The Ghosts and Legends of the Lake District

The Lake District has always been viewed with mystery. Behind that peaceful and quiet surface lies a whole host of strange secrets. The Lakes are adored for their natural beauty, though throughout history they were commonly viewed as a dwelling for supernatural creatures.

The rich history and age-old buildings situated in the Lake District also provide the perfect haunting space for many ghosts across the area. The ghosts and legends of the Lake District highlight its Celtic history, and many of these sites are still open to visitors today who come from miles away to feel the rich spirit.

Calgarth Hall Haunting

Calgarth hall is a sixteenth century manor house that was originally owned by Kraster and Dorothy Cook. The local Justice of the Peace, Myles Philipson, became interested in buying the house, but it wasn't for sale. Myles soon accused the owners of theft and condemned them to death – but just before she died Dorothy cursed the hall and promised that she and her husband, as well as their skulls, would haunt it day and night.

As her curse promised, two skulls took up residence in the hall and always returned despite efforts to move them. Myles eventually had to sell of all of his land bar Calgarth due to growing debts, and after his son sold the hall the skulls never again appeared. The very last member of the Philipson family had died by the eighteenth century.

The Tizzie-Wizzie of Windermere

Lake Windermere is home to its own mythical beast known as a 'Tizzie Wizzie'. A boatman first described this creature in his stories during the early 1900s, claiming that it had the body of a hedgehog, the tail of a squirrel and bee-like wings. Sightings of the Tizzie-Wizzie have been reported ever since.

The Edenhall Hotel Ghost

The Edenhall Hotel, nr. Penrith was bought in 1997 by two business partners who subsequently decided to convert the attics into bedrooms for themselves. When taking afternoon naps between busy shifts at the hotel, one of the partners would frequently feel the sensation of someone walking around the room and would see the door closing, unaware that it had even been opened. He never saw anyone, but had a strong visual image of an elderly lady, who was watchful as opposed to hostile.

A previous worker at the hotel had also seen the ghost, who climbed the stairs in front of her but was nowhere to be seen once she reached the attic. Past workers in the hotel have even spotted a ghost in the bar, not just including a vision of a woman but also a man carrying a pint.

Today the hotel is still in business and is frequented by many looking to catch a glimpse of the famous ghosts!

King Arthur

The Lake District has many connections with King Arthur, including a henge monument known as Arthur's Round Table, situated near Penrith. Historically, Cumbria was one of the great strongholds of Celtic resistance, and as such this may well have been the territory of King Arthur who was leading the resistance against the invading Anglo-Saxons.

According to Sir Walter Scott's 1813 epic poem, The Bridal of Triermain, Castle Rock of Triermain played host to King Arthur and a group of fairies. One of the fairies was sent to sleep by Merlin as punishment, when she was eventually awakened by Sir Roland de Vaux.

The Crier of Claife

Centuries ago it was reported that the ferry men at Ferry Nab on Lake Windermere, on stormy nights, could hear strange calls for the boat to come across the water. The call was heard from the heights of Claife, and the men were always too scared to answer the crier of Claife.

Eventually one night a young man rowed across. When he returned he was so terrified that he could not describe what he saw, and the next day he died. The locals quickly asked a monk to exorcise the ghost, who was then confined to the quarry. Today walkers have still reported being followed by a hooded figure at dusk on the heights of the Claife.

The Legend of the Maid of Buttermere

The Fish Hotel in Buttermere is one of the oldest Inns of the Lake District, and was owned by the Robinson family in the 1790s. The small village of Buttermere was only accessible through difficult passes, but the Inn became famous not just for its trout fishing but for the Robinson's fifteen-year-old daughter, Mary. Many travellers wrote of her beauty and came to visit her from afar.

However, by the beginning of the 1800s she was married to a gentleman who stayed at the Inn, calling himself 'Colonel Alexander Hope'. Mary's beauty had led to the story being published in London papers, who soon discovered that the Colonel was nothing more than an imposter who was already married. His real name was John Hatfield, an undischarged bankrupt. He was eventually punished by death for the crimes of bigamy and of false pretences.

Ghosts of Beetham

The small village of Beetham is supposedly haunted by two demon dogs. One of the dogs will produce terror in anyone who sees him, usually happening at dusk. The other is the Headless Hound, who prophecies death for anybody that he follows. There is also a set of fairy steps carved into the rocks, where the legend goes that if you can descend the stairs without touching the sides, you will be granted a wish by fairies.

The Renwick Cockatrice

During the 1700s a Cockatrice terrorized the village at Renwick when the local church was being demolished, and this legendary creature was described as resembling a bat. Villagers would say that they could sense the presence of this creature due to a sudden chill in the air. The beast was eventually slain with a rowan branch by John Tallantire.

However, the classic description of a Cockatrice is a large rooster with a serpent's tail, and the creature has reportedly been seen since in 1959. Perhaps Tallantire had not killed the legendary Cockatrice after all?