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The Baobhan Sith: Scotland’s Legendary Bloodthirsty Woman

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In the Scottish Highlands, there have been tales of a bloodthirsty creature, in disguise of a beautiful and seductive woman. The Baobhan Sith, a much older version of the vampire lore as we know of it today, still remains in between the lore and stories we tell ourselves.

In the misty glens and ancient forests of the Scottish Highlands, where the wind carries whispers of forgotten tales and the land itself feels alive with ancient magic, lingers the legend of the Baobhan Sith — a deadly, seductive vampire spirit of Gaelic folklore. 

Sometimes pronounced baa-van shee, her name translates roughly to “fairy woman”, but there is nothing benign about this creature. Beautiful yet malevolent, the Baobhan Sith was said to lure unwary travelers to grisly deaths, draining their blood beneath the cover of night.

Origins in Highland Lore

The Baobhan Sith legend belongs to Scotland’s rich tapestry of fairy and supernatural beliefs, although she might remind us more about a succubus or even a vampire-like creature. Like many creatures of Celtic folklore, she occupies a space between fairy and vampire — both a spirit of nature and a bloodthirsty predator.

The Green Clad: In addition to the Irish Banshee or the Succubus, the Baobhan Sith can also remind about the Scandinavian Huldra or Hylje. Often described as a beautiful green clad woman with animalistic features she hides before seducing men. Although the Huldra is more about luring the men into the mountains. Here from the play Peer Gynt where she is a character.

Folklore suggests the Baobhan Sith would typically appear as an enchanting, green-clad woman with long, flowing hair. But beneath her alluring appearance lay clawed hands and fangs, hidden until she chose to strike. Traditionally, she was said to emerge at night, often in the lonely Highland wilderness, where travelers, hunters, and wanderers might become her prey.

The Lure of Beauty and Dance

According to legend, groups of men traveling or hunting would sometimes wish aloud for the company of women. Their innocent desires would be answered by the sudden appearance of beautiful, ethereal women who seemed to emerge from the mists themselves. The Baobhan Sith would dance with the men — a popular motif in Celtic folklore where the act of dance carries supernatural consequences — and, at the height of merriment, reveal their true nature.

Once the men were entranced, the Baobhan Sith would use their sharp talons to slash at their victims and drink their blood, often leaving lifeless, pale bodies behind by morning. Some versions of the tale describe them feeding in groups, often appearing in fours.

In a similar tale one of the men noticed that the women had deer hooves instead of feet and fled from them. He returned the next morning to find that the other hunters had their “throats cut and chests laid open”.

In a third story the hunters took refuge in a cave. Each of the men said he wished his own sweetheart were there that night, but one of them, named Macphee, who was accompanied by his black dog, said he preferred his wife to remain at home. At that moment a group of young women entered the cave, and the men who had wished for their sweethearts were killed. Macphee was protected by his dog who drove the women from the cave.

The Story of the Men Meeting The Baobhan Sith

The story of the creatures normally goes something like this:

Four hunters, weary from a day in the hills, stumbled upon an old bothy as night fell. Inside, a fire waited, as though expecting them. As flames licked the hearth, one of the men joked, “All we need now are four beautiful women.” The wind answered with a knock.

At the door stood four stunning women in green, their eyes cold and unnatural. The men, smitten and careless, welcomed them in. Laughter turned to song, and song to dancing. One by one, the hunters twirled in the arms of their enchanting guests — all except the eldest, who grew uneasy. The fire flickered, and he caught a glimpse of something crimson.

His blood chilled. One of the women had slit the youngest hunter’s throat, her lips dark with blood. The others fell swiftly, caught in the women’s gaze as sharp nails tore them open.

He bolted into the night, the women following, their voices sweet and terrible. He dove among the iron-shod horses — the one thing they feared. The Baobhan Sith circled, hissing and begging, then cursing him with promises of death.

But dawn came. And with the first pale light, they vanished.

At sunrise, he returned to the bothy. His friends were cold and bloodless. Weeping, he vowed to tell the tale — to warn others of the green-clad death that dances in the Highlands.

The Weakness of Iron and the Protection of Cattle

Much like other fae and vampiric beings of the Celtic world, the Baobhan Sith was believed to have certain weaknesses. Iron was said to repel her, as it does with many fairy creatures in Gaelic folklore. Travelers would carry small iron charms or weapons for protection.

Another tradition claimed that taking refuge among livestock, particularly cattle, could offer safety. The Baobhan Sith was said to be reluctant to approach herds of animals, perhaps owing to their association with fertility and the natural order — realms where spirits of death had no dominion.

