The History of Halloween
Straddling the line between Autumn and Winter, plenty and paucity, life and death; Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.
Around the world, be it the Day of the Dead, or All Souls Day among others, late October and early November signals a focus on those who have passed. And in more recent history, with it’s westernisation and hollywoodisation, Halloween is now a spooky time with costumes, trick or treat and a plethora of scary Halloween films, foods and decorations to enjoy.
SCARY SUFFOLK
According to Doc Rowe, a folklorist, back in the ‘70s there was a documentary programme on BBC2 called 'Look Stranger' about the Woodbridge Airbase in Suffolk. It showed children doing trick or treating and within 2 years the tabloids had adopted the festival and were promoting it.
So, despite our predecessors in Scotland and Ireland taking Halloween traditions to America in the mid 19 century in all good faith, our American friends supposedly brought them back to that Airbase in Suffolk, and the rest is history...
Halloween is almost here, so join us on our spooks tour of some favourite holiday home locations. They have rather more to offer than you think. More than you dare to to think…fade out the manic spooky laughter sound effects and read on.
We’re looking at some of the sightings and legends from around the country. These are the stories that have been around for centuries. Long before ‘Trick or Treat’ had made its way into UK life, some UK holiday home locations were already quite spooky enough.
Having your own UK holiday home is special because the UK is a special place. All over the country, all year round, there’s always something magical to discover.
1. visit White Mare Crag near to Redcar Beach Caravan Park
Why would you visit White Mare Crag? Because it’s the location for a brilliant piece of folklore. White Mare Crag is a cliff face near the Sutton Bank National Park Centre.
Long, long ago the Abbot at Rievaulx Abbey (which is very much worth a visit) had a beautiful white horse. A local knight, Sir Harry de Scriven, was envious of the fast and beautiful mare and he desperately wanted to ride it. To cut a long, rather complicated tale short, Sir Harry got the Abbot drunk and convinced him to swap horses as they rode to deliver a message to a farmer. A storm broke out and the gentle ride turned into a race.
Sir Harry whipped the white mare and, as he looked behind him, he saw the Abbot, on the other horse, had grown horns and a tail. Understandably, Sir Harry lost concentration. Well, who wouldn’t? He rode the white mare over the cliff, man and mare plunging to their deaths. Apparently, the Abbot and Sir Harry’s horse died too; they tumbled into Gormire Lake. It caused clouds of steam to rise and the water to boil and turn dark. And now, on dark nights you can still see the ghosts of Sir Harry and the White Mare falling over the cliff to the rocks below.
The whole area is lovely to visit. And you won’t be haunted or see spectral white horses. Well, probably not…
2. A Suffolk Holiday Home is near to some chilling stories
Take Dunwich for instance. This Suffolk village is not far from its famous neighbour Southwold - it’s a lovely spot. Long ago Dunwich was actually quite a wealthy and important port, and then in 1286 came a dreadful storm. A hundred years later it happened again; another massive wind and deluge hit the town. The harbour was swept away, and the coastline itself was eroded to such an extent that today’s beach is far inland from where it was back then.
English Heritage have conserved the ruins of Greyfriars Monastery and the Leper Community’s chapel in St James’ graveyard. Inevitably, the area is steeped in spookiness. Long lost church bells toll from beneath the sea to warn of more storms coming. An Elizabethan lad, who some say was a cabin boy, walks the beach and even ghostly cows graze on the shore. Ghostly apparitions of long dead monks have been spotted in Greyfriars Monastery.
The Suffolk coast has more than its fair share of broken hearted lovers forever chasing sweethearts they will never marry. In fact, one such is reported on nearby Dunwich Heath. And it’s impossible to talk about the Suffolk coast and countryside without mentioning Black Shuck. The great dog, with his huge red eyes, ferocious snarl and bristling black fur. Anyway, moving on (swiftly)…
You don’t have to be at your holiday home on Halloween to get the full effect of supernatural Suffolk. Why? Because every 24th of June something really weird happens here. That’s the night when the ghost ship ‘Mayfly’ tries to make it back to her home port of Oulton Broad. She never makes it. She never will and she’s been trying every June 24th since 1851.
