GHOST STORIES.
The belief in the existence of Fairies in Wales has almost died out,
but we still find many people who are more or less superstitious
with regard to ghosts, spirits, etc., and the belief in death omens
is rather popular, even among educated people.
The majority of the Welsh ghosts were supposed to be the spirits or
shades of departed mortals, re-appearing on account of some neglected
duty, and in many cases to point out some hidden treasure; for it
was thought that if a person dies, while his money (or any metal)
is still hidden secretly, the spirit of that person cannot rest until
it is revealed. It was also supposed that the spirits of the murdered
haunted the place where their unburied bodies lay, or until vengeance
overtook the murderer, "and the wicked were doomed to walk the earth
until they were laid in lake or river, or in the Red Sea." It was
also thought in former days, if not at present, that the evil one
himself appears sometimes in some form or other; but good spirits
are seen as well as bad ones. I have heard it said by some that
only those who have been born in the night time have the power to
see spirits; others say that spirits take more fancy to some persons
than others. It was also thought that if two persons were together,
one only could see the spirit, to the other he was invisible, and to
one person only would the Spirit speak, and this he would do when
addressed; for according to the laws of the Spirit world, a Spirit
or a ghost has no power of speech until first spoken to.
"Its persistency in haunting is due to its eager desire to speak, and
tell its urgent errand, but the person haunted must take his courage
in both hands and put the question to the issue. Having done so, he
is booked for the end of the business, be it what it may. The mode
of speech adopted must not vary, in addressing a Spirit; in the name
of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it must be addressed, and not
otherwise. Its business must be demanded; three times the question
must be repeated, unless the ghost answer earlier. When it answers,
it speaks in a low hollow voice, stating its desire; and it must not
be interrupted while speaking for to interrupt it is dangerous in the
extreme. At the close of its remarks, questions are in order. They
must be promptly delivered, however, or the ghost will vanish. They
must bear on the business in hand; it is offended if asked as to its
state, or other idle questions born of curiosity. Neglect to obey the
ghost's injunctions will lead to much annoyance, and eventually to dire
results. At first the Spirit will appear with a discontented visage,
next with an angry one, and finally with a countenance distorted with
the most ferocious rage." "British Goblins," page 148.
Men sometimes were transported by the spirits through the air, and
the Fairies did this also as well as ghosts. About two years ago, an
old man at Llansadwrn, Carmarthenshire, gave me a remarkable account
of the transportation of a well-known character who lived in that
parish some years ago known as "Evan y Gweydd" (Evan the Weaver). A
version of the story had appeared in Welsh twenty-five years ago,
in an interesting little book entitled "Lloffion Adgof," by T. Edwards.
THE WEAVER OF LLANSADWRN TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AIR BY A SPIRIT.
One night Evan y Gweydd found himself speaking with a Spirit who
appeared to him in the form of a gentleman outside the house. The
gentleman asked him whether he would do one thing at his request. "Yes,
if I can," said Evan, in reply. "That is a promise which must be
kept," said the spirit, "and thou shalt have no peace until thou
hast performed it; name the time and sooner the better." Evan said,
"three weeks to to-night." "Very well," said the Spirit, and off it
went. Poor Evan by this began to feel very sorry for making such
a promise, and when the time came round when he was to fulfil his
promise, he barred the door of the house and went to bed; but he
was not there long before he was thrown down on the floor, and found
himself pushed out through the wide open door, unceremoniously, hardly
having time to put on his clothes. After going out he saw the same
gentleman as before, or rather the spirit which assumed the form of
a gentleman who ordered Evan to follow him without delay to a place
called Glan-ty-Bedw, where there was a very large stone, with an iron
chest concealed beneath it. Then the spirit ordered him to take hold
of the box and carry it and throw it into the Fanfach Lake many miles
away. On Sunday morning as they passed through the village of Myddfe
on their way to this lake, Evan noticed the people going to Church,
some of whom he knew, but it seems that they did not see him, and
his companion, or at least they did not seem to notice them. After
reaching the lake and throwing in the chest, there came thunder and
lightning, and Evan was carried through the air in a kind of half
trance. When he came to himself he found himself on the banks of
the river Towy, between that river and Llansadwrn, and not far from
his home. When he reached the house he went to bed, and was very ill
for some time. According to some versions of the story, the spirit
compelled him to throw an iron into the Cothy river near Edwinsford,
as well as a chest into the Fan Lake.
In aerial journey of this kind, the spirit generally gives the mortal
the choice of being transported "above wind, amid wind, or below
wind." The man who chooses to go above wind is borne to an altitude
somewhat equal to that of a balloon, so high that he is in danger of
being frightened to death. But choosing the below wind is quite as bad
and even worse, for the hapless mortal is then dragged through bush
and briar. The safest way is always to remember to select the middle
course (amid wind), for this ensures a pleasant transportation at a
moderate elevation equally removed from the branches and the clouds.
There was a certain man in the neighbourhood of Pontyberem, in
Carmarthenshire, to whom a spirit appeared almost every night, and
offered him an aerial journey of this description, giving him the
choice of above wind, amid wind, or below wind, and on one occasion
he was dragged by the ghost through bush and briar that his clothes
were all in rags.
SPIRITS THROWING STONES.
An old man named John Jones, who lives at Pontrhydfendigaid, informed
me that a ghost which haunted a farm between Pontrhydfendigaid and
Tregaron, was engaged in the dangerous game of stone-throwing to the
great discomfort of the family. There are several such stories in
different parts of the country.
I found the following strange tale in an old Welsh book entitled,
"Golwg ar y Byd," written by the Rev. D. Lewis, Vicar of Llangattwg,
Glamorganshire, and printed at Carmarthen in 1725:
CHWEDL AM YSPRYD.
"Yn mhlwyf Llangeler, yn Sir Gaerfyrddin, Mai 21ain, 1719, y dechreuodd
yspryd yr hwn a barhaodd dros hir amser, i daflu ceryg at rhai oedd
yn y maes yno. Dydd Iau y Sulgwyn y dechreuwyd dyrnu, oddeutu wyth y
boreu, ac y dechreuodd yntau daflu ceryg. Un o'r dyrnwyr yn gyntaf a
welodd y gareg yn disgyn ar y llawr dyrnu. Yr ail gareg a ddisgynodd ar
glin morwyn y ty, nes ydoedd clais arni; ac yn mhen ychydig llanwasant
y llawr dyrnu a'r twyn oddiamgylch, yr hyn a wnaethant wedi hyny. Y
dyrnwyr a roisant heibio eu gwaith, ac a aethant i edrych pwy oedd
yn eu taflu hwynt, ond ni allasent weled neb.
"Dydd Gwener,--Y forwyn, pan yn yr ardd, a darawyd dair gwaith. Tarawyd
amryw o'r plant, nes iddynt fyned allan o'r ty. Daeth llawer yn nghyd
i weled y rhyfeddodau hyn, ac yr oedd pawb ag oedd yn dyfod yn cael
gweled y ceryg yn disgyn.
"Dydd Sadwrn,--Tarawyd y forwyn ac un o'r dyrnwyr. Yr oedd rhai ceryg
yn chwyrnu, ac megys cleisiau ar amryw o honynt. Y ceryg ni welid
nes byddent yn disgyn, a phan godid hwynt byddai eu hol ar y llawr,
megys pe byddent yno flwyddyn o'r blaen. Daeth pawl mawr yn groes i'r
ffenestr, heb neb gweledig yn dyfod ag ef. Rhai ni chredent nes danfon
cenadon i weled, ac i gyrchu rhai ceryg adref i'w tai. Cyfodwyd cyff
mawr o bren o'r croch i ben y ty, ac a ddisgynodd mewn man arall.
"Dydd Sul,--Daeth llawer iawn yn nghyd i weled, ac amryw o
honynt yn tyngu ac yn rhegu, ac yn siarad yn gableddus ac yn
ysgafn. Disgynodd ceryg mawrion ar y lloft yn y ty, ond ni welwyd hwynt
nes disgynent. Tarawyd bar haiarn allan o'r ffenestr, a phlygwyd un
arall fel bach ysdarn; a'r ffenestr a dorwyd yn friwion man. Wedi'r nos
daeth ceryg i'r gwelyau, a chloriau'r ffenestri a aethant i'r llofft;
a gorfu ar dylwyth y ty gyfodi o'u gwelyau a myned i dy cymydog. Nid
oedd ond y ceryg yn llawn yn y ty ac oddiamgylch iddo.
"Nos Fercher,--Llosgwyd yr ysgubor a'r llafur, a llawer o bethau
eraill; yr oedd ef bob dydd yn taflu ceryg, ond nid bob awr. Yr oedd
weithiau yn taflu mor gynted ag y gellid eu rhifo, a'r rhan fwyaf
o honynt yn geryg afon, a rhai o honynt yn chwech pwys neu ragor
o bwysau.
"Daeth cymydogion yn nghyd un noswaith i weddio ar Dduw yn y ty,
ac ni fu yno fawr o stwr y noson hono. Llawer o bethau yn rhagor a
wnaeth efe, ond o'r diwedd efe a ddarfu ac a beidiodd."
For the benefit of those who are unable to read Welsh, I give the
following translation of the above account:--
A STORY OF A GHOST THROWING STONES AT LLANGELER.
In the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, May 21st., 1719,
a spirit, which continued for some time, began to throw stones at
those who were in the field. On Thursday in Whitsun week, at eight in
the morning, the thrashing began (at a farm) and at the same time he
(the spirit) began to throw stones. At first it was one of the men
who were thrashing that noticed a stone descending on the thrashing
floor. The second stone fell on the leg of the housemaid, wounding
her; and after this, very shortly, they filled the thrashing floor
and the place around. The men who were thrashing gave up their work,
and went to see who were throwing them, but could see no one.
Friday.--The servant maid in the garden was struck three times. Several
of the children were struck till they went out of the house. A large
number of people came together to see these wonders, and all who came
were allowed to see the stones descending.
Saturday.--The servant maid and one of the thrashers were struck. Some
of the stones were rattling, and something like marks on several of
them. The stones were not seen till they fell, and when they were
taken up marks of them were on the floor as if they had been there
from the year before. A large pole came right across the window
without any one visibly bringing it. Some people believed not, till
they sent messengers to see, and to bring home some of the stones
to their houses. A big stump of wood was taken up from the boiler to
the house top, and fell in another place.
Sunday.--A large number of people came together to see, and several of
them cursing and swearing, and speaking lightly and blasphemously. Big
stones fell on the loft of the house, but were not seen till they
had descended. An iron bar was struck out of the window, and another
one bent as a packsaddle's hook; and the window was broken all to
pieces. After dark the stones came into the beds, and window frames
went to the loft, so that the family of the house were obliged to get
up from their beds and go to a neighbour's house. Nothing but stones
could be seen filling the house and surrounding it.
Wednesday Night.--The barn and the corn as well as many other things
were burnt; he (the spirit) was throwing stones every day, though
not every hour. Sometimes the stones were thrown as fast as one could
reckon them, most of which were river stones, and some of them weighing
about seven pounds or more. Neighbours came together to pray to God in
the house, and there was not much noise in the house that night. Many
other things were done by the spirit, but he at last ceased.
There was a troublesome ghost of this kind now recently in the Vale
of Towy, Carmarthenshire.
SPIRITS AND HIDDEN TREASURE.
In some of the places supposed to be haunted there are often traditions
of buried treasures in connection with such spots. In some of the
stories the ghost haunts some particular person only, and never gives
him rest till its purpose is accomplished.
