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The Legend of Ireland’s Vampire King Abhartach and the Haunted Giant’s Grave

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In the rural areas of Derry, Northern Ireland, there is a small dolmen grave under a hawthorn tree. It is said to be the grave of the vampire king, Abhartach who is said to still be lusting after blood. 

Ireland’s ancient hills and mossy graveyards are no strangers to ghost stories and restless spirits. Yet among these tales of banshees and fairies lies one of the island’s oldest, darkest legends — the story of Abhartach, a tyrant chieftain whose insatiable thirst for blood refused to end, even in death. 

Thought by some folklorists to be Ireland’s original vampire myth, Abhartach’s grim story predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and may well have been its inspiration.

The Tyrant of Slaghtaverty

According to legend, Abhartach was a cruel and malevolent chieftain who ruled in what is now Slaghtaverty in the parish of Errigal in Derry, Northern Ireland. Although he is remembered as a vampire, the name and description of him is much closer to a dwarf. As the name suggests, he might have been remembered for his height. 

Irish Hero: In some accounts Abhartach is combined with the similarly named Abartach, a figure associated with Fionn mac Cumhaill and pre-christian irish mythology. Fionn mac Cumhaill,[a] often anglicised Finn McCool or MacCool, is a hero in Irish mythology, as well as in later Scottish and Manx folklore. He is the leader of the Fianna bands of young roving hunter-warriors, as well as being a seer and poet. He is said to have a magic thumb that bestows him with great wisdom. He is often depicted hunting with his hounds Bran and Sceólang, and fighting with his spear and sword. In modern retellings it is said the hero was called Cathán or O’Kane.

He is said to have lived in the 5th or 6th century, at a time when the Glenullin area of Ireland was a patchwork of small kingdoms of tribal warlords were the mysterious druids still lived and practiced their magic and when the catholic saints started settling on the emerald island. 

Feared by his own people, he was said to possess dark powers and a fascination with the occult. Through his practice of dark magic, he killed his subjects for fun. His tyrannical ways became so unbearable that local warriors, desperate for relief, conspired to kill him.

In one version of the tale, a neighboring chieftain named Cathán rose up against Abhartach and struck him down, burying him in a standing grave, marked by a solitary stone. Burying in a standing position was a custom at the time for high-ranking chieftains. But peace would not come so easily.

In other versions his first death was through no fault but his own and he died when he was stalking his wife. He was a jealous man and trusted no one. He thought she was having an affair and crept on the ledge outside of the castle to the window outside her bedroom. He slipped and fell to his death and they quickly buried him for the first time. But it would not be his last. 

The Undying Menace

The day after his burial, Abhartach returned — clawing his way out of the earth, demanding blood from his terrified subjects to collect in a bowl for him to consume. In some versions of the legend, his subjects were so afraid of him and submitted to him, making blood sacrifices to him, waiting for someone to save them.

Again, Cathán slew him, and again, Abhartach returned. It was then the people sought counsel from a druid or wise elder who revealed the grim truth: Abhartach was no ordinary man, but one of the neamh-mairbh, the undead. In more modern retellings of the story it was a Christian Saint giving the solution to the undead. 

Druid Forest: There are several hermitages in the area. According to tradition, these were the dwellings of particularly holy men. The most notable is in Gortnamoyagh Forest on the very edge of Glenullin, where local people will still point out the saint’s track, a series of stations near a holy well.

To stop his monstrous resurrection, he could not be buried in consecrated ground. Instead, he must be killed with a sword made of yew wood, buried upside down, and his grave encircled with thorns and heavy stones to prevent his escape.

Cathán followed the instructions, and Abhartach was finally trapped — but local legend holds that his restless spirit still lingers beneath the earth.

The Cursed Grave of Slaghtaverty

According to a lecturer in Celtic history at the University of UIster, Bob Curran, the real castle he lived in an be found between the towns of Garvagh and Dungiven, where a small hill now stands. He says that it was here that the fortress of a 5th or 6th-century chieftain with magical powers called the Abhartach once resided. 

The Slaghtaverty Dolmen: By locals called the Gian’ts grave, associated with the legend of Abhartach, under a solitary hawthorn tree in rural Derry, Northern Ireland. Strange things are said to happen around this grave.

Today, the place believed to be Abhartach’s grave is a modest site known as Slaghtaverty Dolmen or The Giant’s Grave. Nestled in a field near the village of Slaughtaverty in Londonderry in Northern Ireland, it’s marked by an ancient stone surrounded by a ring of Hawthorn trees and undergrowth. It used to be more stones as remnants of an old monument, but these have been removed over time by local farmers for building purposes.

Locals claim the spot is cursed; farmers avoid working the land around it, and strange misfortunes are said to befall those who disturb the grave. Some say on misty nights, you can hear faint whispers, or catch the flicker of a shadow moving between the trees — as though Abhartach himself still walks, searching for blood.

In 1997, attempts were made to clear the land, but, if local tradition is to be believed, workmen who tried to fell the tree found that their brand-new chainsaw stopped for no reason on three occasions. When attempting to lift the great stone, a steel chain suddenly snapped, cutting the hand of one of the labourers and, significantly, allowing blood to soak into the ground.

The Dracula Connection

We first have the legend written down in Patrick Weston Joyce’s The Origin and History of Irish Names and Places from 1870. In modern versions of the lore, the story is said to be solved by an earlier Christian, and not a druid. 

Intriguingly, scholars have speculated that Abhartach’s legend may have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Stoker, an Irishman born in Dublin, would have likely been familiar with the story of the blood-drinking undead chieftain. While Dracula is commonly associated with Vlad the Impaler and Eastern European folklore, it’s possible that the sinister figure of Abhartach left its own mark on Gothic horror’s most famous vampire.

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References:

Abhartach – Wikipedia 

The Abhartach / Irish Vampire: Terrifying Tale For 2025

Does Abhartach, the vampiric chieftain, still stalk the Derry hills?

Abhartach the Dwarf King | Emerald Isle Irish and Celtic myths, fairy tales and legends

Abhartach – Ireland’s Vampire King – by Siobhán Rodgers 

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Porta do Alén, The Portal to Another Dimension

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At the top of a mountain in Northern Spain, there is a supposed gate to the underworld or possibly another dimension. The legend of Porta do Alén and its strange structure continues to be known as the Door to Beyond.  

North in Spain on the highest peak of the mountain Serra do Cando there is a strange dolmen construction that looks a lot like a door. The locals have named it Porta do Alén, or the gate to the underworld. According to the legends about this strange place, the Porta do Alén connects our world to the world of spirits.

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain

Who raised this strange structure, all the way to the top of a mountain, and when did it happen? No one really knows the origin of this mysterious place, but the locals in the region have used it as an altar of all sorts for centuries. 

Legends and Folklore Surrounding Porta do Alén

Porta do Alén, also known as the “Door to the Beyond,” has a rich tapestry of legends and folklore woven into its history. Even its origin is disputed, but it is believed that it is most likely human made. 

