#ghostsofsomerset

The Black Shuck of Winsford Hill

In English folklore, Black Shuck, Old Shuck, Old Shock or simply Shuck is the name given to a ghostly black dog

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name Shuck derives from the Old English word scucca - "devil, fiend", from the root word skuh- to terrify

Legend says that on Winsford Hill on autumn nights, a traveller may be stopped by a black hound with glowing saucer eyes.

If he tries to advance he will die, either at once or very soon, but if he stands still the dog will slowly vanish until only its eyes still glow.

As soon as they disappear the traveller is free to move on, but some lesser ill-luck will follow.

There was once a farmer whose frightened pony danced near to the spectre before he could stop it.

The farmer did not die, it was the pony who collapsed half a mile from home.

Source - 'Somerset Folklore' by Ruth Tongue

Cheddar Village, Caves & Gorge Cheddars distinguishing feature is the natural phenomenon of Britain’s largest Gorge. The Cheddar Yeo in Gough’s Cave is Britain’s biggest underground river, and the Gorge Cliffs are Britain’s highest inland limestone cliffs. Gough’s Cave is an internationally famous archeological site because of its Late Upper Paleolithic finds (12-13,000 years old) and contained Britain’s oldest complete skeleton (9,000 years old). The Gorge itself lies within the Mendip Hills The Village of Cheddar has a long and ancient history, having been an important Roman and Saxon Centre. Cheddar’s Kings of Wessex Academy occupies the historical site of an Anglo Saxon Palace, with the ruins of the 13th century chapel of St. Columbanus still visible today. As early as 1130 AD, the beauty of the Gorge was recognised as one of the “Four wonders of England”. Historically, Cheddar’s source of wealth was farming and cheese making for which it was famous as early as 1170 AD. Cheese is still made in Cheddar today and some is stored in the caves to mature. Hauntings- The empty Coxes Mill Hotel is reputed to have several tragic hauntings there is a phantom woman who sits by the bar, small items have been known to move themselves to new locations, orbs have been seen as well as an audible voice. The room overlooking the millpond had been a scene of a great tragedy, story goes that a women came upon the room to find her husband with another woman, in such distress she threw herself from the balcony into the waters below and drowned. (For details see separate post on this page) Several pubs are reported to be haunted - Gardners Arms, White Hart and the Kings Head, although exact details are not known at this point of writing.. Also the supermarket is said to have activity too, one report on Paranormal Database states in the car park close to Tesco 14 June 2018, 17:30, just after parking and walking towards the grocery store, this witness found himself around ten steps behind two young people. The couple turned and walked through what the witness thought was a side door to the shop, but as he approached, realised that the section of wall was solid with no doorway. Several other places in the village are said to have paranormal activity too.. At the top of the gorge - on the B3135 between Green Ore & Cheddar, a witness reported driving by a figure standing on the side of the road; just after passing, the vehicle cut out. While the car lights remained on, they were quite dim, and the vehicle would not turn over. After several minutes trying the engine, the figure appeared again, and moved into nearby woodland. The vehicle suddenly started, and the witness quickly drove away. Can you add to the Cheddar ghost stories? Source - Paranormal Database Photos - Somerset Photography

Follow us as we share our researching, learning and hopefully investigating the paranormal in Somerset.

Sharing our evidence, photos, research, history and stories of the haunted hotpots around Somerset.

As well as sharing my photos, details and stories of some beautiful churches, castles, graveyards and buildings steeped in Somerset's rich and, in some parts bloody history..

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Cadbury Castle, formerly known as Camalet, is a Bronze and Iron Age hillfort in the civil parish of South Cadbury in Somerset.

It is a scheduled monument and has been associated with King Arthur's legendary court at Camelot.

Escorted by mounted knights carrying lances, King Arthur of the Britons traverses this route back to Camelot (as Cadbury is thought to be) on this day in June.

One witness said that on 23 June 1995 they encountered an armoured man (more dark age than medieval) holding a standard on horseback - the figure disappeared around a corner, though there was no place that he could have gone.

One legend says a door opens every seven years in the hillside so that Arthur and his company can leave to feed their horses.

Source - Paranormal Database

Location - Some ruins, possibly a mill, somewhere in Somerset..

Sunday 27th March 2022

The recorder was placed on one of the walls of the building.

It may not sound like much as the capture is just under my voice, but after being analysed it is very clear.

Its a male voice and a Class B EVP.

If anyone is interested in the process of analysing evp recordings, the video of it being analysed by Tony Hayes of Paranormal Investigations UK is on the link below

On Friday 22nd October 2021 I did a mini daytime investigation at the site of a mining disaster, which occurred that day 152 years ago..

I asked a lot of questions and got a lot of relevent responses through on the Necrophonic app and the Ghost Hunter tools, this is just one of them..On asking a name, I had this come though...

There are 4 people of this name associated with the accident and the location..

What name can you hear?

Weston-super-Mare - The Causeway History -

The Causeway links Knightstone Island to the mainland.

Reverend Thomas Pruen bought Knightstone in 1824.

He commissioned the construction of a causeway to the island, which was built above the high tide level, and a low pier, which was used by pleasure boats.

Hauntings

While walking along the causeway in c 2002, two witnesses heard sloshing water and running footsteps behind them.

They turned around and briefly spotted a young girl moving quickly towards them, with her hands held up.

The girl moved through one witness's body and brushed against the other before spinning round and vanishing.

Source- Paranormal Database