3. A few miles from Caldecott Hall Country Park, there’s something weird at Winterton.
Winterton on Sea is exactly the sort of place to visit when you have your own UK holiday home. Even if country club Norfolk, and Great Yarmouth golf courses are your leisure time thing, every now and then it’s nice to explore. Winterton is a classic Norfolk seaside village, just 15 miles away from Caldecott Hall Country Park. It’s steeped in its history of fishing and it doesn’t do amusement arcades. It’s unspoiled. The beach is spectacular and the village is pretty, with a quaint shop and a popular pub, called The Fishermans Return - of course.
It’s said that the fishermen of Winterton would often meet to spin a yarn at another spot too. A spot marked by a big black stone, which you’ll find on the corner of The Lane and Black Street. It’s a strange thing - black and glossy, it’s been described as being ‘about the size of a pig’. Some say it brings good luck, some say it was the cause of much unrest, bordering on riots, when they built a new road in the 1930s.
Why? Because they moved the stone to build the road. The fishing was poor that year. Coincidence? Looked at scientifically, the stone is certainly old enough to be a relic of the ice age. But science can’t explain why it’s not in the place it was moved to. Nobody can explain that.
4. Tingdene South Shore is perfectly placed for Bridlington, Scarborough - and the Wold Newton Triangle.
Bermuda isn’t the only holiday location to have a triangle. Oh no. The Yorkshire Wolds has its own.
A holiday home at South Shore is perfect for enjoying Yorkshire’s coast and countryside. And the Wolds are a delight, of course - but, there is a ‘darker’ side. The Wold Newton Triangle which stretches from Bridlington to Scarborough and over to Ganton in the west is a slice of rural splendour that absolutely underlines why a UK holiday home is such a great idea. But it’s also the home of werewolves…
It seems that as late as the 18th century, wild wolves in the area would dig up bodies from their graves and this nasty practice would turn them into werewolves. You thought this was all ancient history, right? So too did the lorry driver who saw red dots ahead of him - he thought they were taillights of course. Why wouldn’t they be? He was driving from Bridlington.
But they weren’t taillights; they were the crazed eyes of a werewolf…a werewolf that smashed through his windscreen. Take a drive around this lovely area. You’ll be safe…we think.
"Orford Castle" by Mrs Airwolfhound is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
5. Suffolk boasts North Denes Caravan Park, Broadlands Park and Marina ……and the Wild Man of Orford.
It’s quite a county, isn’t it? A choice of two outstanding Tingdene locations for your UK seaside holiday home, and a spooky seaside story to top them all.
It was probably in the 12th century when fishermen found, in their catch, a glistening, naked, (steady!) and very hairy creature. As the ‘creature’ had a beard it was decided it was a ‘man’, and given his decidedly aquatic existence it was, obviously, decided he was a Merman. The very frightened fishermen took the creature to the then new castle. There was a language barrier - the Merman spoke no English and none of the fishermen appear to have spoken Merman.
However, the Merman did accept some food and he took a drink too. It seems he preferred the liquid he could squeeze from raw fish. It’s a shameful thing but initially the poor Merman was treated badly - to get him to talk. When that didn’t work, they treated him better and eventually let him swim around in a roped off area of sea. And then one day he slipped under the ropes and didn’t come back.
If you visit Orford, you’ll find references to the Wild Man everywhere. He’s in the castle, the market, the shop and, it’s thought, the church. It must be worth a visit. Unless you’re scared….
