Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Greater Manchester

Giants / Legends

Alderman Hill and Alphin Pike

In legend the rolling boulder-strewn hills of Alphin Pike and Alderman Hill were the abodes of the giants Alphin and Alderman, after whom the peaks were named. Alphin and Alderman were at first on friendly terms, until they both became enamoured with a beautiful water nymph called Rimmon, who lived in the valley below them in the bubbling waters of Chew Brook.

Fairies / Folklore

Boggart Hole Clough

The clough was in former times, said to be haunted by a boggart, and there are a number of stories attached to it. Some of these tales probably became attached to the area after they had been written about other similar boggart infested places.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Poltergiests

Smithills Hall, Bolton

The hall – one of the oldest in Lancashire – has a footprint in its flagstones said to have been created when a protestant martyr was interrogated at the hall. The footprint is said to become bloody on the anniversary of his martyrdom.

Apparitions / Fairies / Folklore / Hauntings

St Chad’s Church, Saddleworth

Saddleworth church – dedicated to St Chad – has a legend associated with its location. It is said that the original site for the church was on nearby Brown Hill, but every night the stones were mysteriously moved to their present position. Eventually the builders gave up moving the stones back to Brown Hill, and built it where the stones were placed each night.

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Occult

Black Magic Ritual Site Discovered

This tale was sent in by one of our visitors, it recounts the discovery of the remnants of a dark ritual deep within the Pennine hills.

Apparitions / Civil War Hauntings / Hauntings

Marple Hall

The hall was said to be haunted by King Charles the I, and the daughter of a Roundhead, who was murdered by her father when she fell in love with a Cavalier during the English Civil War.