Redbubble Shop Designs

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Christmas Greetings Cards.

A selection of greetings cards available on my Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Christmas Alien Coasters

Available on my Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/works/94528968-christmas-alien?asc=u

Framlingham Castle, Suffolk.

A collage of images from Framlingham Castle in Suffolk. A medieval castle with Tudor and later additions.

All of my photos are taken on my phone and my art work and videos are produced on my phone, which isn’t a new model.

I’m trying to get some money together to buy a PC and camera equipment to help set up a small Photographic and art business.

I do have a Ko-fi account.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

And I have set up a Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank-you for dropping by.

St Peter’s Church, Moulton Suffolk.

A Sheela-na-Gig carving is on view in this church.

My Ko-fi account, to help me support my art and photography.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Halloween

Some atmospheric images from Suffolk Churches for Halloween.

Help support my art and photography on Ko-fi. Thank-you.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Out of Place Animals

The UK is not usually a place noted for it’s exotic animals, not that the wildlife we do have isn’t interesting and impressive of course.
The UK was the home to Beaver, Bear, Wolf, Lynx and Wild Boar. The last wolves in the UK had disappeared by the 18th century whilst others like the bear, centuries before.

Beavers are now being introduced and there is talk of reintroducing wolves and perhaps lynx.

Escaped wild boar are now living in the Forest of Dean and other places in the UK.

https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/wild-boar-the-forest-dean

Some of the more unusual non native animals are either escapees or deliberate introductions.
At one time in the Broads a colony of Coypu had made there home, although they were eliminated some years ago.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/when-the-coypu-was-public-enemy-no-1-in-norfolk-708552

Wallabies have been seen over the years with small colonies coming and going.

https://theconversation.com/wallabies-are-on-the-loose-in-britain-and-weve-mapped-95-sightings-148374#:~:text=Red%2Dnecked%20wallabies%20have%20been,survive%20in%20the%20British%20countryside.

Although the Aesculapian Snake is not a native of the UK there are few sites where it is found in the UK.

https://www.froglife.org/info-advice/amphibians-and-reptiles/aesculapian-snake/

Then there are the Ring Necked Parakeets. They became established in the wild from the 1970s and were confined to London. Their range is now extending though.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/policy-insight/species/invasive-non-native-species/ring-necked-parakeets/#:~:text=The%20ring%2Dnecked%2C%20or%20rose,birds%20escaped%20or%20were%20released.

One of the more unusual animal colonies are the Sheerness Scorpions.

http://www.jasonsteelwildlifephotography.yolasite.com/uk-scorpions.php

Many reports in the news of unusual animals are usually of escaped pets or animals imported by accident such as spiders found in fruit.

Big Cat sightings seem to be a borderline case with Crptozoology and folklore. Some are no doubt other animals misidentified. Others may be escaped pets. There are reports that have a more supernatural and odd feel to them.
There are few theories concerning Big Cats.

1)Misidentified dogs, deer etc.

2)Escaped pets.

3)Escaped pets from zoos/private collections that survived and are breeding in the wild and may have dine for decades.

4)A native breed of big cat that has survived since the last Ice Age.

5)Ghosts or other supernatural entities associated with folklore such as Black Dog legends.

6)Aliens.

I’ve never seen a Big Cat, I do know a few people who have. I also grew up not far from Bluebell Hill in Kent which has had it fair share of Big Cat sightings.

My own out of place animal sighting, if you can call it that, is of false black widow spiders. I’ve seen plenty of those over the years.

Here is a selection of news stories from around the UK.

Big Cat seen in farmland at Empingham, East Midlands.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1475783/big-cat-sighting-latest-news-Empingham-East-Midlands-farmlands-ont

Exotic snake found in families shed in Newport, Wales.
https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/19527308.exotic-snake-found-newport-family-shed/

Python found in Queen’s Park, Glasgow, Scotland.

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/python-found-glasgow-queens-park-21348206

Escaped pet snake found in kitchen cupboard, Ramsgate, Kent.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-shocked-find-snake-living-24784143

The 10ft python was rescued from the tree

Python rescued in Cambridgeshire.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/python-snake-escape-uk-cambridgeshire-rspca-b952892.html

Python found in Needham Market, Suffolk.