According to local tales, the portal was created by ancient Celtic druids as a passage to the spirit realm. We can find altars, shrines and ancient burials scattered around in Galicia as a reminder of its past. 

The Secrets of The Ancient Carnac Stones

Often called France’s Stonehenge, The Carnac Stones in Brittany have puzzled people for millennials as to why they were built. Some ancient burial rites? Perhaps it’s like the legends say and are soldiers turned into stone? 

It is said that on certain nights, the veil between the worlds becomes thin, allowing spirits to cross over into our realm through Porta do Alén. These supernatural entities are believed to roam the surrounding area, leaving behind traces of their presence.

The legends surrounding Porta do Alén have also inspired numerous ghost stories and tales of paranormal encounters. The writer Manel Loureiro based his novel, La Puerta on the strange happenings found close to the rocks. 

The Supernatural and Spiritual Beliefs Associated with Porta do Alén

Porta do Alén has long been associated with supernatural and spiritual beliefs, attracting individuals who seek a deeper understanding of the metaphysical. Many believe that the portal serves as a gateway to parallel dimensions or otherworldly realms. This notion is supported by countless accounts of strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena reported by those who have visited the site.

For those interested in the occult and esoteric practices, Porta do Alén has become a site of pilgrimage. Spiritual seekers and practitioners of various mystical traditions gather here to perform rituals, meditate, and connect with the energies they believe exist beyond the portal. Whether it’s communing with spirits, seeking inner enlightenment, or simply immersing oneself in the mysterious atmosphere, Porta do Alén offers a unique space for exploration 

Santa Compaña the Spanish Wild Hunt

These strange rocks on the top of the mountain have often been connected to legends about the Wild Hunt. The Santa Compaña, or the holy company is the Spanish version of the Wild Hunt found in most European mythologies. The common belief is that a procession of the dead wander through the empty path to the small villages at midnight in white cloaks. 

It is said that the living person leading the procession doesn’t remember what happened the night before, but is each night compelled to go wandering as if in a trance in the midnight hours as a curse. It is said that it is especially on two nights were the chances of meeting the procession is higher than other. That is on San Juan (23 to 24 June) and Todos los Santos (October 31 to November 1).

Santa Compaña: This Spanish version of the Wild Hunt have strong ties with the Porta do Alén and the rest of Galicia in Northern Spain.//Source: The Holy Company of Camilo Díaz Baliño (1919)

It might be inspired by the celtic of norse wild hunt, but here, the procession is usually led by a person of the church. Even if the souls are not always seen, the scent of the wax candles they carry are smelled in the breeze. 

According to the legend, the Santa Compana enters our world and looks for its victims to take with them back to the underworld.

The Ritual by the Stones

Another legend says the place was a place for a huge ritual in ancient times to send evil spirits through the door and back to the underworld. 

According to this legend the evil spirits are still waiting right on the other side of the door, ready to be released to our world. This is why the local superstition says to never walk through the gate, as you might get some of the spirits with you on the other side. 

The locals and visitors hiking Serra do Cando leave different offerings at the place like food, small objects, plants and notes asking for good luck at the door to the underworld. 

There is a particular ritual where if someone wants to speak with the souls of the deceased, they will have to go through the door from north to south. They will give an offering like bread, flower or a lighted candle. Then they have to remain quiet and the wind will grant the answers you seek.

If you don’t follow all of the rules you will lose your voice or health as a punishment. To finish off with the ritual you have to pass through the door again so not to be trapped in the beyond. 

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References:

El Monte Seixo y su vía de entrada al más allá en A Lama (Pontevedra)
Ten paranormal places that you can actually visit in Spain

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Halloween Stories: The Celtic Samhain and how it became the modern Halloween

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Bonfires to ward off evil and leaving food for the ghost; the Celtic pagan celebration of Samhain slowly morphed into what is now the modern Halloween with the Trick or Treat, horror movies and costume parties. But how was the celebration done in the olden days, really?

Samhain, pronounced “sow-win”, is a festival that originated in ancient Celtic culture throughout Europe, and is the precursor to the modern Halloween. Celebrated on the night of October 31st, Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, a time traditionally associated with darkness and death. The Celts believed that during this liminal period, the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to return to the world of the living.

Read Also: Halloween Traditions Across the World

But what happened to this ancient celebration, and just how much of the modern Halloween tradition is really rooted in the pagan holiday?

Samhain Bonfire: Neo pagans celebrating Samhain in Ireland.// Source: Wikimedia

The Ancient Celtic Context of Samhain

The festival of Samhain was not merely a celebration; it was a deeply spiritual time for the Celts, who inhabited regions that are now part of Ireland, Scotland since pagan times. It was at least a part of the Gaelic Celts. Although something similar would be celebrated by the Brittonic Celts in Wales as Calan Gaeaf.

The Celtic people were a big and diverse group of people settled throughout Europe in the Iron and Bronze age, as far as Turkey at one time. In the 3rd century BC they were more or less absorbed into the Roman Empire, and most of the remains of the Celtic culture exists in the northernmost parts of Europe in the west. 

Ancient records indicate that Samhain was one of the four major Gaelic festivals, alongside Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. These festivals were pivotal in marking the changing seasons and agricultural cycles, providing a connection to the earth and the spirits that inhabited it.

Some believe that this was the Celtic New Years, but it is a much disputed theory. Samhain signified the beginning of the darker half of the year, end of the harvest, a time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the hardships of winter. According to the Celtic calendar, the Celtic days started and ended on sunsets, so that the evening of 31. October to 1. November. 

This day was believed to have the veil between our world and the Otherworld be extra thin and the portals or the sídhe were open. We were much closer to the supernatural beings called aos sí and ghosts than the rest of the year. And in contrast to its summer counterpart, Beltane which was a feast for the living, this was supposed to be a feast for the dead.

Although the festival itself was not recorded in detail until the modern era, the way history remembers it is from the fragments of the living culture and traditions still alive today. 

Samhain Human Sacrifices

It is often considered a rather sinister holiday, but just how dark could the Samhain celebration be? In pagan times, Samhain is believed to be connected to the Irish Crom Cruach who was given human sacrifice and was some sort of fertility God or a solar deity. It was claimed that a first born child had to be sacrificed at the stone idol in Magh Slécht, today the plains around the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport.

Also the people of Nemed had to give two-thirds of their children, corn and milt to the Fomori monsters. The Nemed people were thought to be a third group of Irish settlers from the Caspian Sea, before dying of the plague and the Fomorians. 

Fomorians: There are many variants of the scary tales about the Fomorians. They were often considered sea creatures, even pirates as the threat from the vikings came from the sea. Here is John Duncan’s interpretation of the sea gods of Irish mythology.

How much of the Nemed people that are true though, is up for debate. But their dark and grim legends certainly fit right into the mystical and dark Halloween legends where evil is at play.