Mr. Hall, in his most valuable and interesting "Book of South Wales"
gives a tale of:
A CARPENTER WHO WAS HAUNTED BY A "WHITE LADY."
This man had no peace night or day, for the "White Lady" appeared
to him with an agonizing expression of countenance, at unexpected
times, and unexpected places. Once in a field to which there were
several entrances, she appeared and opposed his exit. Trembling,
he sought another, but there, too, was she. He fainted, and did not
leave the field, till he was found there by persons who happened to
pass. At last some considerable amount of jewels and other valuables
were found by the man, in the secret drawer of an old escritoir,
which he was repairing for a family that resided near. The valuables
were immediately handed over to the owner of the escritoir and the
"White Lady" did not appear afterwards.
Another remarkable story of this class is told in the northern part
of Cardiganshire; and I found the following version of it in a "Scrap
Book" of Mr. William Davies, Talybont, an eminent Folk-Lorist:--
THE "WHITE LADY" OF BROGININ, OR A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO
A YOUNG LOVER.
Broginin is a farm house where the famous Welsh Bard, Dafydd
Ap Gwilym was born, and situated six miles from Aberystwyth in
Cardiganshire. Some years ago the respectable and industrious family
who lived there at the time, were often disturbed by some unearthly
being who generally made his appearance in the depth of night,
as it is the case with spirits. This unwelcome visitor aroused the
whole family by walking up and down the stairs, or from one room into
another. Sometimes he closed the doors behind him, making such noise
as to strike terror to the hearts of all in the house. At times,
he lighted up the whole house at once with gleaming light, and the
next moment vanished as suddenly as he came, leaving behind him
utter darkness. Occasionally, the same ghost was seen by some of the
servantmen, who had been out courting, walking across the farmyard in
the form of a "white lady," appearing as a tall handsome lady attired
in lustring white dress, and her face covered by silken veil. This
"White Lady" walked towards the young men, and suddenly disappeared
in a tremendous ball of fire. People were so terrified by such sights,
that several families, one after another moved away from the house. One
Sunday evening, however, about the beginning of winter, when all
the family as usual had gone to chapel, except the servant maid,
who did not feel well, her lover came to keep her company. Naturally,
the young man and the young woman began to talk about the ghost, and
Evan (for that was the young man's name) laughed, and boasted what
he was going to do should the disturber appear. But the next moment,
without the least notice, a lady in her white dress stood right in the
middle of the room, with her face uncovered, and her brown curly hair
down over her shoulders. She held in one hand a comb and in the other
a roll of paper, but she did not whisper a word. The servant maid,
and her young man who had just been boasting shuddered in terror, and
dared not move or utter a word. The "lady" walked round the apartment
several times; then suddenly stood; and having opened the door through
which she had entered without opening, beckoned the young man to follow
her. As he dared not disobey, he followed her up stairs, into a dark
back room, but which was now lighted up in some mysterious way. With
her finger she pointed out a particular corner under the low roof,
at which place the young man with his trembling hand found some hard
parcel carefully tied in an old woollen stocking. When he opened it
he found it full of money, and at the same moment the "White Lady"
vanished and never disturbed the house again.
A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN TREASURE TO A FARMER IN THE PARISH OF
LLANAFAN.
Crosswood Park, the fine residence of my esteemed young friend the
Earl of Lisburne, is situated about nine miles from Aberystwyth. About
two miles from the Park is a bridge over the river Ystwyth, known as
Pont Llanafan (Llanafan Bridge).
This bridge is supposed to be haunted, and I have been told that
a ghost has been seen there lately by a gentleman who lives in the
district.
Mr. John Jones, an old man of 95, who lives at Pontrhydfendigaid,
informed me that the origin of this ghost is to be traced to some
former days when retired pirates lived in a house near the Bridge, and
who were supposed to have hidden some treasure in the spot. Mr. Jones
also gave me the following story of a farmer named Edwards, who
lived in a small farm house near the bridge two or three generations
ago:--The poor farmer worked very hard, but for some time he was
continually molested by a mischievous ghost day and night. In the
evening when Edwards sat down in the corner eating his supper, which
consisted of bread and milk, stones came down through the chimney, or
ashes were thrown into his milk by some invisible hand. At another time
the ghost was heard thrashing in the barn, or meddling with something
continually. One day when the man was engaged in making a new fence
round his field, the troublesome visitor from the other world kept
with him all day, and threw down both the fence and the gate. Edwards
at last decided to address the spirit in these word:--"Yn enw Duw,
paham yr wyt yn fy aflonyddi o hyd?" which means in English, "In the
name of God, why doest thou trouble me continually?" We are not told
what was the reply of the spirit, but it was generally believed by
the neighbours that he revealed to the farmer some hidden treasure
in an old wall not far from the house. Edwards took down this wall
and built a new house with the stones and greatly prospered. It was
also said that he had been comparatively poor once, but ever since
his conversation with the spirit, his cattle and his horses soon
increased and fortune and good luck smiled on him all round. About two
years ago when I related this story to a friend of mine who lives at
Pontrhydfendigaid, to my great surprise, his wife informed me that
the account is quite true. "Yes," said she, "and I got £500 of the
Ghost's money." The lady, strange to say, happened to be a descendant,
or at least a near relation of the Llanafan farmer to whom the ghost
revealed the hidden treasure.
Not far from the same Llanafan bridge there is a rock known as
"Craig yr Ogof" (Rock of the Cave). Countess Amherst, (now Dowager)
informed me that there is a tradition in the neighbourhood that the
Romans buried treasures there.
THE GLANFREAD FAWR GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO THE HOUSEMAID.
Glanfread is a respectable farm house, but in former days it was a
mansion of some note, situated in the North of Cardiganshire. In
connection with Glanfread there is a ghost tale, and I found the
best version of it in a Welsh manuscript kindly lent me by Dr. James,
Lodge Park, Talybont:--
Once upon a time there lived at this house an old gentleman whose two
nieces on one occasion came to spend with him their Christmas holidays
at Glanfread. One evening, the two young ladies, who were sisters,
and the housemaid sat down late playing cards. As they kept on playing
till a very late hour, the fire was going out, and they began to feel
cold; so the maiden went out of the house for some firewood in order
to warm themselves before retiring to bed. For some reason or other,
however, she was very long in returning with the wood to put on the
fire, and when she did return, she fell on the floor in a swoon,
that they were obliged to carry her to bed. Next morning when they
asked what had caused her to faint, she declined giving any reply;
and even when her master, gun in hand, threatened to take her life
unless she confessed what had happened, she still persisted in keeping
all the mystery to herself. The fact of it was, the girl kept company
to one of the farm servants, if not engaged, and very soon they were
married, and took a very large farm--a farm which is well-known
in North Cardiganshire. All their acquaintances were very greatly
surprised how could a poor servant man and servant woman afford to
begin farming on such a large scale, when it was known that they
had but very little money to start on such an undertaking. And the
general opinion was that a spirit had revealed to the servant woman
some hidden treasure on the night she fainted.
A GHOST APPEARING TO POINT OUT HIDDEN TREASURE IN RADNORSHIRE.
There is a story in Radnorshire, that a palace not far from the
neighbourhood of Abbey Cwm Hir, was once haunted by a Spirit, which
appeared in various forms and made such terrible noise that no one
cared to live in the house for a long time. At last, however, a young
gentleman who had newly married had the courage to face the ghost,
and discovered most valuable treasures which had been hidden in the
ground near the house. The spot where the gold had been buried was
pointed out to the young man by the Spirit, and the house was never
haunted after this.
It is a well-known fact that a Spirit revealed hidden treasure to a
Baptist Minister, who lived in a respectable old mansion somewhere
not far from Nevern in Pembrokeshire. I met with several persons at
Eglwyswrw and other places, who vouched for the truth of the fact. The
treasure had been hidden, so it is said, in the time of Cromwell.
Some of the ghosts who reveal hidden money are not always
generous. According to the Rev. Edmund Jones, the ghost of one Anne
Dewy, a woman who had hanged herself, compelled a young man in the
Vale of Towy, Carmarthenshire, to cast into the river a bag of money
which had been hid in the wall of a house. Instead of keeping the money
himself, the young man obeyed the ghost against his better judgment,
and the sum concerned was "£200 or more."
THE POWIS CASTLE GHOST STORY.
The following ghost story is recorded in the autobiography of the
grandfather of the late Mr. Thomas Wright, the eminent Shropshire
antiquary:--
It had been for some time reported in the neighbourhood that a
poor unmarried woman, who was a member of the Methodist Society,
and had become serious under their ministry, had seen and conversed
with the apparition of a gentleman, who had made a strange discovery
to her. Mr. Hampson (a preacher among the Methodists about the end
of the 18th century) being desirous to ascertain if there was any
truth in the story, sent for the woman, and desired her to give him
an exact relation of the whole affair from her own mouth, and as near
the truth as she possibly could. She said she was a poor woman, who
got her living by spinning hemp or line; that it was customary for the
farmers and gentlemen of that neighbourhood to grow a little hemp or
line in a corner of their fields for their own consumption, and as
she was a good hand at spinning the materials, she used to go from
house to house to inquire for work; that her method was, where they
employed her, during her stay, to have meat, and drink, and lodging
(if she had occasion to sleep with them), for her work, and what they
pleased to give her besides. That, among other places, she happened
to call one day at the Welsh Earl of Powis's country seat, called
Redcastle, to inquire for work, as she usually had done before. The
quality were at this time in London, and had left the steward and his
wife, with other servants, as usual, to take care of their country
residence in their absence. The steward's wife set her to work, and
in the evening told her that she must stay all night with them, as
they had more work for her to do next day. When bedtime arrived, two
or three servants in company, with each a lighted candle in her hand,
conducted her to her lodging. They led her to a ground room, with a
boarded floor, and two sash windows. The room was grandly furnished,
and had a genteel bed in one corner of it. They had made her a good
fire, and had placed her a chair and a table before it, and a large
lighted candle upon the table. They told her that was her bedroom,
and that she might go to sleep when she pleased. They then wished her
a good night and withdrew altogether, pulling the door quickly after
them, so as to hasp the spring-snech in the brass lock that was upon
it. When they were gone, she gazed awhile at the fine furniture, under
no small astonishment that they should put such a poor person as her
in so grand a room, and bed, with all the apparatus of fire, chair,
table, and a candle. She was also surprised at the circumstance of the
servants coming so many together, with each of them a candle. However,
after gazing about her some little time, she sat down and took a
small Welsh Bible out of her pocket, which she always carried about
with her, and in which she usually read a chapter--chiefly in the
New Testament--before she said her prayers and went to bed. While
she was reading she heard the door open, and turning her head, saw a
gentleman enter in a gold-laced hat and waistcoat, and the rest of
his dress corresponding therewith. I think she was very particular
in describing the rest of his dress to Mr. Hampson, and he to me at
the time, but I have now forgot the other particulars. He walked down
by the sash-window to the corner of the room and then returned. When
he came to the first window in his return (the bottom of which was
nearly breast high), he rested his elbow on the bottom of the window,
and the side of his face upon the palm of the hand, and stood in that
leaning posture for some time, with his side partly towards her. She
looked at him earnestly to see if she knew him, but, though from her
frequent intercourse with them, she had a personal knowledge of all the
present family, he appeared a stranger to her. She supposed afterwards
that he stood in this manner to encourage her to speak; but as she did
not, after some little time he walked off, pulling the door after him
as the servants had done before. She began now to be much alarmed,
concluding it to be an apparition, and that they had put her there
on purpose. This was really the case. The room, it seems, had been
disturbed for a long time, so that nobody could sleep peaceably in it,
and as she passed for a very serious woman, the servants took it into
their heads to put the Methodist and Spirit together, to see what
they would make of it. Startled at this thought, she rose from her
chair, and knelt down by the bedside to say her prayers. While she was
praying he came in again, walked round the room, and came close behind
her. She had it on her mind to speak, but when she attempted it she was
so very much agitated that she could not utter a word. He walked out
of the room again, pulling the door after him as before. She begged
that God would strengthen her and not suffer her to be tried beyond
what she could bear. She recovered her spirits, and thought she felt
more confidence and resolution, and determined if he came in again
she would speak to him. He presently came in again, walked round and
came behind her as before; she turned her head and said, "Pray, sir,
who are you, and what do you want?" He put up his finger, and said,
"Take up the candle and follow me, and I will tell you." She got up,
took up the candle, and followed him out of the room. He led her
through a long boarded passage till they came to the door of another
room, which he opened and went in. It was a small room, or what might
be called a large closet. "As the room was small, and I believed
him to be a Spirit," she said, "I stopped at the door; he turned
and said, 'Walk in, I will not hurt you.' So I walked in. He said,
'Observe what I do.' I said, 'I will.' He stooped, and tore up one
of the boards of the floor, and there appeared under it a box with an
iron handle in the lid. He said, 'Do you see that box?' I said, 'Yes,
I do.' He then stepped to one side of the room, and showed me a crevice
in the wall, where he said a key was hid that would open it. He said
'This box and key must be taken out, and sent to the Earl in London'
(naming the Earl, and his place of residence in the city). He said,
'Will you see it done?' I said, 'I will do my best to get it done.' He
said, 'Do, and I will trouble the house no more.' He then walked out
of the room and left me. (He seems to have been a very civil Spirit,
and to have been very careful to affright her as little as possible). I
stepped to the room door and set up a shout. The steward and his wife,
and the other servants came to me immediately, all clung together, with
a number of lights in their hands. It seems they all had been waiting
to see the issue of the interview betwixt me and the apparition. They
asked me what was the matter? I told them the foregoing circumstances,
and showed them the box. The steward durst not meddle with it, but
his wife had more courage, and with the help of the other servants,
lugged it out, and found the key." She said by their lifting it
appeared to be pretty heavy, but that she did not see it opened, and,
therefore, did not know what it contained; perhaps money, or writings
of consequence to the family, or both. They took it away with them,
and she then went to bed and slept peaceably till the morning. It
appeared afterwards that they sent the box to the Earl in London,
with an account of the manner of its discovery and by whom; and the
Earl sent down orders immediately to his steward to inform the poor
woman who had been the occasion of this discovery, that if she would
come and reside in his family, she should be comfortably provided for,
for the remainder of her days; or, if she did not choose to reside
constantly with them, if she would let them know when she wanted
assistance, she should be liberally supplied, at his Lordship's
expense as long as he lived. And Mr. Hampson said it was a known
fact in the neighbourhood that she had been so supplied from his
Lordship's family from the time the affair was said to have happened,
and continued to be so at the time she gave Mr. Hampson this account.
