Mysterious Britain & Ireland

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Haunted Surrey by Rupert Matthews

Author Rupert Matthews takes us on a ghostly journey through Haunted Surrey in his latest book published by The History Press. Growing up in Surrey, the author has collected and researched a series of spine-tingling tales of apparitions, spectres, spirits from around the county, some are well know and others are possibly new to the readers.

The Well Of The Holy Rood, Stenton

The 16th century Well of the Holy Rood at Stenton has a legend attached to its finial which resembles a rosetted cardinal’s hat. The legend states that the tenure of Beil depends upon the well keeping its hat.

Eland Road Poltergeist

During December 1927 the family home of Mr Henry Robinson in Eland Road, Battersea came to the attention of the Police and the local media following reports of suspected Poltergeist like activity. On 19th January 1928 Harry Price, president of the Ghost Club started to investigate the case.

Our Lady of La Vang

It is thought that there could be as many as 300,000 Vietnamese Catholic Martyrs, killed through a series of purges and persecutions dating back as far as the 17th Century. In the late 18th Century and early 19th Century, the church in Vietnam was devastated during the Tay Son rebellion and under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945).

Glastonbury Holy Thorn Tree

I have visited Glastonbury many times over the last few decades, but only got around to visiting the Holy Thron on Wearyall Hill for the first time in September 2011. Unfortunately it was in a poor state after being vandalised the previous December and then apparently further damaged by souvenir hunters.

The Slingsby Serpent

In 1619 the antiquary Roger Dodsworth (born 1585 – died 1654) gave an early account of the dragon: ‘The tradition is that between Malton and this town there was some time a serpent, that lived upon prey of passengers, and which this Wyvill and his dog did kill, when he received his death-wound.

Green Lady of Thorpe Hall

Historically, Thorpe Hall was owned by the Bolle family, one of the most colourful of whom was Sir John Bolle (born 1560 – died 3 November 1606). A swashbuckling Elizabethan adventurer, gentleman and patriot, Bolle took part in Sir Walter Raleigh’s 1596 attack and capture of Cadiz.