Samhain Monsters

It wasn’t only the Fomori monster that was connected with Samhain. It was everything. The Pukah that receives the harvest from the field, the headless ghost of The Lady Gwyn in her white dress chasing the children. There is also the Dullahan, small imps or headless men on their red eyed horses carrying their heads, a deadly omen. 

The Headless Horseman: A staple of Halloween lore, even today. The story of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving really cemented it in American culture, like many of the Scottish and Irish stories did.

The Sluagh or the fairies were also said to kidnap people on Samhain, transporting them to the Otherworld they perhaps never would escape from. 

The Otherworld: In many fairytales there is a story about people being spirited away by the fairies to the Otherworld. The Otherworld is usually called Annwn in Welsh mythology and Avalon in Arthurian legend. In Irish mythology it’s called Tír na nÓg, Mag Mell and Emain Ablach. Here from The ‘Land of the Ever Young’ depicted by Arthur Rackham in Irish Fairy Tales (1920).

As the pagan religion passed over to the Christian one, the monsters we saw changed. From fairies and pagan creatures, the devil, witches and other demons took their place. One could perhaps wonder in our more secular societies, how the Halloween costume tradition still reflects the monsters lurking in the dark. 

The Samhain Bonfires Warding off Evil

The Celts honored their ancestors and the spirits of the dead by lighting bonfires, often known as Samghnagans. They were believed to provide protection and guidance. In ancient Celtic times with the druid priest in holy places, and later in the local communities. Through the middle ages, the fires were lit up closer to the farms to protect them and their harvest.

In Ireland there are many places that are still linked to Samhain, you have the Cave of Oweynagat in Country Roscommon where a being from the Otherworld would come from and host the festivities. The Hill of Ward in County Meath was also a place where people gathered to light the bonfires. The Mound of the Hostages at Tara Hill in County Wexford is a 5,000-year-old Neolithic passage tomb. There, the rising sun illuminates the inner chamber at both Samhain and Imbolc. These were often the places the Celts would gather to light up their bonfires.

Bonfires: Neopagans celebrating Samhain as they have tried to recreate the bonfire traditions that were more important in pagan times.

These special fires with special protective and cleansing power as the sun itself, and were a focal point for gatherings, where communities would come together to celebrate, feast, and partake in rituals designed to appease both the living and the dead.

Today, the act of lighting up fires isn’t connected to the Samhain celebrations as it used to. Instead the Jack-o-lantern tradition can perhaps be seen as the modern version to keep the evil at bay with the help of light. 

Read Also: Halloween Stories: The Legend of Stingy Jack and the origin of the Jack-o’-Lantern

Divination and Fortune Telling

Queen Meave and the Druid

The bonfires were also used for divination, like the 18th-century tradition in Ochtertyre in Scotland. A ring of stones were laid around the fire and people ran around the fire with a torch. The stones were checked on the next day, and if some of them were misplaced, the person it represented would die the following year. This particular divination you also find in the Welsh Celtic, Calan Gaeaf. This is a later interpetation of divination by the bonfire that perhaps have traces dating back to the pagan Celts.

Read More: Halloween Stories: Calan Gaeaf — When Spirits Roam In Wales

Among the customs observed during Samhain were various divination practices intended to foretell the future, often with nuts and apples. The Celts would engage in scrying with different practices, and nights like Samhain with the veil between the two worlds thinning was a perfect time it.

In the beginning it was most likely the priests or designated seers that did it in religious ceremonies to gain insight from the pagan Gods. Most likely heavily on different drugs and herbs.

Throughout the years it became a more common thing that people did among themselves, perhaps mostly for fun. This practice was especially prevalent among the young, who sought knowledge about potential suitors and marriage prospects in the coming year.

Mirror Magic: Many types of fortune telling persisted up until recent years, or perhaps even practice today. Many of them was about young women and girls trying to foretell their future husband.

Guising for the Fairies

Another thing the Celts most likely did was the guising and mumming that eventually would turn into the modern Trick or Treat. They would dress up, most likely as the aos sí or the pagan Gods and go door to door, often performing or singing for food and drink. 

Read Also: Halloween Stories: The Ancient Origins of Trick-or-Treat  

Food and drink offerings played a crucial role during Samhain. Some documents say that they drank for six days in some places. Families would leave out treats and meals to appease the wandering spirits, ensuring that their ancestors were satisfied and would protect the home.

This was often called dumb supper, where dumb in this context means in silence and often in connection in that women ate certain types of food to fortell their husbands.

This tradition probably stems from the fact that the spirits and the aos sí were remnants from the pagan God and revered as such. Some left windows and doors to let their ancestors enter their home for the night, some shut it to keep the spirits out. It was also customary for people to wear costumes made of animal skins or disguises to confuse the spirits, preventing them from causing harm.

The Transformation into Halloween

With the arrival of Christianity in the Celtic lands, many traditional pagan celebrations began to intertwine with Christian beliefs already in 609, by Pope Boniface IV. To replace the pagan festival, the Church moved All Saints’ Day from May to November 1st, followed by All Souls’ Day on November 2nd in the 9th century by Pope Gregory. The night before All Saints’ Day, known as All Hallows’ Eve, retained much of the Samhain traditions, including bonfires and the practice of wearing costumes.

As these Christian holidays spread, so did the customs associated with Samhain. The name “Halloween” is derived from “All Hallows’ Eve,” marking the transition from a pagan to a Christian celebration. The idea of honoring the dead was preserved, albeit within a different context. Some could even argue that the Samhain traditions we know of today were also inspired by the All Saint’s Day. 

The Influence of Irish and Scottish Immigration

In the 19th century, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their customs to North America, further evolving Samhain into what we now recognize as Halloween. 

As the years passed, Halloween became more secular, and the emphasis shifted from honoring the dead to celebrating with costumes, parties, and playful spookiness. Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, initially a practice using turnips in Ireland, became popular in America due to the abundance of pumpkins. The bright orange fruits symbolized harvest and autumn while also echoing the ancient practice of lighting fires to ward off spirits.

But is this really just a dead holiday today, has it been swallowed completely by Halloween? As the highly commercialized and secular holiday took form, another branch of Samhain took form in the 19th and 20th century. Celtic Neopagans and Wiccans have taken Samhain as their own, trying to celebrate it as a religious holiday instead. 

Halloween is a far cry from its Samhain origins, having transformed into a celebration of fun, fright, and community. Yet, the echoes of its ancient past linger in the traditions of dressing up, honoring the dead, and embracing the supernatural and reminding us that the veil between our world and the other, can be very thin. 

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References:

Samhain Celebrations:

Samhain – Wikipedia 

Hill of Ward – Wikipedia

Rathcroghan – Wikipedia

Samhain ‑ Traditions, Halloween, Wicca | HISTORY 

BBC – Religions – Paganism: Samhain

Celtic Culture and Pagan Gods:

Crom Cruach – Wikipedia 

Magh Slécht – Wikipedia 

Nemed – Wikipedia

Celtic religion | Druidism, Mythology & Rituals | Britannica

Halloween Tradition

When ‘Dumb Suppers’ Were a Halloween Love Ritual – Gastro Obscura 

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Halloween Stories: Calan Gaeaf — When Spirits Roam In Wales

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Before the modern Halloween came back to the British Isles, there were celebrations like the Welsh Calan Gaeaf. The first day of winter. The night before this day was when the veil was thinnest and the spirits roamed the land. 

