Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: United Kingdom

Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales / Witchcraft

Laird Harry Gilles

The following was published in ‘Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales’ by George Douglas (1901) but he cites ‘Folk-lore of the Northern Counties’by William Henderson’ (1879).’THE Laird Harry Gilles of Littledean was extremely fond of hunting.

Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

Littledean Tower

The 15th century Littledean Tower is now a ruin, but this fortified house was the home of the Kers of Littledean. The following story about Littledean was published in ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879).

Apparitions / Buried Treasure / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings / Legends

Sexhow Ghost

According to ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879). ‘Mr. G. M. Tweddell thus relates the history of an apparition which with fitting retributive justice haunted a certain Yorkshire farmer.

Legends

Tunnel Between Finchale Abbey and Durham Cathedral

The following tunnel legend was printed in ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders’ by William Henderson (1879). ‘There was a wild legend in my native city of a subterranean passage between Finchale Abbey and the cathedral of Durham, and of an attempt to penetrate it.

Hauntings

Awd Simmon Beeather

A Glossary of Words used in Holderness (1877) gives the following description for the word Simmon and mentions an associated ghost. ‘Simmon, pounded brick or tiles, used by brick-layers for colouring the mortar. Beating simmon was formerly the hard labour punishment in Beverley Borough Gaol.

Apparitions / Folklore / Hauntings

Fimber Crossroads

The following extract is taken from ‘History of Fimber. A treatise on Agricultural Improvements, Memories of Remarkable Events and Village Tales’ by T. Edmondson (1857), in which he describes local folklore concerning the haunting of the crossroads at Fimber.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Ba’l Hill, Neolithic Round Barrow

The Neolithic round barrow at Wold Newton stands nearly three meters and has a diameter of around 40 meters. It stands beside an intermittently flowing stream known as the Gypsey Race. It was excavated in 1894 by JR Mortimer.

English Fairies / Fairies / Folklore

Gypsy Race

The Gypsy runs from the Great Wold Valley and out into the North Sea at Bridlington. Bad fortune is said follow when the Gypsey Race flows. The following description of the Gypsey Race was published as response to a letter in the Bridlington Free Press on Wednesday 21 May 2008.