Tag Archives: murder

Ukategorisert

The White Lady of Köhlholz Forest

Leave a comment
Advertisements

In a forest near Kemoding in Germany, the pregnant Anna Schwarzenberger was murdered. Since then, people have spoken of the White Lady of Köhlholz, who finds no peace. A cross now stands as a reminder of this event.

A large wooden cross in the Köhlholz forest, directly on the B 388 near Kemoding, has been erected as a wayward shrine as a reminder of several events: terrible accidents along the dangerous road and a bloody murder that happened in 1831.

Read More: Check out all ghostly legends from Germany

The 2.5-meter-high “Fertlbauernkreuz” (Fertlbauer Cross) was built by initiative of Andreas Faltermaier from Kemoding, as a wayside shrine of the same name had long stood on this spot , but disappeared a few years ago. In the Kemoding area alone, a small hamlet belonging to the municipality of Fraunberg, several very different crosses can be found.

Köhlholz Forest: The forest can be found along the way to Kemoding Village, part of the municipality of Fraunberg, Erding district, Upper Bavaria.The village lies approximately six kilometers southeast of Fraunberg. Image Source

The Murder in Köhlholz Forest

The Köhlholz is one of the largest wooded areas in the district and stretches from Kreuthäusl on the B 388 to Danerberg, just before Ottering. Since the 19th century, the forest has been primarily known for a gruesome murder.

On July 31, 1831, a lover stabbed a young, heavily pregnant woman 14 times there. Because of people still living with the name in the area, his name is often retracted from records. He was an unmarried farmer known as MG from H. She was Anna Schwarzenberger from Lern ​​(Berglern). 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories in haunted forests

On that fateful night, he had tricked his lover into believing he was inviting her to the fair in Dorfen. After stabbing her, he then drowned her in a small pond when she was still alive, even after all of her stab wounds. The murder went undiscovered for almost three weeks until G. turned himself in. 

Anna Schwarzenhuber was eight months pregnant at the time of her death and the newspaper at the time, the Bayerische Landbötin, called the perpetrator a “reject of humanity.” G. was sentenced to death. However, his mother, through an appeal to the king, managed to have the death sentence commuted to life imprisonment in chains. G. presumably died in prison.

The Haunting of the Forest

Since then, the legend has persisted that Anna has never found peace. Since the 19th century, many coachmen have reported seeing the sad, heavily pregnant mother wandering about as a white figure. In the past, farmers used to drive their carts at high speed through the Köhlholz forest. 

Even today, she is occasionally sighted by walkers in the Köhlholz forest. Many people still report that they are overcome by a deep sadness when they drive through the Köhlholz. Driving through the Köhlholz forest, Anna is said to appear and sit in the passenger seat and gaze at you with large, sad eyes. 

Especially at the end of August and beginning of September, a faint crying or sobbing can supposedly be heard. It was during this time of year that Anna’s child was said to have been born.

Newest Posts

  • The Calf Haunting of the Käfigturm: Bern’s Grotesque Prison Tower
    Said to be cursed forever after mistreating his prisoners, the jailer in Bern’s former prison tower, Käfitier is said to be haunted by the ghost of a monstrous calf.
  • The Lafayette Vampire Grave in Colorado
    For decades, parents have told their children to be home before dark in Lafayette, Colorado. The reason being that local lore tells of a vampire rising from his grave in the cemetery. But who exactly was the man behind the story, buried under the tombstone?
  • Grave of the Helhest in Roskilde Cathedral
    Buried in the same place as the Danish kings and queens, a legend about one of the smaller graves haunts the Roskilde Cathedral. It is said that a horse was buried here before any people, and it haunts the graveyard as the three legged helhest, an omen of death.
  • The Haunted Ruins of Lier Hospital in Norway
    As a place of dubious drug testing and the place where most lobotomies were done, the Lier Hospital and former asylum was left with a haunted rumor lingering in the decaying walls. Although most of the buildings are now torn down, it is still remembered as one of Norway’s most haunted places.
  • A Haunting Helhest in Odense St Canute Cathedral
    The Danish ghostly horse spirit Helhest is said to roam around St. Canute’s Cathedral in Odense, Denmark. It is believed seeing the three legged horse is an omen of imminent death.
  • The Helhest Haunting Saint Olaf’s Church in Helsingør
    According to old legends and Danish folklore, there are stories of three legged horses haunting the churches and graveyards in the country. in Saint Olaf’s Church, the spirit of the helhest is said to be the omen of death.
  • The Hauntings of Gamle Aker Church Over a Dragon’s Den
    Could it be that the oldest church in Oslo also has the oldest haunting? From legends about a dragon’s den underneath the structure and the ghostly silhouette haunting, the Gamle Aker Church perhaps has more activity than what meets the naked eye.
  • The Janissaries Vampires in Veliko Tarnovo
    During a time when Bulgaria was under the Ottoman Empire, there was talk about a vampire haunting the streets of Veliko Tarnovo. The rumours got so bad, that the Islamic rulers had to turn to pagan belief to rid themselves of the bloodthirsty creatures.
  • The Legend of the White Lady of Utstein Monastery
    In the windswept landscape of Norway’s west coast lies the Utstein Monastery, a site steeped in history and haunting tales. Known as Norway’s best-preserved medieval monastery, its ancient stone walls and iconic Gothic windows whisper stories of faith, love, and loss as well as the ghost of a Lady in White.
  • The Lord Edward Pub: The Rebel’s Restless Spirit
    After dying for the cause of Irish Independence, it is said the ghost of Lord Edward is haunting the pub he is buried close to and bears his name.
  • St. Patrick’s Cathedral: The Restless Spirit of Jonathan Swift
    In the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, there are said to be restless spirits still lingering. One of the more well known is said to be the ghost of Jonathan Swift, perhaps best known as the author of Gulliver’s Travels.
  • The Hauntings of Stortorvet Gjestgiveri Restaurant
    In one of the city’s oldest buildings, the freshest food is served in the ancient locale. For years though, there have been talks about Stortorvet Gjestgiveri restaurant being haunted, and even made it as one of the most haunted clips in the national ghost hunting show.

References:

An der B 388 bei Kemoding: Ein Kreuz für die weiße Frau vom Köhlholz 

7 wahre urbane Legenden aus München 

Fraunberg: Jedes Kreuz hat seine Geschichte 

Ukategorisert

The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo

2 Comments
Advertisements

Many horrible things have been blamed on the Ouija Board over the years. One of the most famous cases was the murder often named The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo were a woman in Buffalo was killed after the Ouija Board pointed her out in a mission for revenge. 

In 1930, Buffalo, New York, was the backdrop for a chilling murder case that intertwined themes of jealousy, manipulation, and supernatural beliefs. This case, often referred to as the “Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo,” involved the tragic death of Clothilde Marchand, a respected artist and wife of sculptor Henri Marchand.