Home, home, at once
The tailless black sow shall snatch the last one.
– Welsh rhyme from Nos Calan Gaeaf

As the winds of autumn grow colder and the days shorter, the people of Wales prepare for Calan Gaeaf, a festival steeped in ancient tradition and eerie folklore. Celebrated on the night of October 31st, this Celtic holiday marks the transition into winter—when the veil between the living and the dead thins, allowing spirits to walk freely among the living.

Read Also: Halloween Traditions Across the World

Much like its more famous counterpart, Halloween, Calan Gaeaf is a time when ghostly apparitions and supernatural forces are said to roam the earth. But in Wales, the night is uniquely filled with tales of terrifying spirits, haunted crossroads, and ominous signs of death. It’s a night where even the bravest avoid stepping outside after dark.

The Origins of Calan Gaeaf Festivities

Harvest: The Calan Gaeaf is a harvest festival as well, and things like apple bobbing and telling fortune of apple skin were some of the activities.

Calan Gaeaf, translating to “the first day of winter” in Welsh, has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. For the Celts, this night represented the end of the harvest season and the start of the dark half of the year, when the world was gripped by cold and the dead returned to walk among the living. Or is it really a tradition for all Celts? There are those who claim there really is no evidence that Samhain was ever celebrated in Wales, making some think it is more a Gaelic custom rather than Celtic. 

But how far does this celebration date back though? The word, Galan or Calan is actually from the latin, calends “first day of winter.” 

What is Celtic though is the dating of the day. The night before the day is called the Nos Galan Gaef, and this is when the spirits from the otherworld, or Annwn, are said to come out to play. The Celts counted the days to begin on the evening before, not the morning off. 

The same term is in the Cornish language called Kalan Gwav, or Allantide as it is mostly called now. In Breton language in modern day France it is called Kalan Goañv.

Wales, with its rich Celtic heritage, embraced these ancient beliefs, and Calan Gaeaf became a night filled with both celebration and fear. Fires were lit in villages to keep the malevolent spirits at bay, and families gathered indoors to share stories of ghosts and ghouls, all while keeping a wary eye on the night outside.

The Haunting Presence of Hwch Ddu Gwta

Among the many eerie figures associated with Calan Gaeaf, none is more feared than Hwch Ddu Gwta, a fearsome black sow with no tail. Legend says that Hwch Ddu Gwta roams the Welsh countryside on Calan Gaeaf, accompanied by a headless woman, the Y Ladi Wen, stalking those who dare to venture outside after sunset. Anyone unlucky enough to encounter this spectral beast would surely be doomed, dragged away into the darkness or even to the underworld itself.

Y Ladi Wen: The Lady in White is a Welsh legend, known as Y Ladi Wen or Y Ddynes Mewn Gwyn. She appears dressed in white, especially during Hollantide and Calan Gaeaf, and is featured in Welsh oral tradition to warn children against misbehavior. Y Ladi Wen can be seen as a scary ghost who might seek help or offer treasure. She is linked to the villages of Ogmore, Ewenny, and St Athan. In Ogmore, a spirit was said to roam until a brave man approached her, discovering a cauldron of gold under a stone in Ogmore Castle. He took some treasure but later returned for more, angering the spirit, who attacked him in revenge. He fell ill and died after confessing his greed, leading to the belief that “Y Ladi Wen’s revenge” would affect anyone who died without revealing hidden treasure. //Source: pduncaza/Deviantart

To avoid Hwch Ddu Gwta and other restless spirits, people would rush home before nightfall, locking their doors tightly. The idea of being caught outside was a terror for many, as it was believed the spirits could claim anyone out in the open on this haunted night.

Hwch Ddu Gwta a Ladi Wen heb ddim pen
Hwch Ddu Gwta a gipio’r ola’
Hwch Ddu Gwta nos G’langaea
Lladron yn dwad tan weu sana.

The black sow and headless white lady,
Will try and catch the last to leave,
Thieves abound knitting stockings,
Beware the tail-less black sow on winter’s eve.

A game played by the bonfire was also that one of the men would wear a pig skin and chase the children to keep the fear and legend alive. 

Divination and Dark Omens During Nos Galan Gaeaf

Aside from the lurking spirits, Calan Gaeaf is a night filled with ancient customs and rituals. One of the most unnerving traditions was a form of divination—an attempt to peer into the future and learn of one’s fate, particularly regarding death. People would gather around bonfires (coelcerth) and throw stones into the flames, each person marking their stone with a special symbol or name. After the fire had burned down, the stones were retrieved. It was said that anyone whose stone was missing in the morning would die before the next Calan Gaeaf. You could also see the people who would die if you ran around the church three times and peered into the keyhole of the church door. 

Another dark tradition involved staring into a mirror at midnight on Calan Gaeaf, with the belief that the face of your future spouse—or, chillingly, a skull—would appear behind you. If you saw the skull, you would never marry, and die within a year. 

Boys would cut ten leaves of ivy, throw one away and put the rest under the pillow. This would help them see the future, and if they touched the ivy, they would see witches, or gwrachod, as they slept. The men would also dress in women’s clothing mimicking the Gwrachod and go from door to door for treats. This was thought to repel the evil spirits. 

The girls grew roses in hoops they could go through. They then cut the rose and put it under their pillows to see their future. Peeled apple skin was also thrown over the shoulders to spell the first letter of the future husband. 

Bonfire Night: Central to the Nos Calan Gaeaf is the bonfire, or the coelcerth as it is in Welsh.

The Modern Halloween Celebration in Wales

Though today, many of these old customs have faded, the fear of spirits abroad on Calan Gaeaf still lingers in the corners of Welsh folklore. The old ways of celebrating seem like it’s being swallowed by the highly commercialized American Halloween.

On this eerie night, even the skeptics can’t help but feel a shiver down their spine as the wind howls through the hills and the night closes in. After all, as the old tales warn—if you’re out too late on Calan Gaeaf, you might just find yourself face-to-face with something that doesn’t belong in this world.

So when October 31st comes around in Wales, beware of wandering too far from home. Hwch Ddu Gwta might be watching, and the spirits may be closer than you think.

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References:

Calan Gaeaf – Wikipedia 

Nos Galan Gaeaf: the traditional Welsh celebration being eclipsed by modern Halloween

Spooky Wales – Noson Calan Gaeaf – BBC Bitesize 

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Halloween Stories: The Ancient Origins of Trick-or-Treat

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Trick-or-Treat is now an integral part of the Halloween celebration. It is often seen as an American tradition, but history tells us that this custom has deep roots to even pre-christian times with much darker and supernatural reasons.  

