Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Apparitions / Hauntings / Witchcraft

The Cage, St Osyth

The following article by Sam Balls was published in the Essex Chronicle, 1 February 2016. It is entitled ‘Britain’s most haunted house and former medieval prison is up for sale in Essex for £180,000’

Ghost hunters can snap up Britain’s most haunted house after the Essex-based creepy cottage was put on the market for £180,000.

Apparitions / Hauntings

St Mary the Virgin Church, Ilmington

In ‘Haunted Churches’ (1939), Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) gives the following brief description of a haunting at the 12th century parish church of St Mary the Virgin. ‘THE parish church of Ilmington in Warwickshire was, and some say still, at times, is, haunted by the ghost of a parish clerk who died in 1793.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Road Ghosts

Headless Coachman, Norwich

The following extract is taken from ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879). ‘The Headless Coach, or more correctly coach with headless coachman, appears again in Norfolk. Mr.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Swine Drawn Coach (1684)

In his ‘Memorials, or the memorable things that fell out within this island of Britain from 1638 – 1684’ (Published 1818), Robert Law quotes the diary of Jacob Bee of Durham, who refers to a strange experience that was deemed a portent of death. “John Borrow departed this life the 17th day of January being Satterday this yeare 1684 and twas reported y’he see a coa

Apparitions / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings / Scottish Folktales

The Ladies Bow-Brig-Syke

The following story was published in ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879). ‘About half-a mile to the east of Maxton, a small rivulet runs across the turnpike-road, at a spot called Bow-brig-syke.

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.