The Ouija Board Told them to do it

Lila Jimerson

In the fall of 1929, 66 year old Nancy Bowen and 36 year old Lila Jimerson had a Ouija Board session. The Seneca Native women lived on the Cattaraugus Reservation where Bowen was a tribal healer and Jimerson worked at the reservation school. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Not long ago, Bowen’s husband had died and they tried to contact the afterlife to get an explanation. The loss of Bowen’s husband had really affected her and she was looking for answers in all the wrong places. The board started to move, and according to them, the spirit of her husband, Sassafras Charlie Bowen spelled out: “They killed me.”

When the women asked who they were, the answer was Clothilde and an address on Ripley Street in Buffalo. The board also added that she had short hair and was missing teeth. Since Bowen couldn’t read herself, Jimerson was guiding the planchette and spelled out the words. Turns out, the Ouija Board pointed them in the direction of someone they already knew. 

The Marchand Family

Henri Marchand, a 53 year old French-born artist renowned for his dioramas and wax models, relocated with his wife, Clothilde, and their children to Buffalo in 1925. She was a tiny woman who had given up her life as a painter to take care of their children. 

Henri was commissioned to create dioramas for the Buffalo Museum of Science, a project that required close collaboration with local communities, including the Seneca Nation. During this period, Henri developed a professional relationship with Lila Jimerson, a young Seneca woman who served as a model for his work. Little did Clothild know, his affairs would become the death of her. 

After the Ouija Board session, Bowen started to receive letters signed from a certain Mrs Dooley that no one knew who was. In the letter, it said that Clothilde Marchand was actually a witch who had hexed Sassafras Charlie, who was also a tribal healer, because she was jealous. After her witchcraft didn’t work, she had to kill him herself, the letter claimed. Bowen started to fear that she was next.

The Murder of Clothilde Marchand

Nancy Bowen

On March 6, 1930, the Marchand household was shattered by violence. Bowen had tried to kill Clothilde with hexes and witchcraft instead, but when this didn’t work, she showed up to do the job herself. She knocked on the door and was let in as Clothilde recognized her from the reservation. Clothilde was found dead in their home on Riley Street, having suffered fatal injuries from a hammer and chloroform stuffed down her throat. She was found by her 12 year old son when he came home from school. 

The neighbors led the police to the reservation as many natives working as models came and went to their house and Jimerson was arrested. The investigation quickly led to Nancy Bowen, after Jimerson gave her name to the police, who confessed to the murder. 

Bowen revealed that she had been manipulated by Jimerson into believing that Clothilde was a witch responsible for the death of Bowen’s husband, Charlie. Driven by these manipulations, Bowen confronted and killed Clothilde. 

The Trials and Aftermath

The subsequent trials for the The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo garnered significant public attention. Henri Marchand’s testimony revealed his numerous affairs, too many to count as he said in court, including his involvement with Jimerson.  He claimed getting romantically involved with the native women were necessary for his artistic endeavors as they would much easily take off their clothes for his modeling then. He also said that his dead wife was fully aware and supportive of his affairs, although nothing but his testimony says this. According to Jimerson, Marchand had said that he was tired of his wife and that this led to her planning to rid them of her. At the time of his wife’s murder, he was actually driving around with Jimerson. 

Jimerson faced two trials; the first ended in a mistrial due to her health issues, and the second concluded with her acquittal. Bowen pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to time served. Henri Marchand relocated to Albany, remarried his 18 year old niece, and continued his work until his death in 1951. Jimerson lived out her days in Perrysburg, New York, passing away in 1972. Clothilde Marchand was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery. 

They never found out who wrote the letters, but it didn’t match up with Jimerson’s handwriting. If they ever tested it at Marchand’s is unclear, but doubtful. Although the murder was convicted, was it really justice served in The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo?

The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo

This case highlights the complex interplay of cultural beliefs, personal relationships, and societal prejudices. A lot of the focus on The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo ended up being on the Ouija Board and witchcraft and not about how an innocent woman lost her life, and the manipulation from external forces that led to it.

The Ouija Board Murder in Buffalo underscores how deeply held superstitions and manipulations can lead to tragic outcomes, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of jealousy and deceit. Still today, you can see the sculptures in many museums to this day, including the Buffalo Science, the Smithsonian as well as the State Museum. 

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

MURDER INCITED BY JEALOUS MODEL; Killing of Artist’s Wife Is Confessed by Two Indian Women in Weird Story of Witchcraft. CONSULTED OUIJA BOARDHer Love for Marchand Led Her to Induce an Aged Friend to Beat Mrs. Marchand to Death. Woman Served as Indian Model. Artist Said Love Was Not Returned. MURDER INCITED BY JEALOUS MODEL – The New York Times

OUIJA BOARD MURDER TO GO TO GRAND JURY; Indictments Will Be Sought Against Indians for Slaying Buffalo Artist’s Wife. – The New York Times 

Henri Marchand (sculptor) – Wikipedia 

The Ouija Board Murder, 1930 : r/HistoricCrimes

Ukategorisert

The Murdered Man Wandering the Tao Đàn Park in Ho Chi Minh City

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Wandering through the Tao Đàn Park in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, the ghost of a young man murdered there is said to haunt it after he was brutally murdered. Now, he is lingering, still looking for his love.

Are you a fan of ghost stories and haunted places? Then you won’t want to miss the spooky tale of Tao Đàn Park in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, or Công viên Tao Đàn as it is in Vietnamese. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Vietnam

This serene green space, known for its beautiful gardens and cultural events, has a dark side that few know about. This side of the park came to light when a travel site called Rough Guides published an article about the most terrifying haunted places in the world; the park was included in 2013. From the tragic history of the park’s creation to the eerie sightings of ghostly apparitions, Tao Đàn Park is steeped in a history of horror and mystery. 

Tao Đàn Park: A serene view of the lotus pond and lush greenery at Tao Đàn Park in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, showcasing its cultural beauty. However, it is said to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered man.// Source: Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC BY-SA

The History of Tao Đàn Park

Tao Đàn Park is a popular attraction for visitors and locals alike. The park behind the Reunification Palace and ancient temples covers an area of over 10 hectares as a green space in Ho Chi Minh City. It is known for its beautiful gardens, playgrounds, and cultural events. It has a pool, tennis courts and a sculpture garden. However, few people know about the dark history of the park’s creation.

The Green Lung of Ho Chi Minh City: A beautifully crafted topiary of a dragon in Tao Đàn Park, showcasing the park’s artistic landscaping among the lush greenery. // Source: Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC BY-SA

The park was built in the late 19th century during the French colonial period in the 1860s and called it Jardin de la Ville. After the French left in 1954, the Vietnamese took the park back and named it Tao Đàn Park.

Now, it is a lit up and green place for relaxation and fresh air. But those who have seen the park grow, have also seen its darker times a couple of decades ago when it was more drugs, robberies and suicides happening in the park after dark. 

Haunted Stories and Legends Associated with Tao Đàn Park

A legend told about the Tao Đàn Park is the ghost of the murdered man. In this story, a man was walking through the park with his girlfriend in 2007. They were attacked and murdered, at least the man. His girlfriend was most certainly attacked and in need of help. 