To touch or dig for buried treasures guarded by a ghost without
the ghost's consent always brings thunder and lightning. Such is the
tradition in connection with "Carreg y Bwci" on the top of Craig Twrch,
on the borders of Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire.
Many of the tales displaying the motive, on the ghost's part of a duty
to perform--sometimes clearly defining, sometimes vaguely suggesting
it, as in the story of Noe.
The evening was far gone when a traveller of the name of Noe arrived at
an Inn in Pembrokeshire, and called for refreshments. After remaining
sometime he remarked that he must proceed on his journey. 'Surely,'
said the astonished landlord, 'You will not travel at night for it is
said that a ghost haunts that road,' crying out, 'The days are long
and the nights are cold to wait for Noe. O, I am the man sought for,'
said he, and immediately departed; but, strange to say, neither Noe
nor the ghost was ever heard of afterwards.
An old woman in Pembrokeshire informed me that the scene of the above
tale was a house in the neighbourhood of Letterston.
Another story of this class appeared in an interesting little Welsh
book entitled "Ysten Sioned," published by Hughes and Son, Wrexham.
There was a farmhouse in a certain part of West Wales, in which a
large and respectable family lived. But there was one room in the
house haunted by a troublesome spirit which often cried out in a
mournful voice, "Hir yw'r dydd, a hir yw'r nos, a hir yw aros Arawn"
(long is the day, and long is the night, and long is waiting for
Arawn). Things went on in this manner for a long time, and not one
hardly ventured to open the door of that room. But one cold winter
evening when every member of the family sat around the fire, before
supper, somebody called at the door of the house, and a stranger was
welcomed in to warm himself by the fire. The stranger asked for some
food and a bed for the night. He was told he was welcomed of food, but
that they were sorry they could not offer him a bed, as all the beds
were hardly enough for themselves, and that the only spare bed-room
in the house was haunted. Then the stranger begged to be allowed to
sleep in that room, as he felt sure that there was nothing to do him
harm there. The man appeared very tired, and spoke but little except
in reply to questions, and when it was found out that his name was
"Arawn," all the family looked into each's face in great surprise. The
stranger presently went to bed in the haunted room, and strange to
say everything was quiet in that room that night, that is, no spirit
was heard as usual crying and moving things about. When the family
got up next morning, the first thing was to find out what kind of
night the stranger passed in the haunted room, but to the surprise
of all the man was gone, and the ghost was also gone, for the room
was never haunted afterwards.
THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN.
Good many people in Wales who laugh at the idea of a ghost, readily
admit the possibility of the appearance of a living man's spirit
(Yspryd Dyn Byw).
THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN APPEARING TO A LITTLE GIRL AT PONTSHAN.
An old lady named Miss Pergrin, who lives at Pontshan, Llandyssul,
informed me about five years ago, that when she was a little girl
of about eleven years of age, a certain man who lived in that
neighbourhood had gone from home, for some months, and just about
the time when he was expected to return the little girl was one day
walking along the road near the village, about two o'clock in the
afternoon. She suddenly met the man coming home. He was coming along
the road towards her, and looked at her, and then suddenly disappeared
through a gate into an adjoining field. She was very much surprised,
as the man was not expected home till next day. The next moment two
sisters of the man appeared on the scene, and the girl informed them
that she had just seen their brother, and inquired whether they had
met him as they passed along the same road about the same time. But
they in reply positively affirmed that they had seen no sight of him
on the road or anywhere else since he left home, and that the girl
must have been dreaming or inventing some idle tale, for their brother
was not returning home till to-morrow. About 2 p.m., the next day,
the man did come home, and, strange to say, it was found out that
the day Miss Pergrin had seen him, he was far away from the district,
so it was concluded that she had seen his spirit, and that in broad
daylight. Miss Pergrin did not like to give the man's name.
SPIRIT OF A LIVING WOMAN SEEN ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT, NEAR LLANYBRI
IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.
A woman named Mrs. M. Davies, who lives in the small village of
Llanybri, in Carmarthenshire, informed me that her mother when a
young woman, was going home one evening to Llanybri, on a moonlight
night. As she walked along, to her great surprise, she saw an old
woman known in the neighbourhood as Rachel Y Gweydd, or the weaver,
sitting by the roadside and busily engaged in knitting a stocking. The
young woman ran home as fast as she could and told her mother what she
had seen. "Och y fi" said her mother, "something strange is sure to
take place after this." Within a few days a man named Thomas Davies,
of Cwmllan-wybryn, died, and was buried at the Capel Newydd. As the
funeral procession passed along, there was Rachel Y Gweydd sitting
by the roadside, and knitting her stocking at the very same spot
where her spirit had been seen by the young woman on the moon-light
night. The old woman had gone to sit by the roadside in order to
watch the funeral procession passing.
A sister of the above Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Weekes, of Llangynog, also
gave me the following account of her mother's experience of seeing
"Yspryd dyn byw."
SPIRIT OF A REJECTED LOVER APPEARING TO A YOUNG WOMAN.
Mrs. Weekes's mother, when a young girl, living with her parents
near Llanybri, Carmarthen, went out one evening to fetch some water
from a well close by, and she saw, as she thought, Thomas of Felin
Gwm standing near the hedge. "Thomas?" says she, "what do you want
here?" The man vanished into nothing all at once, and so she perceived
that it was his spirit she had seen. Thomas was in love with her,
but she had refused to have anything to do with him.
TALE OF A DOCTOR.
The following tale appeared in "Welsh Folk-Lore," page 296 by the
late Rev. Elias Owen, F.S.A., who had obtained the story from the
Rev. Philip Edwards:--
"At Swyddffynnon, in Cardiganshire, there lived a Mrs. Evans, who
had a strange vision. Mr. Edwards's father called one evening upon
Mrs. Evans, and found her sitting by the fire in company with a
few female friends, greatly depressed. On enquiring as to the cause
of her distress, she stated that she had had a strange sight that
very evening.
"She saw, she said, in the unoccupied chamber at the further end of
the house, a light, and, whilst she was wondering what light it was,
she observed a tall, dark, stranger gentleman, who had a long, full
beard, enter the house and go straight to the room where the light was,
but before going in he took off his hat and placed it on the table;
then he took off his gloves and threw them into the hat, and without
uttering a single word he entered the lit-up room.
"Shortly afterwards, she saw the stranger emerge from the room and
leave the house, and on looking again towards the room she saw that
the light had disappeared. It was, she said, this apparition that
had disconcerted her.
"Some time after this vision, Mrs. Evans was in a critical state,
and as she lived far away from a doctor, my informant's father was
requested to ride to Aberystwyth for one. He found, however, that the
two doctors who then resided in that town were from home. But he was
informed at the inn that there was a London doctor staying at Hafod. He
determined, whether he could or could not, induce this gentleman
to accompany him to Swyddffynnon, to go there. This gentleman, on
hearing the urgency of the case, consented to visit the sick woman.
"Mr. Edwards and the doctor rode rapidly to their destination, and
Mr. Edwards was surprised to find that the doctor did everything
exactly as it had been stated by Mrs. Evans. There was also a light
in the chamber, for there the neighbour had placed the still-born
child, and it was the providential help of the London doctor that
saved Mrs. Evans's life.
"I may add that the personal appearance of this gentleman corresponded
with the description given of him by Mrs. Evans."
SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN IN A FIELD.
I heard the following story in the neighbourhood of Llanddewi, about
my own grandfather, the late Mr. John Evans, of Gogoyan, who died
about fifty-five years ago. (The "Hiriaid Gogoyan" were descended
from Gruffydd Hir o Llanfair, great-great-grandson of Gwaethfoed);
so saith Gwynionydd, in his book on "Enwogion Ceredigion." But now
for the story:--
Mr. Evans one day had gone to Aberystwyth, either riding or driving
as this was in the days before the introduction of railways into that
part, the distance was over twenty miles.
Early in the afternoon on the same day one of his servants who was
ploughing in the field, saw Mr. Evans walking about quite close to
him in the field.
The servant was quite surprised at this, as he knew that his master
had gone to Aberystwyth early in the morning. When the master came
home that night from Aberystwyth, the servant told him that he had
seen him in the afternoon in the field.
"Well," said Evans in reply, "if you saw me you only saw my spirit,
for I have been away all day; now to see the spirit of a living man
is not a bad sign."
It is rather curious that a story very similar to the above is given
by Mr. T. Lloyd, Dinas Powis, in "Cymru Fu" ("Weekly Mail" reprints)
for November 16th, 1889, which is as follows:--
"YSFRYD DYN BYW.