"Potter Heigham Bridge" by Andrew_ww is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
6. Tingdene Broadlands Park and Marina is The ideal holiday home location for exploring The Broads….and beyond.
That’s beyond, as in beyond the world as we know it. You can of course explore the world of The Broads. Hire a boat and cruise the legendary waterways. Scan the big skies and wide horizon, punctuated by the occasional windmill or church spire. See the wildlife up close and natural. Moor up at riverside pub and watch the world, and the boats, go by. It’s as peaceful a place as you could wish for. Or is it?
If you’re at Potter Heigham Bridge, on a certain night of the year, the peace is shattered by a coach and horses, driven by a skeleton (naturally!) crashing off the bridge killing the lady inside, on her wedding night.
It turns out that the passenger, Lady Evelyn, had been married in Norwich to Sir Godfrey Haslitt. He, it seems, had married the lady because her mother had employed a witch to make him want her. The problem was the witch had put a condition on the deal - to meet her one wish.
Why that wish was for the bride to be snatched away by a skeleton on her wedding night, have her coach burst into flames and be thrown off Potter Heigham bridge to die, we don’t know. It’s a very popular Broads spot nowadays. Go visit! It will be fine. Maybe don’t go on May 31st and stand on the bridge at midnight though. Just saying…
7. Mablethorpe Holiday Homes are ideally located,Unless you bump into the Beast of the Wolds
Let’s be honest, the chances of such a meeting are pretty slim. But you should be aware, just in case. It’s nothing to worry about, but apparently the Beast has bright yellow eyes and is roughly the size and shape of a panther. Reports indicate that it roams the woods and fields (not to mention a golf course) of the Lincolnshire Wolds at will. So watch out!
8. Holiday Homes by the Sea are just right to relax in for a spell
Spell. See what we did there? We’re talking Essex and ancient Essex always means witchcraft.
In the village of St Osyth witchcraft was big news. Fourteen witches were executed there in the 16th century. Whilst we’re in St Osyth, it’s worth noting that it’s named after Princess Osyth, a girl beheaded by the Vikings because she would not renounce her faith. That would have been the end of the story, except that her headless body is said to have got up, picked up its head and walked to the monastery, head under arm where she knocked on the door three times. It’s a walk she still does. Every October 7th, if you’d like to make a diary note.
Meantime, and also on evenings in October, a lonely and ghostly Roman Centurion still marches along the often flooded Mersea Island causeway known as The Strood. They say that sometimes, despite the floods, you can hear the sounds of swords clashing.
9. Holiday Homes on the Yorkshire Coast are a great idea. Count on it.
Count Dracula springs instantly to mind when you think of nearby Whitby. Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire is inextricably linked to the area. But if he’s not spooky enough for you there’s also St Hilda. She founded Whitby Abbey and seemingly still strolls around it.
Presumably she’s aware of poor Constance, the nun who broke her vows and was walled up alive in Abbey as punishment. Some have heard her still pleading to be set free - she wails from within the walls.
You should visit the town of Whitby itself. It’s a lovely place, but do be careful. There’s a team of headless horses that pulls a coach full of skeleton sailors ferrying their fallen shipmates to graves in St Mary’s churchyard. They do it on a regular basis and have done for centuries. So look both ways before crossing.
Ok, we’ve had some fun. Legends, myths and spooky stories are looked at by different people in different ways. Some folk are more cynical than others. Some just like a good old fashioned scaring. But as Halloween comes around, it does no harm to take a tour of some spooky spots.
As holiday home spots, the Suffolk coast, the Lincolnshire Wolds, the seaside and countryside of Norfolk and the delights of Teeside are special all year round. That’s what makes them ideal locations for your UK holiday home.
Just a final word word on the spooky side of things. Not all spirits haunt ancient castles and monasteries. Some stalk hotels and, naming no names, there’s certainly one airport with its own spectral visitor. Haunted hotels and airports? Surely they’re more good reasons to spend time in your own UK holiday home versus travelling abroad. Aren’t they?
Who wants to check in among those who’ve already checked out? Muahahaha...