Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Clwyd

King Arthur / Legends

Maen Huail

Situated outside Exmewe House (currently Barclays Bank) in Ruthin, is a large boulder that was reputedly used by King Arthur as a chopping block when he killed a love rival. The story states that King Arthur and Huail (son of Caw) once fought over the favours of a lady.

Devil / Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Welsh Fairies / Welsh Folktales

Llangar Church, Corwen

The white washed Llangar Church can be found about a mile from Corwen and can be dated from the late 13th century though it could possibly be as old as the 11th century. Its original name of ‘Llan Garw Gwyn’ (The Church of The White Deer) possibly alludes to a legend dating back its initial erection.

Folklore / Folktales / Welsh Folktales

The Llandegla Spirit

The parish church of Llandegla is dedicated to St Tecla of Iconium (modern day Konya in Turkey) and though the original building dated from 1273, it was rebuilt in 1866 by Lady Margaret Willoughby de Broke. There is a folk-tale and tradition concerning the haunting and subsequent exorcism of the rectory.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Folklore / Folktales / Wells / Welsh Folktales

Ffynnon Elian (St. Elian’s Well)

St Elian’s Well, like most Holy Well’s was associated with having healing properties until around 1723 when it developed a reputation for being a cursing well. Thought to have sprang forth to quench the thirst of St Elian in the 6th century, the well was a source of pilgrimage for many centuries.

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Fairies / Folklore / Welsh Fairies

Ellyllon

According to ‘British Goblins’ (1881) by Wirt Sykes; ‘The Ellyllon are the pigmy elves who haunt the groves and valleys, and correspond pretty closely with the English elves.

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

The Bull Hotel, Abergele

The Bull Hotel on Chapel Street Abergele has an interesting history, and is also alleged to be haunted. In 1848, Jane Roberts owned the building and allowed the Mormon preacher John Parry Junior to preach from the house.

Apparitions / Ghost Stories / Hauntings / Tall Tales

Gwylfa Hiraethog (a.k.a. Plas Pren)

There is an isolated ruin on the Denbigh moors which can be seen from the A543 as you head north east towards the Sportsman’s Arms. It is ‘Gwylfa Hiraethog’ (The Watchtower of Hiraethog (where Hiraethog is the Denbigh moors)), yet it is still known locally as ‘Plas Pren’ after the original wooden structure erected on the site.

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Anniversary Ghosts / Apparitions / Black Dogs / Book Review / Haunted Battlefields / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Poltergiests / Review / Road Ghosts

Haunted Wales: A Guide To Welsh Ghostlore by Richard Holland

The ghosts of Wales are bold and memorable, forceful in character often terrifying and sometimes even dangerous. In a new book by Richard Holland and published by The History Press you realise that Wales is a fearfully haunted place with possibly more ghosts and goblins than in England or any other country.