"Many years ago at a farm called Ystradteilo, near the pretty village
of Llanrhystyd in Cardiganshire, the servant girl was sent to the
field to fetch home the cows for milking, and while in the field she
saw her master doing something there. The master's name was Williams,
and he was a near relation to the eminent scholar Rev. E. Williams,
M.A., of Lampeter. When, however, the servant girl returned home,
she was astonished to find her master in the house. 'How in the world
did you come home so quick?' she asked. 'Just now I saw you in the
field.' He replied that he had not been from the house during the
afternoon, and added, 'look here, girl, that was not a bad sign at
all but if you will see me like that after my departure you may depend
that I shall be in a place of torture.' It was a general belief that
of the dead the ghosts of the wicked only were to be seen."
SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN THROWING STONES.
Mr. Thomas Stephens, an intelligent old man in the neighbourhood of
Mydroilyn, in the Parish of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, informed me that
between 60 and 70 years ago his father, John Stephens, when a young
man, was coming home late one evening after spending a few hours of
pleasant time with the young woman of his affection at a neighbouring
farm. As he was walking along a lonely lane, to his great surprise,
he heard the sound of some one throwing stones about in a field which
he was passing by. When he looked around, he beheld the spirit of a
man of his acquaintance who was well and alive, throwing stones with
all his might in a field where stones were not to be found.
Spirit of a living man was sometimes heard without being seen, of
this I was informed by an old man at Llanddewi Brefi.
In some ghost stories we find the spirits of the departed appearing
to comfort the living.
THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER BOY-SON AT LLANGYNOG,
CARMARTHENSHIRE.
A very old man named Thomas Ticker, who lives at the small village
of Llanybri, gave me the following remarkable account:--
Many years ago when one William Thomas, Pengelly Isaf, Llangynog, was
a little boy of ten or twelve years of age, his mother died. One day
the boy in great sorrow went out into a field which was quite close to
the house, and wept bitterly, almost breaking his heart. Suddenly,
the spirit of his dead mother appeared to him in a white dress,
telling him not to cry, "because" saith she, "your crying gives me
pain, and you need not be in trouble about the future, as there is
plenty of food for thee." The child was on the ground when she spoke,
and when he looked up he beheld his mother vanishing suddenly.
This W. Thomas who saw his mother's spirit, died when a comparatively
young man, but his son, from whom my informant obtained the account
of the vision, lived till eighty years of age, and died about sixty
years ago.
THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD DAUGHTER APPEARING TO THE MOTHER.
About ninety years ago one Mrs. D. Thomas, Llanfair, Llandyssul,
had a daughter who was very promising, and her mother was so fond
of her. She was sent to the well-known school of the celebrated
Mr. Davis of Castell Howell. Unfortunately, however, the girl died,
to the great sorrow of her poor mother who bewailed her loss day and
night. But one day when the old lady was out in the potato field,
the spirit of her dead daughter appeared suddenly to her, and spoke to
her mother with severe looks: "Don't cry after me, for I am in a much
better place." The above account I heard from the lips of Mr. Rees,
Maesymeillion, parish of Llandyssul, about three years ago, to whom
and his brother I am indebted for several other stories.
THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER CHILDREN.
The following story was related to me by Mr. Brutus Davies, who died
at Aberystwyth about two years ago, and who vouched for the truth of
the account:--
About seventy years ago a certain man who was working on the Estate
of Col. ---- in the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, had buried
his first wife and had married again. He had several children from
his first wife, but not one from the second. One particular day,
the children went out to play as they often did. When they came to
a certain spot which served them as a playground, they found some
small cakes on the ground, which were very tempting to children;
but just as they were going to eat them, the spirit of their dead
mother appeared on the scene and addressed them as follows:--"My dear
children, don't eat those cakes, for there is poison in them!" When
this strange occurrence became known in the neighbourhood, people
suspected the step-mother of having intentionally and secretly placed
the cakes on the children's playground.
Sometimes we hear of the appearance of the ghost of a child, especially
if a baby has been ill-treated or murdered, and the following story
is well-known in the Northern part of Cardiganshire.
ALLT Y CRIB GHOST, NEAR TALYBONT.
About sixty years ago, the dead body of a little baby was found in
a hole or an old mine shaft, known till the present day as "Shaft y
plentyn" (the child's shaft), and as the people of the neighbourhood
of Talybont guessed who its mother was, there was a rumour that both
she and her family were haunted by the child's ghost. This ghost also,
it is said, wandered about at night, and its bitter crying disturbed
the whole neighbourhood, till many timid people were afraid to go
out after dark. My informant was the late J. Jones, Bristol House.
There is a similar story of a child's ghost in the parish of
Troedyraur, South Cardiganshire. This spirit always appeared as a
child dressed in yellow clothes, and on that account the unearthly
visitor was known as "Bwci Melyn Bach y Cwm."
THE GHOST OF PONT-Y-GWENDRAETH, NEAR KIDWELY IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.
It was an old belief among the Welsh people in former times
that the spirit of a suicide was doomed to walk the earth as
a punishment. Several versions of the well-known Kidwely Legend
have already appeared, but a book of West Wales Folk-Lore would be
incomplete without it.
Sir Elidir Ddu was a Lord of Kidwely. He had two sons, Griffith and
Rhys, and one beautiful daughter named Nest.
The Crusades had been proclaimed, and this Elidir Ddu was preparing
to depart, and accompanied by his youngest son Rhys; but the eldest
son Griffith and Nest, the only daughter, remained at home in Kidwely
Castle, as well as another fair young lady whose name was Gwladys,
a niece of Sir Elidir, and cousin to Nest. Nest was in love with a
handsome young Norman named Sir Walter Mansel, her cousin Gwladys also
was in love with him, but the young man was true to Nest. Griffith
loved Gwladys, but she did not like him as she wanted Sir Walter
Mansel. This complicated matters very much. Nest's father before he
had left to the Holy Land, had forbidden the young Norman the house,
and now the young lady's brother, Griffith, guarded the place against
him; but the sanguine lover (Sir W. M.) found means of meeting the fair
Nest in the country round, and many stolen interviews were held. But
the jealous Gwladys watched Nest, and found out her place of meeting
with her lover, which was Pont-y-Gwendraeth, and she informed Griffith
of it. Griffith was in love with Gwladys, but she had snubbed him
hopelessly. Now, however, in order to use him as an accomplice in her
revenge, she flattered his hopes with feigned kindness, and wrought
him up to such a pitch of fury against the Norman, that he agreed to
join her to destroy the young lover by fixing upon a bad fellow called
Merig Maneg to carry out the evil deed. The next trysting place of the
lovers was, by some means ascertained to be a bridge over the tidal
portion of the Gwendraeth, and as Sir W. came forward to greet his
lady-love an arrow whistled from a reed bed and pierced his side. The
villain Merig, then rushed from his hiding place, and before the very
eyes of Nest, hurled Walter's body into the rushing tide. The young
lady overcome with horror, gave a wild shriek of despair and plunged
in after the hapless knight. After this, the villain Merig was haunted
by Nest's spirit, and on one occasion, she told him that her spirit
was doomed to walk the earth as a punishment for her suicide unless a
marriage should take place between one of her father's descendants and
a member of the Mansel family, and that until that did occur she would
appear on Pont-y-Gwendraeth to give warning of the approaching death
of every member of the family. From that day the Bridge became known
as Pont-yr-yspryd-gwyn, and for generations a white lady occasionally
appeared, giving utterance to a wild unearthly shriek and vanish.
Mr. Charles Wilkins in his "Tales and Sketches of Wales," gives the
following sequel to the story:--
In 1775, Mr. Rhys, a lineal descendant of Rhys Ddu, of Kidwely Castle,
a magistrate, was returning one evening from Quarter Sessions when he
was startled by seeing a white figure flit rapidly across the Bridge,
and disappear over it into the water. His horse trembled and refused
to go on. Mr. Rhys thought of the Ghost Story and prediction, and
riding towards Kidwely, noticed a large crowd and heard that a shocking
murder had been committed upon a poor old woman. He entered the cottage
and discovered a small portion of a man's coat sleeve lying upon the
bed. By inquiry, found it belonged to "Will Maneg." Will was arrested,
confessed, and was hanged on Pembrey mountain, while as still further
to strengthen the prediction, Mr. Rhys was informed that day of the
death of his brother Arthur of the R.N., who was drowned at sea;
and also of his wife's mother's death, Lady Mansel, of Iscoed, who
was burnt to death at Kidwely.
HAUNTED MANSIONS OF LLANELLY, CARMARTHENSHIRE.
Mr. Innes, in "Old Llanelly," page 145, says:--
"The ghost of Lady Mansel 'walked' and haunted Old Stradey House,"
and "Llanelly House probably had had ghosts for it is certain that
spirits may be found there even now; and an old man has recently
made a statement that when a boy he slept in the Stepney Mansion;
but as he ascended to his room he heard the rustling brocade of a
lady's dress in an apparently empty corridor.
"This lady during the night played upon an organ built up in one of
the thick walls."
A GHOST HAUNTING A YOUNG LOVER WHO WAS OUT LATE AT NIGHT, NEAR
ALLTWALIS IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.
An old man named Griffiths, who is 96 years of age, and lives at
'Renallt Farm, near Carmarthen, gave me the following ghost story
concerning his own father.
William Griffiths (my informant's father), when a young man, nearly a
hundred years ago, was engaged as a servant at a farm called Pontiauar,
in the Parish of Llanpumpsaint. William had been out late one night
to see the young woman of his affection, and having enjoyed the
pleasure of love for some hours, he returned home about three o'clock
in the morning. He had some miles to go through a lonely district,
and worse than that he had to pass the Haunted Red Gate of Glynadda,
a place famous for its ghosts in former times.
On he walked as fast as he could, but to his great terror, when
he came to the Red Gate the ghost appeared in the shape of a big
man. William passed on and ran, but the Ghost followed him all the
way to the village of Llanpumpsaint, till the young man was terrified
almost to death. When he arrived at the house of Dafydd Llwyd, the
Blacksmith (who worked even at that early hour), he entered the house
or the Blacksmith's shop, and fell down near the fire half-fainting,
and they had to take him home to the farmhouse in a cart.
A PEMBROKESHIRE GHOST HAUNTING A SHIP.
Sometimes we hear of ghosts at sea, and the following account of a
Ghost on board H.M.S. "Asp," which was written by Capt. Alldridge,
R.N., Commander of that vessel, appeared in the "Pembroke County
Guardian," February 16th, 1901.
March 15th, 1867.
My dear Sir,--I herewith readily comply with your request as far
as I am able, respecting the unaccountable "apparition" on board my
ship. Call it ghost or what you will, still I assure you that which I
am going to relate is what really did take place, and much as I was,
and am, a sceptic in ghost stories, I must confess myself completely
at a loss to account by natural causes for that which did actually
occur. Many years having elapsed since I retired from active service
I am unable to recollect all the dates with exactness, but I will
give them as far as I can remember them.
In the year 1850, the "Asp" was given me by the Admiralty as a
surveying vessel. On taking possession of her, the Superintendent
of the Dockyard, where she lay, remarked to me, "Do you know, Sir,
your ship is said to be haunted, and I don't know if you will get any
of the Dockyard men to work on her." I, of course, smiled, and I said
"I don't care for ghosts, and dare say I shall get her all to lights
fast enough."
