Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: United Kingdom

Folklore / Witchcraft

To Counteract Witchcraft

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘A case occurred in old Dundas Street, Monkwearmouth, twenty-four years ago, of a child believed to be witched, so that it was shrivelled up to anatomy.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Witchcraft

Leddy Lister

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘A retired farmers wife at Hedworth, who went by the name of Leddy Lister, was commonly held by the people round about to be a witch.

English Fairies / English Folktales / Fairies / Folklore / Folktales

Witch Cat, Staindrop

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘Mr. Hylton Longstaffe relates that a farmer of Staindrop was one night crossing a bridge near that place, when a cat jumped out, stood before him, and looking him full in the face, said "Johnny Reed, Johnny Reed!

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

A Witch Cat

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘Mr.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Witchcraft

Bewitched Child, Wearmouth Colliery

The following account of the story is extracted from‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘It is far from uncommon, in Sunderland, Shields, Durham, Hartlepool, and other towns and villages, for mothers whose children are not thriving to think them bewitched.

Folklore / Witchcraft

Black Willie of Hartlepool

The following account of the story is extracted from ‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘The Rev. H. B.

Folklore

Church of St Edmund, Sedgefield

The Church of St Edmundthe Bishop at Sedgefield is a Grade I listed building dating from the 13thcentury. This church is associated with the story of the ‘Pickled Parson’. The following account of the story is extracted from ‘Legends Superstitions of the County of Durham’ by William Brockie (1886). ‘The Rev.