Myth and Legend

Mary Toft - the woman who "gave birth to rabbits"

Mary Toft was an English woman from Godalming, Surrey, who in 1726 attracted considerable attention from doctors, high society and even the King when she appeared to have given birth to rabbits.

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Unsinkable Sam, the cat that saw action on both sides in WW2

Unsinkable Sam (also known as Oskar or Oscar) is the nickname of a ship's cat who purportedly served during World War II with both the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy and survived the sinking of three ships.

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The ghosts of Pluckley

Pluckley, in Kent, is said to be England’s most haunted village according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It is reputed to have twelve ghosts.

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The Hairy Hands of Dartmoor

Dartmoor is an eerie and lonely place, with many reputed ghosts and ghouls to terrify the unwary traveller or solitary farmer. One of the oddest of the potential spooky experiences is an encounter with the Hairy Hands.

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Jack o' Kent - a legendary trickster from the Medieval Marches

Jack o' Kent or Jack-a-Kent is a mythic character from the Herefordshire and Monmouthshire area. He is alternately referred to as either a cleric or wizard who regularly beats the Devil in bets and games.

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The Clootie Well - a pagan tradition lives on in Scotland

A strange sight greets motorists driving on the A832 north of Inverness - bits of cloth and clothing hanging off the trees and bushes on the south side of the road. This is the Clootie Well, the residue of a Scottish pagan ritual.

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Borley Rectory - 'the most haunted house in England'

Borley Rectory, in Essex, home of a number of ghost stories, gained national fame when it was the subject of a study by paranormal investigator Harry Price in 1937. He described it as ‘The Most Haunted House in England’, a phrase which caught the imagination of the press and public.

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Banshee

The banshee is a terrifying female spirit of Celtic legend, whose appearance or call is a warning of death.

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Robin Goodfellow - mischievous help around the home

Allegedly born during the reign of Richard I, of a fairy father and mortal mother, Robin Goodfellow (sometimes called Puck) is a sprite of the English countryside. He takes the form of a handsome medieval man, and is mischievous but often helpful – especially with domestic chores being keen on promoting cleanliness, and with a strong work ethic!

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Sawney Bean: the story of a Scottish cannibal

Alexander "Sawney" Bean was a mythic cannibal, said to be the head of a 45-member clan in Scotland in the 16th century that murdered and then ate over 1,000 people over 25 years.

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The elusive Cornish 'Beast of Bodmin'

The moors of the British Isles have long been associated with spectral creatures and monsters - most famously the haunting Black Dogs that are said to prowl there. Cornwall's remote Bodmin Moor hosts a more recent mythic beast - a reputed fearsome giant cat that stalks this rocky landscape.

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Did a Welsh prince discover America?

Whilst it was generally believed that Columbus was the first European to discover America in 1492, it is now well known that Viking explorers reached parts of the east coast of Canada around 1100. What is less well known is that a Welshman may have followed in their footsteps, this time bringing settlers with him to Mobile Bay in modern day Alabama.

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Corbenic, castle of the Holy Grail

In Arthurian legend, Corbenic was the castle housing the Holy Grail, ruled by the Fisher King. It was also the birthplace of one of King Arthur's knights, Sir Galahad.

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Gremlins: the monster you don't want in your workshop

The gremlin is a fairly modern monster, arriving soon after the invention of the aeroplane as a destructive sprite that delights in making anything mechanical go horribly and inexplicably wrong. You definitely wouldn't want one on the loose in your workshop!

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The Big Grey Man of the Cairngorms - not to be mist?

Rising to 4,295 feet, Ben Macdui is the highest peak in the Cairngorm plateau and the second highest mountain in Scotland. Whilst the terrain is rugged, and the weather often capricious, the greatest fear of climbers tackling Ben Macdui can be meeting up with a mysterious being said to haunt the upper regions of the mountain.

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Black Dog - legendary harbinger of doom

The black dog is a spectral or demonic entity found primarily in the folklore of the British Isles. It is particularly at home on lonely pathways across the moors and is usually still, silent and ominous.

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The Wild Hunt - ghost riders in the sky

Throughout Northern Europe, tales were told of ghostly dogs or spirits on horseback riding through the night skies – hunting down the living to join their ranks in the Underworld.

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Spring Heeled Jack - a Victorian panic

Echoing earlier stories of a cloven-hoofed devil, the mysterious appearances of Spring Heeled Jack terrorised the country for more than 60 years in the 19h century, and the facts about his existence remain unclear.

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What's behind the story of the Mad March Hare?

The idea of the ‘Mad March Hare’, embraced in the story of Alice in Wonderland, seems to come from the behaviour of hares in spring. Their courting includes madcap chases and furious boxing matches.

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The Kelpie - deadly water spirit of Scottish myth

A kelpie is a malevolent shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend. They are fresh water monsters, said to haunt rivers and streams, usually in the shape of a horse.

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The Ghosts of Ham House

Ham House and Garden in Richmond is said to be one of the most haunted houses in Britain - home to about 16 ghosts including that of a duchess, her dog and a heartbroken servant.

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Basilisk - don't let it see you!

The basilisk was a mythical monster that looked remarkably like a humble chicken. But it was not wise to look too closely, as the basilisk was one of the most fearsome creatures of the Medieval imagination. Sometimes described as breathing fire, one glance from a basilisk was regarded as lethal.

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The Green Man, spirit of the woods

Glance upwards in many of Britain’s great cathedrals and churches and you may well catch sight of the Green Man looking down at you, with tree leaves curling from his mouth. After being a neglected part of Britain's folk history, the Green Man, and related festivals in his honour, had something of a revival in the 20th century, and many continue to this day, particularly around the time of May Day. But who, you may ask, is he?

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Entombed frogs and toads - mystery or myth?

For centuries, Britain's folklore has featured reports of the strange phenomena of entombed animals, usually frogs or toads, discovered alive within hollow rocks. But is there any truth in this story? And where did this idea come from?

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The Loch Ness Monster - Scotland's fabled beast

Enduring worldwide interest has been generated by the monster said to dwell in Loch Ness, in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large and long-necked, and observed with one or more humps protruding from the water.

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Tom Thumb: a mythic character in the first fairytale printed in English

Tom Thumb is a character in English folklore, and The History of Tom Thumb (published in 1621) was the first fairy tale printed in English. The tale has it that Tom is no bigger than his father’s thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, and becoming a favourite of King Arthur.

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Myth and Legends of Britain

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The Borders Redcap - a gory goblin