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/needham-market-royal-python-found-8280020

Exotic animals found in Dorset over the years.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19498337.escaped-exotic-creatures-dorset-years/

And some in Hampshire.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19498331.escaped-exotic-creatures-hampshire-years/

The RSPCA says reptiles can be ‘extremely good escape artists’. RSPCA

A lizard was rescued from under a car engine in Plymouth.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-58099796

Escaped exotics in Wales.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/raccoon-dog-panthers-wallaby-creatures-20955080

Glasgow’s Big Cat sightings.

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgows-most-bizarre-big-cat-21390039

Big Cat video from Larkhill, Scotland.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15954383/big-cat-sighting-puma-video-scotland/

Unusual animal sightings in and around Glasgow, Scotland.

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19470098.unusual-animal-sightings-around-glasgow/

Giant jellyfish are being spotted along the Scottish coast. Shutterstock.

Giant Jellyfish sightings around the UK coast.

https://theconversation.com/why-holidaymakers-are-seeing-giant-jellyfish-off-the-uk-coast-and-what-to-do-if-you-are-stung-165652

Big Cat sightings in Essex.

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/19497306.famous-big-cat-sightings-essex/

Scottish Big Cat sighting in field.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/7616861/shocked-scots-dog-walker-big-cat/

Sighting of a Big Cat in Cornwall.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/big-cat-appears-front-cyclist-5820431

Matt Slater said filming the crabs off the coast of Falmouth was an “incredible experience” SLATER/CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST

Mass gathering of spider crabs in Falmouth, Cornwall.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-58346707

GoFund me page.

https://gofund.me/4befba40

Ko-Fi page.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubbleshop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

My Teepublic shop.

http://tee.pub/lic/J5luNsFVkxUi

Lights, Bangs and Crop Circles

More strange lights and aerial goings on in the UK. Plus a few crop circles.

Lights over North Staffordshire which may well be planes.

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/mysterious-footage-shows-ufos-hovering-5793717

I know someone who helped make the Milk Hill formation which is mentioned in this article.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210822-englands-crop-circle-controversy

A Yorkshire Crop circle, nothing really alien about it.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/gallery/mysterious-star-shaped-alien-crop-21368416

Mystery loud noise over Gloucester. Urban areas are noisy. I’ve lived in towns and cities and been woken by some unusual noises.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/mysterious-big-bang-heard-over-5796620

And in Sheffield.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/residents-baffled-mysterious-loud-bangs-24688012

Lights seen in the River Thames which might not be so mysterious as there are navigational lights along the river.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/mysterious-flashing-light-seen-river-24771501

The strange light was only noticed afterwards and looks like a light flare. I’ve taken pictures at night and light sources can cause some odd effects.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/woman-left-baffled-after-claiming-24842577

First object probably a plane, you don’t always hear them especially high up. The others I think are birds, gulls probably, light from street lights is reflecting off their bodies. The reason I say this is because I’ve seen the same thing myself. It wasn’t until the gulls flew overhead that I saw what they were.

https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/strange-lights-over-great-yarmouth-8269522

Strobe Lighting. Something I’ve seen a few times.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/woman-suspects-aliens-could-cornwall-5843659?_ga=2.64627309

GoFund me page.

https://gofund.me/4befba40

Ko-Fi page.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubbleshop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

My Teepublic shop.

http://tee.pub/lic/J5luNsFVkxUi

Haunted UK

Another roundup of ghostly goings on in the UK.

St Margaret’s of Antioch, Cowlinge, Suffolk.

The George and Pilgrims Hotel in Glastonbury is supposed to be haunted by 30 ghosts. I never experienced any apparitions when I visited. It is a lovely historic building and a nice place to have a drink.

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/ghost-hunt-planned-somerset-pub-5793039

13th Century Chillingham Castle is supposedly the most haunted castle in the UK, although I’m sure others will contest that. You can find out for yourself as you can book to stay there. If nothing else it’s looks like an interesting place for a break.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dare-stay-night-britains-most-24729740

Ham House is said to be the most haunted mansion in the UK with 15 to 16 ghosts wandering it’s rooms and corridors. It’s a National Trust property so can be visited.

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/spooky-mansion-london-thats-one-21271663

The Haunted Museum and Spirit Shop Stoke offers guided tours and haunted sleepovers where you can sleep in a body bag.

