Claire Barrand's Blog
August 28, 2018
The Ghost of The White Hart, Bristol
The Reasons Why so Many British Pubs are Haunted 
Across the UK older public houses often boast about having a resident ghost and stories of flying glasses and disgruntled old landlords are retold, exaggerated and with imagination perhaps loosened by liquor, locals swap stories across the fireplace on a cold winters night. Part of the olde worlde charm of a historic building has to be its bygone tales of famous travellers that once frequented there. With creaking wooden doors, beams adorned with horse brasses that tell of a time forgotten is it any wonder that so many of our locals herald these stories and even host popular paranormal investigations after dark, once guests have of course consumed a delicious supper and swapped ghost stories?But could there be more to the phenomenon of a haunted public house than mere folklore? What if there were a plausible reason behind the hauntings of so many buildings of similar history than just merely it being “old”?I was once the landlady of one such pub. In Bristol city centre, on Lower Maudlin Street stands The White Hart. Built in 1672, this boozer positions itself by the cities central bus station, it is a buzzing and lively place. Think of welcoming hearty pub lunches with homemade pie and hand cut chips, Greene King ale, and karaoke in the evenings and you'd be close. Regulars frequent the bar, travellers stop for refreshments between bus journeys and students liven up the weekends. But take away its colourful customers and vibrant young culture the building is reputed to be one of the most haunted buildings in Bristol.Legend states that two brothers in the 1600’s once owned the pub had a dispute over some land and during a furious fight one murdered the other there. “George,” as the locals affectionately call his ghost, now roams the buildings still angry at his untimely violent death and seeks revenge. Bar staff regularly place a vase of flowers on the bar to keep him happy. On my first evening as landlady of The White Hart, indeed George did make himself known to us! As apparently was expected for all new landlords, all the lights in the bar cut out with no apparent cause. Forced to serve the beer by candlelight that night, we listened with a mixture of horror and amusement to stories told to us by the delighted bus drivers. Men that regularly propped up the bar after their night shifts in the bus station regaled stories of terrified past landlords that had encountered the foul-tempered soul.At night, after locking up, the city never slept, and birds would still chirp at 1am as if it were morning because of the unnatural urban lights, yet the bar area would take on an eerie feeling. Shadows cast on the walls and beams at the back would trick you into thinking you had seen a dark figure move, and the settling of the old building as pumps and equipment switched off would cause your weary mind to imagine heavy footsteps above your head or chains rattling in the cellars below. The office and kitchen led to a narrow back staircase which was avoided by staff as it felt oppressive and as if they were being “watched.” One bedroom that overlooks the front of the pub had a horrible atmosphere too, causing you to feel nauseous but the floors were uneven, so perhaps it was that.Something dark lurked in that building there and of that I had no doubt, but to be able to continue working and living there it was comforting to dismiss the strange occurring with skepticism. Looking into the history of the place revealed that a hostelry had evidently existed on the site since medieval times when pilgrims were offered shelter if they found themselves locked out of St Johns after the curfew and the gates were closed. The cellars dated back to the 1100’s and were rumoured to have been once part of a network of tunnels leading down to the docks. In the 18th century, Bristol Docks were heavily part of the slave trade and was a smugglers lair. The wall was bricked up, and a part of it was crumbling away, an investigation with a torch revealed a vast black expanse beyond, but the pub was not ours to damage and our jobs were not worth losing to knock it down. Directly behind the pub stands a Benedictine Priory called St James built in 1138 and the tunnels were said to be also connected to that. A fair was held annually in the grounds of the church from 1238, and there would be bare-knuckle fights, bear baiting, exhibitions of wild animals, circus freakshows of pig-faced women and living skeletons for people to peer at. Jem Belcher, the bare-knuckle pugilist, was born in the churchyard of St James and gained his fighting experience at the fair.Robert Southey, who attended the fair, notes in his Commonplace Book:"At Bristol, I saw a shaved monkey shown for a fairy; and a shaved bear, in a check waistcoat and trousers, sitting in a great chair as an Ethiopian savage. This was the most cruel fraud I ever saw. The unnatural position of the beast and the damnable brutality of the woman-keeper who sat upon his knee put her arm around his neck, called him husband and sweetheart, and kissed him, made it the most disgusting spectacle I ever witnessed."In 1954, a plague pit was discovered at the Horse fair that the White Hart backs onto and three hundred bodies were exhumed and reburied so that building work could continue.So, for all this history, it is more of a wonder that it is only George that haunts The White Hart?I moved after about 18 months to manage another pub in Wales, and this one had not the same history to match however there was still a resident ghost! This one was the spirit of a female that seemed to appear at the end of the bar and vanish. You would think a customer was left in the bar after locking up and go to investigate, but nobody was there!I have shaped a philosophy over the years of living in these fantastic buildings. As I began to research and to investigate the paranormal, the experiences caused me to forge some sort of working theory behind the haunting of public houses as a collective. In all these buildings, the history is entirely different, but if we think about what they all have in common with each other, we will find the common theme being the customers. Whether regular drinkers, or occasional teetotal people just out for refreshment before a movie, we still have everyday situations. People meeting friends, from business meetings to clandestine affairs, dodgy dealings, whispered conversations to raucous laughter, drunken brawls to merrymaking, singing and celebrations from weddings to the emotional funeral wakes. The colourful characters that pass through the doors every single day bring with them a plethora of moods attitudes and intentions.Intentions overwhelmingly to offload troubled thoughts. Aims to sever ties with people, or to make new ones. Goals to confront, appease, appeal to or let down others. Every individual has brought into the building with them, a purpose, and combined with alcohol, which is also a potent potion with an intoxicating effect on enhanced human emotion, it has the potential to cause them to lose control.My thought is that if many people leave traces of this behind and it collects and manifests in the focused area, which builds, and attracts more of the same. Residual hauntings combined with the spirits of those that return to the building where something compelling has drawn them back creates a lot of paranormal activity. The continued energy of the people, the continuous situations to which they might relate, feeds this further.I believe it happens in the same way as we have “black spots” on roads where accidents seem to occur. People are killed, and the emotional trace of that sudden death followed by the grieving family returning to the same spot with flowers and the attention of human energy from passing vehicles focusing on that spot seems to cause more of the same. It happens anywhere where there is a build-up of negative energy, but in a pub, it is offset by the positive. You cannot have black without white. Yin without Yan. Negative without positive. Death without life. Laughter and the music in the pubs help to diminish the negativity but will raise the energy nonetheless. Whenever we had a karaoke evening in the White Hart or a party, the atmosphere would lift, and we would get no activity, but after a fight broke out once (Bristol City and Rovers fans clashed, and a few glasses were thrown!), the atmosphere changed, and I felt an unease for days. The whole building seemed darker, and I triple checked the locks on every window. Being so on edge meant, maybe my senses were sharpened, but I saw the shadowy figure and heard creaks and taps all night long as the building settled down and I slept with one eye open. One morning, soon afterward I found every light bulb out of its light fitting and resting on the floor beneath. Inexplicable and creepy.Within the walls, all this energy is compounded and repeated day after day year after year, century after century. I look back on my time as a landlady with mixed emotions. The trade was a crash course at the school of hard knocks and left me with many emotional scars, with lessons learned about love, human nature, morality, and human psychology. I did find that all who lived and worked were eventually dragged down mood wise and affected by the dark atmosphere of the place too. But all those things have served me well and have strengthened my ability to perceive, detect and write about the paranormal.Most people will tell you that the answer is not to be found at the bottom of a bottle. However, my personal conclusion is that if there are enough bottles in one building for long enough, you won’t have to drink from one to find the spirits.If you would like to visit The White Hart, then check it out here. http://www.thewhitehartbristol.co.uk/
Across the UK older public houses often boast about having a resident ghost and stories of flying glasses and disgruntled old landlords are retold, exaggerated and with imagination perhaps loosened by liquor, locals swap stories across the fireplace on a cold winters night. Part of the olde worlde charm of a historic building has to be its bygone tales of famous travellers that once frequented there. With creaking wooden doors, beams adorned with horse brasses that tell of a time forgotten is it any wonder that so many of our locals herald these stories and even host popular paranormal investigations after dark, once guests have of course consumed a delicious supper and swapped ghost stories?But could there be more to the phenomenon of a haunted public house than mere folklore? What if there were a plausible reason behind the hauntings of so many buildings of similar history than just merely it being “old”?I was once the landlady of one such pub. In Bristol city centre, on Lower Maudlin Street stands The White Hart. Built in 1672, this boozer positions itself by the cities central bus station, it is a buzzing and lively place. Think of welcoming hearty pub lunches with homemade pie and hand cut chips, Greene King ale, and karaoke in the evenings and you'd be close. Regulars frequent the bar, travellers stop for refreshments between bus journeys and students liven up the weekends. But take away its colourful customers and vibrant young culture the building is reputed to be one of the most haunted buildings in Bristol.Legend states that two brothers in the 1600’s once owned the pub had a dispute over some land and during a furious fight one murdered the other there. “George,” as the locals affectionately call his ghost, now roams the buildings still angry at his untimely violent death and seeks revenge. Bar staff regularly place a vase of flowers on the bar to keep him happy. On my first evening as landlady of The White Hart, indeed George did make himself known to us! As apparently was expected for all new landlords, all