Now the man is roaming around the park as a ghost, looking for the love he lost. Although his motives are honorable, it is said he is frightening the visitors who have wandered into the park after dark. Especially the first days of July you can hear his mournful cries throughout the park.

The Motorbike Murder

Did the murder really happen though, or is it simply a widespread legend? According to the park officials and the police, there never was such a murder inside of the park, at least not the way the story tells it. 

According to Cong An Newspaper, the official murder that happened in the park was in July, 1989 when Nguyen Diet Hoang Tuan, a young man on a motorbike was robbed and murdered by one he believed was his friend and his accomplice. He had been told to be in the park to potentially sell his bike, but the men he met lured him there to murder him and steal his bike instead. 

He was found dead in a pile of trash in the corner of the park, but the case was soon resolved as his sister saw the perpetrators on his motorbike. 

Even so, the legend about the ghost of the man wandering the park has taken hold. Some who know the story about Nguyen Diet Hoang Tuan, say that it is in fact him haunting the park, looking for his murders and seeking revenge. 

A Part of a Paranormal Marketing Strategy?

Many visitors to Tao Đàn Park have reported strange and eerie experiences. Some have reported seeing ghostly apparitions, while others have heard mysterious noises and voices. One visitor reported feeling a cold breeze and seeing a shadowy figure near the lake, while another reported feeling an invisible hand touching their shoulder.

The Mysterious Tomb: In the park, there is also an old tomb that has given root to many legends. However, according to many studies by archaeologists, the tomb was built in the year of At Mao (1795). The person in the tomb is Mr. Lam Tam Lang who died in the fall of At Mao (1795) and Mrs. Mai Thi Xa – his wife. The Lam family was originally from Guangdong. // Source

On the other hand, there are the locals that deny that anything spooky has ever happened in the park and that the whole story of the park being one of Vietnam’s most haunted places is laughable at best. So what is it? A ghost story crafted from the outside as a marketing scheme or a true local legend?

The Mystery of the Tao Đàn Park

Tao Đàn Park may be a beautiful green space, but it has a dark and haunted past that few people know about. From the tragic history of the park’s creation to the eerie sightings of ghostly apparitions, Tao Đàn Park is steeped in a history of horror and mystery.

Despite its haunted reputation, the park remains an important part of Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural heritage. In fact, many believe that the ghost story was invented for the tourist looking for the spooky side of the world. It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and its beautiful gardens and cultural events continue to draw visitors from around the world.

Whether you’re a fan of ghost stories or simply looking for a unique and eerie experience, Tao Đàn Park is a destination that should not be missed. So, are you brave enough to visit?

Newest Posts

  • The Calf Haunting of the Käfigturm: Bern’s Grotesque Prison Tower
    Said to be cursed forever after mistreating his prisoners, the jailer in Bern’s former prison tower, Käfitier is said to be haunted by the ghost of a monstrous calf.
  • The Lafayette Vampire Grave in Colorado
    For decades, parents have told their children to be home before dark in Lafayette, Colorado. The reason being that local lore tells of a vampire rising from his grave in the cemetery. But who exactly was the man behind the story, buried under the tombstone?
  • Grave of the Helhest in Roskilde Cathedral
    Buried in the same place as the Danish kings and queens, a legend about one of the smaller graves haunts the Roskilde Cathedral. It is said that a horse was buried here before any people, and it haunts the graveyard as the three legged helhest, an omen of death.
  • The Haunted Ruins of Lier Hospital in Norway
    As a place of dubious drug testing and the place where most lobotomies were done, the Lier Hospital and former asylum was left with a haunted rumor lingering in the decaying walls. Although most of the buildings are now torn down, it is still remembered as one of Norway’s most haunted places.
  • A Haunting Helhest in Odense St Canute Cathedral
    The Danish ghostly horse spirit Helhest is said to roam around St. Canute’s Cathedral in Odense, Denmark. It is believed seeing the three legged horse is an omen of imminent death.
  • The Helhest Haunting Saint Olaf’s Church in Helsingør
    According to old legends and Danish folklore, there are stories of three legged horses haunting the churches and graveyards in the country. in Saint Olaf’s Church, the spirit of the helhest is said to be the omen of death.
  • The Hauntings of Gamle Aker Church Over a Dragon’s Den
    Could it be that the oldest church in Oslo also has the oldest haunting? From legends about a dragon’s den underneath the structure and the ghostly silhouette haunting, the Gamle Aker Church perhaps has more activity than what meets the naked eye.
  • The Janissaries Vampires in Veliko Tarnovo
    During a time when Bulgaria was under the Ottoman Empire, there was talk about a vampire haunting the streets of Veliko Tarnovo. The rumours got so bad, that the Islamic rulers had to turn to pagan belief to rid themselves of the bloodthirsty creatures.
  • The Legend of the White Lady of Utstein Monastery
    In the windswept landscape of Norway’s west coast lies the Utstein Monastery, a site steeped in history and haunting tales. Known as Norway’s best-preserved medieval monastery, its ancient stone walls and iconic Gothic windows whisper stories of faith, love, and loss as well as the ghost of a Lady in White.
  • The Lord Edward Pub: The Rebel’s Restless Spirit
    After dying for the cause of Irish Independence, it is said the ghost of Lord Edward is haunting the pub he is buried close to and bears his name.
  • St. Patrick’s Cathedral: The Restless Spirit of Jonathan Swift
    In the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, there are said to be restless spirits still lingering. One of the more well known is said to be the ghost of Jonathan Swift, perhaps best known as the author of Gulliver’s Travels.
  • The Hauntings of Stortorvet Gjestgiveri Restaurant
    In one of the city’s oldest buildings, the freshest food is served in the ancient locale. For years though, there have been talks about Stortorvet Gjestgiveri restaurant being haunted, and even made it as one of the most haunted clips in the national ghost hunting show.

References:

Saigon Urban Legends: Haunted Tao Dan Park

Thực hư chuyện Tao Đàn có… ma

Lời đồn đoán ma ám và những bí ẩn trong công viên Tao Đàn

Ukategorisert

The Amityville Horror: A Ghost Story That Refuses to Die

2 Comments
Advertisements

Even though the events in the haunting case of the Amityville Horror have been depicted again and again since it happened, there are still so many misconceptions and unanswered questions in this case. Was it an actual haunting by an evil entity, or just a cash grab after a real and deadly tragedy? 

Few paranormal stories have gripped the world quite like the chilling saga of the Amityville Horror. The very name conjures up images of sinister glowing eyes, disembodied voices, and a house steeped in unspeakable terror. The image of the Dutch Colonial house with its distinct gambrel roof  in the Long Island town of Amityville has become an iconic landmark. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from USA

Though skeptics have tried to debunk it, the eerie events surrounding the infamous house at 112 Ocean Avenue continue to haunt the public imagination. Was the Amityville Horror all a hoax, or did something truly supernatural take place in that cursed dwelling?

The Amityville Horror: James Brolin and Margot Kidder posing in front of a house in a scene from film ‘The Amityville Horror’, 1979. The movie catapulted the story into being a worldwide phenomenon.

