Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Early Christianity

Ancient Sites / Apparitions / Early Christianity / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

Kilmichael Country House Hotel, Brodick

Kilmichael is possibly the oldest house on the Isle of Arran and is associated with the Fullerton family who were one of the two major landowners on the island. The name itself indicates the location of the house may be on the site of an early Christian cell dedicated to St Michael. An apparition of a Grey Lady supposedly haunts the hotel.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

St Patrick’s Well

Around 450AD St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland is supposed to have preached on the banks of Ullswater in Cumbria. The whole Patterdale area is named after him. In Glenridding a Holy Well dedicated to St Patrick can still be found roughly one mile outside of the village of Glenridding.

Ancient Sites / Apparitions / Early Christianity / Hauntings

St Machar’s Cathedral

Still referred to as a Cathedral, St Machar’s has not held a Bishop’s seat since the Reformation and is in reality a high kirk. Legend has it that St Machar was informed by God to find a place where a river bends like a bishops crozier and then to establish a church there. Hence in 580 St Machar founded his church in Aberdeen where the River Don flows upon such a route.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Legends / Wells

The Chalice Well, Glastonbury

The Chalice Well has been associated with healing and with the Holy Grail for many years. According to legend Joseph of Arimethea placed the cup that held the blood of Christ into the well. The waters run red with Iron Oxide another association with blood.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Earth Works / Folklore / Ley Lines

Glastonbury Tor

The Tor has been associated with magic and mystery for thousands of years. It seems likely that early man used the tor for rituals, and maze like path has been identified spiralling around the tor seven times. Professor Philip Rahtz dated the terraces to the Neolithic period, and concluded that they may have been part of a maze.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / King Arthur / Legends

Glastonbury Abbey, Arthur’s Grave

This is a reproduction of the cross said to have been found in Arthur’s grave at Glastonbury Abbey. The actual grave seems to have been a very early burial but the Arthur link is tenuous. The actual cross disappeared many years ago and the only depiction is from a drawing by William Camden in 1607, from which this picture has been redrawn.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity

Royston Cave

Underneath the streets of Royston, below the ancient Icknield way lies a secret cave, rediscovered in 1702 and dating back perhaps a thousand years. The cave, which is a bell shaped hole carved from the solid chalk, has a multitude of early Christian carvings depicting saints and religious scenes.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Fairies / Folklore / Legends / Mermaids / Wells

St Ethelbert’s Holy Well

Around 794AD, King Offa of Mercia demanded the head of the Christian King Ethelbert of East Anglia whilst he was making arrangements to marry Offa’s daughter. Not far from the location of Marden Church the young king was assassinated and his body hidden. After rumours of Ethelbert’s ghost being seen in the marden area, Offa asked the Pope for absolution.