Trick-or-treating, a beloved Halloween tradition, is now synonymous with costumed children going door-to-door in search of candy. But the history of this custom stretches back centuries and is steeped in eerie folklore, ancient rituals, and dark traditions that were once far more sinister than a friendly request for sweets.

Read Also: Halloween Traditions Across the World

The act of going from house to house for food or treats in the fall and winter part of the year has had countless variants throughout Europe. On the Greek Island, Rhodes, children dressed up as swallows and sang a song as they went door to door in search of treats. If the house owners refused, they pranked them. In northern parts of Europe there was the Scandinavian Julebukk, or the German St. Martin’s day or Rummelpott for instance that are much closer to winter and Christmas. In southern Europe we have more traditions of the Catholic version and in Portugal children go out on All Hallow’s Day for Pão-por-Deus (bread for God’s sake) from their neighbors. 

Today, the tradition has become more global and capitalized. It is estimated that $3 billion is spent on Halloween costumes annually in North America. But for the sake of tracing it back to the modern Trick-or-Treat, we will mainly focus on the Celtic traditions.

The Celtic Roots: Samhain and the Spirit World

The origins of trick-or-treating trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated over 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France. For the Celts, Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time of seasonal transitions when the boundary between the world of the living and the dead blurred. 

On the night of October 31, spirits of the dead were believed to return to Earth, roaming the land and causing chaos. This was also the case for the fairies or the Aos Si. 

To appease these wandering spirits and avoid harm, people would leave out food and drink as offerings. Disguises were also worn—animal skins and masks—to blend in with the spirits or confuse malevolent ones who might wish to do harm. 

It is also said that people dressed up and went door to door to impersonate the spirits and receive the offering on their behalf. Dressing up as them was also seen as a way to protect themselves from them. These early costumes, used as a form of protection, laid the foundation for the Halloween costumes we see today.

Neopagan Samhain Still Alive: Although the tradition of Samhain is mostly died out and replaced with various Halloween tradition, there are still those who celebrate it how they think their ancestors did it with bonfires, dressing up and offerings. Here, a neopagan is celebrating Samhain. //Source: Matt Cardy/wikimedia

Medieval Europe: “Souling” and “Guising”

As Christianity spread across Europe, pagan traditions like Samhain were absorbed and transformed by the Church. By the Middle Ages, the practice of leaving offerings for the dead evolved into a custom known as souling. On All Hallows’ Eve (October 31) and All Souls’ Day (November 2), the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the souls of the dead in exchange for food, often a type of small cake known as a “soul cake.” 

This practice, called “souling,” was common in parts of Britain and Ireland, where people also carried lanterns made from hollowed-out turnips, a precursor to today’s jack-o’-lanterns.

Souling: An English custom with origins in the medieval era and is still practised to a minor extent in Sheffield and parts of Cheshire during Allhallowtide. The rich gave soul cakes to the poor on Halloween who prayed for their souls. It became so popular that small companies went door to door on Halloween, begging soul-cakes by singing under the windows some such verse as this: “Soul, soul, for a soul-cake: Pray you, good mistress, a soul-cake!”‘

At the same time, a tradition known as guising emerged in Scotland and Ireland, at least as far back as the 16th century. It’s a play on the word, disguise. Children would dress in costumes or disguises—often as ghosts, witches, or demons—and go house to house, offering songs, poems, or jokes in exchange for food, coins, or other small treats. Guising allowed people to celebrate the liminal nature of Halloween, when the world of spirits and the living briefly intertwined, while also warding off evil with their clever disguises.

Guising: There were many local variants of guising. The Outer Hebrides and Shetland have a blend of Celtic and Norse traditions that created the straw Skekler costume, a custom that died out around 100 years ago. They would go door to door and perform for money or food. Until the householder guessed their names, they couldn’t show their faces. Here from Oidhche Shamhna, a South Uist Halloween,1932.// Source: Margaret Fay Shaw Photographic Collection/ Canna House, the National Trust for Scotland.

The American Evolution: Mischief and Sweets

When European immigrants, particularly from Ireland and Scotland, brought these customs to America in the 19th century, they began to blend with other cultural traditions. The first recorded time guising was recorded in America was in 1911 in Ontario, Canada when a news reporter wrote about it. The first time it was said Trick-or-Treat was in 1917 in the same place. It is of course possible it was done before as well. 

Late 1800s childrens’ costumes

By the early 20th century, Halloween had evolved into a community-centered holiday with parties, parades, and festive gatherings. But trick-or-treating had not yet become widespread. It wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s, during the Great Depression, that trick-or-treating as we know it began to take shape in the U.S. 

Some claim that the trick-or-treating was invented by adults to change the Mischief Night vandalism that was mostly about pranks and crime. Halloween was often a night of mischief and pranks—sometimes harmless, sometimes destructive. Young people, especially in cities, would engage in acts of vandalism or play tricks on their neighbors, from tipping over outhouses to egging homes. To curb this mischief, communities and neighborhoods began organizing more structured Halloween activities. The history tells otherwise though, and it has been a children’s activity for centuries.

After World War II, with the baby boom in full swing and sugar rationing over, Halloween trick-or-treating exploded in popularity. Candy companies seized the opportunity, marketing small, individually wrapped candies specifically for Halloween. By the 1950s, the phrase “Trick-or-Treat” became widely used across America, and the once-mischievous demand for candy evolved into the fun, family-friendly event it is today.

The Haunting Tradition Lives On

Today, millions of children across the world take to the streets each Halloween, dressed in everything from spooky monsters to superheroes, eager to collect candy. The modern tradition from America has spread back to Europe and beyond, echoing the ancient rites. It was not until the early 2000 that children started saying Trick-or-Treat in Scotland and Ireland, but the tradition has seemingly taken a full circle back, although perhaps taken over the more localized versions that used to exist.

Pop Culture Influence: Trick-or-treating originated in Britain and Ireland in the form of souling and guising but the use of the term “Trick-or-Treat” at the doors of homeowners was not common until the 1980s and later with its popularization of the tradition through movies like E.T and other.

But beneath this lighthearted tradition lies a history of ancient fears and beliefs. The disguises, the begging for offerings, and even the lingering notion of “tricks” all harken back to a time when Halloween was not just a night of fun, but a night when the spirits of the dead walked among the living.

While the tradition of trick-or-treating has transformed into a celebration of candy and costumes, the eerie undertones remain—reminders of a time when the veil between worlds was thin, and a knock on the door might just have been from something otherworldly.

Despite the concept of trick-or-treating originating in Britain and Ireland in the form of souling and guising, the use of the term “Trick-or-Treat” at the doors of homeowners was not common until the 1980s, with its popularisation in part through the release of the film E.T.

