Jock Brocas On Spiritual Life: Ghostly ‘White Ladies’ of the British Isles

White Lady Waterfall, Lydford Gorge, Devon (Wikimedia Commons)

‘The White Lady’ phenomenon

The phenomenon of ‘The White Lady’, a ghostly apparition of the British Isles, is most associated with Welsh/English wells, streams, lakes, seashores, valleys, at crossroads, churchyards, and beside lonely roads and tracks. Some speculate she might be a vestigial folk memory of pre-Christian water goddesses. Such deities were venerated in Britain well into the Roman period, but others suggest that most are a post-Reformation mix-up with St Mary, to whom many wells were dedicated.

Author Katherine Langrish posits two kinds of appearance; the White Lady, or dynes mewn gwyn, a true spectre, and the ladi wen, a haunting of a specific location associated with violent death. The White Lady is often a sad, white-clad creature who inspires the terror of deep emotional sadness.

White Ladies

In my book ‘Dark Angels’ (US title ‘The Shadow Hunt’) the castle of La Motte Rouge, which shelters below the hill called Devil’s ...

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Wales

Wales, is a land associated with myth, legends and Celtic superstition is heavily linked to them; especially in the north of the country. The White lady of Rhyl is a a regular visitor along the seafront; in nearby Dyserth, another lingers by a roadside pool.

White Lady of Dyserth | Curious Clwyd

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At Goblins Well, Mold, people passing by would encounter a hooded headless lady in white. In Scenes and Stories Little Known (1861), Margaret Butler Clough tells of a visitation with a white lady motioning to a passer-by that treasure was to be found in the well.

Ffynnon Fair Bryncroes, St Mary's Well (Wikimedia Commons)

By Ffynnon Fair near Aberdaron, the spectre is associated with St Mary, said to have visited the well, riding over the sea on a white horse. Although this spirit once supposedly appeared to a girl, letting her know how the power of the well could grant her dearest wishes. Not exactly Christian.

Country diary: Aberdaron: St Mary's well is one of the most extraordinary holy sites in Britain

Country diary: Aberdaron: The lower of two ancient paths scored across the green southern slope of Trwyn Maen Melyn will lead you there

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At Deborah’s Well near Loggerheads, press reports said a White Lady appeared - with her hair on fire.

‘According to his account of the 1980s, local historian, the late Councillor Arthur Smith, writes that during the 6th century, there was an outbreak of cholera in the area. A local girl, by the name of Deborah, was recognised as a white witch, or healing woman, who used plants and herbs gathered from the wild to cure the sick. With no mainstream medicines available at the time, the services of these women were widely called upon. But when things went wrong, as inevitably they sometimes did, these healing women fell under deep suspicion.

At the start of the outbreak, perhaps aware that infected water was the cause of the disease, Deborah is said to have led the villagers up the hill and away from the well, thereby protecting them from infection. A hospital was established here, and villagers were kept safe for a while, but eventually the disease reached them, and people began to die. The blame for this fell upon Deborah, who was now branded as a black witch. The building was set alight, with the inhabitants – including Deborah – still inside. Nobody survived the ravaging flames.’

