The Paranormal Database

Examining folkloric, paranormal & cryptozoological locations in the UK and beyond

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Dyfed Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Excalibur

Location: Pembroke - Bosherton Pools
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: These lakes are one of the contenders for the location where King Arthur was given his magical sword.

Woman in Crinoline

Location: Pembroke - Bush House (currently a boarding house?)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1954 (man with dogs), August 1955 (female)
Further Comments: A night watchman spotted a man carrying a gun and accompanied with three dogs walk across the grounds and vanish into a pond. A year later, three guests at the house were awoken by persistent hammering on the door and walls of their room. The following night they spotted a woman wearing a long dress in the garden bathed in a strange light - she disappeared through a wall.

Lost Princess

Location: Pembroke - Carew Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This wandering shade, thought to be Princess Nest, known as the Helen of Wales, travels around the castle grounds as if looking for something. Another legend says that the great hall is haunted by a former owner and his pet ape, both of whom were found dead and on fire.

Woman from the Asp

Location: Pembroke - Docks
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1850s
Further Comments: MHS Asp, haunted by the ghost of a strange woman who terrified the ship's crew, docked at Pembroke for repairs. The spectral female decided to disembark here; she was fired at by sentries before disappearing into a local graveyard.

Lady in Black

Location: Pembroke - Manorbier Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: September (reoccurring)
Further Comments: This feminine figure dressed in black seems to appear near the gatehouse.

Lavender

Location: Pembroke - Port Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Post-1940s
Further Comments: A former serving woman haunts the building, her presence being marked by the odour of lavender.


The ringing bell foreshadows a storm.

Ringing Bell

Location: Pembroke - Ramsey Sound
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Prior to a storm
Further Comments: A church bell stolen by Oliver Cromwell's men was being transported by boat. Due to their mistreatment of the bell, the boat was sunk; now the bell can be heard to ring before a storm blows up.

White Animal

Location: Pen-y-bryn - Cardigan to Cilgerran road
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 2008, around 00:30h
Further Comments: While travelling home to Cilgerran, this witness spotted a large white animal behind a fence which was described as a cross between 'a deer and a big cat'.

Phantom Hunt

Location: Penbryn - Unidentified farm in the parish
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Phantom hounds and hunters were once said to make an occasional appearance here.

Dusty Shoemaker's Son

Location: Pencader - Nearby Mountain
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Taffy, a shoemaker's son, entered a fairy circle on this mountain and danced for ten minutes before leaving. As he walked back to the village, Taffy realised he did not recognise any of the buildings, and on the site of his parents' cottage, an old farmhouse now stood. Taffy told his story to the farmer and then, as time caught up with him, turned to ash.

Dancers

Location: Pencarreg - Area close to a mountain
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A large number of fairies dancing in a field were spotted by a group of people intending to play football. The fairies moved away to another field, and when they realised the people were following, became invisible.

Fiddler

Location: Pendine - Green Bridge Cave
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Said to have entered the cave but never to have left, the ghostly fiddler's music can still be heard.

Bronwen

Location: Penrhiwgoch - Hills in the area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Bronwen committed suicide after her brother and her lover managed to kill each other in a dual. Her fair haired ghost still wanders the hills.

Corpse Candle

Location: Pontfaen - Road between village and Tredavid, and Llanychllwydog church
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre nineteenth century
Further Comments: A preacher by the name of Griffith watched a bright light hovering along the road. After fifteen minutes, the light moved to the churchyard and hovered over a particular spot before vanishing. A few days later, a child was buried in the spot where the light had hovered.

Monk

Location: Pontrhydfendigaid - Strata Florida - former site of abbey
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 25 December (reoccurring)
Further Comments: This phantom devotee of God returns to his old home once a year and tries to rebuild the altar. At other times of the year, legends say that one may observe candles and hear music from the ruins.

White Stone

Location: Pontyberem - Disgwylfa farm
Type: Other
Date / Time: Pre nineteenth century
Further Comments: A white stone the size of a human head was discovered on the farm, supposedly after it fell from the sky. A small scraping from the stone had the power to cure rabies; its current whereabouts is unknown.

Drifting Lights

Location: Ramsey Island - General area
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Moving slow and low across the island, these small bright lights can be seen by observers on the mainland. Many believe them to be corpse candles, signifying a death.

Tall Man

Location: Rhos-y-garth - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: One of several churches in Wales where the Devil was once said to have appeared in the form of a man with an evil looking face (or the head of a dog), with his appearance causing illness to witnesses.

The Slow Train

Location: Rhydyfelin - Close to the old railway line
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: September 2003 or 2004
Further Comments: Four people heard a slow moving train from their cottage which stood close to the disused railway line. They went outside to investigate but could see nothing.

Marching

Location: Robeston Watham - Robeston Watham House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: The sound of heavy boots would occasionally be heard moving around the site, in one instance causing the occupier to believe a burglar had entered the property.

Lucy Walters

Location: Roch - Roch Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Lucy has been reported running around the castle, her white clothing flowing as she moves, passing through closed doors if they stand in her way.

Lucy Waters

Location: Rosemarket - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The whole village is haunted by the ghost of the Welsh princess Lucy Waters.


A Welsh Water Horse.

Large Water Horse

Location: St Brides Bay - Shore line
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: After being caught by a ploughman, the water horse allowed itself to be used as a plough horse on nearby fields for a few weeks. Once it grew tired of the work, the creature dragged both plough and man into the sea from which they never emerged.

Stolen Bell

Location: St David's - Cathedral and Whitesand Bay
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Before stormy weather
Further Comments: The largest bell was stolen from the building by imps disguised as men and transported out to sea where it was dropped into the Whitesand Bay. The bell still rings just before a storm, as a warning to nearby fishermen to return home. Another version of the tale says the bell was rested on several rocks during the heist, and it is the rocks that now ring before the weather changes.

Arthur's Grave?

Location: St David's - Coetan Arthur - barrow
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Stones still present
Further Comments: This circular barrow is another contender for the final resting place of King Arthur.

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