the lights in the bar cut out with no apparent cause. Forced to serve the beer by candlelight that night, we listened with a mixture of horror and amusement to stories told to us by the delighted bus drivers. Men that regularly propped up the bar after their night shifts in the bus station regaled stories of terrified past landlords that had encountered the foul-tempered soul.At night, after locking up, the city never slept, and birds would still chirp at 1am as if it were morning because of the unnatural urban lights, yet the bar area would take on an eerie feeling. Shadows cast on the walls and beams at the back would trick you into thinking you had seen a dark figure move, and the settling of the old building as pumps and equipment switched off would cause your weary mind to imagine heavy footsteps above your head or chains rattling in the cellars below. The office and kitchen led to a narrow back staircase which was avoided by staff as it felt oppressive and as if they were being “watched.” One bedroom that overlooks the front of the pub had a horrible atmosphere too, causing you to feel nauseous but the floors were uneven, so perhaps it was that.Something dark lurked in that building there and of that I had no doubt, but to be able to continue working and living there it was comforting to dismiss the strange occurring with skepticism. Looking into the history of the place revealed that a hostelry had evidently existed on the site since medieval times when pilgrims were offered shelter if they found themselves locked out of St Johns after the curfew and the gates were closed. The cellars dated back to the 1100’s and were rumoured to have been once part of a network of tunnels leading down to the docks. In the 18th century, Bristol Docks were heavily part of the slave trade and was a smugglers lair. The wall was bricked up, and a part of it was crumbling away, an investigation with a torch revealed a vast black expanse beyond, but the pub was not ours to damage and our jobs were not worth losing to knock it down. Directly behind the pub stands a Benedictine Priory called St James built in 1138 and the tunnels were said to be also connected to that. A fair was held annually in the grounds of the church from 1238, and there would be bare-knuckle fights, bear baiting, exhibitions of wild animals, circus freakshows of pig-faced women and living skeletons for people to peer at. Jem Belcher, the bare-knuckle pugilist, was born in the churchyard of St James and gained his fighting experience at the fair.Robert Southey, who attended the fair, notes in his Commonplace Book:"At Bristol, I saw a shaved monkey shown for a fairy; and a shaved bear, in a check waistcoat and trousers, sitting in a great chair as an Ethiopian savage. This was the most cruel fraud I ever saw. The unnatural position of the beast and the damnable brutality of the woman-keeper who sat upon his knee put her arm around his neck, called him husband and sweetheart, and kissed him, made it the most disgusting spectacle I ever witnessed."In 1954, a plague pit was discovered at the Horse fair that the White Hart backs onto and three hundred bodies were exhumed and reburied so that building work could continue.So, for all this history, it is more of a wonder that it is only George that haunts The White Hart?I moved after about 18 months to manage another pub in Wales, and this one had not the same history to match however there was still a resident ghost! This one was the spirit of a female that seemed to appear at the end of the bar and vanish. You would think a customer was left in the bar after locking up and go to investigate, but nobody was there!I have shaped a philosophy over the years of living in these fantastic buildings. As I began to research and to investigate the paranormal, the experiences caused me to forge some sort of working theory behind the haunting of public houses as a collective. In all these buildings, the history is entirely different, but if we think about what they all have in common with each other, we will find the common theme being the customers. Whether regular drinkers, or occasional teetotal people just out for refreshment before a movie, we still have everyday situations. People meeting friends, from business meetings to clandestine affairs, dodgy dealings, whispered conversations to raucous laughter, drunken brawls to merrymaking, singing and celebrations from weddings to the emotional funeral wakes. The colourful characters that pass through the doors every single day bring with them a plethora of moods attitudes and intentions.Intentions overwhelmingly to offload troubled thoughts. Aims to sever ties with people, or to make new ones. Goals to confront, appease, appeal to or let down others. Every individual has brought into the building with them, a purpose, and combined with alcohol, which is also a potent potion with an intoxicating effect on enhanced human emotion, it has the potential to cause them to lose control.My thought is that if many people leave traces of this behind and it collects and manifests in the focused area, which builds, and attracts more of the same. Residual hauntings combined with the spirits of those that return to the building where something compelling has drawn them back creates a lot of paranormal activity. The continued energy of the people, the continuous situations to which they might relate, feeds this further.I believe it happens in the same way as we have “black spots” on roads where accidents seem to occur. People are killed, and the emotional trace of that sudden death followed by the grieving family returning to the same spot with flowers and the attention of human energy from passing vehicles focusing on that spot seems to cause more of the same. It happens anywhere where there is a build-up of negative energy, but in a pub, it is offset by the positive. You cannot have black without white. Yin without Yan. Negative without positive. Death without life. Laughter and the music in the pubs help to diminish the negativity but will raise the energy nonetheless. Whenever we had a karaoke evening in the White Hart or a party, the atmosphere would lift, and we would get no activity, but after a fight broke out once (Bristol City and Rovers fans clashed, and a few glasses were thrown!), the atmosphere changed, and I felt an unease for days. The whole building seemed darker, and I triple checked the locks on every window. Being so on edge meant, maybe my senses were sharpened, but I saw the shadowy figure and heard creaks and taps all night long as the building settled down and I slept with one eye open. One morning, soon afterward I found every light bulb out of its light fitting and resting on the floor beneath. Inexplicable and creepy.Within the walls, all this energy is compounded and repeated day after day year after year, century after century. I look back on my time as a landlady with mixed emotions. The trade was a crash course at the school of hard knocks and left me with many emotional scars, with lessons learned about love, human nature, morality, and human psychology. I did find that all who lived and worked were eventually dragged down mood wise and affected by the dark atmosphere of the place too. But all those things have served me well and have strengthened my ability to perceive, detect and write about the paranormal.Most people will tell you that the answer is not to be found at the bottom of a bottle. However, my personal conclusion is that if there are enough bottles in one building for long enough, you won’t have to drink from one to find the spirits.If you would like to visit The White Hart, then check it out here. http://www.thewhitehartbristol.co.uk/
August 23, 2018
Five Mythological Animals in Welsh Folklore
Wales has a rich tapestry of legends and folklore that weaves its way through poetry and literature from pre- medieval times through into the modern day, where the stories, so fantastic and magical, are kept alive by passionate storytellers, filmmakers and television portrayals. Many of these creatures take the form of an ordinary animal that has morphed and shape shifted into something grotesque or monstrous in proportion. I have selected just five of these mythical creatures for this article to give you a taste of the legends that our green valleys hold dear. No ordinary animals, these creatures would be quite at home in a Harry Potter movie and are all from Welsh mythology.Palug’s CatCath Palug, according to Welsh legend was a cat of monstrous proportions, born in Gwynedd by Henwen the pig of Cornwall. The cat went on to haunt the Isle of Anglesey and was said to have slaughtered 180 warriors when Sir Kay went hunting it down.Other variations of a name for the cat are Cath Paluc, Cath Balug, Cath Balwg. Its name has a variety of possible meanings, but one most likely is “scratching cat.” The Cat was always seen near water, as it had an aquatic nature, like another monstrous cat – that of the devil cat of the Lake of Lausanne which had a legendary fight with Arthur.Henwen The PigHenwen is a sow, a female pig who in Welsh legend, gave birth to Cath Palug the monstrous cat. The word Henwen means “Old White.” According to the triad “Three Powerful Swineherds of the Isle of Britain” the pig was kept by Coll, who was the son of Collfrewy, a pigkeeper for Dallwyr Dallben. When the sow was ready to give birth, she was chased until she plunged into the sea in Cornwall and re-emerged onto land at Aber Tarogi in Gwent. She was portrayed to be a clairvoyant pig in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. She went on to give birth to other weird offspring too such as a grain of wheat crossed with a bee in a wheat field in Gwent, and at the Hill of Cyferthwch in Eryri, she bore a wolf cub and eaglet.Adar Llwch GwinIn Welsh legend, these were giant griffin type birds that were given to a warrior named Drudwas ap Tryffin by his fairy wife. The name is a derivative from the Welsh word for wine (llwch “dust” and gwin “wine”) These mythical birds were said to understand human language and obey every command from their masters. On one occasion, however, when Drudwas was about to go into battle with Arthur, he ordered the birds to kill the first man to enter the battleground. Arthur was delayed, and so the birds turned onto their master and tore him to pieces. In medieval Welsh poetry, the term Adar Llwch Gwim was used to describe raptors, hawks, falcons and heroic men.The AfancThe Afanc or as sometimes pronounced Addanc, is a lake monster in Welsh mythology that resembles a crocodile, beaver or a dwarf-like creature. It is also said to be demonic. The lake in which it lives can vary, and it has been associated with Llyn Llion, Llyn Barfog or Llyn yr Anfanc – the latter was named after the legendary creature. This monster was said to prey upon anyone foolish enough to swim in its territory! One 15th century poet said it also lived in the shadowy depths of Langorse Lake in Powys. Other legends attribute the creature's demise to King Arthur. There are many stories and references to this creature in Welsh literature, and it even appeared in the BBC series Merlin in season one.Ceffyl DŵrThe Ceffyl Dwr is a water horse in Welsh folklore, a counterpart to the Scottish kelpie. It is said to have shape shifting abilities and is represented differently in literature depending on the region of Wales you are in. Some say it can fly and in North Wales, it is depicted as having fiery eyes and a dark evil presence. In South Wales, however, the creature is more of a mischievous character. The Ceffyl Dwr inhabits mountain pools and waterfalls and can emerge as a solid creature then evaporate into a mist. This creature seems to target travelers and has been said to entice them to ride it as it appears as a magnificent steed, carrying them high up into the air before evaporating and dropping them to their death.