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/sleep-bodybag-stoke-trents-haunted-5785469

A haunted Liverpool home in an area that one paranormal investigator says has a dark satanic history.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/haunted-liverpool-home-priests-were-21172671

Conwy Castle, Wales, haunted by various spirits. Paranormal fans have been flocking here apparently. It’s one of the castles I remember visiting on family holidays to Wales, well worth a visit.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/inside-haunted-castle-ghost-girl-24651558

Swintons Druid Temple a 200yr old folly. Rich landowners had a habit of constructing fake ancient monuments on their land. This one is rumoured to have been used for Devil worship.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/mysterious-ancient-ruins-spooky-rumours-21190284

The Leeds Industrial Museum is situated in Armley Mill and is said to be the most haunted building in Leeds. Ghost hunts take place throughout the year.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/best-in-leeds/whats-on-news/spookiest-building-leeds-thats-been-21341248

The Ring O’ Bells in Halifax has a gravestone in the cellar and is said to be the oldest and most haunted pub in the area.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/haunted-yorkshire-pub-gravestone-cellar-21297391

The 14t century manor, Maes-y-Neuadd in Talsarnau, near Portmerion is holding a number of paranormal investigations over Halloween. Booking details at the end of the article.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19519161.paranormal-investigations-carried-14th-century-gwynedd-manor/

Shrewsbury Prison offer various historical tours including evening ghost tours.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/six-things-shrewsbury-including-spooky-21120542

The Black Monk of 30 East Drive, Pontefract.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/night-being-haunted-no-30-21227720

Old abandoned Rosslynlee Hospital, in Roslin near Edinburgh, said to be haunted. There seems to be a lot of these investigators going into to abandoned buildings. Personally I’m not sure it’s a good idea.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/inside-haunted-abandoned-19th-century-24775941

East Yorkshire’s most haunted places to visit on Friday the 13th. Among them another house claiming to be the most haunted in Britain.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/whats-on/east-yorkshires-most-haunted-places-5784306

The Top Hat wearing ghost of Signor Rino Pepe along with his dog (not wearing a Top Hat) apparently haunts Darlington’s theatre.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/whats-on/spooky-tale-top-hat-wearing-21106593

Leeds Drag Queens go on an underground ghost hunt to raise funds for charity.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/brilliant-reason-leeds-drag-queens-21193482

The landlady of the Red Lion pub in Shirley has shared footage of suspected poltergeist activity.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/solihull-landlady-shares-video-footage-21311312

The Trembling Mansions, Airbnb in York are said to be haunted. The building is 600 yrs old so from a historical point of view sounds like a nice place to stay.

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/rent-out-this-quirky-600-yr-old-uk-apartment-on-airbnb-but-there-is-a-spooky-catch-3941009.html

Black blobs on cctv. Could be dirt on the camera, insects or bit of out of focus spider web perhaps.

https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-mum-calls-priest-to-bless-home-after-weird-black-figure-seen-on-cctv-20210725

Midland Hotel, Bradford supposedly haunted by an actor.

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19496952.ghost-hunter-says-bradford-hotel-haunted-a

Yester castle in Scotland said to have been built by an army of Goblins. An early version of Aliens did it.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/abandoned-edinburgh-castle-built-army-20995044

11 sightings of Herne the Hunter at Great Windsor Park.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/berkshire-history/windsor-great-park-ghost-royal-20719979

William Mackenzie’s Pyramid Tomb in St Andrew’s Churchyard, Liverpool.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/myth-behind-mysterious-tomb-liverpool-21059398

Paranormal investigators have their own Ghostbusters Ecto-1 car.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/ghostbusters-obsessed-couple-hunt-ghosts-24853912

Creepy goings on in Storeton Woods, Wirral.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/friends-followed-laughing-presence-haunted-21371200

Mill Street Barracks in Merseyside haunted by a ghost called Claire and a three legged dog.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/haunted-merseyside-barracks-visitors-see-20972446

GoFund me page.

https://gofund.me/4befba40

Ko-Fi page.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubbleshop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

My Teepublic shop.

http://tee.pub/lic/J5luNsFVkxUi

Archeology in the News

History is all around us and a week doesn’t go by without some interesting discovery.
It doesn’t have to be ancient history either or about Kings and Queens. The ordinary lives of our ancestors are just as interesting.
Local and national events often end up with folkloric stories attached to them.
Most places have their ghost stories and anecdotes.
Particularly famous individuals such as King Arthur, Robin Hood and Royalty will often be associated with certain places and have landmarks, natural and manmade named after them.
Even at a local level, well known characters will be remembered.

People are fascinated with abandoned and forbidden places and there’s plenty of those in the UK, from individual buildings to villages, factories and military complexes. They all attract speculation and stories.

The UKs heritage is rich from prehistory to modern day, countryside to urban environments, domestic to industrial. All have their own stories to tell.