The Tragedy That Started It All with the DeFeo Family

The house was first built in 1927, but the haunting was said to have started decades later. The true horror of Amityville began not with ghosts, but with cold-blooded murder. On the night of November 13, 1974, 23 year old Ronald DeFeo Jr. took a rifle and systematically slaughtered his entire family—his parents and four siblings—as they slept. 

Ronald DeFeo had a troubled childhood, the father was an abusive one and the mother was said to have been passive to it all. He had already threatened with a gun once before and was reportedly a known LSD and heroin user.. The grisly crime sent shockwaves through the quiet Long Island community, leaving the house abandoned, tainted by the bloodshed.

The Real Murder Behind the Ghost Story: Behind all the media frenzie and backstabbing of who would earn more money after the events in the house became famous, it’s easy to forget that the basis of the story of The Amityville Horror was actual deaths of a whole family.

During his trial, DeFeo claimed he had been driven to kill by malevolent voices whispering in his head. The jury didn’t believe his demonic possession as a defence and sentenced him to six consecutive life sentences. Though he later changed his story multiple times, he insisted on this fact until his death in 2021. His original claim planted the seed for what would become one of the most infamous hauntings in history.

Convicted: Ronald Defeo Jr., seen here leaving court shortly after the killings, died years later at age 69. His defense was that voices in his head told him to do it.

The Lutz Family’s the Amityville Horror Nightmare

In December 1975, just over a year after the murders, the Lutz family—George and Kathy Lutz, their three children and dog—moved into 112 Ocean Avenue. George Lutz was said to have an interest in the occult and paranormal and actively tried to summon spirits prior to the events in Amityville. 

Despite knowing its dark history, they saw the house as their dream home and for $80,000, it was a bargain. Their dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Strange voices echoed through the halls, whispering unintelligible words, sometimes calling out in eerie, distorted tones. Doors slammed shut on their own, furniture moved, and shadowy figures loomed in the night.

One of the things connecting the strange things happening to the DeFeo case was that George Lutz claimed he woke up at 3:15 AM every night—around the time the DeFeo murders occurred. The children allegedly started sleeping on the stomach, the same way the DeFeo children were found. Both he and Kathy allegedly levitated above their bed, unable to move, as unseen hands gripped them tightly.

Kathy was also said to have transformed into a 90 year old crone, and other really strange things only befitting in a horror movie. On the 28th day, on Jan. 14, 1976, the family fled the house in sheer terror, leaving their belongings behind. They refused to ever return.

The Investigation and Controversy

Already before they left, they had investigators into the paranormal claims. The haunting caught the attention of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren and two months after the Lutz family fled, the Warrens and a local TV crew did a segment on the house, bringing in so-called “ghost hunters” and paranormal experts to evaluate the couple’s claims. 

Read Also: Check out The Haunted Dark Entry Forest and the Cursed Dudleytown, The Haunting of The Mark Twain House: The Gothic Mansion on the Hill and Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Disaster and Ghosts for more stories that the Warrens were involved in.

The Warrens visited the house on the night of March 6, 1976, and declared it infested with a dark, demonic presence. 

The Ghost Boy: One of the more iconic images from The Amityville Horror case is the photo taken when the Warren family visited the house. They snapped this picture and claimed it showed on of the murdered children.

Among other things, they snapped the now famed photo of the ‘ghost boy’, thought to be one of the DeFeo children. But was it? The picture has gone through a lot of investigations and mostly debunked by those who had a closer look. they claim it was It’s Paul Bartz, an investigator working with the Warrens on his knees and wearing glasses.

Paul Bartz: Wearing the same outfit, it is said he is the actual person showing up in the picture.

The Story Becomes Famous and Further Reading

One of the big books about the horrors was written by the American Author, Jay Anson in 1977. This book based on the experiences of the Lutz family was also the background for the movies that was produced from 1979 about the incident to this day. It was a sensation when published and topped the best sellers lists, but there were also a lot of lawsuits and controversy around it. 

Read more: Check out The Amityville Horror: A True Story

The Amityville Horror faced a lot of scrutiny over how real it was after its publication. Skeptics were quick to challenge the Lutzes’ claims, even after they both passed a lie detector test in hope to prove their story.  Anson said this about how he felt about the story; “I tell them that I have no idea whether the book is true or not. But I’m sure that the Lutzes believe what they told me to be true.”

One year later, director Stuart Rosenberg’s adaptation of the same name came out and became a modern day horror classic and would have around 50 sequels, remakes and other interpretations of the story over the years. 

Movie Franchise: The Amityville Horror spun many movies over the years, fueling the interest of the case.

Weber and the Lutz Falls out over Money

Some believed it was an elaborate hoax designed to profit off the tragedy. But where did Lutz get so many details of the murder correct? Turns out William Weber, Ronald DeFeo Jr. ‘s defense attorney had worked with the Lutzes to make a book. They fell out over how to split up the money though. Later admitted he had collaborated with the Lutzes to fabricate aspects of the story and that they had come up with the story after many bottles of wine.

The Lutz Couple: Although they never denied the haunting, many of their details were inaccurate, exaggerated or pure fabrication according to many of the people looking into The Amityville Horror.

He told a lot about how the details of the hoax came to be. Their daughter, Missy, had spoken of an imaginary friend named “Jodie,” a red-eyed pig-like creature that would appear outside her window. This creature was also said to stare down at George and his son Daniel from a window. Later, Weber would say this idea came from the neighbor’s cat who looked into their window at night on the TV program “A Current Affair” in May 1988.

A thick, green, foul-smelling substance oozed from the walls and keyholes were often mentioned and written into the story. According to Weber in 1988, it was inspired by an incident where De’Feo’s father once had smacked his mother when she held a plate of red-sauce spaghetti. In some variation of the legend, this substance was described as green, in some red or black. 

Priest Blessing the House

One controversy was the role of Father Pecararo, or Father Mancuso who he was named in the book The Amityville Horror (1977). George asked the Catholic priest, to bless the house when they moved in, which he did.

According to some sources, he sensed a dark presence in the upstairs bedrooms and had allegedly warned them to not sleep in there. This was said to be the room where the children had been killed. In the book, he was said to have felt a sharp slap in the face and someone telling him to get out. In the movie, flies inexplicably gathered in large numbers, particularly in one upstairs bedroom.

In the lawsuits following the book he stated that all he knew about the case had been in conversation with Lutz over the telephone. Although when interviewed about the The Amityville Horror in 1979 he did say that he entered the home for a cleansing and that he was in fact slapped by an entity who told him to “get out”. Other accounts say that the father did enter the house, but nothing of consequence happened there. 

The Haunting of a Native American Chief and an Escaped Witch from Salem

Another controversy after the Amityville Horror was the claim that the house was built on top of a Native American location of where they had abandoned the mentally ill and dying people of their tribes. Dr. Hans Holzer, the parapsychologist who examined the house in the wake of the events in the 1970s claimed that the house itself was not haunted, but the land was haunted by an old Native American chief. 

This is a very fundamental and a classic go-to in allegedly haunted places in America. Although it is impossible to document for certain as far back as when Native Americans first settled in the area, the local Shinnecock natives said that there had been no such thing.