July 24, 2018
The Beast Cats of Wales
Alien Big Cat sightings in WalesThrough history, cats, especially black cats have held their place firmly in superstition and folklore around the world. In Wales, the Celtic lore surrounding black cats has been no different, and there were many theories and misconceptions associated with fearsome felines.I found an extraordinary story of a woman living in England's Cannock Chase in 1989, who claimed to have seen, in 1989, a huge black cat, as she took a stroll on a hot, summer’s day. She almost literally walked into the alien big cat as she headed along a well-worn track near the village of Milford. Incredibly, the woman claimed that as the two stood staring at each other (she was, unsurprisingly, frozen to the spot in terror), the cat transformed into the form of a huge black dog. It glared at her for a moment and then walked off and vanished into the undergrowth. Britain, especially Wales, has a centuries-old tradition of paranormal black dog folklore.In modern society, however, we are thankfully better educated, and most people no longer fear black cats. However, they do still get a poor deal. In rescue centers, black cats are sadly often the ones left behind and waiting longer for a home.Stories of big cats lurking in the countryside in recent years have sensationalised newspapers and local gossip circles, but are these stories just a modern version of feline folklore or could there really be huge creatures terrifying locals, attacking livestock and launching attacks on humans? I had a memorable encounter myself many years ago, in my own garden one night during the early 1990’s, a low, guttural snarl rattled behind the hedge, not 3 ft away from me and turned my blood cold. At the time, a large black cat had been spotted around the lower village common and dubbed “The Beast of Gilwern” by locals.When Craig Titchener of Facebook's’ popular community page “Abergavenny Voice” contacted me and told me he also remembered the sightings, I was compelled to research further and found numerous stories associated with strange sightings of big cats in Wales.Gwent was once nicknamed the “big cat capital of the UK” at the time with numerous sightings being recorded in Hafodyrynys, Blaenavon, Goldcliffe and the Monmouth area over the course of a few years.On 1st April 2004, the South Wales Argus reported that police were called after a man claimed he saw a big cat roaming in Brynmawr.The motorist called police as he drove along the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road.He recalled that the animal was a large, sleek cat with a shiny coat and yellow eyes and was walking along the side of the road at 3.40am on Monday. As the motorist passed the cat, he said it ran into a nearby field and out of sight. Police went to the area but were unable to trace the animal.Big cat expert Danny Nineham said at the time: "That sounds like the Brynmawr big cat that was prowling around the industrial estate last summer.”"Tracks were found in the mud, and a worker saw the big cat walking around a perimeter fence, but I haven't had any reports of it for several months now. It is probably a black leopard, which can grow more than eight foot from the nose to the tip of the tail." Mr. Nineham added: "There are hundreds of these cats in the wild and I have calls about them from all over the UK on a weekly basis.”A man from Goytre made a plaster cast of what he believed was a big cat's footprint on the mountains between Blaenavon and Abergavenny. Kevin Phillips told the papers at the time; "Last year a couple of my sheep were found mutilated on the mountain, and I was sure that it was a big cat.”The plot thickened after he discovered footprints in the snow."I noticed these prints were about four inches by three inches and straight away thought that they could be from a panther or similar type of predator."Mr. Phillips followed the prints until they reached tunnels in the mountainside... where they stopped."I definitely think this is a panther-like creature," he concluded.Other alleged sightings include the disturbing story of eleven-year-old Josh Hopkins, who was allegedly attacked by a big cat near his home in Trellech, near Monmouth, in 2000.The poor boy was slashed across the face by the sharp claws of what he described as a black leopard as he searched for his lost pet cat. Gwent police using marksmen equipped with infra-red lights mounted in a helicopter search failed to find the creature which left vivid claw marks on the boy's right cheek.In July 2002 the so-called Beast of Trellech was spotted at the top car park at Trellech Primary School.In fact, there were so many sightings of big cats across Wales during that period, that Swansea University began to research and collected more than 70 big cat encounters in South Wales within its first year. Some further sightings include;Beast of Bont - the alleged killer puma, is said to have mutilated 50 sheep in Pontrhydfendigaid, near Aberystwyth, since 1995.Beast of Tonmawr - scared residents, claimed a large cat screamed and growled at them in the Afan/Neath Forest area. London Zoo officials identified the creature as a North American jungle cat after a plaster cast was taken from paw prints.Carmarthen Cats - Experts held responsible the death of lambs on a farm in Whitemill to a family of pumas.Powys Puma - four sheep were killed on a farm in Llangurig in 1980, police marksmen and RSPCA officials surrounded the creature in a barn, but it slipped out of a rear exit.Beast of Bala - it killed lambs on a farm in Llanuwchllyn in 1995 and was shot by a farmer. It turned out to be a pet lemur.Beast of Bont, Mark II - Police performed a helicopter search for a vicious creature which terrified two 10-year-old boys in Pontarddulais, near Swansea.Felingwm foal attack - In 1997, a creature said to resemble a "cat-like beast" attacked a foal in Felingwm, Carmarthen.Margam Monster - Farmers staged a 24-hour armed guard in the fields after a creature was reported to have killed sheep. Anxious parents were required to provide their children with chaperones to school.Pontsticill Puma - a farmer reported coming within 12 ft of a three-foot-long cat which he described as "sleek and glossy."Bryngarw Beast - In 1983, a motorist spotted a large cat in his headlights while driving through Bryngarw near Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran.Beast of Boncath - a sighting of a large cat in Llangoedmor, near Boncath, Pembrokeshire, in January 1996.On 17th May 2009, the Daily Star reported;Shocking figures leaked to us show sleepy Aberystwyth has seen more attacks by the beasts than anywhere else. Black panthers, pumas, and lynx are all thought to be roaming free – and breeding – in remote rural locations. And 34 of 39 suspected big cat kills probed by the Government in the last ten years were in the Aberystwyth area. Just last month the Veterinary Laboratories Agency – responsible for postmortems on big cat kills – said a calf attacked there in March had its ribs splintered by a large mammal. Since 1998 the agency has also studied the carcasses of 15 lambs, 19 sheep, a dog and a fox – all thought to have fallen prey to big foreign cats.Most sightings in Wales are attributed to panthers, which are capable of killing animals as big as a horse. Experts think they were released in the 1970's and have now formed breeding populations in sparsely populated areas like rural Wales.Dr. Dan Forman, a carnivore biologist from Swansea University, said he had “relatively conclusive” evidence big cats were out there.And he said they were being helped by the climate and rugged terrain around Aberystwyth.”Another story I came across was that of home help Michael Sheppard, 62, was called one day by neighbour 90-year- old Joan Reynolds, who was worried that she had not seen her dogs, whippet Peter, or Bedlington terrier, Jason, for some time.“Mr. Sheppard drove to Mrs. Reynolds's farmhouse near Llangadog, searched the farm with his torch and was confronted by a petrifying sight. 'I found Peter lying on the ground and standing above him was a huge, jet-black animal with blood all over its face,' he recalled.'Standing a little further back was another, smaller cat. The adult hissed at me, and that was pretty frightening. I ran back to the house and called the police straight away.'Peter had had his throat ripped out, but Jason was found hiding behind a shed.Police arrived just in time for one officer to see the silhouette of one of the cats disappearing into the darkness.In the early hours of Wednesday, a lorry driver saw a big cat picked out by his headlights at the Associated Co-operative Creamery in Llangadog, not far from Mrs. Reynolds's farm.Again, police arrived too late to catch the animal.”Then, shockingly another sighting came the following day, when a driver from another dairy saw a large black cat on the edge of woodland at Ffairfach, ten miles from Llangadog.The introduction of the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act was held responsible for the increase in big cats. It required the owners of exotic cats to have licenses – prompting many to dump their pets. It is now a popular theory that the animals are all over the United Kingdom and may even have crossbred, creating new species.The National Farmers Union of Wales confesses big cats are “a serious issue” for its members.But some people accuse the press of whipping up hysteria over the sightings, and it is right to say that reports over the last few years have lessened but is this a fair representation of the sightings that still go on today, and are they still happening, but just not popular news stories anymore?A man from Monmouth reported seeing two black cats at around 4.30pm in Vauxhall Fields, which is relatively close to the town center. He said he was about 100 yards away and they looked like lynx and were about the size of a Dobermann. The three of them all just stood looking at each other for quite a long time, before the cats disappeared into the undergrowth.Several reports also told of a black panther-type creature that had been spotted in and around the town - dubbed the 'Beast of Blaenavon.'Gerry Woodhouse, from Brankleys Houses, off Llanover Road, saw a panther-like creature walk along his garden wall.His partner, Susan Fiander, 40, said they believe that on the Saturday morning, while they were away from home, the beast returned and slaughtered a goose, chicken and two ducks they kept as pets in their back garden.She said: "There was absolute carnage and we believe there is a savage cat out there. "About six weeks ago, one of our geese just disappeared, and we've got a four-foot wall surrounding the property which would make it impossible for a fox to have taken it."I'm worried for the safety of people, particularly children, and especially with summer holidays approaching."Ms. Fiander believes the remainder of her animals were saved from being wiped out by the intervention of her next-door neighbour's female rough collie who broke out of its fenced kennel.Breeze, aged five, who is owned by 49-year-old Paul Teague, may well have come face-to-face with the beast.He said: "Something definitely spooked her and there was something very big in here. I think there is a genuine cause for concern and the matter should be taken seriously".Ian Parfitt, aged 48, from Cwmavon Road, said he was shocked to see a big cat he believed to be a black panther jump out of a skip as he walked near Blaenavon leisure centre at around midnight a few weeks ago.He said the animal had a body which was about four feet long - a description which is consistent with most sightings.PC Gary Lawrence, from Blaenavon police station, said: "We are taking the matter very seriously as we've had