The Baobhan Sith in Modern Culture

Though tales of the Baobhan Sith have their roots in oral Highland tradition, the creature has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, appearing in novels, films, and fantasy games exploring vampire and Celtic mythos. Modern interpretations often emphasize her duality — both tragic and monstrous — reflecting themes of isolation, forbidden desire, and the dangers lurking in the untamed wild.

Ultimately, the Baobhan Sith stands as a chilling reminder of the Highlands’ wild, untamed heart, where the line between beauty and terror is perilously thin. She embodies the folkloric warning against succumbing to temptation, the perils of the night, and the ancient belief that not all is as it seems beneath Scotland’s mist-clad hills.

In the modern world, her legend endures as one of Scotland’s darkest and most alluring vampire myths, a spectral woman in green forever waiting in the shadows for an unwary soul.

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References:

Baobhan sith – Wikipedia

The Baobhan Sith – Folklore Scotland

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The Haunting of the Scarborough Castle Ruins and the Foggy South Bay Beach

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Covered in fog, the Scarborough Castle looms over the South Bay Beach in the English seaside town. Countless ghosts like the beheaded Earl, weeping women and prisoners of war are said to be drawn to these sandy beaches in the cover of darkness. 

Scarborough Beach, with its golden sands and the rhythmic lull of the North Sea, is a cherished destination for many in North Yorkshire, England.Scarborough is a place where history is not confined to books but lives on through stories whispered on the wind. Writers like Susann Hill grew up here and she spoke a lot about how the town influenced her eerie stories like The Woman in Black. After the horror movie St. Maud came out, it was also put on a list of a horror movie road trip through England together with Culzean Castle from The Wicker Man and Westminster Bridge from 28 Days Later. 

But if we are to believe the legends, the Scarborough South Bay Beach and the rest of the town are actually haunted. From the haunted halls of the Grand Hotel to the ancient stones of St. Mary’s Church, shipwrecked ships in the bay and the ruins of the old castle, the town is filled with tales of the supernatural.

The Woman in Pink and the Murder of Lydia Bell

Among the most enduring legends is that of the Woman in Pink haunting the beach and various other locations in the city. There are many variations. One of them speaks of a veiled figure, draped in a pink nightgown-like dress, seen wandering the shoreline during foggy nights. She is seen wandering the beach, clutching a baby in her arms. The child is said to be covered with a white shail.

Who was this woman? Some locals said that it is the ghost of a woman who threw her child to its death. 

Another famous legend of the Pink Lady connects her to the murder of Lydia Bell in 1804. Although, her name was actually Eleanor, named from her paternal grandmother. She was a teenager and daughter of a York confectioner, Joseph. In the evening she slipped out from her room and went to meet up with a soldier stationed there. In some versions of the tale it was her married lover. Witnesses saw her walking away with someone, but a positive identification was never made.

What really happened that night has been retold mostly in legends. They say she tried to scream out into the foggy night, but it was drowned by the sound of a foghorn. After she died she was thrown off a cliff. She wasn’t discovered until the next morning when some fishermen happened upon her. She was found a few miles down the coast with severe trauma and attempted rape was assumed. Her murderer was never caught, although a soldier was arrested and later acquitted. According to the ghost stories he didn’t confess his crimes until years later on his deathbed, but that is only in the stories. 

Now she is haunting the beach and various other places in the town, like the house she was staying in when she was in town, said to be Bell Mansion or the Georgian House on St. Nicholas Street, which it is also known as. She is often said to appear in a pink, sometimes a red dress, looking like just another person among the crowd, running down the beach towards the Spa before vanishing into thin air. Some say that you can still hear her faint screams between the humming of the foghorns on foggy nights. 

How true was this story about Lydia Bell though? Or was it Elanor? With several names and dates, there are not many actual crimes to cross check with and easy to get mixed up. The earliest appearance as a ghost story seems to be in Jack Hallam’s book Ghost of the North from 1976, although the story is said to have been known a long time before this. 

The Woman in Black

Now, although the legend of The Woman in Pink is one of the most well known stories for the locals, the world probably knows Scarborough as the haunting ground for The Woman in Black. And although it’s not just like the book, there are certainly legends of a darkly clad ghost wandering the beach as well as other places in the town. 

Some say that there is the ghost of a woman in a black veil haunting the area. It is said that her name was Helen Hywater and was waiting for her sailor lover. He was to return to Scarborough within 300 days to marry her. When he never came, she took her life on day 300 and has been haunting the place on foggy nights since then. 

This legend doesn’t have many sources though and one of the online sources comes from ghosthunter Anne Roehampton. This story is also connected to the Grand Hotel, where some claim that she took her life in one of the rooms and that her spirit roams the corridors still. Some think that this story partly influenced Susann Hill when crafting the Woman in Black. 