In addition to stories about sacred burial grounds and Native American Chiefs, there were also Salem Witches put into the mix. Jay Anson’s book suggests that the property is cursed because it had once belonged to John Ketcham, a suspected witch, who had fled Salem, Massachusetts before taking up residence in Amityville. 

The Amityville House Today

So what really happened behind the scenes of the Amityville Horror? Was the mortgage and tax payments too much for the Lutzes and the poltergeist story made up to try and evade this? The Lutzes never retracted their story and George stood his ground until his death in 2006. Daniel, the son living there claims that he still has nightmares about the time he spent in the house. He believed it was his father’s interest in the occult that opened up to some sort of entity in their home. 

The Amityville house has since changed ownership at least four times. Some residents have reported no unusual activity, like James Cromarty who lived in the house from 1976 with his wife, Barbara. According to them, nothing strange ever happened in the ten years they lived there. They were bothered by the fans of Amityville Horror though, coming to their doors, asking for Ronald DeFeo and stole shingles from the roof and ripped out chunks of their lawn. In the end, they moved out as well. They tried to change the address to 108 Ocean Avenue to deter people from flocking to their door. 

They sold it to Peter and Jeanne O’Neill in 1987 and they sold it in 1997 to a man called Brian Wilson. It was sold as recently as 2017. The house itself has been renovated and even had its iconic quarter-moon windows changed, perhaps in an effort to erase its infamous past.

Regardless of whether the Amityville Horror was a genuine haunting or an elaborate fabrication, it remains one of the most terrifying and enduring ghost stories of all time. The legend of 112 Ocean Avenue and The Amityville Horror refuses to die—just like the restless spirits that are said to dwell within its cursed walls.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

The Amityville Horror – Wikipedia 

The Chilling Crime and Real House Behind ‘The Amityville Horror’

The Real Story Behind the ‘Amityville Horror House’ | HowStuffWorks

Inside The Real Amityville Horror House And Its Story Of Murder And Hauntings

The real story behind the infamous Amityville Horror house 

The Amityville Murders 

‘Amityville Horror’ 50 years later — a look at the ‘most haunted house in the world’ decades after grisly killings 

With ‘The Amityville Horror,’ One House. Many Haunts. – The New York Times 

Ukategorisert

David Fee – The Shot Down Christmas Ghost on Bastion Square in Victoria

Leave a comment
Advertisements

David Fee was just going to Christmas Mass in Victoria, Canada when he was shot down by accident by a man waiting for another. After this, he has been spotted where he died as well as his grave site, especially during the Christmas season.

“Just as the clock was striking midnight, ushering in the joyous Christmas day, a crime as dark, cowardly and mysterious as ever disfigured the history of this province was perpetuated,”
– The Daily Colonist on Dec. 25, 1890.

On a chilling Christmas Eve in 1890, the quaint streets of Victoria, British Columbia, were forever marked by a sinister event that has left its ghostly imprint on Bastion Square. The story of David Fee, whose life was abruptly and tragically cut short, continues to haunt this picturesque area, drawing both curious onlookers and ghost enthusiasts.

A Night of Festivity Turns to Horror

David Fee, a young man of only 21 years, was full of holiday spirit and was in town to visit his parents. After attending a lively costume party, he set off to join his parents for midnight mass at a nearby church. Inside Victoria’s St. Andrew Cathedral there were already prayers and the Christmas caroling had already begun. 

Clad in a white clown costume, he made his way through the festive streets. The bells of the cathedral began to toll at midnight, marking the transition from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the Christmas season.

At the same time, Clarence Phelan/Lawrence Whelan, a watchman at the cathedral drank whiskey and waited on a man who had told him to take down his Irish Independence flag. He knew the man was wearing a white overcoat.

As Fee approached the corner where the cathedral stood, the atmosphere suddenly shifted from festive to menacing. A figure emerged from the shadows, a double-barrel shotgun in hand. The assailant’s voice broke the stillness of the night with a chilling declaration: “You challenged me!“

Before David Fee could utter a word in his defense, the shotgun blast echoed through the night, and he fell to the ground, lifeless. It was said by some that it went off accidentally. The people in the church rushed out and saw him in a pool of blood, covered in powder burns. 

The attacker, it turned out, had mistaken Fee for another man, leading to a tragic case of mistaken identity. He turned himself in and was convicted for manslaughter.

The Haunting of David Fee Begins

From that fateful night onward, the spirit of David Fee is said to have lingered in Bastion Square on the steps of the Cathedral or in Ross Bay Cemetery were he was buried. Many believe that his soul, restless and wronged, continues to roam the streets where he met his untimely end.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Canada

Visitors to the area have reported sightings of a circling mist and a ghostly figure dressed in white, wandering the vicinity of the cathedral and the nearby graveyard where Fee was laid to rest. His spectral presence is particularly strong during the Christmas season, the anniversary of his death.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

The Christmas Eve Murder That Shocked 19th Century Victoria – Capital Daily 

West Coast ghosts share a haunted history of Victoria and Vancouver 

Victoria walking tour of murder, mayhem and Christmas ghosts 

Ukategorisert

The Haunted La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The house of the seven chimneys, or La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas is one of the most famous haunted houses in Madrid. It is believed to be haunted by a woman that can be seen just floating above the seven chimneys of the estate. 

Have you ever heard the eerie stories of an old haunted house in Spain? For centuries, locals have been telling tales of dark secrets and spectral figures within its walls. It’s no surprise that this mysterious building has become a popular destination for those looking for a thrilling adventure. In this article, we will explore this legendary haunted house and uncover its hidden mysteries.

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

The House of the Seven Chimneys, La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas is a building where the Spanish Ministry of Culture is based in Madrid at Plaza del Rey today in Madrid. The name comes from the actual seven chimneys built into the house as well as what they represent according to the legends: The Seven Deadly Sins. 

Who lived in the House of the Seven Chimneys?

It is one of the oldest manors in Madrid and many have lived inside of the walls. There are also several conflicting legends about for whom it was built. 

La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas: The house of the Seven Chimneys in Madrid, Spain has long thought to be haunted by a mysterious woman floating just above the chimneys. //Source: Luis García/wikimedia

One of them claims the house was built by Felipe II for his illegitimate daughter in the 1570s or 80s. Today it is almost in the heart of the city, but back then it was a country house in the outskirts of Madrid surrounded by orchards and gardens, far away from the bustling city life. It was also a perfect place to hide away people. 

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories set in Haunted Houses from around the world.

It is said that the daughter went crazy being locked up inside of the house and died. Why she died is unspecified, but it is believed that she is now haunting the house. 

The Women in the Chimneys

One of the ghosts also said to haunt the place is a woman that can be seen floating above the seven chimneys. Could it be the ghost of the illegitimate daughter that he supposedly isolated in this house? Or could it perhaps be one of his mistresses?