several reliable sightings in recent weeks."In another sighting, a photographer produced a picture which he claims shows a black panther in woodland outside CwmbranNorman Evans' shot was taken just 25 feet away from the beast, he claims, and today Gwent Police issued a warning to local people not to approach the cat if they see it."This isn't more than a mile from peoples' homes and just three from the centre of town," said the 43-year-old amateur photographer from Upper Cwmbran.Fears that big cats are on the loose in Gwent were reignited by a further sighting near Abergavenny.Just three days after the Argus reported how police officers spotted two panthers near Goldcliff, Newport, a woman says she saw a big black cat and a cub from her Dan-y-Deri home.Jeanette Fletcher, 56, was decorating her first- floor bedroom at 6pm on Friday when she was amazed to see what she believes was a panther and a cub.Mrs. Fletcher said: "I was finishing up decorating when my son came in from work, we were talking when I looked towards the Deri mountain. About one-and-a-half fields away I saw a large black cat the size of a big dog walking very low to the ground."Behind it, there was a black cub. I shouted for my son to look but by the time he was looking in the right place the pair had disappeared behind a stand of trees."We waited for them to come out the other side but they never did. My son wanted to go out and look for them, but I wouldn't let him."Police went to the scene but did not see anything unusual. Abergavenny police officer Peter Tkaczyk said: "We are asking local people to be vigilant."A Pontypool man was enjoying a walk with his family spotted a big black cat - and he was convinced it was pregnant.Nigel James, of Festival Crescent, spotted the creature at Coedalice Woods, near West Mons School and Pontypool College.He was walking with his wife Maxine, daughters Bethan, 11, Megan, six, son Rhys, four, and a neighbour's daughter.Mr. James, 36, said: "As I was going over a stile I saw it walking from a pile of logs towards a darker part of the woods."It definitely wasn't a domestic cat and was much bigger and powerful looking. It was about three feet in length, and it was quite high off the ground."It was swollen and looked pregnant."It walked in a straight line in front of us for about thirty seconds and then wandered into the woods. The kids were screaming and shouting. We wondered where it went and had a quick look, but we couldn't see it as it was too dark in the woods."Mrs. James said: "We weren't scared, we were more shocked by how big it was. I've never seen anything like it, not even at the zoo. It could probably bite or give you a nasty slash, but it didn't look big enough to kill you." During the stylish 1960's and 70's, it was the trend and perfectly legal in the UK to keep exotic animals as household pets, these ranged from leopards, pumas, and panthers to crocodiles and poisonous snakes.In 1976 the Government introduced the Dangerous Wild Animals Act to protect the public and ensure the animals were looked after properly. When the bill came into force exotic pet owners, we're only really faced with 3 choices. Get a license and improve the facilities for looking after the animals incurring significant expense. Give their pet to a zoo or authorized keeper of such animals. . . OR Have their pet put down.Many owners gave their pets up to local zoos and wildlife parks, but with the number of animals around the zoos and other establishments couldn't cope with the numbers, so many unfortunately were put down. A minority of owners, however, set them free to fend for themselves in the wild, and this is possibly how the majority of Big Cats got into the UK countryside, apparently there is the possibility of zoo and circus escapees but being released from captivity is the most likely source for most of the big cats roaming the UK.According to website UK Big Cats, due to a loophole in the law, it was not illegal until 1981 to release a big cat into the UK countryside. So many owners despite introducing a new non-native species didn't actually break the law. A legal owner of a Big Cat in the UK does not by law have to inform anyone if one of their animals escapes or dies, nor do they have to notify the Authorities if they breed in captivity, so the exact number of Big Cats in this country is tough to estimate.Cats in Celtic FolkloreBlack cats were often used in witchcraft spells, often these practices involved specific organs of a cat or rituals involving black cats, to stop evil spirits bothering humans. Cats were feared and black cats thought to be vengeful and so great care was taken not to offend them. Often they were associated with shape-shifting demons or an evil fairy or the devil himself.GhostsIn more modern folklore, cats were associated with ghosts and demons. In one poltergeist account, an apparition of a cat with a man's head was said to have been seen just before a bed was set on fire and the ghoulish creature vanished.Whether or not these sightings of black cats are of phantom/alien creatures, real live creatures or are cases of mistaken identity, or greatly exaggerated stories fuelled by fear, and superstition, the one consistent theme that runs through all these tales is that cats have a mysterious high power that we as humans find intriguing.Have you seen a big cat in South Wales? Please comment below or tell me your story by email clairebarrand73@gmail.com referenceshttp://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news... "Smile, Big Cat, You Could Be On Camera - Wales Online N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Dial M For Monster - Morfadile.blogspot.com." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Are Panthers Roaming Wales? | Daily Mail Online." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Www.ukbigcats.co.uk - The Definitive Guide To Uk Big Cats." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Big Cat Is Spotted With Cub | South Wales Argus." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Photographer's Big Cat Shock." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .MLA: "Family Pets Killed In 'big Cat' Attack | South Wales Argus." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul. 2018 .
June 20, 2018
"Woman’s Strange Suffering" Creepy Story from North Wales
I posted this on Facebook earlier this week and it has been my most popular post!! So I had to blog about this weird story. Today I guess we would be looking at a hefty compensation claim with the water board! Well if this doesn't freak you out... nothing will...!WEEKLY MAIL 6th June 1908"WOMAN'S STRANGE SUFFERINGS. CREEPY STORY FROM NORTH WALES." An extraordinary incident has occurred at Penscoins, Port Dinorwic. For the last two years Mrs. Roberts, 47, the wife of Owen Roberts, a quarry man and farmer, suffered from pain in the stomach, the sensation being as if some living creature was crawling about in her. Sometimes, she states, she thought it was a mouse, and many times made up her mind to tell her doctor so. but always felt afraid that the doctor would laugh at her if she did. Mrs. Roberts was frequently sick, and on I Sunday during a fit of vomiting she ejected two living creatures. According to a. North Wales correspondent, they were two horrible and unknown things, which crawled about in a dish. In form they were almost exact replicas of gigantic prawns, with large protruding eyes, eight or tern long legs, and two or four small ones. As far as can be seen, there are no antennae. The colour of the creatures is black in the main, though the underparts are a delicate pink. They are thinly shelled, much as a shrimp or a prawn. They are three inches in length, and when first seen were quite an inch and a half in circumference. They did not live long, and were afterward taken away by a doctor and placed in same spirit* of wine." Mrs. Roberts say's that she need to feel the creatures running up her gullet from her stomach whenever she put a tasty bit of food in her mouth, and then creep down into her stomach again as soon as she had swallowed the food. She claims that she distinctly felt the second of the creatures biting her in the throat. Mrs. Roberts has the dreadful fear that others still remain in her system. The Robertses are tenants of Mr. Aseheton- Smith, and that gentleman the moment he heard of the occurrence proceeded to Dr. Edwards's, and obtained the creatures, which he at once conveyed to his own medical attendant, Dr. Grey Edwards, of Bangor, with a request that he would thoroughly investigate the matter and obtain expert opinion. The only theory at present put forward is that Mrs. Roberts must have swallowed the germs when drinking water drawn from the usual supply adjoining her house. MR. ROBERTS'S CONDITION. 'Mrs. Roberts, of Penscoins Cottages, Port Dimorwic, was reported to be a little better on Thursday. With regard to the creatures vomited by her, Dr. Grey Edwards and Mr. Ounnington, locum tenents for Dr. White, professor of zoology at the University College of North Wales, Bangor, agree that they are a kind of crayfish, but what species they had not determined. Asked his opinion about the incident. Dr. Grey Edwards said he had nothing to say. He is not Mrs. Roberts's medical attendant. A number of men are engaged in digging at the source of the water supply at Penscoins Cottages."
June 14, 2018
Interview with Tracey Norman – Author of 'Witch'
Tracey Norman is the writer and creator of the hugely successful play 'Witch' and resides in Devon U.K. Written in 2016, this powerful play is based on the compelling true story of Deanes Grimmertons and include the transcript of the 17th Century Witch trial. Claire Barrand interviewed Tracey about the inspiration behind the play. Your play Witch has been hugely successful, and I believe has surpassed your expectations of it only lasting one season! Congratulations and tell us more about Witch!Thank you! Yes, WITCH has really surprised me and has led on to so many other wonderful and unexpected things. It’s set loosely in the late 1500s and tells the story of a destitute widow, Margery Scrope, who has been accused of witchcraft by her neighbour Thomas Latimer. His daughter has died, and his son is ill, and he believes that Margery is responsible. They are both brought before Sir William Tyrell, the local landowner/magistrate. He has been going through his papers for the day and, in amongst the cases of theft, brawling, and immorality, he finds Latimer’s accusation. Having never dealt with such a case before, he is intrigued. A discussion ensues about Latimer’s evidence while Sir William weighs up what he hears and makes a decision about how the case should proceed. The play was written as a discussion piece, so it asks far more questions than it answers and, ultimately, it is for the audience to decide … is she, or isn’t she?
What was the inspiration behind Witch?I graduated from the OU in 2015 with a First Class Honours degree in History and wanted to do something useful with it. Some friends and I had just started Circle of Spears Productions, an indie audio production house and theatre company, and I thought I would write a piece of theatre for us, something which actually put my degree to practical use. I really wanted to capture an obscure moment in history, bring it to life and make it more accessible. I eventually settled on dramatizing a witch trial, so I approached the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, explained what I was doing and asked if they had any trial transcripts I could work from. They were incredibly supportive from the outset – and still are – and introduced me to a Lyme Regis housewife called Deanes Grimmerton, who had been accused of witchcraft in 1687.