I engaged the shipwrights to do the necessary repairs to the vessel,
but before they had been working in her a week they came to me in
a body and begged me to give the vessel up as she was haunted and
could never bring anything but ill-luck. However, the vessel was at
length repaired, and arrived in safety in the river Dee, where she
was to commence her labours. After my tea in the evening, I generally
sat in my cabin and either read to myself or had an officer of mine
(who is now master of the 'Magician') to read aloud to me: on such
occasions we used frequently to be interrupted by strange noises,
often such as would be caused by a drunken man or a person staggering
about, which appeared to issue from the after (or ladies') cabin.
The two cabins were only separated from each other by the companion
ladder, the doors faced each other, so that from my cabin I could
see into the after one. There was no communication between either
of them and the other parts of the ship, excepting by the companion
ladder, which no one could ascend or descend without being seen
from my cabin. The evening shortly after our arrival in the Dee,
the officer I mentioned was reading to me in my cabin when all at
once his voice was drowned by a violent and prolonged noise in the
aft cabin. Thinking it must be the steward he called out "Don't make
such a noise, steward," and the noise ceased. When he began to read
again the noise also recommenced. "What are you doing, steward--making
such a--noise for?" he cried out, and taking the candle rushes into
the next cabin. But he came back quicker than he went, saying there
was nobody there.
He recommenced reading, and once more began the mysterious noise. I
felt sure there was some drunken person there whom my officer had
overlooked, and accordingly rose and looked myself, and to my very
disagreeable surprise found the cabin empty!
After this evening, the noises became very frequent, varying in kind
and in degree. Sometimes it was as though the seats and lockers were
being banged about, sometimes it sounded as though decanters and
tumblers were being clashed together. During these disturbances the
vessel was lying more than a mile off shore.
One evening I and the above-named officer went to drink tea at a
friend's house at Queen's Ferry, near Chester, the vessel at the time
being lashed to the lower stage opposite Church's Quay. We returned on
board together about 10 p.m. While descending the companion ladder,
I distinctly heard someone rush from the after cabin into the fore
cabin. I stopped the officer who was behind me at the top of the
ladder and whispered to him, "Stand still, I think I have caught the
ghost." I then descended into my cabin, took my sword, which always
hung over my bed, and placed it drawn in his hand saying "Now ----,
allow no one to pass you; if anyone attempts to escape cut him down,
I will stand the consequences. T then returned to the cabin, struck
a light and searched everywhere, but nothing could I find to account
for the noises I had heard, though I declare solemnly that never did
I feel more certain of anything in my life than that I should find
a man there. So there was nothing to be done but to repeat for the
hundredth time, "Well, it is the ghost again!" Often when lying in my
bed at night have I heard noises close to me as though my drawers were
being opened and shut, the top of my washing stand raised and banged
down again, and a bed which stood on the opposite side of my cabin,
pulled about; while of an evening I often heard while sitting in my
cabin a noise as though a percussion cap were snapped close to my
head; also very often (and I say it with godly and reverential fear)
I have been sensible of the presence of something invisible about me,
and could have put my hand, so to say, on it, or the spot where I felt
it was; and all this occurred, strange to say, without my feeling in
the least alarmed or caring about it, except so far that I could not
understand or account for what I felt and heard.
One night, when the vessel was at anchor in Martyn Roads I was awoke
by the quartermaster calling me and begging me to come on deck as
the look-out man had rushed to the lower deck, saying that a figure
of a lady was standing on the paddle box pointing with her finger to
Heaven. Feeling angry, I told him to send the look-out man on deck
again and keep him there till daybreak, but in attempting to carry my
orders into execution the man went into violent convulsions, and the
result was I had to go myself upon deck and remain there till morning.
This apparition was often seen after this, and always as described
with her finger pointing towards Heaven.
One Sunday afternoon while lying in the Haverfordwest river opposite
to Lawrenny, the crew being all on shore, and I being at church,
my steward (the only man on board) whilst descending the companion
ladder was spoken to by an unseen voice. He immediately fell down with
fright, and I found his appearance so altered that I really scarcely
knew him! He begged to be allowed his discharge and to be landed as
soon as possible, to which I felt obliged to consent as he could not
be persuaded to remain on board for the night. The story of the ship
being haunted becoming known on shore, the clergyman of Lawrenny called
on me one day and begged me to allow him to question the crew, which
he accordingly did. He seemed very much impressed by what he heard; he
seemed to view the matter in a serious light and said that his opinion
was that "some troubled spirit must be lingering about the vessel."
During the years that I commanded the "Asp" I lost many of my men who
ran away on being refused their discharge, and a great many others I
felt forced to let go, so great was their fear, one and all telling
me the same tale, namely, that at night they saw the transparent
figure of a lady pointing with her finger up to Heaven. For many
years I endeavoured to ridicule the affair as I was often put to
considerable inconvenience by the loss of hands, but to no purpose. I
believe that when the officers went out of the vessel after dark none
of the crew would have ventured into the cabin on any account. One
night I was awoke from my sleep by a hand, to all sensations, being
placed on my leg outside the bedclothes. I lay still for a moment to
satisfy myself of the truth of what I felt, and then grabbed at it,
but caught nothing. I rang my bell for the quartermaster to come with
his lantern, but found nothing. This occurred to me several times,
but on one occasion as I lay wide awake a hand was placed on my
forehead. If ever a man's hair stood on end mine did then. I sprang
clean out of bed: there was not a sound. Until then I had never felt
the least fear of the ghost or whatever you like to call it. In fact
I had taken a kind of pleasure in listening to the various noises as
I lay in bed, and sometimes when the noises were very loud I would
suddenly pull my bell for the look-out man and then listen attentively
if I could hear the sound of a footstep or attempt to escape, but
there never was any, and I would hear the look-out man walk from his
post to my cabin when I would merely ask him some questions as to the
wind and weather. At length in 1857, the vessel requiring repairs,
was ordered alongside the dockyard wall at Pembroke. The first night
the sentry stationed near the ship saw (as he afterwards declared)
a lady mount the paddle box holding up her hand towards Heaven. She
then stepped on shore and came along the path towards him when he
brought his musket to the charge "who goes there?" But the figure
walked through the musket, upon which he dropped it and ran for
the guard house. The next sentry saw all this take place and fired
off his gun to alarm the guard. The figure then glided past a third
sentry who was placed near the ruins of Pater old Church, and who
watched her, or it, mount the top of a grave in the old churchyard,
point with her finger to Heaven, and then stand till she vanished from
his sight. The sergeant of the guard came with rank and file to learn
the tale, and the fright of the sentries all along the Dockyard wall
was so great that none would remain at their post unless they were
doubled, which they were, as may be seen by the "Report of guard" for
that night. Singularly enough, since that, the ghost has never been
heard of again on board the Asp, and I never heard the noises which
before had so incessantly annoyed me. The only clue I could ever find
to account for my vessel being haunted is as follows:--Some years
previously to my having her, the "Asp" had been engaged as a mail
packet between Port Patrick and Donaghadee. After one of her trips,
the passengers having all disembarked, the stewardess on going into
the ladies' cabin found a beautiful girl with her throat cut lying
in one of the sleeping berths quite dead! How she came by her death
no one could tell and, though, of course, strict investigations were
commenced, neither who she was or where she came from or anything about
her was ever discovered. The circumstances gave rise to much talk,
and the vessel was remanded by the authorities, and she was not again
used until handed over to me for surveying service. Here end my tale,
which I have given in all truth. Much as I know one gets laughed at
for believing in ghost stories you are welcome to make what use you
please with this true account of the apparition on board the "Asp."
A SPIRIT ON HORSEBACK.
Rhosmeherin, in the neighbourhood of Ystrad Meurig, in Cardiganshire,
was formerly well known for its ghost. An old man named John Jones,
who lives at Pontrhydfendigaid, informed me that when a boy he heard of
many belated persons who were terrified in passing the haunted spot
by seeing a ghost which appeared sometimes in the shape of a cat,
at other times as a man on horseback.
Mr. Jones also added that a poor old woman had been murdered there
in the old times, which was supposed to account for the spot being
haunted. I have heard several ghost stories in connection with this
spot, but the best is the one which appeared in an interesting Welsh
book entitled, "Ystraeon y Gwyll," written by the late Mr. D. Lledrod
Davies, a promising young man, and a candidate for Holy Orders, who
died 20 years ago. Mr. Davies obtained the story from a person who had
seen the ghost; so I give a translation of the Belated's own words:--
"I was going home one evening from my work from Ros y Wlad, and had to
go through Rhosmeherin. "That place, you know is a terrible spot for
its ghosts. People say that they are seen there in broad daylight. As
to myself I did not see them in the daytime, but many a time was I
kept there all night by Jack-a-Lantern.
I saw a ghost in the form of a cat there also, and when I began
to strike him he disappeared in a blazing fire. But now for the
gentleman. I was near the spot where I had seen the cat, when I heard
the sound of a horse coming after me. I jumped one side to make room
for him to pass; but when he came opposite me he did not go forward a
single pace faster than myself. When I went on slowly, he went slowly;
when I went fast, he went fast. "Good night," said I at last, but no
answer. Then I said it was a very fine night, but the gentleman on
horseback did not seem to take any notice of what I said. Then thinking
that he might be an Englishman (the man was speaking in Welsh),
I said in English "Good night," but he took no notice of me still.
By this I was beginning to perspire and almost ready to fall down with
fright, hoping to get rid of him, as I now perceived that he was the
Devil himself appearing in the form of a gentleman. I could think from
the sound of the saddle and the shining stirrups that the saddle was
a new one. On we went along the dark narrow lane till we came to the
turnpike road, when it became a little lighter, which gave me courage
to turn my eyes to see what kind of a man he was. The horse looked
like a soldier's horse, a splendid one, and his feet like the feet of
a calf, without any shoes under them, and the feet of the gentleman in
the stirrups were also like the feet of a calf. My courage failed me
to look what his head and body were like. On we went till we came to
the cross-road. I had heard many a time that a ghost leaves everybody
there. Well, to the cross road we came. But ah! I heard the sound of
the ground as if it were going to rend, and the heavens going to fall
upon my head; and in this sound I lost sight of him (the Spirit). How
he went away I know not, nor the direction he went."
A SPIRIT IN A CAVE.
Sometimes we hear of haunted caves, where spirits are said to be seen
or heard. One of such places is the Green Bridge Cave, near Pendine,
Carmarthenshire.
There is a story in the neighbourhood that long ago an old fiddler
entered once into this cave with his fiddle and a lighted candle to
see his way, and that his candle went out when he was in, so that
he failed to find his way out of the cave again. He is heard there
sometimes, so it is said, playing his fiddle.
A SPIRIT IN A RIVER.
Near Llandyssul, in Cardiganshire, and the borders of Carmarthenshire,
there is a pool in the River Teivi, known as the "Pool of the
Harper." When I visited the village a few years ago I was told that
it is said that an old harper was drowned there long ago; and that
it is still believed by some that on a fine summer afternoon, one
hears his spirit playing his harp in the pool.
APPARITIONS OF GOOD SPIRITS.
It is not, often we hear in Wales of Good Spirits appearing; but the
Rev. Edmund Jones in his "Relation of Apparitions," a curious old
book published some generations ago, gives the following narrative
of Apparitions of Good Spirits:--
----"There lived at a place called Pante, which is between Carmarthen
and Laugharne towns, one Mr. David Thomas, a holy man, who worship the
Lord with great devotion and humility; he was also a gifted brother,
and sometimes preached. On a certain night, for the sake of privacy,
he went into a room which was out of the house, but nearly adjoining to
it, in order to read and pray; and as he was at prayer, and very highly
taken up into a heavenly frame, the room was suddenly enlightened,
and to that degree that the light of the candle was swallowed up by
a greater light, and became invisible; and with, or in that light
a company of Spirits, like children, in bright clothing, appeared
very beautiful, and sung; but he recollected only a few words of it,
'Pa hyd? Pa hyd? Dychwelwch feibion Adda' (How long? How long? Return
ye sons of Adam.) Something like Ps. xc. 3. After a time he lost
sight of them: the light of the candle again came to appear, when the
great light of the glorious company was gone. He was immersed in the
heavenly disposition, and he fell down to thank and praise the Lord;
and while he was at this heavenly exercise the room enlightened again;
the light of the candle became invisible, and the glorious company
sung; but he was so amazed at what he saw and heard that he could
remember only the following words, 'Pa hyd? Pa hyd yr erlidiwch?' (How
long? How long, will ye persecute the godly Christians?)