It is thought that she is the ghost of Elena who was the mistress of King Filipe II. In some versions she was the daughter of one of his knights, perhaps she was both. In this version Elena was actually married to Captain Zapata from the royal army and it was their marital home. He was a man who fell in love with her when he saw her, but had to go fight in the battle of San Quintin straight after the wedding.

He was killed in the battle of Flanders only a couple of weeks after their wedding and it is said that Elena died of grief straight after. In some versions she took her own life in one of the rooms in the house.

The Mistress Murdered by The King

But some claim that this version of her story is wrong and she didn’t die of a broken heart, or by her own hand, but was murdered by the king to hide her secrets. What secrets? Well as her mistress, she knew too much and perhaps a child was proof of infidelity that the King didn’t want left alive. 

It was said she was stabbed and her body hid away. King Felipe opened an investigation that pointed to her father that he was the killer. He ended up committing suicide by hanging himself from the beams in the house. 

Because according to some of the legends inside of the house, it is said she gave birth to a daughter born after she married the captain, but rumors circulated that the daughter actually was the child of the king and he had to stop the rumors. 

The Haunting of Elena

There are many supposed sightings of these ghosts, and most of them come from the bedroom that were thought to have been Elena’s. She is seen appearing in the room before she suddenly vanishes, just like her dead body did according to the stories. 

It was said that a print of Elena’s hand would touch the window at night and a female apparition walked around the house and lit up a torch on the roof between the seven chimneys. It is said that these apparitions continued for many nights 

The Skeletons are Found

At the end of the 19th century they did some renovation to make the building become the headquarters of the Banco de Castilla around 1881. 

During the renovations they found the bones of a woman in the basement together with several coins from the 16th century, the time she was supposed to have lived. This is perhaps when the legends of the unfortunate mistress really took off.  

Many believe today that this is the bones of Elena and that she was murdered to silence her about her affair with the king and the child people believed to be his. 

Other Ghost Legends from the House

The ghost of an illegitimate daughter or a mistress are not the only ghosts that are thought to haunt these halls, or perhaps even the roof. 

There are also said to be the ghost of a butler wandering the house near the entrance door. It is thought he was one of those that died during the Esquilache riot that happened inside of the manor house. 

There is also a creepy legend about a young woman that lived during the time of Felipe II. She died on her wedding night with an old Indian landowner according to legend. It looks like she also had some unfinished business with her king as she was supposedly found with a dagger in her chest in the basement with money from the king scattered around her. 

The Truth of the House of the Seven Chimneys

The truth is that we don’t really know who the woman found in the basement with the bag of coins from this time was. She will remain nameless, her ghost wandering on top of the roof among the seven chimneys

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Veranos de hasta 0 grados en Griegos, el segundo pueblo más alto de España
Casa de las Siete Chimeneas
Casa SIETE CHIMENEAS y la leyenda de su fantasma | Viajar a Madrid
4 sitios de España en los que pasar una noche de miedo | Placeres
Visiting Spain’s Most Haunted Locations | Right Casa Estates

Ukategorisert

The Satanic Haunted House of Cortijo Jurado

Leave a comment
Advertisements

A string of mysterious murders of young women made the suspicion land on the people residing in the House of Cortijo Jurado. It is now believed to be haunted as it was a place for gruesome satanic rituals. 

In the Campanillas neighborhood in the outskirts of Malaga there is an old mansion from the 19th century that used to belong to the wealthy Heradia family from La Rioja. They built the house with 365 windows, one for each day.  

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

In later years the mansion has been called Casa Encantada (House of the Enchanted), but it is more sinister than fairy tale-like and mostly known as a satanic murder house for those interested in the paranormal. 

The Missing Women Victims of Satanic Rituals

This bourgeois 19th century English Gothic styled mansion was the location of suspected kidnappings of the local girls. In the span of over 30 years from 1890 to 1920 at least 5 young girls went missing in the area, and some of them showed up dead near a river close to the house covered in strange wounds. People thought that the wounds had to be from the satanic ritual and torture the girls went through in their final moments.  

The Unsolved Murders: There was a string of mysterious murders that happened to the women in the nearby villages. The mansion was soon tied to the crimes and people started to speculate about satanic rituals going on inside of the house. // Source: Tyk/ wikimedia

Rumours spread that those in the mansion together with the other rich families in the area had something to do with the disappeared and dead girls and that there were tunnels built under the house and chambers underneath it used for torture. Legend has it that the missing women were used for satanic rituals. 

Whether it is true or not that the family in the mansion had anything to do with it, it is actually true that many young girls disappeared in this period, they could never prove anything. Although local lore claims that the rich family used their wealth to escape justice. 

The Ghosts of Cortijo Jurado

After this, many claim to have heard strange noises coming from the Cortijo Jurado and seeing ghostly figures in the darkened windows of the first floors and in the courtyard. It was believed to be the ghosts of the missing girls and that they are still calling for help and trying to prove and show what really happened to them.  

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories set in Haunted Houses from around the world.

In the basement there is according to the legends the torture instruments used on the girls who are allegedly buried under the house. 

They have actually found the hidden tunnels, although they are now blocked off. The testimony we have of this comes from Manuel Martin who did a dare in front of his friends to go into the tunnels in 1942 the workers of the property had found. 

He came back out white as a sheet and told about the torture machines and bones he had seen. The man kept to his words for years according to both his neighbors as well as those that have done research on it. Who really knows where they lead?

Prison During the Spanish Civil War

The house was also used as a hospital as well as a prison during the civil war were torture and executions were also a part of the every day occurrences in the building, further staining the walls with death and blood. 

The urban explorers that uncovered the hidden tunnels underneath the house then uncovered what looked like a torture room as well. Perhaps it even predated the war one may wonder. 

Plans of Renovations

The house is today abandoned and mostly in ruins, although not completely forgotten. In 2000 they tried to make a movie with the haunted mansion as a location and a backdrop, but because of weird accidents and failure of the battery and electric equipment that bothered the production, they had to give up and the movie was never completed. 

Abandoned Building: There is a long time since anyone lived in the mansion. There have been several attempts of fix the place up and turn it into a resort, although it still hasn’t happened. //Source: Nicky69es/wikimedia

In 2004 they approved plans to renovate the place into a 4 star hotel, but the plans fell through in 2015 as the economic crisis hit. 

Today you can spot the haunted mansion on the nearby motorway,  a dark spot on Costa del Sol’s bright days. 

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Cortijo Jurado, haunted house in Malaga with mystery and disappearances
Cortijo Jurado – Wikipedia
The 5 most Haunted Places in Spain
The 10 most famous haunted houses in Spain — idealista
Ten paranormal places that you can actually visit in Spain

Ukategorisert

The Murderous Werewolf of Allariz

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Spain’s first recorded serial killer was caught killing people up in the Galician mountains. His crimes were horrible in itself, but his defense was even more gruesome. According to him he was cursed to be a werewolf without his human will, and was remembered as The Werewolf of Allariz.

For centuries, the mythical creature of the werewolf has been the subject of countless tales, striking fear into the hearts of villagers and captivating the imaginations of storytellers alike. But how much of this terrifying legend is rooted in truth? 

