Category Archives: Local History

Bryn Hall and the Holy Hand

Posted on November 9, 2017 by LancashireFolk

Bryn Hall, in Ashton-in-Makerfield, is well-known for the legend of the Holy Hand which was kept here for decades, reverently wrapped in a white silk bag. This hand was a relic of martyred priest Father Arrowsmith, who was killed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Holy Relics, Local History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Another little anecdote about the Buck Stone…

Posted on June 2, 2016 by LancashireFolk

A couple of years ago I told the story of the enormous dragon / worm / serpent that once lived in Hawes Tarn, Silverdale Recently I came across this lovely little snippet in a little book by one T. Pape: … Continue reading →

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Sir Richard Owen and a gruesome tale

Posted on May 24, 2016 by LancashireFolk

Sir Richard Owen Whilst this story has only a tenuous link to folklore proper, it is one which has haunted me since I first discovered it some years ago. And so I offer it here – make of it what … Continue reading →

Posted in Lancashire, Local History, Local Legends, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Lancashire Folk – the Book!

Posted on May 31, 2015 by LancashireFolk

‘Lancashire Folk’ by Melanie Warren Very pleased to finally be able to announce that Lancashire Folk will be published in November 2015, by Schiffer Publishing, as part of their extensive collection of paranormal literature.  As stock comes to their UK … Continue reading →

Posted in Boggart, Castles, Church, Devil Tales, Dragons, Fairies, Ghosts, Green Men, Halls and Houses, Holy Relics, Holy Wells, Lancashire, Lancashire custom, Local History, Local Legends, Miracles, Mistletoe Bough, Mysteries, Railway Ghosts, Skulls, Stones, Traditions, Uncategorized, Way Crosses, Witches & Wizards | 7 Comments

Barcroft Hall, Burnley

Posted on December 13, 2014 by LancashireFolk

Barcroft Hall has two legends, the first of which is commonly known as The Idiot’s Curse. The Barcrofts had been an important local family for three centuries, but the male line of the family died out only a few decades … Continue reading →

Posted in Boggart, Curses, Halls and Houses, Local History | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

How about this for a list of ‘sprites and bogies’…

Posted on August 31, 2014 by LancashireFolk

One of the earliest sources I’m currently working with is a collection of tracts written by Michael Aislabie Denham, who was a Yorkshireman, an ordinary man who made his living as a ‘general merchant’. He died in 1859, in Piersebridge … Continue reading →

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North Euston Hotel

Posted on May 23, 2014 by LancashireFolk

The North Euston hotel was built in the 1830s, when it became clear that the new railway system would reach Fleetwood.  It was hoped that there would be a steady flow of long-distance travellers, all needing sustenance or a bed … Continue reading →

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Penwortham – a Fairy Funeral

Posted on April 25, 2014 by LancashireFolk

Near St Mary’s Church, be wary of laying eyes on the Fairy Funeral, for such a sighting foretells your death! It is said that two men were walking this way late one night, at the dangerous hour of midnight. One … Continue reading →

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Gregson Lane in Brindle – the Holy Hand

Posted on March 28, 2014 by LancashireFolk

There is a house here whose lintel bears the initials GG (George Gregson) and the date 1700. It was the last shelter of Edmund Arrowsmith, a Catholic priest who is now known as a Saint. Edmund Arrowsmith (whose given name … Continue reading →

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The Devil in Cockerham

Posted on December 1, 2013 by LancashireFolk

The Devil once took a liking to the pretty village of Cockerham and decided to take up residence there.  He delighted in patrolling the lanes of this sleepy village, frightening the villagers and filling their noses with the smell of … Continue reading →

Posted in Devil Tales, Local History, Local Legends | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment