Creature of the Week: Afanc

Let’s talk about the Afanc, or Addanc. The Afanc exists in Welsh mythology and is simply a lake living creature.

Description

Often described as a demon or monster in appearance, the Afanc has been depicted as:

a crocodile
a beaver
a platypos
Dwarf like
Large in size
Causing floods

The Afanc is said to live in a lake, although the exact one the Afanc resides in varies from story to story, but could be one of three places. It could live in LLyon Llian, Llyn Borfog or Lly yr Afanc. The saying goes if you get to close to water or swim in a lake the Afanc will catch you.

Stories stem from around the 15th Century and like other mythological folklore beings, was used as a way to get children to behave and as an explanation for things science had yet to explain.

In this creature’s case, it was used mainly to explain the weather. When an Afanc thrashes in water it causes flooding. If you should meet an Afanc they become powerless if removed from a lake.

Creature of the Week: Bloody Bones

Let’s talk about bogeymen or more specifically one called ‘Bloody Bones‘. Also known as Rawhead and Tommy Rawhead.

This creature originates in British folklore, in the Lancashire and Yorkshire regions, with stories being documented as far back as 1548. In general ‘Bloody Bones’ was a creature designed to cause fear in children so they would behave.

Bloody Bones seems to have two descriptions.

The first being similar to tales surrounding that of the Grindylow (see post 17/02/2021) where Bloody Bones is depicted as a water demon living in ponds. If a child ventured to close, then the creature would grab its face dragging them down into the water.

The second depiction states that Bloody Bones can be found hiding in dark cupboards or even live under the stairs. Where a child was brave enough to look through a crack, they would see Bloody Bones crouched down on a pile of children’s bones with blood dripping down its face taking children who told lies or said bad words.

Tales of Bloody Bones reached the US through emigration and developed into a distinct being. In the Southern States, Bloody Bones was a companion of Redhead. With Redhead being a skull that bites its victims and Bloody Bones his a dancing skeleton companion.

All in all, this creature is a symbol of tales being told in order to encourage children to behave and not tell lies.

Creature of the Week: Bucca

In today’s Creature of the Week let me introduce the Bucca. A creature from Cornish folklore, similar to that of the Irish Púca and Welsh Pwca. To put things simply, a Bucca is a male sea spirit.

There are two forms of a Bucca, there is Bucca Widen (White Bucca) and Bucca Dhu (Black Bucca). Bucca Widen in the modern world now goes by the name of Bucca Boo and is regarded as being the evil form of a Bucca, while Bucca Dhu is deemed the good Bucca form.

The former Cornish writer Rev W. S. Lach-Szyma wrote about food offerings made on beaches, usually in the form of fish, for the Bucca.

In ‘The Tale of the Sea Bucca‘ a Bucca lived in Lamorna Cove (West Cornwall). He was dark brown in appearance, similar to that of a conger eel with seaweed for hair and could be found either swimming around the area or lying in caverns or on rocks. In this tale, it was believed the Bucca was a former prince cursed by a witch. Local fishermen spoke of being helped by Bucca, in that they would chase fish into their nets. However, fishermen were weary of the Bucca, as they hold a vengeful attitude. To counter this mood they would leave beach offerings.

In the 19th Century, offerings to the Bucca were common place in Newlyn and Mousehole (both in South West Cornwall).

Finally, there has been some discussion that Bucca’s could appear as a ‘Hobgoblin‘ during storms to find shelter.

Creature of the Week: Morgawr

In today’s Creature of the Week, we’re talking about another Cornish folklore being. This week’s creature is a Morgawr, which is basically a Sea Serpent located around Falmouth Bay.

The Morgawr is a modern folklore creature only being sighted since World War 2, after a British Merchant ship was torpedoed. Those who saw the creature described it as being 60ft long with 4 webbed feet, almost looking crocodile like in appearance.