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References:

How Trick‑or‑Treating Became a Halloween Tradition | HISTORY

Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions | HISTORY 

The history of trick-or-treating, and how it became a Halloween tradition 

Why Do We Trick Or Treat? – Farmers’ Almanac 

The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating | Smithsonian 

The History of ‘Trick or Treat’ | Merriam-Webster

Trick-or-treating – Wikipedia

Pão por Deus – Wikipedia

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Halloween Stories: The Apples for Allantide in Cornwall

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The first day of winter is called Kalan Gwav in Cornish and their version of Halloween. The celebration is called Allantide and the main focus is the big Allan Apple and trying to predict the future. 

Allantide, known as “Kalan Gwav” in Cornish, is the traditional Cornish celebration of Halloween, which marks the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Cornwall is one of the Celtic nations in South West England from the Atlantic Ocean to Devon and the English Channel.

Taking place on October 31, it shares similarities with Samhain and other Celtic festivals like the Welsh Calan Gaeaf or the Hop-tu-Naa on the Isle of Man of it being a beginning of winter festival. But one thing that differs is how much they focus on the dead, the spooky, the otherworld and ghosts. Allantide is much more harvest focused than what we think of Halloween today, although it has some of the same games and customs as its more spooky counterparts. 

Read Also: Halloween Traditions Across the World

The Christian name, Allantide or Feast of St Allan comes from the bishop of Quimper in modern day France, in the sixth century, if he ever existed at all. He is venerated in Brittany and his name lives on in this holiday, although for obscure reasons. This has also made the celebration very christian as an important part of the festival is ringing the church bells. 

Apple Harvest for Allantide: The apples are said to have been brought to the British Isles by the Romans, and soon, celts cultivated them on their own. Traditionally they have been seen as a sign of love and fertility as well as symbols for the gods and goddesses of the otherworld.

The Allan Apples From Harvest

A notable feature of Allantide is the gifting of large, bright apples called “Allan apples,” which symbolize good luck for the coming winter. In this sense, this version of “Halloween”, as it were, is a much brighter version with focus on apples, harvests and predicting the future. Other Halloween versions have often had a more supernatural and spooky atmosphere with ghosts, witches and monsters coming at night. 

In the days leading up to Allantide, Allan Markets were held to buy the big apples. These apples were often used in games of divination, predicting future romances or fortunes. Women would place the apples under their pillows in hopes of dreaming of their future husband. 

Snap Apple: A cross with four candles were put on and Allan apples would hang down was a game they played. The goal was to catch the apples in your mouth. The hot wax from the candles was penalty when it fell down on you.

Bonfires and Jack-o-lanterns

In the past, families would light bonfires, gather together, and use various forms of divination to foresee the winter ahead. The most popular future was of course to do with your love life. If you threw walnuts into the fire you could predict how faithful your partner was. 

Stories told during these gatherings often involved ancestors and spirits, emphasizing the thinning of the veil between worlds. As with the other Celtic celebration, this was the time the dead and passed loved ones were closest to the living. 

Melting of metal was also a way to predict the future. They melted it down to a liquid before throwing it in cold water and reading the shape of it, showing future partners or the future husband’s job. 

There were also jack-o-lanterns made, but of the local turnip growing there. Although if it had the same spooky connotation 

The End of Allantide Festivities

Today, Allantide has largely merged with modern Halloween celebrations, and the traditional Allan markets are gone. But traces of its ancient customs remain alive in Cornwall, where the gifting of the apples is still a central thing to the celebration and bonfires are lit to create community.

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References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allantide

Alain of Quimper – Wikipedia

Allantide | Cornwall For Ever! 

Allantide Cornwall 2023 

Halloween in Cornwall: Allantide and Allan Apples | The Regency Redingote 

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Halloween Stories: Hop-tu-Naa and Jinny the Witch from Isle of Man

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The ancient Halloween celebration of Hop-tu-Naa on the Isle of Man has a lot of the old celtic traditions. They also sing about Jinny the Witch, a woman tried for witchcraft centuries ago.

Around the world there are many versions of celebrating the day of the dead and on the British Isles you’ll find many versions stemming from the Celtic Samhain celebrations that turned into the modern Halloween. One the remote Isle of Man, one of them is the Hop-tu-Naa.

Hop-tu-Naa is the traditional Celtic festival celebrated on the Isle of Man every October 31st, marking the beginning of winter and believed to be the oldest unbroken tradition on the island. Rooted in the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, Hop-tu-Naa was originally a time when people believed the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest, allowing spirits to roam. 

Hop-tu-naa turnip: Intricate designs of carved turnips have become an essential part of the celebration. //Source: Wikimedia

The Celtic Legacy on the Isle of Man

The Manx name for the holiday is Oie Houney. The Manx people is the Gaelic ethnic group from the Isle of Man that once ruled the Norse-Gaelic The Kingdom of the Isles and the Gaelic Dál Riata on the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland and Isle of Man is considered one of the six Celtic Kingdoms. 

The term Hop-tu-naa is from one of the songs they sing during the festival. The term is pure nonsense, and just meant to rhyme. 

Traditions of the Hop-tu-naa

As mentioned, this celebration is singing central, coming from the tradition when waist or mummers went from house to house to perform for gifts, much like the modern Trick or Treating. There is also a traditional Manx Hop-tu-Naa dance, a sort of simple processional dance. 

One of the traditional songs that children sing references Jinny the Witch, a local figure in Manx folklore, adding a unique touch of spooky folklore to the festival. According to Hampton Creer, Jinny’s real name was Joney Lowney from Braddan. She was a poor woman who used to beg her neighbors for food. According to the locals, bad luck followed those who refused her because of her proficiency in black magic. 

She was tried at Bishop’s Court for witchcraft in 1715 and 1716 where her “crime” was stopping the Ballaughton Corn Mill because she was furious about the poor quality of the grain and told the miller. After she had yelled at him, it is said that his machinery mysteriously stopped working. 

The locals thought she had cursed the mill and she was put on trial for witchcraft. She was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment, fined £3 and made to stand at the four market crosses dressed in sackcloth. 

In Scotland she may very well have been burn at the stake, but here she lived on for years. One of the many variations of her song goes like this:

Hop-tu-Naa
My mother’s gone away
And she won’t be back until the morning
Jinnie the Witch flew over the house
To fetch the stick to lather the mouse
Hop-tu-Naa
My mother’s gone away
And she won’t be back until the morning
Hop-tu-Naa, Traa-la-laa

Turnip Lanterns

You also had the jack-o-lanterns, or moots, a tradition of putting light inside of carved turnips for the performers and to ward off evil spirits. Although much of the tradition dates back centuries, it seems this tradition dates back to the early 1900s.

The modern version of Hop-tu-Naa has children dressing up, carrying these lanterns and going from house to house for sweets. Now the focus is on how they carve the turnips, but in the past the children would bring the stumps and batter the doors of those who didn’t want to give them money or sweets. 