SUPERNATURAL FLINTSHIRE

Have you ever heard strange noises in the middle of the night? Maybe it was just the windows rattling in the wind, or perhaps it was something more… With its enigmatic castles and rolling hills, Flintshire is known for its cultural heritage and outstanding natural beauty. Yet beneath the surface of this historically rich county, there lies another strange and enigmatic realm. Join me on a journey into the unknown, to explore the ghosts, strange sightings, and otherworldly mysteries that have been reported here, in the ancient county of Flintshire. Deborah’s Well Deborah’s Well can be found by the side of the Cadoleto Gwernaffield road, a simple structure of local stone at the woodland’s edge.Deborah’s story, if true, is a strange and tragic one. According to his accountof the 1980s, local historian, the late Councillor Arthur Smith, writes that duringthe 6th century, there was an outbreak of cholera in the area. Alocal girl, by the name of Deborah, was recognised as a white witch, or healingwoman, who used plants and herbs gathered from the wild to cure the sick. Withno mainstream medicines available at the time, the services of these women werewidely called upon. But when things went wrong, as inevitably they sometimes did,these healing women fell under deep suspicion. At the start of the outbreak, perhaps aware thatinfected water was the cause of the disease, Deborah is said to have led thevillagers up the hill and away from the well, thereby protecting them frominfection. A hospital was established here, and villagers were kept safe for awhile, but eventually the disease reached them, and people began to die. The blame for this fellupon Deborah, who was now branded as a black witch. The building was set alight,with the inhabitants - including Deborah - still inside. Nobody survived the ravagingflames. However, there are some problematic details contained in this story. Cholera was only recognised as an identifiable disease in Britain in the year 1831, and though it is not impossible that cholera was present before this date, it does throw into question such an early association. Perhaps the story relates to the 16th century rather than the 6th, when a real fear of witches and witchcraft pervaded the country. Like most stories of this type, the tale most likely has its roots in a centuries-old oral tradition, which has changed and been elaborated on over the years. However, the name of Deborah is well established in the area: the woodland where the memorial stands bears her name, as does a field across the road, and a nearby lead shaft. Has this story evolved from a tragedy years ago, the truth of which has been lost to time? OS maps from the 18th century have no mention of a well in the area, though there is an indication of one in nearby Cornel, where Deborah is believed to have been born…is this just coincidence? Food for thought, certainly. A further strange tale relating to the site dates from the early 1970s, involving a married couple driving home late one night from Loggerheads. Needing to ‘pay a visit’, the man pulled over near Deborah’s Well, and went off into the woods to answer the call of nature. As she waited for him in the car, his wife was horrified by the sudden appearance of a woman with blazing hair emerging from the woodland. Terrified, she ran to find her husband. On returning to the car, the couple found no trace of the burning woman. So shaken were they by this incident that they reported it to the authorities, and the next day police called at the area to investigate. They found no trace of anything, save the woman’s handbag, dropped in her panic. Golden Ghost of Goblin Hill In 1833, an extraordinary cape of gold was found by workmenworking in a field known as Cae Ellyllon (Field of the Goblins), on theoutskirts of Mold, either when filling in a gravel pit, or when quarrying forstone – the details are uncertain. Dating from the Bronze Age, it was fashionedfrom a single ingot of gold about the size of a golf ball and placed on thebody of someone who had been interred in a stone-lined grave within the burialmound known as Tomen yr Ellyllon (Tumulus of the Goblins). It is considered tobe the finest example of prehistoric gold work in Europe and can be seen ondisplay in the British Museum.There is also a copy in Mold Museum. Before the discovery of the cape however, locals had formany years spoken of a spirit called Brenin yr Allt – King of the Hill – whichwas said to haunt the area. Legend tells that in 1810 a woman was leading herdrunken husband home from a pub in the town, their route taking them throughCae Ellyllon, where the cape was later uncovered, when they encountered anapparition, “clothed in gold which shone like the sun”, towering over the tomen,before disappearing into it. The encounter scared the woman out of her wits,and her husband into sobriety! A detailed report dating from 1830 recounts that one summerevening, a ‘respectable woman’ was riding home when she noticed that some ofthe trees on the opposite side of the road were lit with a strange, glimmeringlight, before she was confronted by “an apparition of unusual size, and clothedwith a suit of golden armour”, which then disappeared into the tomen. Stunned and shaken, the woman immediatelyturned back for Mold to relate her encounter to the Vicar of Mold, ReverendCharles Butler Clough (laterArchdeacon of St. Asaph), who duly recorded what she told him, and had threeother ‘respectable people’ witness the account. He later confirmed that thestory of the golden ghost was well-known locally before the discovery of thecape in 1833, though we should note that its dimensions mean that it could onlyhave been worn by a small woman or a teenager, rather than a warrior of “unusualsize”. So, whether we have tangible evidence of a golden ghost, or evidence ofcollective memory stretching back millennia and preserved as a ghost story,this tale is truly remarkable. Plas Teg An impressive and brooding Grade 1 listed Jacobean mansion located between Mold and Wrexham on the A541, Plas Teg was built in 1610 by Sir John Trevor. It is believed to be one of the most haunted buildings in Wales, with no fewer than 15 unquiet spirits said to wander the house and grounds. One of these is said to be SirJohn’s own daughter, Dorothy, who fell in love with Iorwerth, a local farmer’sson. Her father strongly disapproved of the match however and forbade thecouple from meeting. Heartbroken, Dorothy planned to elope with her love, andburied her jewellery near a well in the grounds of the mansion. On the night ofthe planned elopement, Dorothy went to retrieve her jewellery but tragically slippedand fell down the well, to her death. Her body was not discovered for twomonths, and her jewellery was never found. Over the centuries, there have beennumerous reports of a woman in whitewandering on the A541 – could this be poor Dorothy, looking for her belovedIorwerth? Frightened of being accused of Dorothy’s murder, poor Iorwerth hangedhimself, and his ghost is also said to haunt Plas Teg. Yet more tragedy was to befallthe Trevor family in the mid-18th century. The fifth Sir John Trevordiscovered that his wife was having an affair, and in a fit of jealous rage, heis alleged to have killed her. Later, reputedly riddled by all-consuming guilt,a drunk Sir John drove his carriage at reckless speed towards a tree in thegrounds of Plas Teg, severely injuring himself, and subsequently dying a slowand lingering death. The house has attracted manysupernatural investigators over the years, including the team from thetelevision show, Most Haunted UK, many of whom claim to have seen shadowyfigures, sensed ghostly presences, and heard loud wailing noises. Darkness is its own kingdom While some may dismiss these stories and incidents as mere coincidence or imagination, others believe that they are indisputable evidence of supernatural activity. Whether you are a believer or not, there is no denying that strange things happen in this part of Wales when darkness falls...