Fast forward to 1975, another sighting was documented of this creature next to Pendennis Point. Witnesses here describe the creature as having a trunk, long neck, and black/brown skin similar to that of a seal. An explanation of bad weather was given to this sighting.

Further descriptions of the creature exisist, which describe it having between 2/3 humps on its back, it’s neck being snake like with stubby horns above its eyes and has spikes all along its back.

Of course not everyone believes in this creature. Many believe it is a hoax created by a man called Tony Shiels, who sent photos to a newspaper causing a surge in sightings.

Whether you believe or not, the Morgawr definitely seems to be Cornwall’s equivalent to the Lock Ness Monster. Or at least that’s what some people say.

Creature of the Week: Nelly Longarms

In today’s Creature of the Week, I’m keeping things short and sweet. Let me introduce you to Nelly Longarms, also spelt Nellie Longarms. Nelly is a water spirit, described as hag-like in appearance with tendon style arms.

She can be found at the bottom of deep pools of water, like rivers and wells, and will grab children who step to close to the waters edge. Where she will drag a child down to drown them.

If you read last week’s post (17/02/2021) you will see similarities with the Grindylow. Both of whom seem to be used in a similar way to the Bogeyman, a story created to scare children into behaving. In this case, not to go to close to water as you could drown.

Creature of the Week: Grindylow

In today’s post I introduce you to another British folklore being known as the Grindylow, or Grundylow. Tales of the Grindylow originate from Yorkshire and Lancashire, with the name stemming from ‘Grendel‘ which is used in Old English tales including Beowulf and is associated with meres, dogs and lakes.

Grindylows can be found living in deep pools of water and are humanoid in shape except for their tail. However, in some tales they are simply described as shadowy figures.

In general, Grindylows use their sinewy arms to reach out of pools of water (where they live) and grab children walking to close to the waters edge, dragging them into the water to drawn them.

Basically the creature is used as a way to scare children to behave near water, to keep them away from danger.

There are other similar creatures in British folklore such as Peg Powler and Jenny Greenteeth, in case you wanted to do some more reading.

Creature of the Week: Spriggan

Today allow me to introduce you to the Spriggan. A Spriggan comes from Cornish fairy folklore, mainly from the Penwith area, who are said to guard treasure in castle ruins.

Spriggan are a small creature, with the strength of a giant. In Robert Hunt’s work, he states they are even able to grow as tall as a giant (if they feel like it). They are said to be ugly, with crumpled faces and child size heads, while also looking like a ‘wise old man’.

It’s said that if you offend one they will cause mischief. They cause whirlwinds to scare travellers, or push them into swamps and sometimes off a cliff. They can conjure storms to destroy crops and like Pixie’s (see post dated 02/02/2020) they can swap a child for a changeling.

Spriggan would be blamed for houses being robbed and destroyed alongside being a reason as to why cattle went missing. Thus giving them a spiteful image.

In essencce, Spriggan were used as a way of explaining failed crops, the weather, the theft of livestock and as a way to explain children going missing.

On a final note, Spriggan will hold a Christmas Eve mass deep in mines, where supposedly passers by can hear them singing. Random I know.

Creature of the Week: Pixie

Today I introduce you to a well known British folklore being, the Pixie. Pixie’s or ‘Pixy‘, ‘Pixi‘, ‘Pizkie‘ and even ‘Pigsie‘ (yes there are that many different ways to refer to one) mainly feature in South West English folklore, particularly around the moors of Devon and Cornwall.

Pixie’s are generally regarded as a benign mischievous creature, whose appearance has changed over the centuries. In today’s tales Pixie’s are depicted as having:

Pointed ears
Wearing pointed hats
Have red hair
Have green clothing

Whereas in Victorian era, they are said to have had:

Upward pointing eyes
Could be naked or wearing very few items of clothing

While descriptions have changed what has stayed the same is that they are small (almost child like) who like to dance to the sound of nature under the moonlight.

