St Edmund used to be the patron saint of England before Saint George came along and usurped his position.
A king of East Anglia in the mid 9th century, he was murdered by Vikings and later was made a saint and buried within the Abbey in Bury St Edmunds.
Nothing is left of his elaborate shrine as this was destroyed during the English Reformation.
All that is left of the Abbey, are ruins, within what is now the Abbey Gardens. On a green, besides St Edmundsbury Cathedral, are two statues, one of St Edmund, the other a wolf. As with other saints, St Edmund has legends attached to him, one concerns a wolf.
Sheffield ghost expert Mr P Dreadful in the former print works in the old Star building in York Street, where ghosts have been seen over the years. The Star.
Armley Mills is the home to a few ghosts, one of whom likes to slam doors and push people.
Temple Newsam hosts a Blue Lady and the ghost of a murdered nursemaid.
City Varieties Music Hall, haunted by a red haired woman, banging and knocking, ghostly piano music and weird paintings.
Kirkstall Abbey, a former Abbot likes to check in on things and a female ghost, named Mary, roams the grounds.
Leeds Beckett University’s Headingley Campus, students and teachers have reported strange noises in the corridors, and the oldest building on the sight is apparently overrun with paranormal activity.
Hatfield House is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Queen Elizabeth I. – Credit: Supplied by Hatfield House. Welwyn Hatfield Times.
HatfieldHouse, the grounds of which Queen Elizabeth I is said to haunt. Other ghosts have made their home here too.
Knebworth House, haunted by a yellow boy who foretells misfortune and occultist, Sir Bulwer Lytton.
Guessens Court, the restless spirit of a woman, murdered by her husband, haunts the area.
The Eight Bells, mysterious footsteps can be heard on the upper floors.
Plume of Feathers, table eight gis supposedly haunted by a man and women, and the ladies toilet doors have a habit of opening and closing by themselves.
St Peter’s Church and the tomb of Lady Anne Grimston.
The Brocket Arms, haunted by a monk, a girl singing and a little boy.
Dudley Castle. Visitors claim they have taken photos of a ghosts here.
Netherton Park ghost on a swing which isn’t.
Cannock Chase dolls. A walker found dolls nailed to a tree.
A psychic claims she conjured up a dead horse in her dining room.
Someone collects ‘haunted dolls’.
Roman soldiers are said to haunt the M6.
Bella in the Wych Elm, a true story of a body found in a hollow Wych Elm tree in 1943. No-one knows who she was, but the name Bella was attached to her. A real mystery.
Crumlin Road Gaol. Ghosts have supposedly been seen here.
Castle Court. Haunted by a ghost called Scottie Shoe
Cairndhu House, Larne. Said to be the mist haunted house in Northern Ireland.
No 60, Sandy Row. The ghost of an elderly man is said to have scared residents.
The Giant’s Ring. Built in the Neolithic period it has a megalithic tomb at it’s centre. In the 90s a family claimed to have been trapped in the ring for hours.
The Friars Bush tunnel. Ghosts are said to haunt the graveyard and associated tunnel.
The Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor. Made famous by the novel Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier, the Inn is said to be haunted by a Highway Man amongst other spirits.
Pendennis Castle, Falmouth. Eight ghosts, one a maid called Maud, haunt this castle.
Kennall Vale, Ponsanooth. A former gunpowder works, an explosion in the 19th century killed many workers, one of whom haunts the area still.
Wheal Coates, St Agnes. The ghosts of miners are reputed to haunt the tin mine here.
Prideaux Place, Padstow. An Elizabethan Manor house with an abundance of ghosts.
The Three Pilchards Pub, Polperro. The oldest pub in Polperro with a murderous ghost story to go with it.
Wellington House, Boscastle. One TripAdvisor reviewer didn’t have a very good experience in room number nine.
Queen’s Square, Penzance. George the ghost like to throw beer in the Co-op here.
Bodmin Jail. One of the most haunted places in the UK.
The Dolphin Tavern, Penzance. Three ghosts are said to be regulars at this pub.
Mysterious dripping came from above — but there was no water in sight. Chichester Observer.
Electric Lady Tattoo in Chichester has been the scene of some mysterious happenings. Objects flying across the room, footsteps and mysteries drops of water have been experienced over the years.
View of the Windmill on Bidston Hill on a cold day. Photo by Ian Cooper. Liverpool Echo.
Bidston Hill has a reputation for the supernatural. A millers ghost haunts the windmill, UFOs have been seen, murders took place here and stories of covens and demonic worship cling to the area.
Ruined castles, spooky caves and centuries of bloody deeds, ghastly ghosts and fearsome folklore are all part of a new road trip tour which aims to explore the ‘darker’ side of Herefordshire’s history. Gloucestershire Live.
Hideous Histories of Herefordshire is a new road tour that takes in ruined castles, caves and perhaps the odd ghost or two.
Pendle Hill Credit: Steve Houldsworth. Lancashire Live.
Pendle Hill is famous for it’s Witches and the Witch trials that took place in the area. A group of paranormal investigators claim there are more modern ghosts that haunt the hill including airmen, children and the shadow of a dog.
