If you’re wandering the Lancashire moors towards the end of Lent, look out for the ghost of Wigan Liz. You’ll recognise her by her flowing black hair and her deathly hollow eyes framed by thick black eyebrows. Her black dress and cape and old-fashioned bonnet complete the picture. Some say the spectre carries a cigarContinue reading “Wigan Liz – the Lenten Ghost”
Category Archives: Ghosts and spooky legends
The Headless Bear from Hell: England’s Forgotten Phantom
You’ve heard of phantom black dogs haunting the moors. You’ve heard tales of grey ladies, howling werewolves, wailing banshees and headless horsemen. Perhaps you’ve read about fairies, elves and boggarts. But surely the strangest entity ever to haunt this land was the demonic headless bear from hell. This strange monster is nowadays forgotten, but heContinue reading “The Headless Bear from Hell: England’s Forgotten Phantom”
The Valentine’s Day Slash Hook Murder
It was 80 years ago today that one of the country’s most sensational unsolved murders occurred. The violent slaying of Charles Walton in the tiny Warwickshire village of Lower Quinton spawned dark rumours of witchcraft and revealed a bizarre network of deadly apparent coincidences involving murder, black magic and ghostly black dogs… On Valentine’s DayContinue reading “The Valentine’s Day Slash Hook Murder”
Ghost Versus Demon!
In late August 1884, two pale and trembling strangers entered the White Lion Inn in the Midlands village of Ivy Church Green. They both sank a pint of ale to steady their clearly frayed nerves, and the landlord and the regulars looked on with interest. What had terrified the two men so? Eventually, one ofContinue reading “Ghost Versus Demon!”
Old Leathery Coit Rides Again… in the 1970s
Delivering newspapers on a dark winter morning in Elland in the late 1970s, a young lad had a terrifying encounter with one of Calderdale’s best known spooks – Old Leathery Coit. This forgotten ghostly adventure only came to light after I discussed Leathery Coit on BBC Radio Leeds in August. Listen to the interview here.Continue reading “Old Leathery Coit Rides Again… in the 1970s”
Churn Milk Joan: Lonely Stone Tells her tales
Secret lovers’ trysts, a deal with the devil, a vengeful ghost, pennies from heaven, the plague and killer foxes… all have been associated with one of my favourite standing stones – Churn Milk Joan. The stone stands around 7 feet tall on the outskirts of Midgely Moor overlooking the Calder Valley, and although it probablyContinue reading “Churn Milk Joan: Lonely Stone Tells her tales”
The Bradford Ghost 1868
“For the first time he then looked back and stopped. I felt the effect of that look creep over me like the feeling must be that comes over the prey of the boa-constrictor when it first knows its doom. I trembled…” (Mr Chester, 1868) In the spring of 1868, Bradford was in the grip ofContinue reading “The Bradford Ghost 1868”
Hooded Giant Terrorises Yorkshire City! The Bradford Ghost
In September 1926, fear, panic and hysteria haunted the West Yorkshire city of Bradford. A giant ghostly figure in a hooded white cloak stalked the night streets terrorising the locals and then vanishing into the labyrinthine ginnels or over the rooftops. Armed mobs of vigilantes roamed the streets hunting for the Bradford Ghost, who wasContinue reading “Hooded Giant Terrorises Yorkshire City! The Bradford Ghost”
A Halifax Christmas Ghost Mystery
Christmas Eve with a Ghost – or Murdered Thirty Years Ago… Here’s a strange Christmas ghost story that was supposed to have occurred in Halifax in 1875. Unfortunately, it’s not at all clear which Halifax is meant. It was reported in the notorious true crime tabloid the Illustrated Police News on 1 January 1876. OnContinue reading “A Halifax Christmas Ghost Mystery”
Why is a Ghost Like a Fart?
Christmas Horror from 1734 If you thought the tradition of the Christmas ghost story started with Charles Dickens, think again. In the eighteenth century many people’s Christmas reading list would have included a best-selling little pamphlet called Round About Our Coal Fire: Christmas Entertainments. It was written by an anonymous author who called himself JackContinue reading “Why is a Ghost Like a Fart?”