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

From the dark forests of Galicia, Spain, to the eerie moonlit nights where the beast is said to roam, this hair-raising journey will leave you questioning what lies beyond our realm of understanding and has since been known as The Werewolf of Allariz. 

The Werewolf of Allariz Legend

At the cusp of the 19th century, Allariz, a small town in Orense, experienced a series of horrible crimes. The Galician forest seemed especially dark when 13 people disappeared and were found brutally murdered inside of it.

They found the man that confessed to the murders, but what was especially strange about this was his reasoning for the murderers. 

Manuel Blanco Romasanta, the murderer, told a story that no one really wanted to believe. He said when he was a teenager when someone put a curse on his family and he was turned into a werewolf every full moon. During these full moon turns, he lost all human consciousness and because of the beast in him, he killed and devoured the flesh of his victims.

Werewolves: There have been told stories about werewolves since ancient times. Some have even made it into trial. From The Book of Werewolves: Being an Account of a Terrible Superstition. — London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1865.

Romasanta is Spain’s first documented serial killer. His case was a sensation, not only because of the brutality of his crimes but also because of the werewolf claims. The legend of the Werewolf of Allariz had come to life, blurring the lines between myth and reality. Romasanta’s trial shed light on the dark underbelly of human nature and the fascination with the supernatural.

Romasanta Unusual Background

Romasanta, also known as the Tallow Man was born in 1809 in Regueiro in Ourense Province in Spain to a rather wealthy family that provided their children with education. He was one of five children in the family and at first he was thought to have been female. That is why he spent his first sex years being raised as a girl with the name Manuela. When he was six there was a doctor that rearranged his sex to male. 

So we might have a case of an intersex person, as the birth certificate said girl, but this was the 1800s, and there was not a science or wording that can confirm it as we know of it today. We do know he lived most of his life as a male though, working as a tailor and married to a woman that passed away. There is no indication of him being involved in her death. 

After her death, he left his job and started to travel, mainly to Portugal, and soon started to work as a guide through the mountain passes and deep woodlands among other things. 

In the 1840s at the time of a great famine and mass hysteria where the world was seen as a dangerous place, a man named Antonio Gomes showed up in a small village called Rebordechao. He helped with the harvest, worked as a cook, made yarn and worked as a guide to follow people safely over the thesaurus mountains. 

He was a short man with feminine features and became very friendly with the women in the town. But then strange things started to happen the next few years as women and children that had hired this man as their guide and trusted him, started to disappear. 

In reality, Antoni Gomez was actually Blanco Romasanta that lived under a disguise and was on the run for killing a man that tried to collect a depth. 

Although Romasanta kept delivering letters to the families to the disappeared, something was strange. Especially when he started selling the clothes of the disappeared in town. And a rumor started about him selling soap that was made from human fat, hence the nickname, The Tallow Man. 

He was brought to trial in 1852 and taken to Allariz where he had the strangest defense. At the time he was arrested he was carrying a lunar calendar.  

The Trial of Manuel Blanco Romasanta

The trial of Manuel Blanco Romasanta captivated the nation and brought the Werewolf of Allariz into the spotlight. As the evidence against him mounted, Romasanta’s story of being cursed by a witch and transformed into a werewolf became more and more difficult to believe.

The Werewolf of Allariz confessed to 13 murders and had this to say about his time as a werewolf:“The first time I transformed, was in the mountains of Couso. I came across two ferocious-looking wolves. I suddenly fell to the ground and began to feel convulsions, I rolled over three times, and a few seconds later I was a wolf. I was out marauding with the other two for five days, until I returned to my own body, the one you see before you today, Your Honour. The other two wolves came with me, who I thought were also wolves, changed into human form. They were from Valencia. One was called Antonio and the other Don Genaro. They too were cursed… we attacked and ate a number of people because we were hungry.” — Manuel Blanco Romasanta

The court asked The Werewolf of Allariz to transform in court, but he said that the curse had been broken as it only lasted for 13 years.

The Werewolf of Allariz: Manuel Blanco Romasanta were tried tin 1852 after killing people in the Galican mountains. His defence was that he was in fact a werewolf.

Some experts suggested that Romasanta may have been suffering from a psychological disorder, such as clinical lycanthropy, which caused him to believe he was a werewolf. Others argued that he was simply a cold-blooded killer using the werewolf myth as a cover for his crimes.

The Werewolf of Allariz ended up being acquitted for four of the murders he had confessed to as forensic science indicated that it was actually wolf attacks and not the butchering by a human as the other nine. 

He escaped the death penalty as there were people that wanted to study him and observe his claim as a werewolf and clinical lycanthropy as a psychological illness and even the Queen of Spain intervened so that they could study him. He died in prison though under mysterious circumstances only months after arriving. Some say that it was an illness, some say he was shot by a guard that wanted to see him transform. 

The legend of the Werewolf of Allariz continues to captivate audiences to this day, serving as a reminder of our fascination with the supernatural and the unknown. Werewolves have long been a staple of folklore and mythology, appearing in stories from cultures around the world.

The Myth of the Galician Werewolf

But where did the murderer take all of the werewolf lore from? The concept of a shapeshifting human was not a foreign concept in Galician folklore at all, and there were many tales and certain rules for a werewolf. 

In Galician folklore, it is a belief that the seventh son of a family can become a werewolf, or lobishome. If the child is born normal, it will be born with the image of a cross inside of his mouth. If not, he will become a werewolf. 

Read More: Check out the stories about The History and Legends of the Haunted Abbaye De Mortemer or The Haunted Black Forest of Fairy Tales for more stories about werewolves.

There are different variations to the myth, but most of them claim that during a full moon, they can’t help themselves to transform and roll in mud before starting to attack people.Every Friday the werewolf will shed his clothes and run off, visiting seven villages and taking another skin from that village.
 The Enduring Fascination with Werewolves

The Lobishomen: The Galician mythology have told stories about shape shifting people long before the Werewolf of Allariz were caught.

But what is it about these creatures that continues to capture our imaginations? Perhaps it is the idea of transformation, of a human turning into a beast under the light of the full moon. Or maybe it is the duality of their nature, the struggle between the human and the animal within.

Whatever the reason, werewolves have become an enduring part of popular culture, appearing in books, movies, and television shows. From the classic horror films of the early 20th century to the modern-day werewolf romances, these creatures continue to fascinate and terrify us.

So the next time you find yourself walking through a dark forest on a moonlit night, remember the legend of the Werewolf of Allariz and the power that stories have to both terrify and captivate. And who knows, you may just catch a glimpse of something lurking in the shadows, a creature caught between the worlds of man and beast.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Unusual Historicals: Myth & Folklore: Lobisome, the Galician Werewolf
Lycanthropy, were-wolves, and “lobo da xente” (full post)
Manuel Blanco Romasanta | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
Manuel Blanco Romasanta – Wikipedia
Haunted Spain, stories for an All Hallows Eve – CaramelTrail

Ukategorisert

Spiorad na mBarna and Moll O’Shaughnessy Restless Spirit

Leave a comment
Advertisements

A heinous murder sent shockwaves in the small village known as Barna in Ireland. Ever since then Spiorad na mBarna or Moll O’Shaughnessy as the murderer was named, has said to be haunting the place. 