This image is said to show the ghostly apparitions of ‘three or four children’ inside the Education Offices and Art College, on Eleanor Street, Grimsby (Image: Submitted). Grimsby Telegraph.
Paranormal investigators claim to have taken pictures of ghosts in an abandoned school in Grimsby.
Wales is a land that has an abundance of folklore, legends, customs and supernatural occurrences, both in out of the way ruins and within it’s busy towns and cities. Whilst Halloween in the UK has been influenced by American customs, Wales still has a few customs and traditions of it’s own.
Welsh Halloween Customs
T. H. THOMAS Image caption,An illustration depicting a Welsh witch, also known as a Gwrach
A BBC article from a few years back, about Welsh Halloween traditions.
Many places in Wales are hosting special events over Halloween including tours and ghost hunts. If you want to explore places yourself, please be careful, be respectful and get the landowners permission.
Enjoy.
The Most Haunted Places in Wales.
Gors Fawr Stone Circle.
Information taken from the Paranormal Database reveals the spookiest places in Wales.
A few interesting articles on folklore and traditions. The UK has a wealth of folklore, myths, legends, traditions and customs. Some are widespread, others confined to a specific place.
People are familiar with celebrations like Christmas and Easter, yet up and down the country there are many events that take place throughout the year. If you do visit any of the places I mention, please be respectful, don’t damage anything, don’t litter and ask permission if it’s private property. Some places have tours so worth checking what’s going on.
Enjoy.
Caynton Caves.
Caynton Cave The opening to the cave
The caves are on the Historic England data base and are thought to be 18th/19th century in date. They were probably a grotto. So not a new discovery. Caves though attract a lot of folklore so no surprise that these particular ones have been connected with the Knights Templars.
Image caption,The stone’s discovery has been called “fascinating” by Hertfordshire County Council
A piece of rock, known as Puddingstone, found during construction of a bypass, has been placed in the village of Little Hadham. There are folklore traditions associated with this particular type of rock.
An obsidian mirror allegedly used by an occultist and advisor to the 16th-century court of Queen Elizabeth I has Aztec origins, researchers have determined. PHOTOGRAPH BY S. CAMPBELL
John Dee was an adviser to Elizabeth I and was rumoured to have dabbled in the black arts. His Obsidian mirror is now thought to have originally come from Mesoamerica.
The Victorians had a lot of traditions around death, however I’m a bit dubious about some of these. Myths have sprung up about certainly practices that are not quite true.
Aaron Mullins new book is topping the charts in an Amazon list.
A new book, Scottish Legends: 55 Mythical Monsters by Dr Aaron Mullins, delves into the myths and legends of Scotland. Loch Ness if of course included.
Llyn y Fan Fach (Image: Creative commons/ Flickr/ Angel Ganev)
The Brecons are a beautiful place to visit and are steeped in legend and folklore. One of the most famous stories concerns the Lady of Llyn y Fan Fach, a fairy who married a mortal.
The game has been entertaining and delighting children for centuries (Image: Submitted)
I can remember playing conkers as a child, It’s not as popular as it once was, though it has nothing to do with health and safety gone bad as some would like to think. Things change. Who knows it might become popular again.
Turnip carving was tradition instead of a pumpkin (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Halloween is considered to be an American import yet the traditions and folklore ofHalloween are very old, especially in places like Scotland, Ireland and to a lesser extent in Wales and Cornwall, although at one point they were probably more widespread across the UK generally.
It’s October so that means Halloween is just around the corner. The nights are drawing in, there’s a chill in the air and it’s an ideal time to tell each other stories of the supernatural. The UK for such a small set of Islands has an over abundance of paranormal activity. Stories abound of ghosts, witches and black magic. A ghostly tale or two is usually to be found in even the smallest village and larger towns and cities have multiple haunted spots. Castles, mansions, pubs, churches, old houses, airfields and roads are just some of the haunts of various spectres and haunted areas don’t have to be old either. Our ghosts are not just of the human variety. Spectral dogs, cats, horses and even rabbits have been reported as well as a few coach and horses, motor vehicles and planes. Many of these places have interesting histories regardless of any ghosts. Quite a few are open to the public, some that aren’t have special open days, others are hotels. Even if you’re not interested in ghosts, these places are full of history and well worth visiting anyway.
Have fun.
EYE UBIQUITOUS
Springhill House, County Londonderry.
National Trust properties that are haunted: a tie in with BBC’s Ghosts series.
Treasurers House, Yorkshire with it’s Roman ghosts.
Springhill House, Londonderry, haunted by Olivia Lenox-Conyngham.
Newton House, Carmarthenshire, Lady Eleanor Cavendish is said to haunt the property.
The House of Dun, Angus, the ghosts of a Knight and World War I soldiers have been seen here.
The ghost group will be seeking out the supernatural on the RRS Discovery in Dundee (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA)
Dundee Ghost Hunting.
The Scottish Ghost Company will be hosting ghost experiences on RSS Discovery, Dundee. The ship, which took Scott and Shackleton to Antarctica, is said to be haunted by former crew members.