The case appealed to me immediately because there was no devil-pact, no familiar, no covens or broomsticks. It was a story about people. Grimmerton had been accused after a mundane, everyday action – sharing a pipe of tobacco with three neighbours. One of them, a young man named Nathaniel Scorch, subsequently fell ill and his father Richard laid a complaint against Grimmerton, along with his wife Elizabeth, Nathaniel himself and a widow named Mary Tilman. Mary believed her daughter Elizabeth had also been bewitched by Grimmerton back in 1682; she suffered from fits and saw apparitions, much like Nathaniel, eventually succumbing to her affliction in 1685. Grimmerton was arrested and imprisoned in Dorchester Gaol, and her case proceeded to the Dorchester Assize a couple of months later.All I had to work from were copies of four handwritten sheets of witness evidence. There was no indication of a verdict, no indication of a plea having been entered. There was nothing of Deanes as a woman other than the very two-dimensional view of her that could be gleaned from the evidence. And while her story was utterly compelling, I knew that it wouldn’t work in the way I had originally imagined – there just wasn’t enough information. So I started researching around the subject, cherry-picking the best – and worst – examples of other people’s experiences, which became my character Margery Scrope. I made a deliberate choice to set the play 100 years earlier, as I am far more knowledgeable about Tudor history and was already aware of many of the social issues from that time period, which I was able to weave into the narrative. Subjects such as the rise of Protestantism, land enclosures, the treatment of the poor and the treatment of women are all examined alongside the witchcraft accusation. In fact, witchcraft itself is only mentioned a couple of times in the play. Just as Deanes’s case was based on a simple, everyday action, the trigger in Margery’s case is the fact that she gave Latimer’s son Nathaniel a toothache cure. Elizabeth Tilman’s story becomes that of Alice Latimer, and Nathaniel Scorch’s story becomes Nathaniel Latimer’s. I was particularly keen to include the one instance of reported speech in the case when Deanes apparently accosted Elizabeth Tilman and “abused her in words” – Latimer describes an encounter between Margery and his daughter Alice and I gave Margery Deanes’s words.
Why do you think historical Witch trials such as the Gimmerton case, make for such fascinating stories today? Cases like Deanes’s give us an unprecedented glimpse into the way our ancestors lived, what they believed, how they dealt with social issues and how they interacted with each other on a personal level. Reading the witness evidence in this particular case is like looking directly into the past – the people involved were clearly very familiar with one another and, in the case of Mary Tilman, there must have been undercurrents of tension or bad feeling between herself and Deanes for some time. But it also hints at other things – Deanes’s status, for example. She was not destitute, and she was married. She had sufficient tobacco to share it with her neighbours. She is described by Nathaniel as “walking into the house in which he was working,”,” so, unless she was incredibly rude, or the “house” was used either wholly or partially for a trade, there is, again, the inference of familiarity. But for me, the most compelling things about her story is that it is the story of people and what they are capable of doing to each other. It’s the story of people’s beliefs. In many ways, it is the story of injustice, particularly in respect of Mary Tilman, who clearly had not had closure following her daughter’s death. It is also the story of the thousands of women – and men – worldwide who went through the same terrible experience as Deanes. It demonstrates where we have come from and how far we have progressed in the ensuing 400 years – which, surprisingly, is actually not that far when you get down to grassroots level and look at how minorities are treated today.What are peoples reactions to the play?
People have been overwhelmingly positive about the play right from the outset. We celebrated WITCH’s second birthday in April by performing to two groups of History students at Bristol University, where the performance was a formal seminar in two-degree courses – that was one of the most surprising and unexpected paths WITCH has led me to! We have collected a wealth of audience feedback which shows that it affects people deeply and stimulates discussion. I have had people contact me to say that they have been inspired to look into similar cases in their own area. It has been described as “utterly compelling,”,” “powerful” and “thought-provoking.” We’ve had a teacher in the audience who told us that every Year 9 student should see it and another who booked us for his school after seeing our second performance. We’ve had repeat bookings by another university. We have a running tally of people who have been openly moved to tears, and I have recently been contacted by someone who asked when we were next performing in Boscastle so that they could organise their holiday around the performance. I honestly can’t think of a better compliment.Where can we see Witch performed?At the moment, we have four performances scheduled. It premiered in the library at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic – the first piece of live theatre they had had there – and we have been honoured to have been invited back every year since 2016. The play was written specifically for performance in the museum library, so every time we go back, it’s like returning home. We’re there for three performances this summer: Saturday 21st July, Wednesday 15th August and Saturday 8th September, all at 7.30pm. We are also delighted to have been invited to Folk Horror Revival’s Witch Cults 2018 event in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Saturday 14th July, which is our most northerly venue to date. We’re performing at 7pm.
There is also an audio version of the play on CD or download, featuring the original cast and exclusively available from Circle of Spears Productions’s webstore.I regularly give talks on the case – I absolutely love sharing Deanes’s story with others and seeing the different ways it inspires and fascinates people. I’m giving a series of talks with my husband, folklorist Mark Norman, in September, for Hillingdon Libraries in London – one of the talks. “In the Footsteps of the Invisible Witch” will be about Deanes.Have you a book planned and what can you tell us about it?Yes, I am working on a book at the moment. After the play was written and we had started performing it, I just couldn’t let Deanes go. Her story was so incomplete, and I desperately wanted to know what had happened to her. I started digging around in various archives and soon found that thanks to the joys of non-standard spelling, Deanes went by a number of surnames in official records. When I wrote the play, the only name I had was “Gimmerton.” It got to the point when I would type it into Google in search of something new, and nine of the first ten responses were my own website, which was pretty frustrating. Once I had discovered “Grimmerton,” I found out a little more – and since then, I have discovered at least six other variations. I have been piecing together Deanes’s story as best I can, given the age of the case and the paucity of historical records. My aim with the book is to present her story in its entirety in the one place, explain how she inspired me and use both her story and Margery’s to examine some of the issues raised in the play. The book is due out late this year or early 2019 and will be published by Troy Books in Cornwall.What do you write about in your blog and where can we follow that?You can find my blog at www.traceynormanswitch.com – I share snippets of my research and news about where the show is heading next, as well as amusing incidents that happen along the way, such as my apparent inability to navigate the (seemingly) hundreds of reception desks at The National Archives. There are cast photos on the website and a list of past and future performances – Newcastle will be our 57th performance since July 2016.What are your plans for future projects?At the moment, I am mainly focussing on the book, but I have plans for a schools package for WITCH and would like to turn the play into a film at some point in the not-too-distant future – mainly in response to people who have asked if it is available in that format.I’m also working on the first in a High Fantasy series and am in the process of writing a set of creation myths for my fictional world, which I’ll be presenting as dramatized readings at Chilcompton Fringe Festival in August, alongside my colleagues from the Exeter Authors Association.What books do you enjoy reading and/or favourite authors do you follow?I read anything and everything – I have a totally uncontrollable to-be-read pile – but my favourite author is C J Sansom, author of the Shardlake Tudor crime series. They are, for me, one of the best, most evocative renditions of the Tudor world and his plots are fiendishly complicated and beautifully crafted. I can return to them time and time again and still get completely lost in the story. As well as the physical books, I have the first five in audio format, read by the wonderful Anton Lesser, which lives almost permanently in my car. Anton Lesser has accompanied me on more car journeys than I care to admit! I can’t wait for the next book in the series, Tombland, which I already have on pre-order. If I had to pick a favourite, it would be a tie between Revelation, for its incredibly complicated, brilliant plot, and Sovereign, which covers Henry VIII’s time in York during his marriage to Catherine Howard, which I love because I know the period well and I greatly enjoy the way in which Mr. Sansom weaves historical figures and fictional characters into his narrative.Where can we follow your work?
WITCH:www.traceynormanswitch.com Twitter: @WITCHplayCoS Facebook: @TraceyNormanWITCHBook Audio play: www.circleofspears.comFantasy series: www.thefireeyeschronicles.co.uk Twitter: @fireeyeschron Facebook: @TraceyNormanAuthorThere is an audio clip of the scene where Latimer starts to get impatient because things aren’t going his way – he decides to take matters into his own hands, and Sir William is forced to intervene.Tracey - Thank you for taking the time to talk to Red Dragon Tales!
