Creature of the Week: Puck

In today’s ‘Creature of the Week’ I am looking at a mediaeval English folklore being known as Puck.

Puck can also go by the name Robin Goodfellow and anyone who has watched The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will recognise the name.

A Puck is a mischievous domestic, nature spirit often described as a demon or fairy. They like to pull pranks, whether by misleading travellers, turning your milk sour or frightening unsuspecting women.

But if you’re lucky enough they will help around the house with minor housework, sewing or even butter-churning to name a few. A word of caution though, their work can be undone in the blink of an eye if you displease them. So it is best to leave them some treats, they really like milk.

Puck’s are lonely creatures and look to male friends.

They feature in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream as the fairy King Oberon. There are similar creatures in Ireland known as a Pooka or Púca, and in Wales as the Pwcca.

Creature of the Week: Knucker

In today’s Creature of the Week, I am looking into a British folklore being known as a ‘Knucker’.

A Knucker is a slang term used to describe a water dragon that lives in the knuckerholes of Sussex. If you don’t know what a knuckerhole is, it is simply a round deep pool of water; a term largely used throughout the Sussex region of Britain e.g. Lyminster, Shoreham and Worthing etc.

Description

While a knucker is a water dragon, their description is close to a sea serpent.

Their body and mouth is serpent like
They have wings
Are giant in size
Have bold, cold eyes
Have 4 legs
Hiss like a serpent to

Folklore Tales

One of the most famous folklore tales is a story from Lyminster.

In this story the Knucker was said to eat livestock alongside villagers and due to this it was ordered to be slayn. However details differ on exactly how, there are two different versions of the tale in circulation.

The first version details a king of Sussex offering one of his daughters hand in marriage to the person who kills the knucker, so a knight errant does so and marries the girl. The story goes that the ‘Slayers Slab’ located in Lyminster Church belongs to him.

However in version two of the tale, the Mayor of Arundel offered a reward to the person who killed the dragon, which was done be a village boy called Jim (surname varies either Pulk or Puttock) who got the dragon to eat a poisoned pie. Some folklorists argue this version of the tale came into circulation later and was used as a way to explain the ‘Slayers Slab’ in Lyminster Church.

Either way the notion of a knucker remains the same, a water dragon.

Creature of the Week: Gremlin

In today’s post I am mixing things up. Usually in this series I would select a creature from my local folklore and talk about them, but today I’m expanding!

Today I am going wider afield and selecting a creature from wider British folklore, and so today allow me to introduce the Gremlin.

The term Gremlin made its way into British folklore during the 2nd World War, and was mainly used to explain unexplainable machinery and plane malfunctions.

Description

A Gremlin is depicted as a mischievous creature, however their physical appearances vary. They are mainly described as:

Being animal like in appearance

Have spikey backs

Large eyes

Claws

Sharp teeth

(I just keep thinking of the one that features in The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors, which incidentally damages machinery aka the school bus).

Storys

Written accounts have been documented since the 10th April 1929 in a Maltese Journal ‘Aeroplane‘, most documentation is associated with World War II but some argue WWI however there is no printed documentation to prove this.

The stories come from WWII RAF (Royal Air Force) pilots, particularly from those stationed in Malta, the Middle East and India.

In all stories a ‘Gremlin’ is blamed for all unexplainable accidents, so much so that initally they were believed to be enemy sympathisers until evidence emerged that similar malfunctions were affecting the enemy as well. After this they were deemed to be tricksters who took no side, they merely look for opportunities to unleash their mischievous behaviour.

Folklorists, such as John Hazen, refer to Gremlins as being a product of the Machine Age and as such a modern being.

I guess Gremlins were used as a way to explain the malfunctions that people at the time were unable to identify and account for.

I’ll end today’s piece by encouraging you to do a quick internet search for WWII posters that were created to warn people about the Gremlins (I’m unsure if I can post them on here due to copyright concerns) and believe me when I say there are more posters than you would think.

Top 5 Most Haunted Places: Europe part 1

In today’s post I am counting down 5 of the most haunted places in Europe, so sit down and relax as we dive in.

5. The Vicarage of Bargvattnet (Sweden)

Located in the small village of Borgvattnet, in the North West Jamtland region of Sweden, sits The Old Vicarage and is said to be not only one of the scariest places in Sweden, but also said to be the most haunted place in Sweden since 1876.

Ghost sightings here go back to 1927 when Vicar Nils Hedlund saw clothes being wripped apart in front of him by an unseen force in the yard.

In fact, 7 vicars over the years have documented unusual occurrences including hearing footsteps, the rocking of chairs, furniture moving at night and apparitions of a woman dressed in Grey.

A journal was once kept by Erick Lindgren, documenting his experiences of the paranormal goings on at the vicarage and he states being regularly thrown out of a chair by an unseen force.

Despite this element, it’s said the ghosts here overall seen to be safe.