"After a while, they departed, and the candle light appeared. Any
Christian who enjoyed much of God's presence will easily believe
that D. T. was now lifted up very high in the spiritual life by this
extraordinary visitation from heaven."
SPIRITS REMOVING CHURCHES.
There are several legends in West and Mid-Wales, especially in
Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire, in which spirits or some other
mysterious powers, play a prominent part in the removal of Churches
from one site to another.
LLANDDEUSANT (CARMARTHENSHIRE).
I am indebted for the following to the Rev. H. M. Williams, Vicar
of Lledrod:--
There is a tradition in the parish of Llanddeusant, that the parish
church was to have been built at first at Twynllanan, in the centre
of the parish; but the stones that were put up during the day were
removed in the night, to the spot where the church now stands.
LLANBISTER CHURCH (RADNORSHIRE).
The Rev. Professor Tyrrell Green, St. David's College, Lampeter,
writes to me thus:--
"Jonathan Williams in his History of Radnorshire, p. 194, ed., 1859,
says that near Llanbister Church is a piece of land on which it
was originally intended to have erected the Church, but tradition
reports that the accomplishment of this design was prevented by
the intervention of supernatural agency. "The tradition that a
supernatural being carried away in the night whatever was built of
the church during the day, is still kept alive, because the warden
claims an annual rent of 2s. 6d. for the vacant and unconsecrated
site of the originally intended church." In the same book mention is
made of an old custom prevailing in this parish, viz., the payment
of a certain tax or tribute called "Clwt-y-Gyllell," or Knife Money,
imposed on a certain corner of a field on some estates, consisting
of a certain number of groats.
PENBRYN CHURCH.
For the following legend, I am indebted to Mr. Prys Williams,
Y. Wenallt, an eminent antiquarian in the southern part of
Cardiganshire:--
The intended original site of the Church of Penbryn, according to
tradition, was Penlon Moch, near Sarnau, where now stands St. John's
Mission Church; but all the materials they brought there, and built
in the course of the day, were removed during the night by invisible
hands to where it now stands. There is a similar tradition concerning
Bettws Ifan.
LLANWINIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE).
When the attempt was first made to build this church, everything put
up in the day fell down in the night, till at last the builder threw
his hammer into the air.
The church was then built on the spot where the hammer fell and the
work progressed without further hindrance.
In this story we do not hear of a spirit removing the material, but
it is evident that it was believed that the falling down in the night
of what was put up in the day, was caused by some supernatural agency.
LLANGAN (CARMARTHENSHIRE).
In the middle of the parish there is a field called Park y Fonwent,
where, according to local tradition, the church was to have been
originally built, but the stones brought to the spot during the day,
were removed by invisible hands during the night to the spot where the
present church now stands, accompanied by a voice saying, "Llangan,
dyma'r fan," (Llangan, here is the spot).--See Arch. Cam., 1872.
MAROS.
Not far from Pendine, Carmarthenshire, is a field called Church Park,
a short distance to the west from the church. In this field it was
intended at first to build the church, but invisible spirits during
the night removed both stones and mortar to the spot where the church
now stands. There is also a tradition that two giants were buried in
the field.
LLANGELER CHURCH.
Llangeler parish is in Carmarthenshire, and on the borders of
Cardiganshire. There is a tradition in the district that it was
at first intended to build Llangeler Church on a spot known as
"Parc-y-Bwci," but what had been built during the day, was transported
in the night to the site of the present church. There is no mention
here that the agency was a spirit; but the name of the spot is very
suggestive, for Parc-y-Bwci means the Goblin's Park.
LLANFIHANGEL GENEU'R GLYN.
The parish church of Llanfihangel Geneu'r Glyn, is situated about five
miles north of Aberystwyth, and it is seen from the train. About a mile
from the church and the village, there is a respectable farm house,
named Glanfread, or Glanfread-fawr which belongs to the Gogerddan
Estate. It is evident that Glanfread was a place of importance once,
and long ago gentry lived there, and it was the birthplace of Edward
Llwyd, the author of Archæoligia Britanica. It is also believed
that the house received its name from St. Fraed, a devout woman who,
according to local tradition, came over from Ireland to build a church
on the spot.
There is a legend still extant in the neighbourhood that when the
work of erecting the church on the spot was actually commenced, the
portion built during the day was pulled down during each night. At
last a voice from the spirit world was heard to speak as follows:--
"Glanfread-fawr sy fod fan hyn,
Llanfihangel yn ngenau'r Glyn.
"Glanfread-fawr is to be herein,
Llanfihangel at Genau'r Glyn."
What the spirit meant by these words was that the church was to be
built at Genau'r Glyn, and that Glanfread-fawr farm or mansion was
to occupy the spot they were then trying to build the church; and
in accordance with the Spirit's direction the church was after this
built where it now stands instead of at Glanfread.
The above tradition was related to me by Lady Hills-Johnes, of
Dolaucothy, an intelligent lady who has been a friend to me for nearly
twenty years. The late Bishop Thirwall wanted Lady Hills-Johnes to
write a book on the Legends of Wales.
Llanfihangel, of course, is the Welsh for St. Michael, or rather
Michael's Church; but as the early Welsh Christians generally
dedicated their churches to Welsh Saints, it seems probable that the
ancient name of this church was Llanfread; and the name of the farm
Glanfread, where it was first intended to build the church seems to
suggest this. Perhaps the church was re-dedicated to St. Michael by
the Normans, for we know that William the Conqueror seized some lands
in the neighbourhood, and that particular part of the parish is known
to this day as "Cyfoeth y Brenin," (the King's wealth).
St. Michael was a favourite patron of churches with the Normans,
as it was believed that an apparition of the Archangel had been seen
by Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, directing him to build a church on
Mount St. Michael in Normandy.
LLANWENOG.
From a paper read before the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society,
by the Rev. J. Morris, Vicar of Llanybyther, I find that there is
a tradition still extant that Llanwenog Church was also removed by
supernatural agency from one site to another.
These popular legends are, undoubtedly, very old, and are current
not only in Wales, but in parts of Scotland also as the following
from Sir Walter Scott's Notes to the Lay of the Last Minstrel prove:
----"When the workmen were engaged in erecting the ancient church
of Old Deer, in Aberdeenshire, upon a small hill called Bissau they
were surprised to find that the work was impeded by supernatural
obstacles. At length the Spirit of the River was heard to say:
"It is not here, it is not here,
That ye shall build the church of Deer;
But on Taptillery,
Where many a corpse shall lie."
"The site of the edifice was accordingly transferred to Taptillery, an
eminence at some distance from where the building had been commenced."
As to the origin of these legends or traditions of the mysterious
removal of churches, it is not easy to arrive at a correct
explanation. Some writers are of the opinion that they contain a
record, imaginative and exaggerated, of real incidents connected with
the history of the churches to which each of them belongs, and that
they are in most cases reminiscences of an older church which once
actually stood on another site. Others see in these stories traces of
the antagonism, in remote times, between peoples holding different
religious beliefs, and the steps taken by one party to seize and
appropriate the sacred spots of the other.
That some of these tales have had their origin in primitive times,
even anterior to Christianity, is probable.
APPARITIONS OF THE DEVIL.
In many of the Welsh Ghost Stories, the spirit or ghost was supposed
to have been none other than the evil one himself.
The visible appearance of his satanic majesty was quite as common
in Wales as in other countries, though, strange to say, he is often
depicted as an inferior in cunning and intellect to a shrewd old
woman, or a bright-witted Welshman, as the following two curious
stories show:--
THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE IN CARDIGANSHIRE.
The Devil's Bridge in the northern part of Cardiganshire is so called
from the tradition that it was erected by him upon the condition that
the first thing that passed over it should be his. The story which
is well-known is something as follows:
An old woman called Megan Llandunach had lost her cow, and espied the
animal across the gorge. When bewailing her fate, the Devil appeared
and promised to build her a bridge over the gorge under the condition
that the first living thing which crossed should be surrendered into
his hand, "and be beyond redemption lost." Megan agreed, the bridge
was completed; she took from her pocket a crust of bread and threw
it over the bridge, and her hungry dog sprang after it. So the Devil
was balked in his design after all his trouble in erecting the bridge.
PENTRE-CWRT FOLK AND THE DEVIL.
Once upon a time the devil was offended with the people of Pentre-Cwrt,
in Carmarthenshire, and decided to drown them. One day in order to do
this mischief the Evil One was seen going along with a big shovelful of
mound; and when he came to the parish of Llandyssul in Cardiganshire,
which was only about two miles from Pentre-Cwrt, he met with a cobbler
who carried a very large bundle of old shoes. After saluting the devil
the cobbler asked him to where did he intend taking the shovelful
of mound? "To the mouth of Alltcafan," was the reply. "For what
purpose?" asked the cobbler again. "To dam the River Teivy so as to
drown the people of Pentre-Cwrt," said the devil. Now the cobbler was
a very shrewd man, and in order to frustrate the evil design of the
Old Gentleman, he told him that the place where he intended to dam
the river was very far away. "How far is it?" asked the devil. "I
cannot tell you the exact distance," replied the cobbler, "but in
walking from there I have worn out all these shoes." "If that is so,"
said the devil, "it is too far, for I am already tired," and down did
he throw the shovelful of mould, and the shovelful which the devil
threw down is to be seen to this day, and known as Cnwc Coedfoel.--See
Hanes Plwyf Llangeler, gan D. Jones.
Sometimes the devil manifests himself in a ball of fire, at other
times in the form of a pig, mouse, calf, dog, or headless horse,
and even as a gentleman on horseback, as we have already seen in the
Rhosmeherin ghost story.
When I was in North Pembrokeshire a few years ago, I was told by
several old people in the village of Eglwyswrw that the Evil One
sometimes was to be seen at Yet Wen in that neighbourhood; occasionally
as a "white lady," but more often as a white cat.
The people of the same village informed me that Yet Wen, Pen'rallt,
was also a favourite resort of the devil, and that a woman once in
passing the spot at night, shouted "Come out you d----l," and the
next moment a white cat appeared.
Nags Head, in the same county was once haunted by the devil, as it
seems from the following story of long ago:--
THE EVIL ONE APPEARING AT NAG'S HEAD IN THE FORM OF A DOG.
"As Mr. David Walter, of Pembrokeshire, a religious man, and far from
fear and superstition, was travelling by himself through a field
called the Cot Moor, where there are two stones set up called the
Devil's Nags, which are said to be haunted, he was suddenly seized
and thrown over a hedge. He went there another day, taking with him
for protection a strong fighting mastiff dog. When he had come near
the Devil's Nags there appeared in his path the apparition of a dog
more terrible than any he had ever seen. In vain he tried to set his
mastiff on; the huge beast crouched, frightened by his master's feet
and refused to attack the spectre. Whereupon his master boldly stooped
to pick up a stone thinking that would frighten the evil dog; but
suddenly a circle of fire surrounded it, which lighting up the gloom,
showed the white snip down to the dog's nose, and his grinning teeth,
and white tail. He then knew it was one of the infernal dogs of hell."
