Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Legends

Folklore / Legends

Hairy Bob’s Cave

On the seafront at the foot of the cliffs around Scarborough Castle, a hole in the cliff, about a metre deep can be found – this is known as Hairy Bob’s Cave. It is clearly man-made and little more than a hole in the rock but, the origins and reasons behind its existence have been the source of legend and folklore in the town for over a century.

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Articles / King Arthur / Legends

King Arthur

The legend of Arthur is one of the most popular and well known of British legends. From early brief passages to the mythic epic we know today, the story of Arthur has long been a source of inspiration to writers, poets and artists. He has become associated with hundreds of places in the British Isles and France, some of which will be listed in the gazetteer section in the coming months.

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Articles / King Arthur / Legends

Gawain and The Green Knight

The story of Gawain and the Green Knight, follows a theme that is to be found in other Celtic myths, and is typical of the supernatural testing of warriors. The beheading challenge is a common folklore motif, and can be found in the tales of Cuchulian the hound of Ulster.

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Celtic Pantheons / King Arthur / Pantheons

Bran The Blessed

A Welsh and Irish god of giant size who was the son of the sea god Mannannan Mac Lir.

Bran had many heroic episodes, but was fatally injured during an excursion to Ireland to rescue his sister Branwen. Mortally wounded in the foot with a poisoned spear, he ordered his companions to take his severed head to the White Mount, where the Tower of London now stands.

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Celtic Pantheons / King Arthur / Pantheons

Belenos (Belinus, Beli)

A Solar deity, he can be seen as a Celtic equivalent of Apollo, and there are various traces of his cult in Britain. In Irish mythology he was Bile, a powerful god of the underworld.

Apparitions / Folklore / Hauntings / Legends

Whitby

Whitby is associated with a wealth of traditions and legends. The abbey, now a guant ruin, was built in 651AD and destroyed in a Danish raid in 870AD, it was reconstructed by the Benedictines in the 11th Century. At one time crowds used to gather at the West side of Whitby churchyard, where there was clear view of the North side of the abbey and the highest window.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Giants / Legends / Scottish Fairies

Dun Borranish

This ruined dun is said to have been the home of a giant called Cuithach, who in the tradition of most giants, laid waste to the surrounding area by stealing cattle and killing local people.