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Beside Flint Mountain’s Pwll-y-Wrach pond, the local White Lady predicted the death of a passing farmer who happened to disturb her ghostly peace, a prognostication which supposedly came true the very next Spring.

In Ogmore, Bridgend, a spirit would wander the area until approached by a daring fellow, who was led to a cauldron filled with gold, hidden within the old tower of Ogmore Castle. She allowed the man to take half the treasure for himself, but the greedy chap later returned later and took the rest. This naturally ired The White Lady, whose fingers turned into claws and attacked the man as he left the castle with his loot. He became extremely ill, but only passed away once he had confessed his greed.

From then on, Y Ladi Wen's Revenge was said to befall any person who carked it before disclosing hidden riches, damned to lie forever in the nearby river.

England

Some English tales of The White Lady hold she may be a victim of murder or a suicide, who died before she could tell anyone the location of a hidden treasure (again).

In 2019, its said that a family camped at the castle of Blenkinsopp in Northumberland. One night the parents were woken by their boy screaming, "The White Lady!" but by the time they got to him, she had vanished. The lad claimed the spectre was very angry, after he refused to accompany her to a box of gold buried in the vaults below and tried to take him with her.

The same events took place the following three evenings...but The White Lady no longer disturbed him, after he understandably began sleeping in his parents’ bed.

A White Lady is seen retracing her steps at Portchester Castle; she was said to have jumped off the the battlements when trying to retrieve her stricken child.

Chillingham Castle, 1718 (Wikimedia Commons)

At appropriately named Chillingham Castle in Northumbria (Britain’s most haunted castle), a footman was startled by the unexpected presence of a lady dressed in white, appearing frail and asking for water. This pale figure is still seen today, the prevailing theory that her longing for water suggests poisoning.

The "Running Lady"of Beeford, East Yorkshire appears on the Beeford Straight, a road between the villages of Beeford and Brandesburton. Motorists have reportedly seen her scampering apparition by the road, and anecdotes include a motorcyclist picking up a female hitchhiker there, who shortly after, turned around to find his passenger absent.

Another story recounts a car on the road crashing into a tree, killing 6 people - the result of The white Lady's curse?

An old ballad haunts Okehampton Castle, "My Ladye hath a sable coach, with horses two an four. My Ladye hath a gaunt blood-hound, that goeth before. My Ladye's coach hath nodding plumes, the driver hath no head. My Ladye is an ashen white – as one who is long dead."

She is said to be a noble Howard, of the 17th century, who slew several husbands and children of hers. She is cursed to collect grass blades in the castle ruins until the end of time itself.

The White Lady of Radford in Devon is a young woman who wanted to see her beau living in nearby Oreston, but being forbidden to do so by her family. But one evening, wearing virginal white, she took a boat across a lake to see her boy.

The boat capsized, with The White Lady pulled by her dress under the water - some say the Lady's lover was in the boat with her when it sank. Many have since told of seeing the White Lady sitting beside the lake in her ghostly form, waving at dumfounded witnesses. As a result of this, a street nearby Radford park was named "White Lady Road".

Haunted ruins are being reclaimed by nature in Plymouth park

It is said The White Lady haunts the ruins looking for her lost lover

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Ghosts and Myths of Radford House & Hooe Lake : HooeLake.org

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Ghostly Matilda (also called Margaret) is told to haunt Berry Pomeroy Castle (also in Devon), acting as a harbinger of death to everyone who glimpses her in the dungeon of the St Margaret Tower.

She was said to have been starved to death by her sister in that very dungeon. In 1806, Edward Montague wrote a spooky novel titled The Castle of Berry Pomeroy.

White Lady Stones

There are quite a few ‘White Lady’ stones in England and Wales. The petrified remains of the haunted spirits? Natural phenomena? Or pre-historic erections? You decide.

I guess.

The White Lady of North Ormsby, Lincolnshire (Wikimedia Commons)

A life-sized statue of a woman in a classical style that has been here for hundreds of years, no-one really knows how or why she came to be here, but there are countless folk tales about her. Some say it's Roman, others say 18th century in the Greek style; the site reputedly marks the spot where a woman was once killed whilst out hunting. The valley is rich in history and she stands on the site of a Gilbertine Priory founded in 1184 and close to the deserted medieval village of North Ormsby.