Creature of the Week: Imp

In this week’s Creature of the Week, let’s talk about Imps. Imps come from Germanic Folklore and are linked to Fairies and Demons, they’re sort of an in-between creature. Imps are regarded as Benevolent, and are traditionally harmless, albeit irritating pranksters.

Description

Imps are said to be troublesome and mischievous, with some arguing them as threatening and dangerous. The latter tends to be how you interpret their mischievous behaviour as they like to cause pranks on unsuspecting people. One thing they like to do is switch babies and can cause a person to hurt themselves as a result of a prank. When an Imp does a prank, it is believed they do it for attention, to be recognised by people, although their pranks while harmless are done so out of impulse and often annoying (so people ignore them). Various descriptions can be found describing an Imp as:

Small
Lively
Unattractive
Bony
Have a face like stone
Have large ears
have horns
Have wings
Look like an old man
Are magical
Can attach themselves as an object
Can either have a smirk or have a grimace look about them
Walk with a hunch
Posses wild and uncontrollable behaviour

During Christianisation, Imps went from harmless beings to Devilish. So much so that they were believed to be companions of witches, disguising themselves as black cats and toads.

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: 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.

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.

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: 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.