The Woman in Black: The 1983 Gothic horror novel by English writer Susan Hill, is about a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town. A television film based on it, also called The Woman in Black, was produced in 1989, with a screenplay by Nigel Kneale. In 2012, another film adaption was released starring Daniel Radcliffe. The story has definitely shaped the ghost stories told in Scarborough today.

There are also said to be a witch without a name haunting the area. The most famous witch accusations was that of Anne Hunnam or Marchant, although no records says that she was actually sentenced to death for it. She is said to be haunting a footpath, wearing a dishevelled dark and hooded cloak. Her sinister cackling following the people trespassing her domain. 

Ghostly Soldiers: Echoes of Ancient Battles

Scarborough’s history is steeped in conflict, from Viking invasions to civil wars. It’s said that the spirits of long-dead soldiers still patrol the beach, their forms glimpsed through the fog, clad in antiquated armor. These apparitions are silent, their faces obscured, marching eternally along the sands they once defended.

After the English Civil War the castle was used as a prison and military barracks until the end of World War 1. Many perished behind its walls, but haunt the premise in their afterlife. Near the remnants of a Roman signal station by the castle, visitors have reported sightings of a solitary Roman soldier, standing guard as he did centuries ago.

Scarborough Castle: A Fortress of Phantoms

Overlooking the beach stands Scarborough Castle, a sentinel of stone with a history as turbulent as the seas below. Today, most of the 3500 years old castle lies in ruins, and many believe the haunting feeling of the beach it was built nearby comes from the ruins. 

Read More: Check out all haunted castles

The castle is reputedly haunted by several spirits and those spirits seem to wander freely from the castle walls down to the beach. 

Piers Gaveston was the son of a Gascon knight and is said to haunt the castle as well as the beach of Scarborough. Through his friendship with King Edward II, he became a favorite and the Earl of Cornwall. This favouritism made him deeply unpopular with the royal court, and when he was appointed regent in the king’s absence, it was enough for them. Gaveston met a grisly end in 1312 when he was sent to the castle for his safety by the king. But it was in vain and he was taken prisoner from here by the Earls of Lancaster, Hereford and Arunde and later beheaded in Blacklow Hill.

His headless ghost is said to roam the castle grounds, a restless soul seeking justice. He is also said to lure people to the edge and try to push visitors off the castle walls. 

Another tale exclusively from the castle tells of a woman who, in a fit of despair, threw something over the castle wall before leaping to her death because her soldier she was seeing left her for someone else. Her spirit, consumed by grief, is believed to haunt the ruins, her cries echoing through the night, among with all the other ghosts looming in the foggy bay. 

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References:

The ‘haunted’ Yorkshire beach that was used in a horror movie – YorkshireLive

Is Scarborough Haunted? Haunted places and ghost stories.

We live on the UK’s most ‘HAUNTED’ beach with ‘unruly ghosts roaming the shore’ – but it’s hiding a secret | The Sun

The ‘haunted’ Yorkshire beach that’s worth a spooky Halloween drive from Manchester

Ghost-hunting in Scarborough

Scarborough’s haunted history: Share your ghost stories and spooky sightings around the town for our ‘Coastbusters’ series this Halloween

Scarborough’s haunted history: Share your ghost stories and spooky sightings around the town for our ‘Coastbusters’ series this Halloween 

The Black Widow – Dark Tales Around Scarborough | The Abroad Guide

Scarborough Ghost Trail

The Pink Lady Of Scarborough | The Forteana Forums

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The Burned Man of Shoreham Beach Haunting the Seaside Town

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In the seaside town in England, Shoreham by Sea, there seems to be a lingering specter on the beach. Ever since the second world war, there have been tales about the ghost of a burned man haunting the stretch of land by the shore. 

Shoreham Beach in 1986, a group of teenagers from the private school was having an end of term celebration. One of the boys looked up and saw a figure close to the water. His hair burned, covered in shadow and ash. Before they could react, the figure charged towards them, screaming. The teenager fled from the beach, suddenly filled with the stench of rotting meat, melted plastic and burnt skin. They had just encountered the burned man of Shoreham beach, and they were certainly not the only ones. 

By day, Shoreham Beach in West Sussex is a tranquil stretch of coastline, its pebbled shores and gentle surf offering a quiet respite from the bustle of nearby Brighton. But when the clock strikes midnight and the seaside air in the sleepy Shoreham-by-sea  thickens with mist and the mood shifts. Along the beach, the old footbridge, and the narrow, dimly-lit streets of Shoreham’s High Street, a restless, agonized spirit is said to roam — a tortured phantom known only as The Burned Man.