May 24, 2018
6 Places in Wales with the Gate to Annwn (The Otherworld)
Annwn is The Welsh Otherworld. The word Annwn (pronounced ah-noon) translates to 'very deep place.' Also known as Annwfn, or Annwfyn.This Otherworld is not to be confused with Hell, far from it! For this world features castles, kings, and a landscape not unlike that of our Ancient Wales.Ruled by Arawn (or, in Arthurian literature, by Gwyn ap Nudd), it was primarily a world of delights and eternal youth where illness does not exist, and nourishment is plentiful. It is more likened to a type of ethereal paradise or heaven.The Annwn is mentioned in the Mabinogi – the four interlinked mythological tales dating from Medieval Wales. In Welsh and Irish myth Annwn is portrayed as being either an island somewhere or under the earth. In the first branch of the Mabinogi, it is implied that Annwn is a land situated within Dyfed, while cryptic medieval Arthurian poem Preiddeu Annwfn hints at an island location. The general consensus is though, that The Otherworld is with us but invisible, as if in another dimension, there but with a veil between our world and theirs. The Otherworld was not somewhere where you went when you died in original Celtic mythology, rather, it was somewhere that co-existed with this world in parallel. Annwn, according to legend has either one of two rulers. Gwyn ap Nudd, he is the leader of the Wild Hunt, dating back to the middle ages he was King of the Tylwth Teg ( Faerie or Fair Folk) Or Arawn, also a master hunter who rides a pale horse and leads a pack of white hounds with red ears. The purpose of these hunts was to gather souls for the Otherworld. The dogs were known as the Hounds of Annwn. They were said to hunt mostly on Cadair Idris. , Seemingly their barking was loudest when it was far away, and became quieter as they neared. The sight of the hounds was an omen of imminent death. Christian missionaries dubbed them 'The Hounds of Hell' and Arawn as Satan to make the story fit in. However, The Wild Hunt of the Cwn Annwn was for wrong-doers so that they may be punished.Annwn is also the home of the goddess Rhiannon with her magical birds, which have the power to wake the dead and lull the living to sleep. A medieval text calls Morgen le Fay ‘Margen, dwywes o annwfyn’ – Morgen, Goddess of Annwn, suggesting Annwn and Avalon are one and the same place.Two other otherworldly feasts that occur in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi are located in Harlech in northwest Wales and on Ynys Gwales in southwest Pembrokeshire.As Wales became more Christian, ‘Annwn’ became increasingly associated with the Christian idea of ‘hell.’ While Welsh mythology and legend speak positively of Annwn in early texts, as time passed and Christianity began to become deep-seated in the lives of the ordinary folk, references to this Otherworld became rarer and darker in tone. Six places in Wales where you might enter the Gates of Annwn Ffynnone
Ffynone is a beautiful, secluded waterfall on the river Dulas in the Cwm Cych valley. It is reputed to be the entrance to "Annwn" mentioned in the first branch of the Mabinogion, where Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, discovered this beautiful place.Glaslyn
Glaslyn (Welsh meaning Blue lake) is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. According to Welsh folklore, Arthur had Bedivere throw his sword Excalibur into Glaslyn, where Arthur's body was later placed in a boat to be carried away to Afallon. A large stone known as Maen Du'r Arddu, below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, is supposed to have magical powers. Like several other sites in Wales, it is said that if two people spend the night there, one will become a great poet while the other will become insane. Llyn Coch in Cwm Clogwyn has been associated with the Tylwyth Teg (fairies)Llyn y Fan Fach
Welsh meaning "Lake of the small hill," north of the Black Mountain in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, within the Brecon Beacons National Park. A folklore legend is linked with the lake, known as the Lady of the Lake. A young shepherd met a beautiful fairy woman from Annwn, who ascended from the dark waters of Llyn y Fan Fach in Carmarthenshire. He took her back to his home in the nearby village of Myddfai where they married, but she warned him that if he ever struck her three times, she would go back to her underwater kingdom. She bore him three sons, but over the years he thoughtlessly hit her three times, and so she returned forever to Annwn. But when her sons were grown-up, she taught them the healing powers of herbs, and they grew up to become the renowned doctors known throughout medieval Wales as the Physicians of Myddfai. Descendants of this renowned family were still practicing medicine in the 18th century, and there is at least one herbalist in Dyfed today who claims lineage from the famous family.Grassholm
Grassholm (Welsh: Gwales or Ynys Gwales) is a small uninhabited island situated off the southwestern Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Well into the 19th century it was said to be populated by a host of faeries and to have a sporadic habit of disappearing beneath the sea.Grassholm has been identified with Gwales, a fabulous castle on an island featured in the Mabinogion. Here the severed head of Brân the Blessed (Giant and King of Britain in Welsh Mythology) is kept miraculously alive for eighty years while his companions feast in blissful forgetfulness until the opening of a forbidden door that faces Cornwall recalls them to their sorrow and the need to bury the head at the White Mount.Pentre Ifan
Pentre Ifan contains and gives its name to the most significant and best preserved Neolithic dolmen in Wales. The Pentre Ifan Dolmen is a collection of 7 principal stones. Made of the stone Preseli Bluestone in the Preseli Hills home to Carn Ingli where angels are said to communicate. Also known as the Womb of Ceridwen it is supposed to be one of the gateways to the land of the fairies. Stonehenge was constructed of the same stone.The Berwyn Mountains
The Berwyn range (Welsh: Y Berwyn or Mynydd y Berwyn) is a remote and sparsely populated area of moorland in the northeast of Wales. The Berwyn Mountains above Pistyll Rhaeadr are said to be the physical and geographical location of Annwn. There are stories of the King Gwyn ap Nudd and his people who live in a beautiful palace full of light, laughter, food, warmth, and how travelers on the moors of the Berwyns will sometimes suddenly be presented with this beautiful apparition and invited to join in the feasting and dancing. Alas, anyone who chooses to do so remains in the halls of Gwyn ap Nudd. The only way to escape is to resist temptation, declining to eat or drink. There are many stories about local people who went missing for up to seven years, after a night on the moor. One of which is the tale of St Collen of Llangollen fame, who walked onto the Berwyns to confront Gwyn ap Nudd, armed only with a bottle of holy water. Challenged to step into the great halls of the dead, he accepted. He debated long and hard with the pagan god, refusing all offers of food and drink, and eventually, the halls faded away into the mist, and he returned safely to build his church.Interestingly this is also the location of what has been dubbed the Welsh Roswell!At 8.38 pm on 23 January 1974, an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 was felt over a wide area of North Wales and saw a brilliant light in the sky above the Berwyn Mountains. As people ran from their homes fearing another tremor, they saw a blazing light on the mountainside.A nurse who believed an aircraft had crashed, drove to the site and reports she saw a pulsating orange and red glow on the hillside and other lights. Police converged on the area, and emergency services were put on standby. Although searches were undertaken, officially nothing was found – leading to claims of a cover-up. In the four decades subsequently, there has been considerable debate as to what exactly happened that night, with TV documentaries made and books written on the subject.For further reading on the Annwn, read the references in this article.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annwfnh...
May 15, 2018
Interview with Collette J Ellis,
Artist & Author of 'Welsh Monsters and Mythical Beasts'
Collette June Ellis is an Illustrator of Mythozoology from North Wales, U.K, and her fantastic work is inspired by Welsh fantasy and legend, resulting in striking artwork that is exhibited across the U.K at numerous Comic Cons. Collette has successfully launched three Kickstarters, including her book ‘Welsh Monsters and Mythical Beasts’ which has sold over 1000 copies of its first edition in just one year. 
Covering albums and books with her stunning art and featuring on podcasts, magazines and television, it seems Collette’s art is going from strength to strength, and I was thrilled to grab the opportunity to chat with Collette about her passion for monsters and dragons!Collette – explain to us what exactly Mythozoology is!Mythozoology is the study and documentation of mythical creatures from a variety of cultures, it’s something I’ve always been fascinated by ever since I was little, that and paleontology and herpetology. I loved to imagine the kinds of adaptions mythical creatures may have in order to blend into their habitat, wildlife documentaries have always had a huge impact on my work and I love the idea of writing about these mythical beasts as if they actually existed, it’s really fun to base ideas on real-world animal adaptations because there is so much variety and diversity out there to explore.Having grown up in Wales myself, I am not surprised that you got your inspiration from the folklore and traditions of our beautiful country. For you, was there a particular story or legend that sparked your interest in Dragons?My first memory of Welsh mythology was learning about the red dragon on our national flag in school. I also remember reading about the Arthurian legend ‘The Dragons of Dinas Emrys’ and how the red dragon and a white dragon fought one another, it was really inspiring and sparked an interest in Welsh and Celtic myths for me.Tell us one or two of your favourite legends behind the pictures you have drawn.My favorite is probably the Gwiber, which is a Welsh adder that has grown so large it has turned into a dragon. My Chinese zodiac sign is a Snake and I was once told by a woman selling zodiac scrolls in China that snake people can choose to stay as snakes or grow wings and become dragons, it reminded me so much of our own Gwiber legend and stuck with me as one of my favorites.
There is a story that tells of how a young man decided to hunt down and kill a Gwiber and was warded off doing so by a local wise-man, against this advice he went to kill the creature regardless and died in his attempt.Another I like is the Afanc legend; Afancs are sea-serpent type creatures that live in mountain lakes, similar to the legend of Loch Ness in Scotland. One legend tells of an Afanc that terrorized the town of Conwy, causing floods and eating livestock. The villagers got so exasperated with the beast they had a young girl sing it to sleep so they could trap it and drag it up into Snowdonia away from the village.
I like that there’s a level of respect for these creatures in Welsh mythology, they are rarely killed as some form as trophy for a ‘hero’ but seen as intelligent and forces of nature that should be respected.You do a lot of conventions in the UK, where can we see your work displayed in the next few months?
I used to do quite a lot of conventions, but this year I’ve had to cut them down to focus on my new ‘Welsh Myths’ book which I plan to launch later this year. I’m also focusing on applying to more fantasy publications like Spectrum Art Magazine.I’ll be attending London MCM from May the 24th – 27th, Cardiff Comic Expo on June the 2nd and hopefully London MCM October (the dates for which should be revealed later this summer).
I love meeting people who follow my art online so if anyone is able to make these shows I’d love to say hello!Has anyone had your work tattooed onto them?Yes! It’s strange seeing your design etched permanently into someone’s skin but it’s also really awesome that someone loves your work enough to do that!I always advice people to please ask me first if they’re thinking of doing this, sometimes I don’t own full rights to the artwork as it may have been a commission and then obviously I can’t give permission on the commissioner’s behalf. Most good tattoo artists ask for a permission form before they copy an artists work, in exchange I will request the person wanting the tattoo supports my etsy store by purchasing a print or post card to support me.My favorite piece of your work is the Angelystor because the image is compelling, terrifying and dark – always something that intrigues me! – please tell me a bit more about this creature!
The Angelystor is a spirit that is said to arise each Halloween in a Conwy graveyard, it makes its way to the Church alter and proceeds to read out the names of all those that will die that year. It’s pretty scary and I know a few people who’ve gone to the site during Halloween, it really is quite scary at night from what I’ve been told I wouldn’t recommend it!What is your most popular piece of work and why do you think this is?My most popular illustration is probably the ‘River Dragon’ an illustration inspired by the Long river in China, it’s also one of my favorite artworks and as I’m sure many artists can understand, that level I’m always trying to achieve once more in my work.
Where do you work, and how much time do you spend each day creating your art.I currently work from home full time as an illustrator, I have a studio in the front room of our home.Before, I used to just create art as and when but these days having a schedule really helps. Most week days my day starts at 8am and ends around 6pm, after that I’ll have dinner and do some house-work. This can depend on deadlines though, some days I’ll have to work into the late evening. Weekends are something I try to keep free to spend time with friends or family, I’ll always keep a sketchbook on me just in case I get inspired, but it feels good to take some time off and recharge on a forest walk.
You have a personal love of dragons and I see you keep some as pets! Can you tell me about them?
My other passion is herpetology (keeping and studying reptiles), in total I have around seven reptiles living in our home along with four mice and a cat named Korra. I love creating bio-active enclosures and trying to replicate the conditions they would experience in the wild, it’s like creating a little ecosystem in each tank.