"THE OLD GENTLEMAN" APPEARING IN PEMBROKESHIRE, AS A BLACK CALF.
A black calf was supposed to haunt a stream that flowed across the
road that leads from Narberth in Pembrokeshire to the adjacent village
Cold Blow. People returning late that way were sure to get frightened
as they passed and, as a consequence, they would go a long distance
out of their way to avoid the haunted stream. One night, or rather
early morning, two villagers were going home from a fair caught the
terrible calf and took it home, locking it up safely with some cattle,
but it had vanished when morning came.
A GHOST SEEN IN THE FORM OF A CALF IN CARDIGANSHIRE.
Rhosygarth, between Llanilar and Lledrod, was a well-known haunted spot
in former times. This demon often appeared on the road to travellers
late at night in the form of a calf, but with a head much like that
of a dog. Many years ago, Mr. Hughes, of Pantyddafad, was going
home one night on horseback; but just as he was passing Rhosygarth,
the ghost appeared, and passed across the road right in front of the
horse. My informant, Thomas Jones, Pontrhydfendigaid, was a servant at
Pantyddafad, heard the old gentleman often speaking about the ghost he
had seen at Rhosygarth, and that Mr. Hughes was great-grand-father to
Dr. Hughes, of Cwitycadno, Llanilar. Mr. Jones also added that he knew
a young man who always laughed when people talked about seeing ghosts;
but one night, a man (as he at first thought), followed him for about
a mile, and after coming close to him, vanished into nothing. The
young man nearly fainted, and after this never doubted the reality
of the world of spirits.
A DEMON ASSUMING THE FORM OF A HORSE.
Sir John Williams, Bart, now of Aberystwyth, informed me that when a
boy in the neighbourhood of Gwynfi, Carmarthenshire, he often heard
some of the old people speak of a ghost which haunted the road in
that part of the country in former times. This ghost was known as
"Bwci," and always assumed the form of a horse. It is an old belief
of the Celts that demons assumed the form of horses, and one of these
mythic beings was the Water Horse, so well-known in North Scotland. It
was also known in Wales once.
THE GWYLLGI, OR DOG OF DARKNESS.
The Gwyllgi was a frightful apparition of a mastiff with baleful
breath and blazing red eyes. In former times, an apparition in
this shape haunted Pant y Madog, in the neighbourhood of Laugharne,
Carmarthenshire. A woman named Rebecca Adams, passing this spot late
one night, fell down in a swoon, when she saw the spectral dog coming
towards her. When within a few yards of her it stopped, squatted
on its hounchers, "and set up such a scream, so loud, so horrible,
and so strong, that she thought the earth moved under her." I was
informed at Llangynog five years ago, that Spectral Dogs still haunt
that part of Carmarthenshire; and more than one of my informants had
seen such apparitions themselves.
A spirit in animal form was not always a demon; sometimes the Spirit
of a mortal was doomed to wear this shape for some offence.
It was once believed that the Evil One, either from lust, or from
nefarious designs, assumed the form of a young man or a young woman.
The following two stories, the first from South Pembrokeshire, and
the other from Gower, have reference to this belief.
"A DEMON STEWARD."
Giraldus Cambrensis in his Itinerary through Wales (Bohn's edition,
page 110) says:--
"In the province of Pembrock (Pembroke), another instance occurred,
about the same time, of a spirit's appearing in the house of Elidore
de Stakepole, not only sensibly, but visibly, under the form of a
red-haired young man, who called himself Simon. First seizing the keys
from the person to whom they were entrusted, he impudently assumed the
steward's office, which he managed so prudently and providently, that
all things seemed to abound under his care, and there was no deficiency
in the house. Whatever the master or mistress secretly thought of
having for their daily use or provision, he procured with wonderful
agility, and without any previous directions, saying, "You wished that
to be done, and it shall be done for you." He was also well acquainted
with their treasures and secret hoards, and sometimes upbraided them
on that account; for as often as they seemed to act sparingly and
avariciously, he used to say, "Why are you afraid to spend that heap
of gold or silver, since your lives are of so short duration, and the
money you so cautiously hoard up will never do you any service?" He
gave the choicest meat and drink to the rustics and hired servants,
saying that "Those persons should be abundantly supplied, by whose
labours they were acquired." Whatever he determined should be done,
whether pleasing or displeasing to his master or mistress (for, as
we have said before, he knew all their secrets), he completed in his
usual expeditious manner, without their consent. He never went to
church or uttered one catholic word. He did not sleep in the house,
but was ready at his office in the morning. He was at length observed
by some of the family to hold his nightly converse near a mill and
a pool of water; upon which discovery, he was summoned the next
morning before the master of the house and his lady, and, receiving
his discharge, delivered up the keys, which he had held for upwards
of forty days. Being earnestly interrogated, at his departure who
he was? he answered, "That he was begotten upon the wife of a rustic
in that parish, by a demon, in the shape of her husband, naming the
man, and his father-in-law, then dead, and his mother, still alive;
the truth of which the woman upon examination, openly avowed."
A DEMON TEMPTING A YOUNG MAIDEN IN GOWER.
For the following tale I am indebted to Mr. T. C. Evans (Cadrawd)
the eminent antiquarian and folk-lorist of Llangynwyd:
"Once upon a time there lived a fair and gentle maiden in the
neighbourhood of the Demon's Rock, who often wandered out in the sunset
and balmy summer evenings to meet her lover, and would return with her
countenance radiant with joy, and the bright light of inexpressible
rapture beaming in her love-lighted eye. Evening after evening
would she stray out alone to the trysting place to meet her lover,
and seemed as happy as a bird that warbles its morning song when
the early sun gladdens the earth. However, it chanced that one of
her companions followed her one moonlight night--saw the maiden go
to a widespreading oak, and heard the whispering soft and low. She
was surprised that she could not observe anyone, neither could she
hear any reply to the maiden's sweet and loving voice. Affrighted,
she hastened back and said that a mysterious dread had crept over
her while listening and watching her companion; they kept it secret,
but questioned the maiden on her return. She said that her lover was a
gentleman, and that she had promised to meet him the next evening in
the same spot. The next evening they followed her again and saw her
addressing the empty air--they felt assured now that it must be the
Spirit of Darkness that was tempting the girl. Her companions warned
her and told her how she had been watched, and that they could not
see who or whom she spoke to.
"She became alarmed, but yet could not refrain from meeting her lover,
(as she supposed), once again, as she had made a vow and bound
herself by a solemn promise to meet him in this valley in the dead
hour of the night. She was also bound to go alone. It was a fearful
trial. The night came, the moon hid itself, and dark clouds swept
hurriedly across the sky. With blanched cheeks and trembling steps
the maiden approached the appointed place. She held (firmly grasped)
in her hand a Bible, and as the traitor approached, a straggling gleam
of moonshine revealed his form; and oh! horrible to relate, she saw the
cloven hoof! With one long piercing cry for protection from heaven she
fled; at the same instant the valley was filled with wild unearthly
shrieks. The roar of the deafening thunder shook the hills to their
foundations; wild and blinding lightnings, together with yells and
howls from the legions of baffled fiends rushed by on the startled air.
"The bewildered whirlwinds dashed through the woodlands, snapping the
oaks of a century like fragile reeds, or hurling them like feathers
down into the brook--now a boiling torrent that swept all before
it. In the morning a strange scene of devastation presented itself,
and the woods seemed crumbled up; the valley was a chaotic mass of
confusion, while in the centre of the hamlet was this huge stone which
they say the vengeful demon tore from its firm bed on the hillside,
and flung at the flying maiden as she evaded his grasp. It remains
in the spot where it was cast, and is known as the Demon's Rock."
There is also a story all over Wales of the Evil One appearing to a
young man as a lovely young lady.
SATAN AND SABBATH BREAKERS; OR THE "OLD GENTLEMAN" APPEARING IN MANY
FORMS TO A MAN WHO TRAVELLED ON SUNDAY.
The late Rev. Elias Owen, "Welsh Folk-Lore," page 152, Vicar of
Llanyblodwel, received the following tale from his deceased friend,
the Rev. J. L. Davies, late Rector of Llangynog, who had obtained it
from William Davies, the man who figures in the story:--
"William Davies, Penrhiw, near Aberystwyth, went to England for
the harvest, and after having worked there about three weeks, he
returned home alone, with all possible haste, as he knew that his
father-in-law's fields were by this time ripe for the sickle. He,
however, failed to accomplish the journey before Sunday; but he
determined to travel on Sunday, and thus reached home on Sunday night
to be ready to commence reaping on Monday morning. His conscience,
though, would not allow him to be at rest, but he endeavoured to
silence its twittings by saying to himself that he had with him no
clothes to go to a place of worship. He stealthily, therefore, walked
on, feeling very guilty every step he took, and dreading to meet
anyone going to Chapel or Church. By Sunday evening he had reached
the hill overlooking Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn, where he was known,
so he determined not to enter the village until after the people had
gone to their respective places of worship; he therefore sat down on
the hill side and contemplated the scene below.
"He saw the people leave their houses for the House of God, he heard
their songs of praise, and now he thinks he could venture to descend
and pass through the village unobserved. Luckily, no one saw him
going through the village, and now he has entered a barley field,
and although still uneasy in mind, he feels somewhat reassured, and
steps on quickly. He had not proceeded far in the barley field before
he found himself surrounded by a large number of small pigs. He was
not much struck by this, though he thought it strange that so many
pigs should be allowed to wander about on the Sabbath Day. The pigs,
however, came up to him, grunted and scampered away. Before he had
traversed the barley field he saw approaching him an innumerable number
of mice, and these, too, surrounded him, only, however, to stare at
him, and then disappear. By this Davies began to be frightened, and
he was almost sorry that he had broken the Sabbath Day by travelling
with his pack on his back instead of keeping the day holy. He was
not now very far from home, and this thought gave him courage and on
he went. He had not proceeded any great distance from the spot where
the mice had appeared when he saw a large grey-hound walking before
him on the pathway. He anxiously watched the dog, but suddenly it
vanished out of sight.
"By this, the poor man was thoroughly frightened, and many and truly
sincere were his regrets that he had broken the Sabbath; but on he
went. He passed through the village of Llanilar without any further
fright. He had now gone about three miles from Llanfihangel along the
road that goes to Aberystwyth, and he had begun to dispel the fear
that had seized him, but to his horror he saw something approach him
that made his hair stand on end. He could not at first make it out,
but he soon clearly saw that it was a horse that was madly dashing
towards him. He had only just time to step on to the ditch, when,
horrible to relate, a headless white horse rushed passed him.
"His limbs shook and the perspiration stood out like beads on bis
forehead. This terrible spectre he saw when close to Tan'rallt, but
he dared not turn into the house, as he was travelling on Sunday,
so on he went again, and heartily did he wish himself at home. In
fear and dread he proceeded on his journey towards Penrhiw. The most
direct way from Tan'rallt to Penrhiw was a pathway through the fields,
and Davies took this pathway, and now he was in sight of his home,
and he hastened towards the boundary fence between Tan'rallt and
Penrhiw. He knew that there was a gap in the hedge that he could get
through, and for this gap he aimed; he reached it, but further progress
was impossible, for in the gap was a lady lying at full length, and
immovable, and stopping up the gap entirely. Poor Davies was now more
terrified than ever. He sprang aside, he screamed and then fainted
right away. As soon as he recovered consciousness, he, on his knees,
and in a loud supplicating voice, prayed for pardon. His mother and
father-in-law heard him, and the mother knew the voice and said, "It
is my Will! some mishap has overtaken him." They went to him and found
he was so weak that he could not move, and they were obliged to carry
him home, where he recounted to them his marvellous experience. The
late Rector of Llangynog, who was intimately acquainted with William
Davies, had many conversations with him about his Sunday journey,
and he argued the matter with him, and tried to persuade him that he
had seen nothing, but that it was his imagination working on a nervous
temperament that had created all his fantasies. He, however, failed
to convince him, for Davies affirmed that it was no hallucination,
but that what he had seen that Sunday was a punishment for his having
broken the Fourth Commandment.