An Apparition Born of War

Unlike many of England’s older hauntings, this spectral tale has a known starting point: the 1940s. The era of the Second World War left deep scars across the British Isles, and Shoreham was no exception and many believed this was the place the Germans would enter if the country was invaded. 37 air raids hit Shoreham and Southwick during the war and killed at least 17 people. Eight of them were locals. The worst death toll occurred on 21st October 1940 when a bomb landed by the Shoreham Shipping Company and killed five persons including a 17 year old Home Guard George Earthey, Arthur Laker a firefighter and John Hoad all from Shoreham.

Locals believe The Burned Man may have been a victim of those turbulent years — whether a soldier, an unlucky civilian caught in a bombing raid, or someone consumed in a fire now lost to record.

What makes this legend particularly unnerving is the remarkable consistency of the eyewitness accounts. From the war years through to modern times, people walking alone after midnight have reported nearly identical, chilling encounters.

The Dreaded Sequence of Events

Those who’ve crossed paths with The Burned Man describe an oppressive stillness in the air, as if time itself hesitates. Footsteps echo a little too loudly on deserted streets. The glow from streetlamps seems to dim.

Next comes the smell — an unmistakable, stomach-churning stench of burned flesh and charred fabric. Witnesses say it begins faintly but quickly envelops them, leaving no escape.

And then, without warning, he appears.

A gaunt, blackened figure, arms flailing wildly as though still consumed by invisible flames, his face a grotesque mask of pain. From his cracked, charred lips come moaning, demented cries of agony — sounds that witnesses claim linger in the ears long after the phantom vanishes.

Reports note that sightings only occur between midnight and 2:00 AM, always in isolation, and most commonly near the beach’s edge, along the old town’s High Street, and near the historic footbridge.

Though wartime Shoreham has long since faded into memory, The Burned Man remains, his tormented soul trapped between the old streets and the restless tides. Some still claim to catch the scent of burned meat on particularly foggy nights, an ominous sign that The Burned Man walks again.

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References:

The Burned Man – Shoreham Ghost | British Paranormal

https://paranormaldatabase.com/sussex/suspages/sussdata.php?pageNum_paradata=16&totalRows_paradata=427

Shoreham-by-Sea – Wikipedia

Shoreham’s War – shorehambysea.com 

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Ghostly Sailors of Sandwood Bay: Scotland’s Haunted Shoreline

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Coming from the dark waters in what has been called the shipwreck grave of Scotland, ghosts are said to linger on the beach of Sandwood Bay, far away from any civilization. 

Tucked away along the rugged, windswept northwest coast of Scotland, far from the reach of city lights and modern noise, lies Sandwood Bay in Sutherland, a stretch of sand and sea so hauntingly beautiful it feels untouched by time. The beach is considered to be one of the cleanest and most unspoilt beaches in the whole of mainland Britain.

Isolated by towering cliffs and miles of moorland far away from any roads, this remote paradise in Sutherland has long lured travelers, artists, and adventurers with its lonely splendor. But those who linger past sundown whisper of more than waves and starlight — for at Sandwood Bay, the spirits of the drowned are said to walk.

Sandwood Bay: On the rocky beach in Scotland it is said ghosts from the wrecked ships over the years are haunting the shore. // source: Peter Bond / Beach at Sandwood Bay / CC BY-SA 2.0

A Shoreline Stained with Shipwrecks

For centuries, the treacherous waters off Sandwood Bay claimed the lives of countless sailors around the dangerous Cape Wrath. The name likely derived from the norse Sandvatn, meaning sand water. Legends speak of galleons lost to storms, fishing boats swallowed by hungry waves, Viking boats wrecked, and merchant vessels dashed against hidden rocks before the lighthouse was built in 1828.

The most enduring tale involves a Spanish galleon from the Armada, said to have been wrecked along the bay’s sandy embrace in the shadowy days of empire. Local folklore claims its cursed treasure still lies beneath the silt and surf, forever guarded by the spirits of those who perished alongside it.

Ghostly Fishermen and Wandering Sailors

The earliest documented ghost sightings at Sandwood Bay date back to the 1940s, when solitary visitors and locals reported seeing two fishermen collecting driftwood along the shore. These figures, pale and weathered, would cry out to any who approached:

“All on this beach is mine — begone!”

Eyewitnesses said the men vanished if challenged, dissolving into the mist as though they’d never been there. Some insist they are the remnants of wrecked sailors still staking claim to the land their bodies washed upon, calling out if you try to take the driftwood or other things from the beach. There have also been reports about a group of people, crying into their hands as they wander the beach, but vanishing if spoken to. 