The animals keep me company while I work and provide an incredible source of inspiration, each has their own personality and characteristics and I love transferring that into my dragon illustrations.Do you have any advice for aspiring artists who would like to pursue art as a career?.Always finish a project, it’s so import to complete something, it doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’ just make something and see it through to the end and share it with your friends and on social media as you do it. If you want to write a comic strip go for it, if you want to produce an art series honestly just do it! I think so many artists (Including myself) get wrapped up in getting things perfect or not bothering to even start something because you won’t be as good as someone else, it’s really not worth the worry, if you have an idea make it a reality.You are working on an updated version of the book Welsh Monsters and Mythical Beasts! When and where can we buy this book?I’m in the process of creating a reboot of the book, since the first launch I received so many new legends from all over Wales and of course I just had to include them! I’ll also be including new artworks and extended pages from the original book, in all I’ve added around 20 new pages and there will possibly be more before the launch.Date-wise I’m looking to open pre-orders at the end of the year, there’s no clear date yet, but as soon as I set one I’ll be creating a facebook event page so people can get a reminder when it goes live. There will be rewards for past backers of the book and early bird giveaways for those who get in on the first day.You sell your work in the form of T-Shirts, cushions and other items where can we buy them?Yes, I have a store over on RedbubbleWhat are your dreams for your work in the future and how can we help this to continue?I’d love to continue working as a freelance artist, just making enough from my original art is already a dream come true! I still have a long way to go before I’m what you’d call financially secure, so having that security would be the next step. I’d also love to write and publish more books about creatures and dragons.As for what you guys could do to help, I have an Etsy store and a patreon where you can support my art, however, if you can’t afford to support an artist financially you can share posts, comment, like and of course word of mouth is such a powerful tool.Please tell us where we can follow you and keep up to date with your events and work.Best places to follow me is on Patreon, Twitter and Facebook, I also have a monthly mailing list which I use to announce exciting news and projects you can find links to all of these via my website.LINKSwww.collettejellis.comhttps://www.patreon.com/ColletteJEllishttps://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ColletteJEllishttps://www.facebook.com/ColletteJEllisArthttps://twitter.com/collettejellishttps://www.instagram.com/collettejellisCollette, thank-you for talking to me at Red Dragon Tales – I hope one day to meet you and to be able to purchase one of your beautiful pieces of artwork for my own office wall!Collette has included a sneak peak at some of the artwork for the new edition of Mythical Beasts & Monsters! See below 
May 14, 2018
The Bwbach
One type of Welsh fairy is the Bwbach (Boo-Bach) the household fairy. A kind of goblin, he is not to be confused with Pwca. He is like the English Bogie – whom mothers might use to threaten their children with if they did not behave! Wirt Sykes describes it as a creature quite like the English Brownie or domestic Hobgoblin. The word Bwbach is, interestingly, also Welsh for a scarecrow.The Bwback find themselves an owner and set out to do daily tasks. Said to be a spirit about 3ft tall they wear brown clothes and have disheveled hair, and do not like being spoken to directly. Instead one must announce what you would like to do while engaging in a task yourself and then leaving them payment in the form of milk, oats or cream. Generally, Bwbach is an excellent natured goblin, and as suggested, this Fae does good turns for the Welsh housewife, who would traditionally win favour by leaving out a bowl of fresh cream in a freshly swept fire hearth before going to bed each night. In the morning she might find the cream has gone and that day the butter would churn beautifully for her in return. A word of warning, however! If you are adopted by a Bwbach and forget to leave its reward or offend it in any way, then it can turn rather nasty indeed and take on the personality of an angry poltergeist.The Bwbach, being Pagan in origin, also does not take kindly to teetotallers or non-Pagan religious people! One story goes that a Bwbach belonging to an estate in Cardiganshire took umbrage to a Baptist priest who was staying as a guest. As the family sat around the hearth warming themselves, the priest felt his stool jerk forward as he was kneeling in prayer. He fell forward. Another time it interrupted prayers by jangling the fire-irons and tormented the dogs so that they would howl! A farm boy saw the grinning face of the mischievous elf at the window and the maid “threw fits.” One minister told this terrifying story of his encounter with a Bwbach one day while crossing a field.'I was reading busily in my hymn-book as I walked on when a sudden fear came over me, and my legs began to tremble. A shadow crept upon me from behind, and when I turned around--it was myself!--my person, my dress, and even my hymn-book. I looked in its face a moment, and then fell insensible to the ground.'And there, insensible still, they found him. This encounter proved too much for the good man, who considered it a warning to him to leave those parts. He accordingly mounted his horse next day and rode away. A boy of the neighborhood, whose veracity was, like that of all boys, unimpeachable, afterward said that lie saw the Bwbach jump up behind the preacher, on the horse's back. And the horse went like lightning, with eyes like balls of fire, and the preacher looking back over his shoulder at the Bwbach, that grinned from ear to ear.So, the Bwbach doubles up as a terrifying creature, and like most Fae, should one adopt you then it is wise to keep them on side!
May 6, 2018
WELSH WICKED WITCHES & WISE WIZARDS
Witches and Wizard (wise men) in Wales were feared or respected and generally left alone. Wizards and wise men had quite an easy time of it, often they were paid well for their healing skills for sick animals. Pretty much every village had its a wise man. (Dyn Hysbys). It was said that wise men increased by persuading ignorant country folk to sacrifice their children to the devil to turn them into wise men. Sometimes bizarrely, it was the local vicar who would be the wizard. Vicar Pritchard of Pwllheli was well known to be able to lay ghosts to rest. What he did with the candle in a lead box buried under a tree, ( see below) is in line with long-held Welsh superstitions.Witches, on the other hand, were not so well liked. Often said to put spells on peoples’ livestock of anyone that crossed them. They were thought to be responsible for causing butter not to churn and remedies to rectify bewitched butter would include tying a rowan branch over the dairy doorway or to place an iron knife inside the churn because witches (like Faerie) are repelled by iron. The term “witching a pig” meant that a curse had caused a pig to have a seizure. In Gilwern where I live a witch by the name of Molly Davies was said to have been able to make a pig stand on its head. I found an interesting article in Welsh Newspaper Archives and have recreated here for you to read. Printed in 1913, it gives a fascinating insight into Welsh witches and wizards, and the beliefs held about them.The Cambria Daily Leader Saturday, October 11, 1913WITCHCRAFT. REMARKABLE STORIES OF WELSH CREDULITY. LAYING GHOSTS.The belief of witches and witchcraft persists in Wales, and in the current issue of "The Occult Review," some instances illustrating the prevalence of the belief are given by M. L. Lewes. In olden days Welsh witches used to "put spells" on the animals of neighbours who annoyed them.If a cow were the victim it would sicken of no apparent disease, cease to give milk, and, if the spell were not removed, would die. The effect of "witching" a pig was to cause a curious kind of madness, sometimes like a fit; this again ended fatally unless a counter-charm was forthcoming.Quite recently I saw one of these charms quoted in a local paper by a collector of folklore. "An old witch living not far from Llangadock (in Carmarthenshire) on one occasion when she had witched a pig was compelled subsequently to unwitch the animal. She came to put her hand on the pig's back saying, Duw a'th gadwo i'th berchenog (God keep thee to thine owner), which seemed a wild way of calming a frenzied pig.“Mary Perllan Peter"A noted witch used to live about a mile and a half from my own home (continues the writer). She was known as "Mary Perllan Peter," from the name of her house, “Perllan Peter,” deep down in a thickly wooded ravine, or dingle, as we call it in Cardiganshire. One day she asked a neighbour to bring her some corn which she required, and the man very unwillingly consented, as the path down to the cottage was very steep, and the corn heavy to carry. On the way, he spilled some, and Mary was very angry and muttered threats to her friend when he left. And when he got back to his home and went to the stable, what was his amazement, to see his little mare sitting “like a pig" on her haunches and staring wildly before her. He went to her and pulling at the halter tried to get her on her feet. But in vain; she did not seem able to move. Then the man, very frightened, bethought him of the witch's threats, for he felt sure the mare was spellbound. So, be sent off for Mary to come and remove the spell, and when she arrived, she went straight up to the animal and said “Moron fach, what ails thee now?" was all she said, and the mare jumped to her feet as well and lively as ever.Scarlet Yarn.As regards to the use of scarlet yarn for the "charming," I 'believe there is an old idea that a special healing "virtue" attaches to this colour. When in childhood one suffered from colds a piece of scarlet flannel was clapped on one's chest; it had to be scarlet, one was told, to do any good; white was no use.I have no doubt this idea was a relic of ancient folklore, as are so many of our little daily customs and observances in olden times a bunch of brightly coloured threads was supposed to ward off the evil eye. And the country custom of tying up horses' manes and tails at a fair with scarlet braid or worsted has its origin in the same idea.Hares and Moll White the WitchThe connection between witches and hares seems to have always been very widely spread. Addison mentions the belief in one of his essays, writing of an old village witch called Moll White. "If a hare makes an unexpected escape from the hounds, the huntsman curses Moll White. I have known the master of a pack upon such an occasion send one of his servants to see if Moll White had been out that morning." Not only was it thought that witches transformed themselves into hares, but Elias Owen tells us that in his day aged people in Wales believed that witches by incantation could change other people into animals. He quotes instances of a man being turned by witchcraft into a hare, in the neighbourhood of Ystrad Meurig (Cardiganshire). Another case he relates is that of a woman in North Wales who knew before anyone told her that a certain person died at such a time. The Rector asked her how she came to know of the death if no one had informed her, and if she had not been to the house. Her answer was " I know because I saw a hare come towards his house and cross over the road before me."The Sick Cow.The following stories, told me on excellent authority, relating to the parish of Llanvihangel Geneurglyn, Cardiganshire, and the "John Price" referred to was living a very few years ago, and is alive still for anything I know to the contrary. There was a man belonging to the village of Llanvihangel who had a sick cow. He could not find out what was the matter with her, and fit last in despair he went to consult John Price, the wise man, who lived at Llanbadarn- Fawr, a few miles away. John immediately declared that the cow was bewitched."Because," said he,"you will find when you look that every tooth in her head is loose.""Why who has done that?" asked the farmer. "That I cannot tell you," was the reply, "but this I will tell you, that the person who bewitched her has visited your house today."He would say no more, and the inquirer hurried off home. He lost no time in examining the cow's mouth, and sure enough, every tooth was loose! Then he asked his, wife, "Who has been here to-day?""No one," she answered, "except, indeed. . . So-and-so”, naming a poor girl who sometimes came to get work.Then the farmer knew who had ill-wished his cow, which, by the way, recovered. In the same parish of Llanfihangel, there was a child very ill, so ill, in fact, that the doctors gave him up. The I father went secretly and consulted John Price, who said the child was bewitched but would recover, and he did. I know the clergyman who was vicar of this parish at the time these instances occurred. And it was, he who. made notes of the two cases. He is, now rector of Llansamlet.A Layer of Ghosts.At the same time I was told of this wizard, my informant who, by the way, was a perfect mine of interesting gossip on such subjects, --asked me if I had ever heard of "Vicar Pritchard, of Pwllheli" (now dead), who in his time was a noted layer of ghosts, and whose fame as such still survives in Merionethshire, for he was in great demand throughout the country whenever an uneasy spook gave trouble. Armed with candle and book in an orthodox way, he said to one ghost, "Now will you promise me to cease troubling this house as long as this candle lasts?" The spirit gladly promised, thinking that was but an hour or so to wait. But the vicar promptly extinguished the flame, put the candle into a lead box, I sealed and buried the box beneath a tree, where it lies to this day, and the ghost can do more harm.Herb doctors were different to wizards, but they were consulted by locals and revered for their remedies. Some of these remedies were strange, to say the least. In some parts of Wales, a dried toad was placed under the armpit to ward off fever. Another peculiar medicine was snail water used for nerves and joint pain. Here is a recipe if you fancy trying it although I strongly recommend that you don’t!2lb of garden snails, Juice of ground Ivy, Coltsfoot, Scabious Lungwort, Purslain, Ambrosia, Pauls Betony, Hogs Blood, White wine, Dried tobacco leaves, Licorice elecampane, Orris, Cotton seeds, Anise seeds, Saffron, Rose petals, violets and borageSteep all the above for 3 days then distill. Then drink. (please don’t!)