There’s also a strong focus on seasonal foods, with dishes like “mrastyr,” a mixture of potatoes, parsnips, and fish, traditionally prepared for the night. Any remaining left overs were left outside for the fairies as offerings. They would also set fire to gorse to ward off bad faeries

Power of Divination on Hollantide

As with many of the first day of winter festivals from the British Isles, another central part of the celebration is divination and predicting the future for the coming year. This was because the veil between the worlds was thinnest this night. One tradition involved smoothing out fireplace ashes before bed to see the imprint of a foot in the morning—if the footprint pointed outward, it foretold death, but if inward, it indicated a birth.

Another ritual involved making a “Dumb Cake” (Soddag Valloo) in silence, with young women participating. They would bake the cake on the hearth, eat it quietly, and go to bed walking backwards, hoping to dream of their future husband, who would offer them water in the vision.

Other forms of divination included stealing and roasting a salt herring in silence or holding water and salt while listening to a neighbor’s conversation to divine a future spouse’s name. Some also thought stealing the neighbors herring would tell the future.

Today, Hop-tu-Naa is still celebrated on the Isle of Man with a mixture of ancient customs, turnip carving, and an eerie blend of folklore, continuing to connect modern Manx culture to its deep Celtic roots. The festival’s mysterious and supernatural elements, combined with its long-standing traditions, make it a hauntingly unique way to mark the arrival of winter.

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References:

Manx people – Wikipedia

Hop-tu-Naa (dance) – Wikipedia

Hop-tu-Naa – Wikipedia 

Hop-Tu-Naa: The Celtic festival celebrated every Halloween on the Isle of Man | Sky HISTORY TV Channel

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Haunted Trails and Tales of Ballyboley Forest

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When the Gaelic Celts first set their foot on the emerald isle, they brought with them their ancient rites and magic. And in Ballyboley Forest in Antrim in Northern Ireland, it is said that something from this time still lingers within the woods. 

By the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Ballyboley Forest unveils a scenic trail that winds through meadows and woodlands to the serene Kilylane Reservoir. 

While the trail promises a breathtaking journey through Antrim’s beautiful landscape, it also carries with it spooky legends and ghostly tales that have woven themselves into the fabric of this Northern Irish landscape, and the story of the haunted Ballyboley Forest have topped various lists of Top Haunted Places.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Forests around the world

The current forest was planted in 1957, but the ghost stories and local legends go much further back than that, with a forest area like Ballyboley Forest going as far back to 300 BC, to ancient druid and celtic times. But just how many of these legends can we believe?

Source: Albert Bridge / Ballyboley forest near Larne (8) / CC BY-SA 2.0

Ancient Druid Meeting Place

The Ballyboley Forest, it is said, carries an ancient energy, having served as an ancient meeting place for druids. Artifacts discovered over the years hint at the rituals and gatherings that once transpired beneath its leafy canopy.

It is said that you can find circular trenches and stone formations in the north east part of the forest that are now grown over, but can still be seen. These megalithic structures are only claimed through rumors though and no archeological overview shows any particular monuments from Gaelic times inside of the forest.

If there really were druids in the area is unclear though the coastal area close to it like in Larne is thought to be one of the earliest inhabited areas of Ireland, when people came over from Scotland. But did they really venture over to what became Ballyboley Forest, or did these stories first come after the current forest was planted?

Haunted Histories from Ballyboley Forest

Let’s have a look at the haunted stories coming from the forest. It is said local legends speak of haunting occurrences within its depths—plumes of black smoke rising above the trees, and echoes of ghostly screams that linger in the twilight. 

Throughout the 15t, 16th as well as the 17th century, there have supposedly been many strange disappearances of the local people that went to the area. Some sources claim it is as many as thirty different cases of the missing people.

There are according to local lore, strange paths going through a gateway to The Otherworld of Celtic mythology.

The Stories Sources

These stories about smoke in the Ballyboley Forest and screams come from a couple of sources. First is a story supposedly relayed from a young couple that were hiking in the area and they were scared of the screams and the cloud-like black smoke that appeared. They quickly left the forest when this happened, and what really went down then, we don’t know. And who this couple was, there really isn’t a trail of either.

In a news report from 1997, in an unknown newspaper, there were two men in the Ballyboley Forest that heard the sound of something flapping. After a while they heard the sound of a woman like she was in pain and tried to find the source of the lady as she could be in need of help. 

Instead they left the tracks and stumbled upon a place where the trees were smeared with something that looked eerily like blood. They turned to get out of the place, but four human shaped figures were standing still behind them. All were dressed in brown rags and their heads were covered. 

Most of the accounts of the strange things people have experienced in the forest though, seems to be repostings from online forums from anonymous posters without any clear sources. Also the newspaper clippings that supposedly the stories were retold in, are missing. 

This is the case with the alleged experiences of a poster on Reddit as well from 2005 that also claimed to have seen the four rag clad figures holding torches and hearing the screeching sound of unknown animals. 

Although this was supposed to have happened in 2005 and the poster read the post made on The Shadowlands, seemingly the earliest posts about this hauntings online, the information has been out online since the late 90s on the page. 

Conclusion About the Haunting of the Forest

Ballyboley Forest, with its picturesque trails and hidden mysteries, invites adventurers to delve into a realm where beauty and the supernatural intertwine. But are the local legends really local, or are they merely a figment of the rapid copy paste culture of the internet?

As the wind rustles through the ancient trees, it carries with it the tales of plumes of black smoke, blood-stained trees, and the ethereal screams that have become part of the forest’s haunted legacy. The trail, though outwardly serene, unravels a tapestry of legends that adds a dark layer to the Northern Irish landscape. 

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References:

Ballyboley Forest and Kilylane Reservoir Circular, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland – 138 Reviews, Map | AllTrails

Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Ireland 

https://emadion.it/en/mysteries/mysterious-places-2/ballyboley-dark-forest/

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The Endless Hauntings of Epping Forest in England

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Epping Forest is an ancient forest filled with history and haunting. The big area it takes up houses countless ghosts, legends and paranormal mystery as well as being the dumping ground for murder victims as well as a cozy Sunday picnic spot. 

Epping Forest, a sprawling expanse in Essex, England, holds within its ancient boughs a tapestry woven with threads of history, crime, and whispers of the supernatural. The almost 6000 acre ancient woodland holds tons of streams, bogs, ponds and grassland as well as thick woodland. In addition, it holds more than one ghost story. 

As sunlight filters through the dense canopy, shadows cast by the forest’s towering trees seem to conceal untold secrets. In the veiled history of Epping Forest, tales of crime and haunted echoes beckon those willing to delve into the enigmatic depths of this woodland.

Read More: Check of all stories from Haunted Forests

It used to be a royal forest where only the monarch had the right to hunt, although the land was used by the common people. But it later became known as the Peoples Forest as it was used by all. Queen Victoria said herself: “It gives me the greatest satisfaction to dedicate this beautiful forest to the use and enjoyment of my people for all time” in 1882, but the forest has been used for more sinister things than Sunday picnics. 