Water Horses Haunting the Beach: Another story told about the beach is the sounds of hooves running over the beach when no one is there. Could it be something from more ancient times? Water horse is a mythical creature, such as the Ceffyl Dŵr, Capaill Uisce, and kelpie? The water horse has often become a basic description of other lake monsters such as the Nessie. Loch Morar is reputedly home to “Morag”, a lake monster that has been portrayed as a water horse. Or perhaps it is an each-uisge, a supernatural water horse found in the Scottish Highlands, has been described as “perhaps the fiercest and most dangerous of all the water-horses”.

The Knock at Sandwood Bay Cottage

A short distance from the sands, nestled amid rolling dunes, stands Sandwood Bay Cottage, an old crofter’s home steeped in ghost stories of its own close to Loch Sandwood. Today it’s abandoned and roofless. On stormy nights, when the wind howls like a chorus of lost voices, it’s said a phantom sailor knocks at the door. Legend suggests this may be a lone survivor of the fabled Spanish galleon, cursed to wander the earth in search of shelter and the treasure he swore to guard.

Residents and travelers who’ve stayed at the cottage have reported strange rapping at windows, wet footprints appearing on dry floors, and the unmistakable scent of saltwater and seaweed drifting through tightly shuttered rooms. 

Sandwood Bay Cottage: The abandoned Sandwood Bay Cottage, a remnant of the region’s ghostly tales and maritime history. // Source

Some accounts even claim to have glimpsed a sodden figure standing at the edge of the bay, watching the cottage with hollow, mournful eyes. Perhaps the worst are the stories about the crouching sound of heavy boots outside before the bearded face of a sailor is looking at you through the window. 

Was it a ghost, or was it simply the local hermit James MacRory-Smith who lived close to the beach for 32 years until he died in 1999? He retreated to the bay after his wife died in a horrible car accident.

Mermaids and Myths of the Deep

Sandwood Bay’s eerie reputation isn’t reserved for restless sailors. The waters here also hum with older legends of selkies and mermaids — sea creatures said to lure men to their deaths with song and beauty. Fishermen have long spoken of beautiful, unearthly women seen sunning themselves on the rocks before vanishing into the surf. Could these beings have played a hand in the bay’s tragic maritime history, claiming sailors for their own beneath the waves?

Kelpie: Kelpies have the ability to transform themselves into non-equine forms, and can take on the outward appearance of human figures, in which guise they may betray themselves by the presence of water weeds in their hair.

A story from a local called Alexander (Sandy) Gunn told that he went on a walk around Sandwood Bay in January 1900 with his dog when he saw one. Apparently, the creature had long golden hair and piercing blue/green eyes. 

He was ridiculed by the others, but never changed a word about his story of the 7 feet long creature he had seen on the beach until he died in 1944. And more stories about these sea creatures kept popping up, both after and long before in old history.

A Place Where the Dead Walk

Today, Sandwood Bay remains one of Britain’s most remote and untamed beaches, accessible only by foot over miles of heather-clad moorland. Hikers and campers who brave the long journey often report an unnerving sense of being watched, especially as dusk settles over the beach. Cold spots, distant voices, and ghostly apparitions are said to linger, particularly around the old shipwreck sites still half-buried in the sand.

Magical Stones: Ancient stone circles scattered across the lush green landscape near Sandwood Bay, hinting at centuries of history and folklore. // Source: Brian MacLennan / Ancient Ruin above Sandwood Bay / CC BY-SA 2.0

Whether you believe in the vengeful spirits of drowned sailors or see these tales as a product of isolation and wind-whipped imagination, one thing is certain: Sandwood Bay’s haunted past lives on in every crashing wave and shifting shadow.

So, if you should ever find yourself on that lonely Scottish shore as darkness falls, listen closely to the wind. You might just hear the long-lost cries of shipwrecked souls — still laying claim to Sandwood Bay.

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The True Story of The Chinnery Backseat Driver Ghost

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The Chinnery Backseat Driver ghost is now a famous photo used to prove that ghosts exists. but does it? What was the story behind the photo at the time, and what do the experts say about it today?

The Chinnery Backseat Driver ghost, or the backseat ghost, is a picture that has become quite popular on lists of pictures proving the existence of ghosts. This intriguing image not only captures the attention of paranormal enthusiasts but also raises numerous questions about its authenticity and the narrative surrounding it. But what is the true story behind the now famous picture?

Read Also: The Christmas Haunting of Roos Hall of the Headless Horseman, The Mysterious Tale of Borley Rectory – Was it Really Haunted? and The Red Barn Murder and the Ghost in the Dreams for more ghost stories from Suffolk

Many believe it to be a chilling reminder of the past, while others are skeptical, suggesting that it could be a simple case of double exposure or a cleverly staged scene. This has sparked debates among both believers and skeptics, igniting curiosity about the origins of the photograph, the circumstances in which it was taken, and the identity of the spectral figure appearing in the backseat.