50 Berkeley Square, London, famous for some terrifying hauntings that have occurred over the years.
Ham House, Surrey, has a few ghosts that frequent it’s rooms and corridors one bring a former owner, Elizabeth Murrey, Duchess of Lauderdale.
Blickling Hall, Aylsham, Norfolk is famous as the birthplace of Anne Boleyn. Her headless ghost, in a coach driven by a headless horseman, is said to appear every May 19th. Other ghosts haunt the hall including Anne Boleyns father.
Corfe Castle, Dorset was slighted during the Civil War and left as a ruin. A headless lady and strange lights have been seen around the remains of the castle by visitors.
Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk. The ghost who appears here is a former owner, William Windham III who frequents the libray, reading a book.
Springhill, Londonderry haunted by Olivia Lenox-Conyngham, her ghost often appears when children are present.
Manchester Museum. A mystery once surrounded an Egyptian statue which would rotate during the day. Although the mystery was solved, it’s still an interesting place to visit.
Hertford Castle, haunted by numerous ghosts including a dog and a monk carrying an apple.
Berkhamsted Castle is said to be visited by Oliver Cromwell’s troops.
Anstey Castle, a tunnel is supposed to run from a chalk pit to the castle site. A blind fiddler is said to have disappeared in the tunnel whilst playing his fiddle.
The library at Cardiff Castle which is thought to be haunted by the 2nd Marquess of Bute, who died in the castle (Image: E Withers / Wales Online)
Haunted Cardiff Castle.
Cardiff Castle is said to be haunted by the 2nd and 3rd Marquess of Bute plus other assorted ghosts. It’s worth a visit even if you don’t see anything supernatural.
The Skirrid Mountain Inn in Llanvihangel Crucorney near Abergavenny where you can eat or sleep or both (Image: Western Mail)
Haunted places to visit in Wales this Halloween.
Skirrid Inn, Abergavenny, one of the most well known haunted places in Wales. Executions took place, so perhaps not so surprising it has a supernatural reputation.
Maes Y Neuadd, a former haunted hotel so not open to the public. Private ghost hunts can be booked though.
Cathedral Close, Llandaff, was once a village and is now part of Cardiff. The street was known as The Road of the Dead as this was the route bodies were brought to the graveyard.
Pembrey Woods, Carmarthenshire, has many stories attached to it. People claim to have seen soldiers roaming through the woods and their ankles grabbed by unseen hands.
St Catherine’s Island, Tenby, a ghost ship and mystery lights have been seen here amongst other things. Tenby itself has many haunted historical buildings. Ghost tours of the area are available.
Llanelly House, Llanelli, said to be haunted by Mira Turner, a former housemaid.
Port Talbot, a 800yr old wall in Margam has a curse attached. If the wall should fall so will the town.
Margam Castle, among the spirits that haunt this place are a gamekeeper and giggling children.
Tyn Dwr Hall, Llangollen, said to be one of the most haunted hotels in Wales.
Roch Castle, Haverfordwest, haunted by Lucy Walter, mother of the Duke of Monmouth.
Stradey Woods, Carmarthenshire, a runner in 1930s clothing is said to haunt the area.
Kidwelly Castle, Carmarthenshire, the ghost of the princess Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd is said to haunt the castle and grounds.
Devils Bridge, Ceredigion, said to have been built by the Devil.
Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, strange beings have been seen dancing round the stones during summer evenings.
Hampton Court Palace, where the ghosts of Jane Seymour and Anne Boleyn are said to return every October (Image: Unsplash)
Seven Ghosts that appear in October.
Glenlivet, Moray. A headless soldier appears on the 3rd October.
St Osyths Priory, Essex. Haunted by a headless Nun on the 7th October.
Hampton Court Palace, Surrey. Jane Seymour’s ghost returns to haunt the palace on the 12th October.
Charfield, Gloucestershire. A woman in black appears every October 13th to the graves of her children.
Poynton Green, Shropshire. A ghost black cat haunts the site of an aircrash once a decade on October 22nd. The apparition is due this year.
Rye, Sussex. Every October 29th a pair of duellers appear at the Mermaid Inn.
Whitby, Yorkshire. Call your true loves name at the Black Nab rock stack on Halloween and the wind whispers back the name. Also the sound of bells can be heard at the same time.
Couple believe their house has been haunted for the last 30 years. Considering that haunted properties are worth more, they could just sell up and make a profit.
Blickling Hall in Norfolk is where Anne Boleyn is believed to have been born and haunts (Image: Wikipedia. GETTY)
Blickling Hall Norfolk, where the headless ghost of Anne Boleyn is said to haunt. She gets around a bit as she is also supposed to haunt the Tower of London and Bolebroke Castle, Sussex.
The UK is full of folklore, folktales, Myths and Legends. Some are well known, others a bit more obscure. They may be based on true events or fantastical stories and you will find them in town and country alike.
Here is a roundup of articles from mostly local news sites from around the UK.
Mother Shipton carving.
A carving of Mother Shipton at the Knaresborough cave which bears her name (Image: Wikipedia)
You must be logged in to post a comment.