Every corner of Ireland holds its own ghostly secrets, and within the rural landscape outside Newcastle West in Co. Limerick lies one of the nation’s most chilling tales—the legend of Spiorad na mBarna, which means the Spirit of Barna in Irish or Old Barna. 

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

This haunting story traces its origins back to the late 1800s, with a woman named Moll O’Shaughnessy being the real woman behind the legend of the ghost that is said to still linger in Barna. 

Moll O’Shaughnessy the Murderer

Barna, even in modern times, remains a small community where everyone knows everyone, but in the late 1800s, it was even more so. Thus, the shocking and brutal murders committed by Moll O’Shaughnessy sent shockwaves through the area. 

Moll was seen as a good natured, calm and nice mother and wife and well liked in the community. This was until she mercilessly murdered her husband and their young child in a fit of uncontrollable rage. Showing that we might never truly know a person and what they are capable of. There was no answer as to why she did it, and the villagers certainly didn’t give her much time to explain her actions.

The villagers were shocked and the community’s response to her heinous acts was equally gruesome—they sentenced her to a gruesome death, rolling her in a barrel lined with sharp and rusted nails down a hill according to some legends.

Another version says she was caught in the act and hanged. The third version of the legend claims that she died of natural causes and she was doomed to walk the grounds for eternity as penance for her crimes. 

The Restless Spirits of Spiorad na mBarna

Over the years following her execution, residents of Barna claimed to have encountered Spiorad na mBarna spirit in various forms. Sometimes, she appeared as a weeping woman, while other times, she manifested as a rabid greyhound, spreading terror throughout the surrounding areas. 

It is said that when the Spiorad na mBarna haunted the village as a hound, she would torment the farmers during harvest. When she showed up in her human form, it was said she would try to get on the horses of men passing the area after dark.

Her reign of fear culminated in yet another murder when an unfortunate rider passed under the Old Barna Bridge and emerged lifeless on the other side—victimized by the bloodthirsty Spiorad na mBarna.

Seeking Redemption:

With their community terrorized, the distressed locals called upon a holy man from the nearby Parish of Athea to exorcize the malevolent spirit that wouldn’t let the locals alive. 

According to legend, he imposed a penance on Moll’s restless soul and it is said she had to “emptying the Red Sea with a thimble full of holes”, whatever that means. 

While this act seemed to quell her murderous rage, the memory of Spiorad na mBarna still lingers in the West Limerick region. Many claim to have encountered her spirit, and the eerie details of her haunting continue to captivate and perplex.

A Face in the Stone of the Old Barna Bridge

Source

Perhaps the most chilling detail of this ghostly legend is etched in stone—literally. The Old Barna Bridge, still standing today, bears the image of a face—a face forever captured in a scream of terror.

What’s more, numerous witnesses attest that this eerie visage moves within the bridge’s stones. It may appear in the top right-hand stone, lower down, or even on the opposite side of the bridge. Passersby often stop to count the stones and point out the spectral face they say is the Spiorad na mBarna etched into it.

As you pass beneath the shadow of the Old Barna Bridge, the feeling of being watched may send shivers down your spine, making this chilling tale of a restless spirit one that will stay with you long after the daylight fades.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Haunted Ireland: The terrifying tale of Spiorad Na mBarna | The Irish Post 

Old Barna | Haunted Limerick, Ireland | Spirited Isle

Ukategorisert

Skryne Castle and the Ghost of Lilith

Leave a comment
Advertisements

A servant working at Skryne Castle was brutally murdered by a rejected suitor. Now her haunted screams are said to be heard in the castle as she is forever replaying her final frightened moments.

Amidst the Irish countryside and within a stone’s throw of the legendary Hill of Tara stands the imposing Skryne Castle. This three-storey, 12th-century structure has borne witness to centuries of history and has its own share of spine-tingling ghost stories that have become entwined with its ancient stones. 

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

The castle was built sometime around 1172-1175 by the knight Adam de Feipo who was granted the land by Henry II of England. Eight centuries later, the estate is still held by the direct descendants, the Dunsany. 

Today, Skryne Castle offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the past, as it is available for rent on a self-catering basis. However, beneath its tranquil facade, the castle harbors eerie tales of its spectral inhabitants.

The Legend of Lilith Palmerston

One of the most well-documented ghostly tales associated with Skryne Castle revolves around the tragic figure of Lilith Palmerston. She was working as a maid in the castle in 1740. 

A neighboring landowner and widower, Phelim Sellers, harbored affection for Lilith, but when she spurned his advances, his infatuation took a dark turn. Sellers, driven by his desires, attempted to assault Lilith. However, her cries for help reached the ears of quick-thinking servants who intervened and rescued her from her assailant’s clutches.

Lilith’s Fateful Demise

Darker rumors circulate, suggesting that Sellers may have been involved in the earlier death of his own wife. Fearing further advances from Sellers, Lilith plans to escape to Dublin. Learning of her plans, Sellers confronted her once more, but this time, Lilith was alone and defenseless. 

Legend has it that Sellers forced foxgloves down Lilith’s throat and killed her. Realizing the gravity of his crime, Sellers fled the scene. However, justice would catch up with him, and he was eventually apprehended, tried, and met his fate at the gallows for the murder of Lilith Palmerston. 

Lilith’s Haunting Presence

Today, Skryne Castle is said to be haunted by the spirit of Lilith Palmerston. She appears as a spectral lady in white, her ethereal form fleeing the castle while clutching her throat, forever reliving the horror of her final moments. 

The anguished screams of Lilith have been known to echo through the castle’s halls, serving as a haunting reminder of her tragic end.

Read More: Check out all of the Haunted Castles from around the world

Inexplicable footsteps reverberate throughout the property, evoking the presence of Lilith or perhaps that of her vengeful attacker, Phelim Sellers. Witnesses have also described encountering an enigmatic overweight male figure donned in attire reminiscent of the 18th century.

The Nun, the Tall Man, and the Hound

Skryne Castle’s ghosts don’t end with Lilith. Some visitors have reported sightings of a spectral nun, her silent presence disappearing mysteriously upon being spotted. 

A tall man, often accompanied by a ghostly hunting hound, was rumored to roam the castle grounds. However, these apparitions have grown elusive in recent times and not much about the two ghosts being reported on is known.

Skryne Castle’s Enduring Legacy of Hauntings

Skryne Castle, with its rich history and spectral inhabitants, offers a unique window into Ireland’s past. From the tragic tale of Lilith Palmerston to the enigmatic apparitions that continue to captivate the imagination, the castle’s stone walls seem to hold the echoes of centuries gone by. 

For those who seek a blend of history and the supernatural, Skryne Castle stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Ireland’s haunted past, where the past and the paranormal intersect in spectral harmony.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Creepy Irish Castles & Houses Halloween Irish culture and customs 

Skryne Castle | Haunted Meath, Ireland | Spirited Isle 

Skryne