The Story Behind the Picture

March 22, 1959, 44 year old Mrs. Mable Chinnery from in Ipswich in Suffolk, England packed up their car and took off to visit Mable’s mother at the cemetery with her husband, Jim. When they arrived, Mr. Chinnery stayed in the Hillman Minx car as his wife went to the grave of her mother.

Mable had just gotten a new camera, some saying it was an Eastman-Kodak Brownie. She had brought it on her trip to take some pictures of her mother’s gravestone who had died a week prior. After taking several photos, Mrs. Chinnery saw that she had one picture left. So, she pointed the camera at her husband in the car and took the picture.

When they got the film developed though, she saw it was more than her gravestone Mrs. Chinnery had taken a picture off. Sitting in the backseat of the car was the clear image of a person. When Mrs. Chinnery showed the pictures to her friends they pointed out the figure in the backseat saying: “But there’s your mother in the back!”

According to Jim, she loved sitting in the back of the car. One of the final things she had told them before she died was: “you’ll never come to any harm ’cause I’ll still be with you.”

Investigating The Chinnery Backseat Driver

The photo has since gone through rigorous tests by professional photo analysts. This includes Skeptics who did a deep dive into this picture not too long ago. According to the experts that were examining the picture, the figure in the photo is not a reflection or a double exposure. Perhaps a bit of controversial take on a ghost photo. This comes from an article about the photo claiming because the door’s upright wouldn’t block off part of her face. And she can’t be a reflection in the window, either, according to them. So what can she be? And is a double exposure impossible?

According to many photographer, the camera she was using, could easily have taken a double exposure by mistake. These skeptics suggested that whatever was in the photo wasn’t a ghost, but rather the mind making familiar patterns out of light and shadow. Some also think the most likely scenario is that Mrs. Chinnery took a photo of her mother in an armchair shortly before the old woman died. 

What Mrs. Chinnery ended up believing about the picture is never mentioned, neither is the further haunting from her mother. This together with all the possible explanations for the image distortion makes it difficult to come up with a single simple answer of what happened the day they snapped The Chinnery Backseat Driver.

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The Tulip Staircase Ghost: A Haunting at the Queen’s House in Greenwich

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After some tourists took a picture when visiting the Queen’s House in Greenwich, they came back with a strange image now known as The Tulip Staircase Ghost. Even today, people still debate if the ghost in the image was real or not.

If there’s one thing the British serve exceptionally well besides tea, is haunted history. And the Queen’s House in Greenwich? Oh, it serves up ghostly chills with photographic evidence. This stunning piece of 17th-century architecture might be a vision of classical elegance, but beneath its beauty lies a paranormal playground. 

There were already ghostly legends circling around the old house before the picture was taken with children laughing in the hallways, a ghostly maid mopping up blood. At the heart of its spectral reputation is one particularly famous spirit: the Tulip Staircase Ghost.

Queen’s House in Greenwich: Royal Naval College North East Building Queen Anne’s Quarter. The mansion became popular for the paranormal community after a picture allegedly showing a ghost by the stairs. // Source: Tony Hisgett/Flickr

A House Fit for a Queen… and Her Ghosts

The Queen’s House was commissioned in 1616 by Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I as an apology from him after swearing at her in public. It is worth noting though, she did just shoot his dog, although it was an accident. Designed by the revolutionary architect Inigo Jones, it was England’s first consciously classical building—a stark contrast to the Gothic styles that came before. 

The home has been inhabited by many female royals over the centuries. However, Anne never got to enjoy her royal retreat, as she died in 1619 before its completion. The house was eventually finished in 1635 under Queen Henrietta Maria (wife of Charles I), but from the get-go, it seems this regal residence was destined to be haunted.

Ghosts Haunting the House: There is said to be more than one ghost haunting the place. A lot of the paranormal activity is said to be around the grand tulip stairs. // Source: Elliott Brown/Flickr

Over the centuries, the Queen’s House has been home to royalty, naval officers, and later, the National Maritime Museum. With so many lives passing through its halls, it’s no wonder that whispers of eerie encounters began to surface. Strange voices, phantom footsteps, and inexplicable shadows have all been reported within its grand walls. But none of these compares to the chilling mystery of the Tulip Staircase.

The Ghost Caught on Camera

Let’s rewind to 1966—when the famed image of The Tulip Staircase Ghost was taken at the stairs. A retired Canadian reverend, R.W. Hardy, and his wife were visiting the Queen’s House on a casual tourist outing. Around 5.00pm Rev Hardy was taking photographs of the interior of the building. He was using a Zeiss Ikon Contina camera with a Zavar Anastigmat lens and skylight haze filter and K2 daylight film. He took a seemingly innocent photograph of the house’s famous Tulip Staircase, an architectural marvel with its elegant spiral design and delicate wrought-iron railings.

