#hauntedhotspots

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

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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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This location and story seems to be doing the rounds on the paranormal social media pages and news outlets at the moment, this is the less dramatized version.. The Swearing Spirit at Dead Woman's Ditch Dead Woman's Ditch is an earthwork which has been scheduled as an ancient monument in Over Stowey, Somerset, situated on the Quantock Hills and it the reputed site where one Jane Walford was murdered in July 1789. It was named this before the murder, so who knows what may have happened here before.. She had been married to John Walford for only a month when he slit her throat following a drunken domestic argument. Her ghost has been reportedly sighted here. There are also reports of a woman in white, who is said to swear at people and tell them to f*** off, not sure whether this is the same person or another unrelated apparition.. In 1988 the body of Shirley Banks was found at the site. John Cannan was found guilty of her murder. Following the discovery of Jane Walford's body, her husband John was swiftly arrested. At his trial he was found guilty and sentenced to hang. The site of his execution and the spot where he hung for a year and a day, has since been known as Walford's Gibbet. Visitors to the spot have reported hearing the clanking of chains and the "repulsive" odour of death. His ghost has also been reported there as well as on nearby roads and pathways. Source- Great British Ghost Tour & Wikipedia Read the full story of the murder on the link below

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/dark-somerset-doomed-marriage-jane-810710?fbclid=IwAR1Pxz8qdBUj-dyEPgPQgkddfRwc7VWvD5HSF9NCCEOU-CJnUAr7sqwlnjk

The Polar Bear Fish Bar - Bridgwater - Somerset The fish and chip shop on Bridgwater’s High Street is believed to be haunted by a past owner of the shop who died in the flat above. A series of unexplained events included an unknown figure whistling, frying pans moving around the kitchen and doors suddenly shutting. These mysterious incidents caught the curiosity of the BBC who sent cameras and a paranormal investigator to investigate the spooky going-ons. The chip shop is mysteriously no longer there. Perhaps the tenants were scared away by the ghost…? Source- Somerset Live

Spooky Lady Spirits in Wellow, Near Bath

A Grey Lady spirit has been seen around the churchyard of St Julian's church and other buildings around the village.

Its not known who or why she is there..

There is a well in the village dedicated to St Julian and its said that a white lady appears there to foretell of the death of a Lord of Hungerford...

Source- Haunted Bath - David Brandon