References http://www.worldhistory.biz/ancient-h...
May 2, 2018
Author Focus ~ Interview with Mark Norman | Black Dog Folklore | The Folklore Podcast
Mark Norman is a folklore author and researcher based in Devon, in the South West of the U.K. He is a committee member of the Folklore Society and has been researching and collecting information on Black Dog apparitions for many years. He holds what is believed to be the U.K’s most extensive archive of these sightings and traditions, which includes fieldwork and notes from other respected collectors such as Theo Brown and the recently donated archive of Janet Bond.The book Black Dog Folklore is the first full-length study of the phenomenon by a single author, containing a gazetteer of over 750 key U.K eyewitness accounts and traditions drawn from the author's archive.Mark, Welcome to my blog and thank you for being a part of my Author Focus series!Your book “Black Dog Folklore” is a comprehensive study of the image of black dogs within British Folklore and I believe you have the most extensive collection of sightings ever held! What inspired you to focus on the Black Dog in particular?It was never my intention to focus on Black Dog apparitions as the main part of my research. Although I am interested in a wide variety of folklore topics, I like to work within my own geographical area a lot of the time. In the late 1990s, I decided to access the archives of the well-respected Devon folklorist Theo Brown. These had been bequeathed to the Special Collections Department of the University of Exeter after her death.Originally, I had intended to try and track down any local ghost stories that I was not already aware of. Theo was a prolific collector, and there were many boxes of papers in the collection. At the time, not having been there long, they had not been transferred into archival boxes and so were still in their original ring binders, empty crisp boxes and all sorts of other random storage devices.My attention was diverted by a large blue metal ammunition tin which was labelled Black Dogs. This turned out to contain around 250 accounts of sightings of ghostly black dogs – some from old sources but many from personal correspondence – as well as three draft copies of a manuscript for a book that Theo intended to write. She had already published a seminal article on the subject in the journal ‘Folklore’ in 1958.It became clear that this under-used and valuable archive should be made more available. The librarian responsible for the collection at the time managed to track down the literary executor, and I was given permission to work on the archive, which I partly catalogued and transcribed. Over the next ten years or so I continued the research which Theo had been undertaking, rewriting her manuscripts and combining them with my own material. I also added significantly to the catalogue of sightings, traditions and eyewitness stories. From her 250 or so I now hold over a thousand. The result is my book, which is the only full-length study of the subject by a single author, and my archive of accounts which is, we think, the largest in the UK.Have you ever had an encounter yourself?I have had plenty of encounters with people who have had encounters, but I have not seen one myself. I have possibly seen one or two big cats, but although rare we know that they exist in the landscape and so are something more tangible. What I am interested in with Black Dog accounts is not whether they are ‘actual’ ghosts. Proving the paranormal is not the remit of folklorists. Rather, we are interested in why people report the experiences that they do, and why over the period of almost 1,000 years that my archive spans, there are so many commonalities. Many informants don’t even realise that their experience is not unique and yet they use terminology and description which recurs so frequently.How do you collect the stories? And do you have a favourite?I collect stories from many places. Sometimes in person when talking about my book or my research. Some people send me their experiences by email, and I am always happy to receive these. Some contact me after interviews and so on. Other accounts or traditions I pick up from books, journals, and other printed sources.There are so many accounts – 750 or so alone listed in the gazetteer in the back of my book – that it is almost impossible to pick a favourite. The phantom coach of Lady Mary Howard, which has a black dog associated with it, is a folk ghost based on a tragic true historical tale. But it is too long to describe here; you will have to buy a copy of the book for all the detail on that!Is there a common theme that you have identifies across sightings? Such as the size or description of the spectre?There are many commonalities. Theo Brown used six key features when examining stories, and within these, there are definite common descriptors. Certainly around size and description, but more interestingly in the recurring terminology. “Eyes like saucers” is one. Some are interesting because they change over time based on our cultural readings although they retain their meaning. For example, the old phrase “as big as a calf” which was often used in the heyday of rural farming is often now replaced with “as big as a wolf.” The book goes into the detail of why this happens.Are Black Dogs in your opinion, “Ghosts” or something darker? (i.e., demonic or from the Faerie realm?)As I mentioned earlier, it is not my place as a folklorist to have an opinion on what they are. They are probably different things to different people. In folklore that is all equally valid and does not really matter. It is the decoding of the story and the ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’ that is of interest to me. Anyone who reports a story to me of something they have experienced will certainly not find any danger of ridicule from me, for example.In Wales, many stories involve Black Dog folklore such as the Gwyllgi and the Cwm Annwn. Often seen as a pre-warning to death. Have you any stories to share about this?Interestingly, in these Welsh stories, the dogs are often white rather than black. We still include them in Black Dog studies because the commonality of black animals means that the term has become more of a catch-all for all ghostly dog apparitions. The Cwm Annwn, meaning sky dogs, may be seen to have many parallels with the Germanic legends of the Wild Hunt which may be found all across Europe. The pre-cursor to death and disaster also parallels the Shuck and Barguest variants of Black Dog lore which are found in the north of England. But actually, less than half of the sightings in my archive are malevolent. They are often protective or act as guardians.You have a brilliant podcast called The Folklore Podcast. What other topics do you focus on?The Folklore Podcast can be found at www.thefolklorepodcast.com, and it covers a wide range of folklore topics from apples and the weather to old hags and devil lore and much more. I write and present many of the episodes but also have expert guests from the worlds of folklore and history. It is all free, so you get access to research that is often not available to the public in this way. Of course, if people want to sign up for a small monthly donation, they can earn many rewards and bonus content and help the podcast to survive and grow. It has increased massively in the almost two years that it has been running – far more than I ever imagined and it is now I understand in the top 10% of global podcasts for its type.What is next for you regarding research and future books?The Black Dog research is always ongoing. I am usually writing episodes or public talks on different aspects of folklore. I also have a regular newspaper column in my area which has just started, and I sometimes get asked to write for books or magazines. Bookwise, I am writing a new book called “Folk Life” which is an anthology of extended chapters on different aspects of folklore.Where can we come and hear you speak?That is changing all the time. I try to brand live events under the podcast banner to keep them all in one place. I would encourage people to follow my social media below to see all the events as they get released. Along with my wife Tracey, who is a social historian, we are giving four talks for Hillingdon Libraries on the 21st and 22nd September if you are in the London area. But I am happy to give talks where people want to hear them if I can, so people can get in touch with me and ask.Where can we buy your book?You can buy both hardback and softback versions from my publisher, Troy Books. But if you want a signed copy then order the softback at www.thefolklorepodcast.com by clicking on Folklore Shop and then ask me to dedicate it.Do you have a website or Facebook page that readers can follow your work?Yes. Apart from the podcast website cited above, I would suggest people follow the podcast on Facebook and Twitter and also follow my author page to get all the latest news and eventswww.facebook.com/thefolklorepodcastwww.facebook.com/marknormanfolkloreTwitter @folklorepodMark Norman, thank you for talking to me, I enjoyed the signed copy of your book I received for Christmas as a gift from my daughter! I can recommend your book wholeheartedly, it is a fascinating and very well researched, informative read.Thank you for your dedication to this research and long may it continue.