"Davies ever afterwards was a strict observer of the Sabbath."
THE DEVIL AND LLANARTH CHURCH.
A writer in the Arch. Cam., 1850, page 73, says:--
In the Churchyard of Llanarth, near Aberaeron, on the South side
of the Church, there is an inscribed stone (not hitherto published)
of the twelfth century. It bears a cross covering the stone with four
circular holes at the junction of the arms. The inscription is on the
lower limb of the cross; but as it is made of a micaceous sandstone,
part has been split off, and the inscription is much mutilated.... The
current tradition of the place concerning it is, that one stormy night,
some centuries ago, there was such a tremendous shindy going on up
in the belfry that the whole village was put in commotion. It was
conjectured that nobody but a certain ancient personage could be the
cause of this, and, therefore, they fetched up his reverence from the
vicarage to go and request the intruder to be off. Up went the vicar
with bell, book and candle, along the narrow winding staircase, and,
sure enough, right up aloft among the bells there was his majesty
in person! No sooner, however, had the worthy priest began the usual
'conjurate in nomine, etc.' than away went the enemy up the remaining
part of the staircase on to the leads of the tower. The Vicar, nothing
daunted, followed, and pressed the intruder so briskly that the latter
had nothing else to do than to leap over the battlements. He came down
plump among the gravestones below; and, falling upon one, made with his
hands and knees the four holes now visible on the stone in question.
Another writer in "Y Brython" for 1859, says, that the Devil's
purpose in troubling Llanarth Church was to rob it of one of its
bells and carry it to Llanbadarn Fawr Church, near Aberystwyth, twenty
miles distant, as the latter, though once a cathedral, had only two
bells, whilst the former, only a parish church, had four. And an old
story still lingers in the neighbourhood of Llanarth that the Devil
whilst thus engaged in carrying the bell, put it down and rested and
re-arranged his heavy load at the very commencement of his journey,
and a particular spot between the church and the river on a road
known as "Rhiw Cyrff," is pointed out as the place where the D----l
put down the bell. Moreover, it is added that from that day forth,
the sound of Llanarth bells cannot be heard from that spot, though
it is only a few yards from the church tower.
The Llanarth legend is the only story in Wales that I know of in which
the Spirit of darkness carries a church bell, as it was believed in
old times that the Evil One was afraid of bells, and fled away at
the sound of them.
There are, however, traditions of churches troubled by the Devil in
other parts of Wales besides Llanarth, and in the old superstitious
times the north door of a church was called "Devil's Door."
It was thought that as the priest entered the church through the
south door, the Evil Spirit was obliged to make his exit through the
north door.
It might also be added that in former times no one was buried on the
north side of a churchyard, as it was known as the "Domain of Demons."
HOW TO GET RID OF GHOSTS, SPIRITS, GOBLINS, AND DEVILS, ETC.
In some parts, especially on the borders of Cardiganshire and
Carmarthenshire, it is believed that any one carrying a knife in his
hands, will never see or be troubled by a spirit, even when passing
a haunted spot in the depth of night.
When staying for a short time in the parish of Llandyssul about five
years ago, I was told that there lived a few years ago a certain man
in the village of Pontshan in that parish, who, when coming home late
one night, saw a ghost on the roadside whilst passing a well-known
haunted spot in the neighbourhood. The man took out his knife from
his pocket, and the ghost vanished. After this, whenever he passed
a haunted place the man held a knife in his hand, and never saw a
ghost again. In South Pembrokeshire, a V-shaped twig of the mountain
ash was considered a protective against spirits.
It was also believed once in all parts of Wales that to wear body-linen
inside out, and to nail a horseshoe against the door kept away both
evil spirits and witches. Even in the present day people all over the
world think that there is some "good luck" in finding a horseshoe,
and to a young girl it means a new lover.
When a spirit troubled a house in Wales, it was sometimes customary
to call together the most godly persons in the parish to hold a
prayer-meeting; at other times a conjurer, or a priest was sent for,
for it was formerly thought that a clergyman had the power to "lay"
or exorcise spirits. There were particular forms of exorcising. When
the Devil was in the belfry of Llanarth Church, Cardiganshire, the
Vicar went to drive away the Evil One, with "Bell, Book, and Candle."
Until the time of Henry VIII., it seems that it was customary to curse
mortals, as well as to exorcise fiends "with bell, book and candle";
for in an old book called "Dugdale's Baronage," published in 1675, it
is said that in the 37th. year of Henry III., "a Curse was denounced
in Westminster Hall against the violation of Magna Charta, with bell,
book and candle."
And in Fox's account of the ceremony of excommunication, we are told
that three candles were carried before the clergy, and that as each
candle was extinguished prayer was made that the souls of malefactors
and schismatics might be "given over utterly to the power of the
fiend as this candle is now quenched and put out."
YSPRYD PENPOMPREN PLAS OR A SPIRIT "LAID" IN A BOTTLE.
Penpompren Plas is a small mansion near Talybont in North
Cardiganshire. The late Mr. John Jones, Bristol House, informed me
that there was a spirit there once troubling the family, and the
servants, and especially the head servant who had no peace as the
ghost followed the poor man everywhere whenever he went out at night,
and often threw water into his face. At last the servant went to a
wise man or a conjurer. The Conjurer came with him to Penpompren Plas
to "lay" the Spirit, and transformed it into an insect, in a bottle,
which was securely corked. Then the bottle was thrown under the river
bridge close by.
There are many such stories in different parts of the country; and
it is said that under the Monument Arch of Old Haverfordwest Bridge
in Pembrokeshire, a spirit has been laid for a thousand years, and
that at the expiration of that time it will again be free to roam
the earth to trouble people.
About 60 years ago, a spirit which appeared in all forms, pig, mouse,
hare, etc., at Alltisaf, Llanfynydd, in Carmarthenshire, was "laid"
by the celebrated wizard, Harries, of Cwrtycadno. I was told of this
by two old men in the village of Llanfynydd about five years ago.
THE "LAYING" OF THE HAVOD UCHTRYD GOBLIN.
Havod Uchtryd is a large mansion a few miles from Devil's Bridge,
in Cardiganshire, and there is a tradition in the neighbourhood
that in the time of the celebrated Colonel Johnes about the
beginning of the last century the place was haunted by a mischievous
goblin. Fortunately, however, there happened to be a wizard nor far
off, and the squire, so it is said, sent for him to Havod to lay the
ghost. The conjurer came and when he arrived at the spot where the
haunting usually took place he surrounded himself with an enchanted
circle which the spirit could not break through. Then he opened a
book and went through various incantations to invoke the spirit,
which presented himself in various forms; first it appeared as
a bull, secondly as a bulldog; and at last as a fly which rested
on the wizard's open book. In an instant the enchanter closed the
book, and thus caught the evil one in a trap, and was only allowed
to go out under the conditions that he should betake himself to the
Devil's Bridge, and there with an ounce hammer and tintack cut off a
fathom of the rock. But notwithstanding this "laying" of the spirit
one hundred years ago, there is a rumour still throughout the whole
North of Cardiganshire, that Hafod is still haunted.
THE MONACHDY GHOST DOOMED TO CUT THE ROCK NEAR LLANRHYSTYD.
About 70 or 80 years ago, Monachty, a fine mansion in the neighbourhood
of Aberaeron, was rumoured to be haunted. My informant is an old man
named James Jones, Golden Lion, Llanarth. Jones said that when he was
a boy at Pantycefn, he often felt almost too terrified to go to bed,
as it was reported that the Monachty ghost was so small that it could
go through even the eye of a needle; and his father's humble cottage
was not without holes especially the window of his bedroom.
At last, however, Students from Ystrad Meurig College were sent
for to Monachdy to lay the ghost, which they did, so Jones said,
and they doomed the unearthly being to cut a rock near Llanrhystyd,
which proves that students, as well as Clergymen and ministers,
had the reputation of being able to lay spirits.
THE "LAYING" OF THE STACKPOLE GHOST.
Stackpole Court, the beautiful residence of the distinguished Earl of
Cawdor, is famous for its legendary lore. "Seven hundred years ago,
Giraldus Cambrensis tells the story of Sir Elidur de Stackpole's
demon steward, whose name was Simon; and in the more modern times the
neighbourhood was haunted by the spirit of an old lady. This ghost
appeared in the form of a party consisting of two headless horses,
a headless coachman and a headless lady in her carriage.
At last the ghost was "laid" by the Parson of St. Patrox, who doomed it
to empty a pond with a cockle shell for a ladle, so that the phantom
is not seen now.
There are several versions of this ghost story, and Col. Lambton,
of Brownslade, who is much interested in Folk-Lore and Antiquities,
informed me that the headless lady was known as "Lady Mathias."
The idea of giving employment to a spirit is most ancient, and in
Grecian and Roman Mythology we find that the Danaides, or the fifty
daughters of Danaus, who all, except one, slew their husbands on their
wedding night, were doomed in Tartarus to draw water in sieves from
a well until they had filled a vessel full of holes.
It seems from the following story, which I obtained from the
Rev. J. Jones, Brynmeherin, near Ystrad Meurig, that a ghost will
not follow one through water:--
SHAN AND THE GHOST.
About 35 years ago, there lived at Ynysfach, near Ystrad Meurig,
an old man and an old woman known as "Shon and Shan."
Shon was working in North Wales, for he was a quarryman at the time,
but he came home occasionally to spend his holidays with his wife,
especially about Christmas time.
On one occasion, however, when Shan expected her husband home the
day before Christmas as usual, Shon came not. Nine o'clock in the
evening she went out to meet him or to search for him and to prevent
him spending his money on beer at a public house which his friend,
a saddler kept at Tyngraig. But her husband was not at the public
house, nor was he seen anywhere, so the old woman had to return home
in disappointment. It was a cloudless moonlight night, almost as light
as day, but the road was lonely and the hour late, and when she had
walked some distance, to her great terror, she noticed a ghost in the
field making his way nearer and nearer to her till at last the strange
object came to the hedge on the roadside quite close to her. Frightened
as she was, she struck the ghost with the strong walking-stick which
she held in her hand, saying "D----l! thou shalt follow me no longer."
When Shan struck the ghost her walking-stick went right through the
head of the strange object, but she did not "feel" that it touched
anything--It was like striking a fog; but the spirit vanished into
nothing, and Shan walked on. The ghost was now invisible, but the old
woman "felt" that it still followed her, though she could not see it;
but when she was crossing a brook she became aware that her pursuer
left her.
TWO YOUNG WOMEN AND THE GOBLIN.
Two young women, daughters of a farmer in the parish of Llandyssul,
were walking home one night from Lampeter Fair. After reaching the
very field in one corner of which the house in which they lived stood,
they wandered about this field for hours before they could find the
building, though it was a fine moonlight night.
It seemed as if the farm house had vanished; and they informed me
that they were convinced that this was the doings of the Goblin,
who played them a trick.
The Welsh word for Goblin is Ellyll.