Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Cumbria

Ancient Sites / Stone Circles

Swinside Stone Circle

A beautiful solitary stone circle, the stones are said to be uncountable, there is also a legend which suggests a church buried beneath the stones. It is sometimes referred to as the Sunkenkirk for this very reason. The circle is also referred to as the ‘grey cobbles’.

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Articles / Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Vampire

The Phantom Of Croglin Grange

The phantom of Croglin Grange is one of the best known vampire stories in Britain. It is as famous in the annals of vampire lore as Whitby and its Dracula associations. The actual story bears the marks of fiction and first appeared in a book called ‘In My Solitary life’ by Augustus Hare. What follows is an adapted and shortened version of his story.

UFO Sightings / UFOs

The Coniston UFO

On the 15 February 1954 Stephen Derbyshire, then 14, saw and photographed a UFO on the slopes of the Old Man of Coniston, above Coniston Village. The picture was blurred but the case became a classic of UFO literature of the time.

King Arthur / Legends

Pendragon Castle

Pendragon Castle is associated with an Arthurian legend. It is said that Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon tried to re-route the river Eden to create a moat for the castle.

The ruin dates to the 1100’s and was built by Hugh de Morville one of the knights who killed Thomas of Cantebury, so is out of the time scale for King Arthur.

Featured Sites / Hauntings / King Arthur / Legends / Roman Hauntings

Birdoswald Roman Fort

This impressive site is the remains of a Roman fort on Hadrian’s Wall. The area was occupied from much earlier times and recently a Neolithic burial has been found. There is also evidence of a large Dark Age Hall on the site. Traditionally the site has been identified with Camlan, the site of King Arthur’s last battle.

Legends

Dunmail Raise

Dunmail Raise was the scene of a bloody battle for control of the lands of Cumbria. The battle took place against King Dunmail, the last King of Cumbria, against the united forces of Malcolm, the King of Scotland and Edmund, a Saxon King. Dunmail was defeated and slain and his sons were mutilated, his men were made to build a stone cairn over the spot where he fell.

Devil / Devil Bridge / Legends

The Devil’s Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale

Devil’s Bridge over the river Lune, is associated with a legend that can be found throughout Britain, with minor variations from region to region. A woman who was separated from her cow by the river made a pact with the Devil. He would build a bridge across the river, in return for the soul of the first living thing to cross the bridge.

Fairies / Folklore / Roman

Hardknott Roman Fort (Mediobogdvm)

The Roman Fort of Mediobogdvm, above Hardknott Pass, is said to hold a fairy rath where King Eveling holds his court. Hardnott Pass can be found at the end of the Eskdale Valley and is also one of the steepest roads in Cumbria.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Stone Circles

Elva Hill

Elva Hill is known as a fairy hill and the name may be derived from an old Viking name meaning place of the elves. A stone circle on its slope suggests ancient ritual use of the area, only 15 stones of the original 30 remain. The circle is on private land belonging to Elva Farm, but there is a nearby footpath. The site is thought to date from Neolithic times.