Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: United Kingdom

Ancient Sites / Festivals / May / Wells

St John’s Well, Harpham

The well of St John of Beverley can be found beside the road on the east side of Harpham. St John (died 7 May 721) was born in Beverley and on his feast day (7th May) it is decorated and a procession of the choir and congregation of Beverley Minster make their way to it from the church in Harpham.

Ancient Sites / Folklore / Folktales / Wells

Cobbler’s Well

The following story of Cobbler’s Well was printed in ‘County Folk-Lore Volume VI – Examples of Printed Folk-Lore Concerning The East Riding of Yorkshire (1911)’ which was edited by Eliza Glutch. ‘In a hollow on Beverley Westwood is a stone trough, into which a spring of exceedingly cold pure water once flowed abundantly.

Ancient Sites / Folklore / Standing Stones

St Catherine’s Church, Barmby Moor

Dating from around 1272, St Catherine’s Parish Church was largely rebuilt in 1850 replacing much of the original Norman building. In the churchyard, just south of the main door is a stone which has been speculated may have been a place of pagan worship.

Hauntings

Underwear-Stealing Ghosts

The following article by Faye Preston entitled ’“Underwear-stealing ghosts made my life hell”: Hull woman forced to move seven times’ was published in the Hull Daily Mail on 9 August 2014.

Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Matthew Hopkins / Occult / Occult Traditions / Usual Suspects / Witchcraft

The Mistley Thorn Hotel

The Mistley Thorn Hotel dates from 1723 and was originally a coaching house. In an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’, (13 October 2014, Essex Chronicle) the Mistley Thorn Hotel is referred to as being haunted by the Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins, who was buried in Mistley on 12th August 1647.

Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Matthew Hopkins / Occult / Occult Traditions / Usual Suspects / Witchcraft

The Red Lion, Manningtree

The Red Lion is a Grade II listed building and the oldest pub in Manningtree, dating back to 1605 and the time of Matthew Hopkins and his witch trials. According to the Red Lion’s website ‘The inn is also mentioned in a book of 1647 written by Matthew Hopkins on the scourge of witchcraft. Hopkins, a native of Manningtree, was a lawyer known as the Witch Hunter General.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Easington Hall

Easington Hall was the seat of the Overton family and although I don’t know exactly where it was in Easington, I have come across a reference to it being on the principle street in the village.

April / Festivals

All Saint’s Church, Easington

Originally dating from 1190AD, the Parish Church of All Saints is a Grade I listed building. The grave yard attached to the church was used up to 1883, after which a closure order was made.