Guest Blog: Ghosts and ghouls are not just for Halloween: two UK locations perfect for year-round fear.

 By Erin Dodd 

The nights are drawing in. There will soon be a chill in the air, and talk will turn to all things spooky. As Halloween approaches, many heritage locations begin to spice up their cultural offerings with ghost walks, tales of hauntings and gruesome goings-on. However, for me, spooky tales and sinister spectres have become my way into the heritage sector. Indeed, I ask, what would history or cultural heritage be like without ghost stories, folklore, and urban legends? So, in the spirit of the season, I would like to share two UK heritage locations ideal all year round for those who crave a supernatural twist to their interactions with history. 

My first location is Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire. I grew up on the outskirts of this beautiful woodland and conservation area, which has several walks, bike and horse-riding trails, and idyllic fishing lakes. [1] However, some believe it to be home to various paranormal entities. The most pervasive of these are the Black-Eyed Children. Allegedly seen on woodland paths throughout the forest, they appear as small lone children, with “coal-black pits for eye sockets”. [2] They either giggle and stare before disappearing into the undergrowth or lure people into the dense treeline with cries of distress. [2] Another urban legend that I heard as a child is that of the Pig Man. Half man, half pig, this terrifying creature would roam the woods and pray on anyone found out there after dark. Local man Lee Brickley has conducted in-depth research into this legend, writing the book UFOs, Werewolves & The Pig Man: Exposing the UK’s Strangest Location Cannock Chase. Despite receiving information in 2013, that the Pig Man was nothing more a military distraction tactic, Brickley has received multiple accounts describing sightings of the creature. [3] Whether these stories are true or not, they add a layer of mystery to this magnificent site of natural heritage and allow Cannock Chase to become instilled in the memories of local people. 

Image: Cannock Chase Forest Birches Valley visitor’s centre. 

Image: One of the many Cannock Chase bike trails through thick woodland.

My other pick is the city of Edinburgh. From ghost walks, haunted bus tours, notorious poltergeists and tales of witchcraft, Edinburgh wears its supernatural status as a badge of honour. My favourite location must be the Blair Street Vaults. Hidden away under the South Bridge in Edinburgh’s Old Town, these vaults are formed of various chambers and rooms carved into the rock. They are in the care of Mercat Tours, who apparently have more than cobwebs and the dark to deal with. [4] The ghost of a small boy named Jack is believed to take visitors by the hand and tug at their trousers. A cobbler has reportedly been seen still working at his craft, and a woman in a white dress is said to roam the rooms. But these ghosts pale in comparison to the infamous Mr Boots. [5] [6] An allegedly aggressive male entity who wanders the vaults, his heavy footsteps scaring away any visitor who lingers too long. [6] The vaults are not for the faint-hearted, but Mercat Tours offer an array of historical tours above and below ground that capture some of Edinburgh’s murky and delightfully spooky past. 

Image: A section of the Blair Street Vaults, taken by Mercat Tours. 

Halloween may only happen once a year, but tales of the paranormal can be found all around, at many of the UK’s excellent heritage locations. Whether wandering in the woods or touring historic vaults, ghostly beings have permeated the fabric of history and, in my opinion, allow heritage to become that bit more interesting. Sleep well. 

"Erin Dodd is a MA Public History & Heritage graduate currently working at the Museum of Making in Derby. She is passionate about forgotten heritage and preserving unusual history for the future. Erin is fascinated by folklore, urban legends and ghost stories and how they impact on the interpretation and dissemination of history. This passion has helped her with her work as a paranormal investigator and researcher, as she strives to find historical truths in alleged hauntings." 

Follow on Intsagram: @erinkydink 

References

[1] Forestry England., Cannock Chase Forest <https://www.forestryengland.uk/cannock-chase-forest> [Accessed 6 September 2021]

[2] Nelson, Sara C., Mystery of Ghostly Black-Eyed Child Sightings on Cannock Chase (15 October 2014) <https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/29/mystery-black-eyed-child-sightings-cannock-chase-_n_5898988.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKyNvq2S1tvo3cSO382TQ3oFVxGzZG5aB3c6wfOKy7YFHRPvZ8GwSXhjIgHGTYlryVt0POUR6-Z10GZbBBBQ0719HUTSUcIxOAqKOPdPmwq-0YaACbiarPoEmXrN4aBd8qwiVHEu8B7f9H-9rQoyG25vx-593Os1ZyZcEiJqumAq> [Accessed 6 September 2021]

[3] Lockley, Mike., Pig-man of Cannock Chase? It’s the army telling porkies! (13 July 2013) <https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/weird-news/pig-man-cannock-chase-its-army-5076711> [Accessed 6 September 2021]

[4] Bendle, Simon., What are Edingburgh’s Blair Street Underground Vaults?  (28 July 2021) <https://www.mercattours.com/blog-post/what-are-edinburghs-blair-street-underground-vaults> [Accessed 6 September 2021]

[5] Information told to author on a Mercat Tour of Blair Street Vaults. 

[6] Edwards, Gareth., Edinburgh’s Most Haunted: Blair Street Vaults (30 October 2014) <https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburghs-most-haunted-blair-street-vaults-1522058> [Accessed 6 September 2021]

Images:

Image 1: https://www.enjoystaffordshire.com/things-to-do/birches-valley-forest-centre-p738951

Image 2: https://www.enjoystaffordshire.com/things-to-do/birches-valley-forest-centre-p738951

Image 3: https://www.mercattours.com/blog-post/what-are-edinburghs-blair-street-underground-vaults