A Historical Tapestry of Crime

Epping Forest’s history is not without its dark chapters. Once a royal hunting ground, the forest became a haven for outlaws and criminals during the medieval period. Infamous highwaymen and ne’er-do-wells sought refuge beneath its leafy cover, preying on unsuspecting travelers along the forest’s ancient paths. The legends of notorious figures like Dick Turpin, who allegedly used the forest as a hideout, still linger in the whispers of the rustling leaves.

Read More: Check of all stories from Haunted Forests

Because of it being so close to London, the London gangsters known as the Kray twins used this forest to dump the body of their victims. Unsolved murders as well as unidentified bodies have been found in the forest the following decades as well into recent times with a few years between them. 

The Ghost of the Notorious Dick Turpin

As mentioned the Epping Forest is notorious for being a place of crimes, and many of the ghost stories are woven into this. Dick Turpin was a highwayman that allegedly had a hideout inside of the forest. He was born in Hempstead around 1705 and throughout his life it was said he was dumping the bodies of his victims in the forest. He did at least murder one man there as he was tried and hanged in York in 1739 for it.

Richard Turpin: Illustration of Turpin who shoots dead Thomas Morris, outside his cave at Epping Forest

It is also said that Turpin is haunting the forest, especially around Traps Hill. The very name of the nearby road is said to come from the fear of being robbed in their sleep by him. 

According to these rumors about him haunting Epping Forest, he is seen on his horse named Black Bess and is often said to be dragging a woman behind him. Although Black Bess never actually existed, he was accused of stealing horses. This is most likely connected to the crime of the widow Shelley that lived on Traps Hill farm and victim for one of his heinous crimes in 1734, and that he seems to revisit in his afterlife. 

He broke into her house and threatened to roast her over the open fire if she didn’t tell where he could find her wealth. Her son eventually told them, but they didn’t leave immediately. They stayed and drank her wine, ate her food before going over to her neighbors as well to rob them too. 

Ever since his death, his life has been readapted in books, movies and tv series, even trying to mold him into more of a Robin Hood character than the ruthless robber and gang member he was. And ever since his legacy has grown, people have claimed to have seen his ghost coming storming down Traps Hill on a horse, still a menace in the forest. 

Dick Turpin is also said to haunt St. George’s Field in York were he frequented as well as the York Novotel Hotel and a path close to the River Ouse among other things. 

The Ghost of the Celtic Queen Boudicca

At Loughton Camps you find a hill fort from the Iron Age that local legend claims was used by the Celtic Queen Boudicca. The hill fort is from around 500 BC and is a type of earthwork used as a refuge og defended settlement and can be found just northwest of Loughton town.   

Boudicca was the leader of the British Iceni tribe and most known for her uprising against the Roman Empire and is seen as a national heroine for the British. Her husband had gifted their kingdom to their daughters, but after he died, it was ignored and his kingdom was annexed. Boudicca were flogged and her daughters were raped so that they would be seen as tainted. 

Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni: Illustration by Charles Hamilton Smith from 1821.

This caused her to rally her soldiers in an uprising against the empire in year 60. She was defeated the following year though and died. She is said to have died in either battle, of her injuries later or by suicide. 

Another hill fort connected to the Celtic queen is at Ambresbury Banks. This is believed to be the site where Boudicca were defeated by the Roman Empire in 61. Eighty thousand men and women were said to have lost their lives to her crusade against the empire, although the story lacks archaeological evidence. Most likely this site was a bit further north.  

These hill forts we know for sure were used by the warring Celtic tribes of Trinovantes and Catuvellauni before the Roman invasion. 

Although much of the historical facts remain unverified, the legend of her ghost roaming the forest still linger. Some claim to have seen the ghost of Boudicca herself though, coming through the mist on her chariot. 

The Suicide Ponds of Epping Forest

Inside the forest you will find many lakes and ponds. There is a place said to draw people to it to take their life and it has a sinister reputation. Although there are over 100 lakes and ponds in the forest, it could be many places of course. 

This place in the woods is a pond where according to legend was two young lovers who drowned themselves around 300 years ago in one of the ponds in the forest, many believing it to be this.  The tragedies since then have seemingly just been piling on.

So bad is it apparently that people have tried to get a petition going in 2021 to close the pond off and get 24 hour surveillance because of the darkness surrounding this particular pond.  

Lindsey Pond

Another pond in the forest is the pond close to Lindsey Street. In the 1960s, stories started pouring in about ghostly figures coming from the pond on horseback. According to the stories, they rode toward town before suddenly disappearing. 

Many of the waters close to the forest are said to have a ghost or two in them. A young girl drowning close to the Kings Oak pub has also been seen here, as well as sightings of a headless horseman. There are also more than one story about a woman drowning her child and herself in these ponds and have ever since been haunting the waters of Epping Forest.

The Hangman’s Hill Mystery

One particular site, known as Hangman’s Hill, adds to the eerie mystique of Epping Forest just past Avey Lane. Legend has it that this location was once used for public executions, with the spirits of the condemned lingering in the hushed stillness of the night. 

Source

According to legend that is probably the most talked about and most tried. People have heard screams coming from the hill and even called the police to the site without them finding anything. 

Some visitors claim to experience strange phenomena on Hangman’s Hill, where gravity seemingly defies its own rules, prompting vehicles to roll uphill—a phenomenon that only deepens the forest’s reputation for the unexplained.

The only thing is put your car in neutral and feel the shift as the hangman pulls you up towards the hill. 

The Bad Omens

Some of the animals you see inside of Epping Forest are apparently more than they seem. There are stories about a White hard or stag seen in the forest that signifies death or at least trouble if you see it.

The same goes for seeing a Black Shuck, or the ghost dog that is found everywhere in Essex as well as England for that matter. Some say it is a harbinger of bad luck or just a companion of the devil. 

It is mostly in the High Beech where sightings of the haunted hound have been seen. 

Modern-Day Hauntings of Epping Forest

As night descends upon Epping Forest, stories of modern-day hauntings persist. Witnesses recount chilling encounters, from ghostly shapes moving among the trees to unsettling sounds that echo through the darkness. 

Even after all these years people still claim to see headless horsemen in the forest, at Wake arms roundabout there is allegedly a man who runs out in front of the cars. When the cars stop however, he only stares into their eyes before he fades away. 

Around these parts reports about the ghost of a biker as well as a horse-drawn coach have been seen in the night. 

Epping Forest, with its ancient trees and hidden pathways, stands as a living chronicle of England’s past. Beyond the rustling leaves and dappled sunlight, the forest harbors tales of crime and spectral echoes, inviting those brave enough to explore its shadowy recesses. As day turns to night, the secrets of Epping Forest come alive, beckoning the curious and daring to unravel the mysteries that continue to weave their spell upon this enchanted woodland.

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References:

The haunted history of Epping Forest | This Is Local London 

Is Epping Forest Haunted? 

Ghosts of Epping Forest 

Halloween: Epping Forest’s haunted houses revealed 

Epping Forest – Wikipedia 

THE SPIRIT OF DICK TURPIN – ghostwalkbrighton.co.uk