Now you can stay overnight here if you’re brave enough and if you do last the night, you get a certificate to say you survived.

4. Wolfsegg Castle (Germany)

Wolfsegg Castle can be found in Wolfsegg Germany and has over 800 years of history with legend stating this is the most haunted castle in Germany.

Paranormal reports go back to the 1500s, where a story states that a former owner killed his wife – ‘Klara Von Helfenstein‘ – after finding out shewhat was having an affair. To this day she is seen wandering thearound hallways of the castle, even scaring visitors and has become known as The White Lady.

Activity here does not stop at the castle, creepy noises are also heard in a nearby cave and from nearby graves. However, it has been found that hunters have taken shelter near to the castle on occasion, bringing into question just how many of the noises heard are paranormal in origin.

3. The Ancient Ram Inn

This location is one of the oldest B&Bs in the Western World and its argued to be one of the most haunted in the UK.

Located in Wotton-under-Edge, this cottage has sent guests jumping from windows as they’ve been so scared by what they have encountered to stay the night.

The Ancient Ram Inn was built in 1145 over a pagen buriel site and according to several historical books is a place of Devil worship and child sacrificing. In fact its reported that a child sacrificed himself in order to summon the Devil.

It is also reportedly built over 2 key lines which recieve spiritual energy from Stonehenge. Going further, it is believed that when water was redirected to the Inn, it caused a portal of dark energy to open.

With all this in mind it is not surprising visitors can be scared of this place.

More than 20 spirits are said to haunt the Inn, which include a murdered little girl called Rose, a high priest, a centurian on horseback seen walking through walls, monks, an incubus and a succubus.

There is also a woman sighted in The Witches Room, she is believed to have been burnt at the stake in the 1500s after being accused of being a witch.

Other activity on the site includes electrified wooden beams, agonising screams of a little girl and the feeling of a negative force.

Paranormal events are held here but only if you are brave enough to try it.

2. Poveglia Island

Poveglia island is a small island in the venice lagoon, between Venice and Lido and is a globally recognised haunted location. Even argued by some to be the scariest island in Europe.

The island was previously used by mainlanderers to flee invation but it was also used as a quarantine site in both the 14th and 15th Centuries for the Bubonic Plague, those who contracted the Plague were sent here to die with their bodies being burnt on giant pyres. After this the island became an asylum for the mentally ill in the 18th century where a doctor was known to perform experiments on his patients. Stories go that he took his own life jumping from the Bell Tower.

Locals refer to the island as being both haunted and cursed. They will not go near or step foot on the island, with fisherman refusing to fish near the island for fear of dragging up human remains.

Voices and screams are frequently heard from the island, alongside dark fleeting shadows appearing, as well as when people enter the island they feel an oppressive evil force. Another eerie factor is that while the bells from the Bell Tower were removed, some claim to hear the bells echoing every night.

The island is closed to visitors today, but the stories remain.

Chateaux de Brissac

Holding the reputation not only as one of the most haunted places in France but also in Europe. Chateaux de Brissac has hauntings dating back to the time of its construction.

It was built in the 11th century by the Counts of Anjou, it is the tallest castle in France hosting 7 floors with 204 rooms including galleries and its own private opera house seating 200 people.

According to legend, a lady called Charlotte was killed by her husband after he discovered she was having an affair. She was thought to be the illegitimate daughter of Kind Charles VII, she has become known as La Dame Verte as she is seen in a green dress. She is sighted in the Tower Room of the Chapel. She is also described as having holes in her face where the eyes and nose should be – possibly showing how she wqs killed.

Guests staying in the castle claim to hear her moans across the castle. With other activity including wails in the night.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this. Stay tuned for part 2, coming soon.

Creature of the Week: Billy Bind

Welcome to ‘Creature of the Week‘ where each week I take a creature from my local folklore (Northumberland, England) and talk about them. This week I’m talking about ‘Billy Bind‘.

Also known by many other names, including:

Billy Blin
Billy Blynde
Billie Blin
Belly Blin

It is a creature that is not seen, but rather features in local ballads in England and the Scottish lowlands as a household spirit. With some arguing Billy Bind may be a folk memory of the God Woden/Odin.

The most well known ballads the Billy Bind feature in are the ‘Child Ballads’.

In 5c the Billy Bind encourages the hero not to marry his bride as she is pregnant by another.

Then in 53c one provides magical assistance and information that the man the lead character likes is about to marry another and is able to reach the man in time.

Looking at the ballads it would appear that the Billy Bind is an advisor, a sort of helper if you will. This is also shown in modern day literature.

Creature of the Week: Habetrot

Welcome to ‘Creature of the Week’. This week I am looking into a Habetrot.

If this is your first time joing ‘Creature of the Week’, hi I’m Bethany Rose and each week I take a creature from my local folklore (Northumberland, England) and talk about them, it is a way for me to learn about my local folklore and share them with the world.

