The Paranormal Database

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

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South Glamorgan Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Limbs

Location: Cardiff - Private residence, Marcross Road, Ely
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2011-2014
Further Comments: The home of Lisa Way appeared in the local press after she exchanged her residence with a family member after seeing faces at the windows and disembodied limbs. After three years and a failed exorcism, Way and her cousin changed homes.

Woman in White

Location: Cardiff - Private residence, Montgomery Street, Roath
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: January 1897
Further Comments: A family moved out of their home after being plagued at night by phantom knocking. Footsteps were heard crossing the roof of the stables, a strange shadow spotted on a wall, and one of the family's sons encountered a woman in white who glided silently across the ground before vanishing into a wall.

Torn Clothes

Location: Cardiff - Private residence, Seymour Street
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Circa April-June 1906
Further Comments: One visitor staying with friends found her clothing torn while ornaments were pushed around. A police officer watched three carpets roll themselves up before being moved unaided, while another officer observed an unseen hand take a teapot and place it on the floor. One of the family's children were blamed for the disturbance, although it did not explain what the police officers had witnessed.


Queen Street, Cardiff.

Grey Lady

Location: Cardiff - Queen Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A phantom grey lady is said to walk along Queen Street. Once she reaches the bridge, the woman turns and waves towards Cardiff castle before vanishing. It has been speculated that the woman signals to someone in the castle tower, but who she was, and the identity of the person she waves to, is unknown.


River Taff, Cardiff.

Whirlpool

Location: Cardiff - River Taff
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A water monster was once thought to live in this river. A whirlpool would be seen to form as the monster consumed drowned bodies.


River Taff, Cardiff.

Grieving Woman

Location: Cardiff - River Taff close to Cloisters Hall, Llandaff
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1860s?
Further Comments: This female phantom is stricken with grief from the death of her son in the river. The ghost is said to sometimes drift up and down the banks of the river looking for her son's body. The river area is also home to Bella, another female ghost who is said to have committed suicide after her husband's method of running his tavern drove her slightly mad.


Rummer Tavern, Cardiff.

Jealous Sailor

Location: Cardiff - Rummer Tavern
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2000s
Further Comments: The sailor that haunts this public house died shortly after finding his wife in bed with her secret lover. He is reputed to have a fondness of the cellar and the toilets.

Sitting Figure

Location: Cardiff - Stone cross near the church, St Mellons
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-twentieth century
Further Comments: A ghostly figure was said to sit on the cross.

Victorian girl

Location: Cardiff - The Corporation public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A Victorian girl is said to haunt the third floor of this public house, with another female spirit reputedly active around the pool tables.

Black Dog

Location: Cold Knap - Beach, between cave and min golf course
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: February 1997, 23:00 (approximately) and September 2013 around midnight
Further Comments: This witness, who would often sit on the pebbles with their two dogs, watched another dog, black in colour, move silently across the beach some fifty metres away. The witness's curiosity was raised by the fact that despite the rocks and stones underfoot, the hound moved smoothly, and their own dogs remained oblivious to the strange canine. Sixteen years later the same witness reported their second paranormal event on the beach - a nebulous black cloud which formed around their feet. After tolerating the cloud for several minutes, the witness left the area.

Screaming

Location: Colwinston - Pwyllywrach Manor
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: August, first Monday of the month (reoccurring)
Further Comments: Cries and screams can be heard from a man torn into small pieces by hell hounds. The echoes can be heard once a year.

Fat Man Rolling

Location: Corntown - A48, Crack Hill area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The strange sight of a short tubby man rolling down the hill only to vanish into a quarry has been reported here.

Unlit

Location: Cowbridge - Nash Manor House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: The site was once believed to be haunted by a ghost which would extinguish a light in a certain room. Another legend said that a spot close to the house contained buried treasure.

Man in Gold Laced Suit

Location: Dinas Powys - Dinas Powys Castle
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Eighteenth century
Further Comments: This shade appeared to a poor spinning woman and guided her to a hidden box. She was instructed to send it to the Earl of Powys (in London) without opening it - she did so, and in return the Earl paid her rent for the rest of her life. The contents of the box were never revealed.

Wreakers

Location: Dunraven - Cliffs near the castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Once a year (exact date unknown)
Further Comments: Once a popular place for wreakers to work, one is said to haunt the area after he mistakenly killed his sister after drawing her ship onto the rocks below.

Sir Thomas Button

Location: Dyffryn - Dyffryn House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Windy nights (possibly last seen nineteenth century)
Further Comments: Former owner Button was said to walk through the garden and occasionally pop up in the cellar.

Spinning Top

Location: Dyffryn - St Lythan's Cromlech
Type: Legend
Date / Time: 23 June (or Midsummer Eve) (reoccurring)
Further Comments: The capstone on this cromlech is said to rotate three times on Midsummer Eve. In addition, anyone who makes a wish here on 31 October will have it granted.

White Lady

Location: Ewenny - Areas known as White Lady's meadow and White Lady's Lane
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s?
Further Comments: This white woman was said to point towards Ewenny, where treasure was supposed to be hidden. One legend says that a local man offered to help the ghost. The white woman asked the man to hold her hands, which he did until startled by a dog. Scared by the dog, the man snatched his hands back - the ghost screamed 'I'll be bound for another seven years!' before vanishing.

Blue Boy

Location: Ewenny - Priory ruins
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s?
Further Comments: This ghostly young child dressed in blue clothing has been observed moving through the ruins of the priory. The area is also home to a phantom monk.

Luminous Water Horse

Location: Flemingston - River Thaw and marshy land in the area
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Early Nineteenth century
Further Comments: The water horse found here helped an old man cross the marshland without incident. Within hours of appearing, the marsh was flooded by a freak tide. Another story says that people can often feel frightened in the area for no real reason.

Bomber

Location: Llandow - RAF Llandow (disused)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 18 August 2009
Further Comments: A father and his young son were walking along the misty runway at this disused airfield. They paused to drink tea and noticed that there was a red flashing light on the control tower, just visible through the mist. The wind suddenly picked up, and as the mist cleared, they both spotted the silhouette of a four engine Second World War bomber, moving silently, banking over the airfield.

Malaria Cure

Location: Llangan - Canna's Stone (aka St Canna's Chair)
Type: Other
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: This small stone had the power to cure malaria and fever. All one had to do was sit upon it, drink water from a nearby wall, and continue the process for up to three weeks. Bedrest may have been quicker.

Relocated

Location: Llangan - Church
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The church was supposed to have been built another field, but other entities had different ideas; every night the previous day's building progress was deconstructed and relocated to the site where the church now stands.

Walking Woman

Location: Llantwit Major - Area around the old Roman Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This phantom woman was always thought to be connected to a lady who vanished, with neighbours believing she had been murdered. When the road was widened, the woman's body was found buried, and once laid to rest the ghost disappeared for good.

Auditory Warning

Location: Llantwit Major - General area, and church
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Before a death in the neighbourhood
Further Comments: The ringing of this phantom bell can be heard over the house or building where the death shall occur. Before the funeral of the person, strange noises can be heard in the church - if anyone is brave enough to peep into the building, they can see the forms of everyone who is due to die during the year.

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