Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Specific Location: Denbighshire

Ancient Sites / Wells

St. Cynhafal’s Well, Llangynhafal

According Wirt Sykes in ‘British Goblins’ (1881), ‘St. Cynhafal’s well, on a hillside in Llangynhafal parish, Denbighshire, is one of those curing wells in which pins are thrown. Its specialty is warts. To exorcise your wart you stick a pin in it and then throw the pin into this well; the wart soon vanishes.

Apparitions / Haunted Wedding Venue / Hauntings

Bodelwyddan Castle

Bodelwyddan Castle is a popular tourist attraction and wedding venue set in 260 acres of parkland. It was originally built as a manor house by the Humphreys family of Anglesey in the region of 1460, but it’s most famous relationship is a 200 year history with the Williams family from circa 1690 onwards.

Apparitions / Hauntings

The Ghost of Dafydd Salusbury

The village of Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch, just off the A525 in Denbighshire has a rich history, and is also reputedly haunted. It is said that the ghost of Dafydd Salusbury has been seen galloping around the parish on a white horse at Midnight, and making terrible groaning noises. Salusbury was of local nobility, and was not liked by the local people, for his wicked ways.

Folklore / Folktales / Welsh Folktales

St Cynfarch and St Mary Church, Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd

According to Elias Owen in his ‘Welsh folk-lore: a collection of the folk-tales and legends of North Wales’ (1887) ‘For the following legend, I am indebted to Mr. R. Prys Jones, who resided for several years in the parish of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd. In answer to a letter from me respecting mysterious removal of churches, Mr.

Devil / Folklore / Legends

Satan Appearing As A Lovely Maiden

A young man who was walking from Dyserth to Rhyl was overtaken by a lovely young lady dressed in white. She invited conversation, and they walked together awhile talking kindly, but, when they came opposite a pool on the road side she disappeared, in the form of a ball of fire, into the water. All that has reached our days, in corroboration of this tale, is the small pool.

Devil / Folklore / Legends

Satan Seen Lying Right Across A Road

The following story appeared in Elias Owen’s ‘Welsh folk-lore’ (1887). ‘Near Pentrevoelas lived a man called John Ty’nllidiart, who was in the habit of taking, yearly, cattle from the uplands in his neighbourhood, to be wintered in the Vale of Clwyd.

Devil / Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Welsh Folktales

Satan Playing Cards At A Merry Meeting

It was formerly a general custom in Wales for young lads and lasses to meet and spend a pleasant evening together in various farmhouses. Many kinds of amusements, such as dancing, singing, and card playing, were resorted to, while away the time. The Rev.