At the time there was no one there, this was according to his wife as well, standing by his side. There was also a ‘no admittance’ sign, and no one was around them. 

Ghost on the Stairs: The picture was said to be sent to experts to check the validity of the image. Although it certainly could be a classic case of double exposure, the image of The Tulip Staircase Ghost still holds a lot of credibility with some.

When the film was developed, what should have been a simple snapshot became one of the most famous paranormal images in history. The photo clearly shows a shrouded, shadowy figure ascending the staircase, gripping the railing with an almost skeletal hand. Not one, but two hands, in fact, as if someone—or something—was climbing upward. 

Experts—including Kodak in their laboratory—examined the negative, ruling out tampering or double exposure. The eerie, translucent figure remained unexplained, solidifying its place in ghost-hunting lore.

Who—or What—Haunts the Queen’s House?

Theories about the Tulip Staircase Ghost abound, but the Queen’s House doesn’t just have one restless spirit. Some believe the spectral figure belongs to a 17th-century maid who was murdered on the staircase. Legend has it that she was pushed—or fell—to her death, and her tormented soul lingers to this day. Visitors and staff have reported hearing phantom footsteps on the staircase, feeling unseen hands brush against them, and even spotting a woman in old-fashioned clothing drifting through the halls, cleaning up the pool of blood before vanishing into thin air.

Read Also: The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, another ghost allegedly caught on cam in a mansion in England.

But she’s not alone. Other ghostly residents allegedly include the sound of disembodied children laughing, the echoes of mysterious chanting, and the sudden appearance of shadowy figures that dissolve when approached. One particularly unnerving report comes from a group of restoration workers in the 1960s, who claimed to hear loud, violent footsteps following them—only to turn around and find no one there.

The Haunting Continues Through a Séance

As news of the spectral photograph of The Tulip Staircase Ghost spread, seven members of paranormal investigation organisation The Ghost Club decided to spend the night of Saturday 24 June 1967 in the Queen’s House to investigate the claims. They had to wear soft-soled shoes, synchronise their watches and carry a working torch, notebook and pencil at all times. Everything was to be noted down, from odd noises and smells to any feeling of a presence.

Séance in the Queen Anne House: held at night by members of The Ghost Club at the Queen’s House on 24th June 1967 after they saw the photo of the The Tulip Staircase Ghost.

According to some sources, they found some startling discoveries, such as bells ringing and shadowy figures. However, the vigil and séance produced no conclusive evidence of the paranormal that night, or any other night after.

A Haunting That Stands the Test of Time

Today, the Queen’s House is a part of the Royal Museums of Greenwich and what is now known as the Old Royal Naval College. While it’s best known for its art collection and architectural significance, those with an eye for the supernatural know better. The Tulip Staircase Ghost remains one of the most compelling pieces of paranormal evidence ever captured, and the building itself continues to exude an air of mystery.

Skeptics might scoff, dismissing the ghostly figure as a trick of light or an overactive imagination. But those who’ve felt the chill of unseen eyes watching them, or heard the spectral echoes of the past, know that the Queen’s House is more than just a historical landmark—it’s a place where the past refuses to stay buried.

So, if you ever find yourself in Greenwich, take a stroll through the Queen’s House. Admire its beauty, soak in its history… and maybe, just maybe, glance over your shoulder. You never know who—or what—might be following you up the Tulip Staircase.

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References:

The Tulip Staircase Ghost – Burials & Beyond 

Greenwich, Queen Anne, and the Ghost(s) of the Queen’s House – Historic Mysteries  

The Tulip Staircase, Queens House 

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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: Punkie Night, A Spooky Tradition of Somerset’s Dark Past

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In Somerset, England, a local tradition called Punkie Night in October has many similarities with different Halloween traditions today. A procession of lanterns go through the villagers every year, searching for sweets.

It’s Punkie Night tonight
It’s Punkie Night tonight
Adam and Eve would not believe
It’s Punkie Night tonight

As Halloween approaches with its ghosts, ghouls, and pumpkins we see in the modern age, few are aware of much older, and eerier traditions being celebrated in other places in the world. In the West Country of England, deep in the rural villages of Somerset, an old festival takes place: Punkie Night. The name has many speculations to its origin. Some say it is an old name for lantern or timber, perhaps derived from pumpkin or even the term spunky, used in Somerset to mean the ghost of a young child.

Read Also: Halloween Traditions Across the World

The festival has been celebrated at various sites including Castle Neroche in the Blackdown Hills, Long Sutton, Drayton, Somerset and, more commonly, at Hinton St George and the neighboring village of Lopen. It seems that the celebration used to move around the calendar a bit more, but has now mostly been celebrated as the last Thursday in October. But what is this local tradition really, and how is it connected with the Halloween celebration of today?

