffynnon Fair can be found on the shore to the east of the precipitous rocks rising out of the sea known locally as ‘the wall’. This well always gives fresh water even though it is often covered over by the sea. It is said that a wish can be fulfilled by running with a mouthful of the water, three times around the quadrangle of the nearby St. Mary’s church.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Legends / Wells

Ffynnon Fair (St. Mary’s Well), Llwyn-y-pia

Ffynnon Fair is a holy well situated outside the village of Llwyn-y-pia. The well is the oldest recorded Christian site in the Rhondda. Some historians date the site back further, and it could be pagan in origin. The water from the well is reputed to cure ailments, especially rheumatism and poor eyesight. Rhisiart ap Rhys wrote:

Hauntings / Legends

Cranmere Pool

Robert Charles Hope tells us in ‘The Legendary Lore Of The Holy Wells Of England’ (1893) that ‘Cranmere Pool is believed to be a place of punishment for unhappy spirits, who are frequently to be heard wailing in the morasses which surround it’.

Legends

Plymouth Leat (Drake’s Leat)

Following a 1585 Act of Parliament, Plymouth Leat or Drake’s Leat was built to divert water from the River Meavy on Dartmoor, seventeen and a half miles to Plymouth. The idea itself dates back to 1559 when Plymouth Corporation asked Mr Forsland of Bovey to make an initial survey for its construction, in order to create a new supply of fresh water. A more detailed survey was completed in 1576.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Grove Mill (Bygone Times)

Whether you have an eye for antiques or just want a stroll down memory lane, I can heartily recommend a visit to Bygone Times at the Grove Mill in Eccleston. The 17th century mill also has a reputation of being haunted.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Spectral Coach of Blackadon

Lanreath is well known for the tale of a spectral coach which was said to haunt the area. The following account that appeared in ‘The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain’ by John Ingram (1897), describes the encounter between the exorcist, Richard Dodge, and the phantom coach.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Ashley Hall

The Grade II listed Ashley Hall dates from the late 16th century and has been linked to stories of a ghostly White Lady. T Ottway, in his ‘News from the invisible world: A collection of remarkable narratives on the certainty of supernatural visitations from the dead to the living (1853)’ gives an account of a ghost at a place named Ashley Park.

Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Poltergiests

The Anglesey Arms

This traditional Welsh inn is a stone’s throw from the magnificent Caernarfon Castle, at the end of Castle Hill road. It overlooks the Menai Straits, and it is allegedly haunted. The building was formerly the Customs House in the 18th Century, and it situated on the site of Caernarfon’s ‘Hanging Tower’ which was the place of execution in the town.

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Wedding Venue / Hauntings

Gwydir Castle

Gwydir Castle is nestled in the Vale of Conwy in North Wales, and it has a long and fantastic history. The first recorded owner was Howell ap Coetmor, whose family members are recorded as having fought at the battles of Poitiers (1356), Shrewsbury (1402) and Agincourt (1415).

Apparitions / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

The Black Boy (Buoy) Inn

On Northgate Street, in the Royal Borough of Caernarfon, you will find an excellent free house called the Black Boy Inn which is reputedly haunted. When it was built, circa 1522 it consisted of two inns, one the ‘Kings Arms’ and the other the ‘Fleur de Lys’. At some stage, one landlord acquired both buildings and the ‘Black Boy’ as we know it today was created.