Scary Tales from North East England
I’m proud to be from the North East of England and the area has a rich and dark history, full of legends, folklore and hauntings that will send shivers down your spine.
Here are some of the most terrifying stories from my part of the country.
1. The Gytrash of the Moors
The Gytrash is a huge and ghostly dog that roams the moors and forests of the north east, sometimes appearing as a horse or a mule. It has glowing eyes and a fearsome howl, and it likes to lure travellers astray or attack them viciously. Some say it is a guardian of the land, others say it is a demon sent to punish the wicked. Either way, you don’t want to encounter this beast on a dark and lonely night.
2. The Boggarts of Yorkshire
Boggarts are mischievous and malicious creatures that live in houses or marshes, and cause all kinds of trouble for the people who live near them. They can sour milk, make dogs lame, make things disappear or break, and even possess people or animals. The worst thing you can do is give them a name, because then they become more powerful and violent. Boggarts are hard to get rid of, as they will follow you wherever you go, unless you trick them into saying their own name.
3. The Lake Semerwater Curse
Lake Semerwater is the second-largest lake in North Yorkshire, and it hides a dark secret beneath its waters. According to legend, there was once a large town where the lake now lies, but it was flooded by an angel’s curse. The angel came to the town disguised as a beggar, and asked for food and shelter at every house, but only one couple welcomed him kindly. The angel revealed his true identity and rewarded the couple by sparing their house, while drowning the rest of the town as punishment for their unkindness.
4. The Drummer Boy’s Well
In the village of Harpham in Yorkshire, there is a well in a field that is haunted by the ghost of a drummer boy. He was killed by his own comrades during the English Civil War, when they mistook him for an enemy spy. His body was thrown into the well, and his drum was hung on a nearby tree. Ever since then, his ghost has been seen wandering around the well, or heard beating his drum in times of trouble or war.
5. The Brown Man of the Moors
The Brown Man of the Moors is a mysterious and sinister figure that protects the wildlife and plants of the moors from hunters and trespassers. He is described as a dwarf with red hair and glowing eyes, and he can appear and disappear at will. He often scolds or threatens people who harm his subjects, or leads them astray into bogs or over the edge of cliffs. Some say he is a fairy king, others say he is a pagan god, but no one knows for sure who or what he is.
6. The Ghosts of Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle in Northumberland is said to be one of the most haunted places in Britain, with dozens of ghosts roaming its halls and dungeons. Some of the most famous ones are the Blue Boy, who appears as a flash of blue light or a crying child; the White Lady, who wanders around the chapel and the library; the Torturer, who haunts the torture chamber where he inflicted unspeakable pain on prisoners; and the Radiant Boy, who emerges from a wall in one of the bedrooms with his arms outstretched.
7. The Lambton Worm
The Lambton Worm is a legendary monster that terrorized the county of Durham in ancient times. It was said to be a giant worm-like creature that could coil itself around hills and devour livestock and people. It was hatched from an egg that was caught by a young man named John Lambton, who threw it into a well and then went off to fight in the Crusades. When he returned, he found that his land was ravaged by the worm, which had grown enormous. He managed to slay it with the help of a witch, but not without a terrible curse that doomed him and his descendants to never die in their beds.
© Colin Lawson Books