Stories from the Victorian era hold a negative attitude when referring to a Pixie. It was believed Pixie’s stole unbaptised children, switching them for a changeling. If anything Pixie’s seem to be used as a way to encourage families to ensure their children were baptised. That being said modern Pixie tales show a more playful side, with them playing tricks on passing travellers and helping people with housework.

It’s also said that Pixie’s like horses, so much so that they will make ringlets with a horse’s mane. So if you have a horse and wake up one day to find ringlets in your horses hair, it may have encountered a Pixie during the night.

Creature of the Week: Owlman

In today’s post I am again looking into British folklore and legends. Today’s creature comes from Cornish folklore, or more specifically comes from the village of Mawnan. The creature I am talking about is the Owlman (not to be confused with Mothman).

In general, which I am sure you can guess, Owlman is an owl like creature. Sightings of this creature began in 1976 and the creature goes be other names including, Cornish Owlman and Owlman of Mawnan.

The Story

The first sighting of the Owlman was recorded on 17th April 1976, when 2 girls were on holiday in Mawnan. They witnessed what they said was a large winged creature flying above the tower of St Mawnan and St Stephen’s church. The girls were said to be so frightened that their dad ended their holiday then and there.

In the July that followed another 2 girls stated they witnessed the creature. In their story, more details were identifed in regards to the Owlman’s appearance. They described the creature as:

A big owl about the size of a man
With pointed ears
Glowing eyes
Black in appearance
Having pincer style claws

More claims circulated of the Owlman being sighted in the same place throughout 1978, 1979, 1989 and 1995. There was even a claim in the year 2000 where you could hear a loud owl like sound during the night.

Is There Really An Owlman?

It is not uncommon for church tower’s to become home to a number of species, most often bats, but owls (mainly barn owls) are documented as living in them from time to time. This is why many researchers investigating the Owlman regard the encounters as being simply that of an owl. More specifically researchers have linked the legend to local sightings of a Eurasion eagle owl.

Other researches state the while thing is a complete hoax, but what do you think? Do you think the legend is real or simply an animal flying in the sky? Let me know by commenting below.

Top 5 Most Haunted Places: Scotland

In today’s Top 5 Most Haunted places I am looking at Scotland. If you don’t know where Scotland is, it is one of the 4 countries that makes up Britain and is north of England on the mainland.

In order to create this list, I searched the internet looking for Scotland’s most haunted places, made a list and ranked them in order of appearance with the 5 most frequently mentioned listed below. So grab a cuppa and let’s begin.

5. Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh has a reputation of being one of Europe’s Most Haunted cities and in the city of Edinburgh one of the most haunted places is its castle.

The cite of Edinburgh Castle dates back to the Iron Age with a Royal Castle being here since around the 12th century, under the reign of King David 1st. It continued to be used as a royal residence until 1633, and by the 17th century the castle was predominantly used as a military barracks.

Over the centuries the castle has been sight to torture, executions the and bloody battles, even witnessing surprise attacks and capture by the English.

Sightings of ghosts on this site date back to at least 1650 where its documented that a headless drummer had been seen. Alongside this, drumming is frequently heard coming from the battlements and it is said that this fortells danger is coming.

Further apparitions include:

An elderly man wearing an apron.
A piper who is believed to have lost his life mysteriously in the tunnels below the castle.

Shadowy figures are common in the castle too, as well as strange light anomalies, sudden drops in temperature, mists and the feeling of being watched.

4. Skaill Castle

Built in 1620, Skaill House is a grade A manor house located in Skara Brae in Orkney. It is described as being ‘the most complete mansion‘ in the area.

It is built beside a neolithic settlement and on top of a norse burial ground. In fact, norse skeletons have been found under floorboards in the South Wing and under the former flagstone in the main hall while works were underway to lay oak flooring. In this part of the house the skeleton remains were placed back in the ground before the oak flooring was laid, where they remain to this day.

A number of paranormal occurrences have ben recorded here by the current laird himself, staff and visitors. Figures have been reported including:

the reflection of a tall man, with thinning hair, sighted in the shop.
A woman in a shawl.

