Isle of Man Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
Petrified Saddle
Location: Douglas - Saddle Road
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A vicar was left perplexed after discovering that someone was riding his horse without permission. The vicar asked around the neighbourhood but was unable to uncover the identity of the culprit. A few days after the unauthorised borrowing began, the vicar watched as a little man in a green jacket dismounted the horse and remove the saddle. The little man turned around, realised that he had been seen, and promptly turned invisible. The little man's saddle, left on a fence, turned to stone, and it was from this stone that the road took its name.
Ballafletcher Drinking Glass
Location: Douglas - Seafield House (now known as Arragon House?)
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Present in the house circa nineteenth century
Further Comments: This antique crystal goblet containing a protective spirit, was said to bring great luck to any family that owed it; if broken, misfortune would follow. It was said that the owner of the cup, a Colonel Wilks, would only use it twice a year (Christmas and Easter) to give thanks to the goblet and spirit.
Wanderer
Location: Douglas - Summerland (demolished 2005)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s-2005
Further Comments: A terrible fire which killed 51 people occurred at the complex on 2 August 1973. Summerland was rebuilt, but staff and visitors to the site reported the sounds of screaming, hearing footsteps along empty passages, and occasionally seeing ghostly people wandering around the area.
Ladies
Location: Douglas - The Nunnery estate
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two women, one in black and the other in white, were said to haunt the land in this area. One version of the story says they are looking for each other to finish a fight they started during life.
Banging
Location: Douglas - Victoria Road prison
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1967-2008
Further Comments: Norman Quilliam reported hearing of several ghosts while he worked here including banging on the ceiling of a cell in which someone had committed suicide.
Capped Dogs
Location: East Baldwin - Small glen in the valley
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Early nineteenth century, on a moonlit night
Further Comments: A man and companion spotted some small fairy creatures, resembling small dogs wearing red caps.
Piano
Location: Garwick - Glen Hotel (no longer operating)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A certain room which faces the river is said to be home to very faint phantom piano music.
Ship
Location: Gatwick - Bay
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Misty periods
Further Comments: A silent ship moves in and out of the mists when the weather is right.
Footsteps
Location: Gatwick - Beach
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Footsteps without a visible source are said to be detectable on the stony beach.
Wife Seeker
Location: Glen Roy - Nikkesen's Pool
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The home of a beautiful male water spirit, the creature sometimes emerges from the pool looking for a young maiden to kidnap and take as his bride.
Army of Small People
Location: Greeba - Greeba Castle, road outside of, & St Trinian's Church
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The fairies here are said to ensure that no one ever builds a roof on the nearby St Trinian's Church. A witness watched a long line of little people dancing down the road, coming from the direction of the church.
Parts of the Island
Location: King William Banks (aka King William's Sands) - General area of the sea
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Isle of Man was said to have once been much larger, but an upset magician created a wind so strong that it tore up large chunks of land and deposited them into the sea, creating the shipping hazard northeast of the island.
Fairies in Retreat
Location: Kirk Bride - Lough Goayr
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Locals say that when the fairies were last seen here, they shouted out 'Hey for Ireland!'.
Riding Woman
Location: Laxey - Area around Abbey Cottage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Midnight (reoccurring) when certain conditions are met
Further Comments: Culture Vannin recorded a ghost story which said when a ship blows its horn at midnight, a woman on a white horse is said to depart the cottage and ride down to the shore.
Miner
Location: Laxey - Bridge Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ghost found in this inn may have a connection to the nineteen miners who died in 1897 Great Snaefell Mine Disaster - their bodies were temporarily stored in the inn's cellar.
Candle Carrier
Location: Malew - Parish Church
Type: Other
Date / Time: Circa 1900
Further Comments: The church had a brief reputation for being haunted by an entity which carried a candle through the building at night. The reverend put the ghost to bed after pointing out the lighthouse beam hit the church, causing the lighting effect.
Ring
Location: Malew - Ronaldsway, exact area not known
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: When certain, unknown, conditions are met, a fairy ring in this area is reputed to become active. If anyone steps into it during this period, they vanish to an unknown place and never return.
Scissors
Location: Marown - Highlander public house (closed 2012), Douglas to Peel
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Pre-2012
Further Comments: The scissors which were used by Timothy Clucas, the tailor who defeated the buggane at St Trinian's Church, were said to be on display at this pub before it closed. The scissors current whereabouts are unknown.
Whispering
Location: Maughold - Church
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Circa 1861
Further Comments: While adding an extra step within the church, workmen unearthed several bones. Whispering filled the air, only disappearing once the workmen reburied the remains.
Smashed Windows
Location: Maughold - House owned by a Mr Quayle
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1847
Further Comments: Young men and dogs patrolled the area when the windows of this property began to be smashed, but to no avail - the breakages continued regardless. Witchcraft and ghosts were both blamed, with some pointing to the fact that Mr Quayle had recently ploughed up an old graveyard, disturbing the bones.
Liannanshee
Location: Maughold - Struanny-Nice
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Prior to bad conditions
Further Comments: A phantom woman, said to be fairy in nature, would be seen washing clothing in this river, while holding a candle in one hand.
Tarroo Ushtey
Location: Onchan - Exact Location not known
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Eighteenth century
Further Comments: The entity known as Tarroo Ushtey, or water bull, was a bovine version of the water horse - the creature looked like a normal bull, although had fairy traits and would live under the water. In Onchan, one was seen crossing the road, and was recognised as a Tarroo Ushtey due to the fire burning in its eyes.
Molly
Location: Onchan - Molly Quirk's Glen
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Local folklore says the glen is named after a woman who was robbed and murdered on the site. Her ghost is reputed to remain in the area.
Footsteps
Location: Peel - Marine Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Footsteps are said to walk up a staircase which no longer exists.
Moddey Dhoo
Location: Peel - Peel Castle
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: 1660
Further Comments: The local shuck, the Moddey Dhoo, haunted the local guardroom - appearing at night to sleep by their fire. One guard grew tired of hiding away from it and went to face the creature alone; he returned soon after, silent and dying, but the creature was never seen again.
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