Jack o’lantern: The Halloween pumpkin, commonly known as a “jack-o’-lantern,” traces its origins to ancient Celtic traditions. Originally, turnips and other root vegetables were hollowed out and carved with grotesque faces to ward off evil spirits during Samhain, a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. When Irish immigrants brought this tradition to America in the 19th century, they found that the native pumpkin, larger and easier to carve, was a perfect substitute. Over time, the pumpkin became synonymous with Halloween, symbolizing the spooky spirit of the holiday.

The Tradition of Punkie Night

The tradition of Punkie Night dates back centuries, rooted in local lore and shrouded in mystery. On this night, children and adults alike carry carved turnip or a type of beet called mangel wurzels lanterns, called “punkies,” through the streets, often wearing costumes. Today the pumpkin lantern has perhaps taken over, but there are still contest of and prizes of the best punkie.

Punkie Night Lanterns: Today we are more used to see lanterns being carved from pumpkins. But on punkie night the lanterns is carved from a beet called Mangelwurzel, were developed in the 18th century as a fodder crop for feeding livestock. // Source: Punkie Night/Facebook

The eerie glow from the hollowed-out turnips casts ghostly shadows as they sing the traditional Punkie Night song, demanding small offerings from their neighbors. Over the centuries, the tradition of Punkie Night has mellowed, becoming a quirky local celebration, with children dressed in costumes going door to door, punkie lanterns in hand, reciting their chilling rhyme:  

“Punkie Night tonight,  
Give us a candle, give us a light,  
If you don’t, you’ll get a fright!”

This compares and possibly relates to the custom of Trick or Treat most known from modern Halloween celebrations in the US today. The sight of the procession is enough to make one’s skin crawl, as these turnip-faced ghouls wind their way through the villages, keeping an unsettling link to the past alive.

The History Behind Punkie Night

But Punkie Night is more than just a quaint, local celebration—it carries a dark history according to local lore. Some claim that the night is an ancient one, but is it really? The most popular legend traces its origins to a group of men from the village of Hinton St George, who ventured to a nearby fair in the neighboring village Chiselborough. This is said to have happened at the start of the 1800s. The organized way of celebrating though didn’t really happen until the first decades of the 1900s.

After a night of drinking and revelry, the husbands of the village became lost on their way home, although only a few miles away. The cold October night was dark and treacherous, the countryside devoid of light, and the men, without lanterns, found themselves wandering aimlessly, unable to get home. 

Their wives, worried and frustrated, took to the streets, carving punkies out of turnips or mangelwurzels because of the windy night and setting out to find their wayward husbands. The very word Punkie is sometimes thought to be an old English word for a lantern. When the men first saw the lanterns they thought they were will o’the wisps and were scared. Some also said that they thought they were “goolies” which are the restless spirits of children who had died before they were baptized, and they reportedly fled in terror. It’s also said that the flickering lights from these punkies were the only thing that guided the men back home.

But some say there’s a more sinister side to the tale.

Cross at Hinton St. George: The start of Punkie night is often said to have started when the women of Hinton St. George lit up lanterns to guide their husband safely home. // Source: Nick Chipchase/Wikimedia

The Older Punkie Night

The custom has been seen in the last century, and the mangel-wurzel was introduced in England in the late 18th century. But it seems that the concept of Punkie night has existed long before the story of the wayward men. 

According to older, whispered versions of the legend, Punkie Night marks a time when the veil between the living and the dead thins, and those lost souls who have wandered too far from the world of the living come back to find their way home as a local continuation of the Samhain celebrations. There is a similar Irish celebration called Púca Night, ‘púca’ meaning fairies or sprites with a similar tradition, so possibly the tradition comes from the same Celtic folklore. 

The turnip lanterns were not just to guide the living, but also to ward off the spirits of the dead who roam the dark countryside. The sight of a “punkie” lantern, glowing in the hands of a child, is said to keep these spirits at bay—or at least confuse them into thinking they’ve found their way back to the afterlife. They were also said to be placed in the windowsill to ward off evil spirits, much like the jack-o’-lanterns of Halloween today.

So, if you find yourself in Somerset on the last Thursday of October, beware of the glowing turnips and the haunting songs that fill the night. You might just stumble upon an ancient tradition where the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the past reaches out to touch the present.

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References:

https://web.archive.org/web/20061122224220/http://halloween.monstrous.com/punkie_night.htm

‘punkie (lantern)’ | ‘punkie night’ | word histories 

British Folk Customs, Punkie Night, Somerset

The Mythology of Punkie Night | The York Historian

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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