Various sounds are heard including doors opening and closing, alongside footsteps. Cold spots are common and even the current owner, Malcolm Macrae, has smelt cigarette smoke with no original source.

Overall everyone seems to agree that the spirits here are friendly.

3. Mary King’s Close

Edinburgh is regarded as one of the most haunted cities in the world and within this city there is a street known as Mary King’s Close. It can be found underground beneath the current buildings standing on the Royal Mile, these hidden streets used to be home to families and business from the 1600s with its last resident (Andrew Chesney) leaving in 1902.

These streets became buried and sealed so the city could be modernised, leaving these streets to remain relatively untouched.

The underground world has a lot of myth, mystery and death surrounding it, with the streets temporarily sealed before the modernisation works began in order to trap the spread of the Black Death in 1645. Hauntings have been associated with this place since then, with the most reported occurrences being dark shadows, strange lights and apparitions.

It’s even said that the last resident of the close was drove mad by seeing disembodied limbs, a bodiless phantom of a child and the ghost of a gruesome dog which would simply curl up on a chair.

The most famous ghost at the close is that of a little girl called Annie, believed to have been abandoned by her family when she caught the plague. In 1992 a Japanese psychic visited and when she entered Annie’s Room became overwhelmed by sickness, hunger and cold. As she tried to leave the room she felt a small cold hand tug her leg. The psychic then lay a doll for the girl in the room sparking a tradition by visitors from all over the world to do the same.

2. Stirling Castle

In the city of Stirling sits Stirling Castle. The castle dates back to the 12th century and has played an important role in Scottish history.

The castle was used by many Scottish royals as their place of residence and coronation, including Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. The castle has also been witness to at least 8 sieges, including 7 during the Scottish Wars of Independence and the final being in 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take thea castle.

There are many ghosts sighed in the castle, with the most frequent being that of the Highland Ghost. The Highland Ghost is seen wearing traditional Scottish garb including a kilt, visitors to the castle often mistake him as a tour guide only to find on approaching him, he disappears before their eyes. An architect in 1935, caught the Highlander on film while conducting surveying works and the image can even be seen on the negative to.

Further ghosts include that of the Pink Lady who is seen wandering the corridors of the castle, accompanied by the smell of rose-blossom in the air before she appears. Reports of who she is differ with some believing she is a noblewoman engaged to a knight who starved to death during an English siege in 1304 and in turn she died of a broken heart. Other reports state she may be Mary Witherspoon, a victim of grave robbers.

There is also the Green Lady who is believed to have been a servant to Mary Queen of Scots who met her end while saving her master from a fire which broke out in her bedroom.

Mary Queen of Scots is also reportedly sighted, although she is never seen with the Green Lady.

Apart from apparitions other activity said to occur in this castle includes phantom footsteps and parts of the castle simply having a general creepy atmosphere.

Culloden Battlefield

Culloden Battlefield featured in every source I looked, so naturally it took the top spot on this list.

Culloden Moor (or Battlefield) can be found near Inverness and was the site of the bloody battle between Government forces and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army on 16th April 1746. This was Britons last full scale battle on its soil, leaving 1500 men killed in the space of 40 minutes thus destroying the Jacobite Revolution. It is said that on the anniversary of the battle both armies can be seen with sound of sword clashes and painful cries being heard.

Futher apparitions on this site includes a Highlander who murmurs ‘they were defeated‘ when encountered. Another Highlander has been sighted lying on the ground screaming in pain.

To give more of a creepy factor birds are said not to sing near the graves of the fallen or over the exact site of the battle. An even eerier tale is that of The Great Scree of Culloden, which is a black bird first sighted on the eve of the battle by a Jacobite Commander. It is believed that anyone who sees this ghost will have bad luck and on occasion the Scree makes an appearance once in a while to this very day.

So when planning your next trip to Scotland, why not include some of these places on your list. You never know what you might encounter.