Now a Habetrot (as you could probably guess by now) is a being from the border regions of England and, Scotland. I’ve not found much on its appearance other than it is said to to have ‘deformed’ lips and uses a spinning wheel.

One source seems to suggest a Habetrot was once a spinner Goddess, but is now deemed a fairy spirit.

Folklore tradition featuring a Habetrot stems from an old superstition around it being unlucky to walk upon the graves of stillborn and unbapatised children’s graves. It’s said that if you do, you would catch ‘grave-merets‘ which is an illness causing difficulty breathing, trembling limbs and burning skin.

The only way for a person to be cured was to wear a sack made from linen, but not just any linen. It had to be linen grown in a field with manure from farmland that hadn’t been touched in 40 years, which has in turn been spun by a Habetrot, then bleached by an ‘‘honest‘ bleacher in an ‘honest‘ millers mill and then sewn together by an ‘honest’ tailor.

While this is not fully believed today, it is still superstitious to walk on graves. But that is graves in general, not still-born/unbaptised children’s graves.

Creature of the Week: Dunnie

Welcome back to ‘Creature of the Week’ here on Paranormal Archives. If this is your first time joining the series, each week I take a creature from my local folklore (Northumberland, England) and talk about them.

This week I’m talking about a small brownie like creature called a ‘Dunnie‘.

There’s not much wrote about them but what I can say is that they tend to be found along the Northumberland side of the Anglo-Scottish boarder, wondering the Cragg’s and Cheviot Hills.

Dunnies can shapeshift and take the form of a horse to trick a person into mounting and riding, but they disappear leaving the person in the muddiest part of the road.

Some sources state that a Dunnie can also disguise themselves as a plough-horse but vanish as soon as a ploughman were to take it’s reins.

Overall they are harmless but mischievous beings, just like a Brag (see previous post dated 1st July 2020).

The most famous Dunnie is The Hazlerigg Dunnie.

Creature of the Week: A Brag

In today’s ‘Creature of the Week‘ I’m looking into a being known as a Brag.

If this is your first time joining, then welcome, every Wednesday I bring forth a creature from my local folklore (Northumberland, England) and talk about them.

Brag’s are found throughout Northumberland and Durham in England. They are mainly described as a shapeshifting Goblin.

They are found to transform into horses or donkey’s letting unsuspecting humans rude them, then after a while, throw off the person into a pond and they run off laughing. Thus giving them quite a mischievous quality.

They are harmless but do like to play tricks on humans, who don’t tend to find their games funny.

One example of a Brag is the ‘Picktree Brag‘.

Stories state that Brag’s could take many forms, including appearing as:

A calf wearing a white handkerchief around the neck.
A naked headless man.
Or as 4 men holding a white sheet.

As you can see, they are quite imaginative creatures.

Creature of the Week: Changeling

Hello and welcome to another Creature of the Week post. In today’s post I am going to be talking about a being that features in folklore throughout Europe, and that creature is a Changeling.

Apparently a Changeling can also be called an ‘Auf‘ or ‘Oaf‘, although I have not come across that where I live in the UK.

A Changeling is a human like creature, they are believed to be a fairy put in place of a human child after fairies steal a baby.

This was a common belief during the medieval period, mainly as a way to explain unexplainable diseases, disorders and disabilities.

In Irish legend it’s said one can identify a Changeling in a number of ways, mainly through observations. The following are the most common ways to identify a Changeling:

The child will appear sickly.
The child won’t grow like a ‘normal‘ child.
The child will have noticeable physical characteristics, e.g. a beard.
The child will be smarter than their age.
The child will have notable behaviours e.g. jumping, dancing, able to play an instrument well.

It’s stated that a fairy will take human children for a number if reasons, such as to use them as a servant, because they love the child or simply out of malice. Centuries ago it was believed that fairies would only take unbaptised children but once baptised they could not be taken.

To ward off fairies to leave your child alone, you can place an inverted coat or open scissors where a each child sleeps (why I don’t know) or you could constantly watch your child.

Creature of the Week: Bluecap

Welcome to another Creature of the Week, where each Wednesday I bring you a creature from my local folklore (Northumberland) and talk about them.

This week let me introduce the ‘Bluecap‘ and no it’s not like a Redcap (see part 2 of Creature of the Week for details).

A Bluecap is a fairy like creature, although some say one is a Goblin. They are found mainly along the Anglo-Scottish boarder, where they live in mines.

Bluecap’s work alongside miners, appearing to them as a small blue flame and are deemed hard workers so much so they expect to paid. But don’t think about fobbing one off as they won’t accept anything less than what they’re owed.

As long as you treat one well, they will lead you to rich mineral deposits.

They do have an element similar to that of Knockers/Tommyknockers, in that a Bluecap can forewarn disaster such as cave-ins and so can warn the miners, keeping them safe.