Category Archives: gothic and paranormal

Legend of the Black Dog in the British Isles

A black dog is the name given to a being found primarily in the folklores of the British Isles. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal apparition, often said to be associated with the Devil or a Hellhound. Its appearance … Continue reading

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The Halifax Slasher

The Halifax Slasher was the supposed attacker in an incident of mass hysteria that occurred in the town of Halifax, England, in November 1938 following a series of reported attacks on local people, mostly women. The Incident The week-long scare … Continue reading

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“The London Monster” and Piquerism

The London Monster was the name given to an alleged attacker of women in London between 1788 and 1790. The attacker had a signature behavior of piquerism, the pricking or stabbing of victims with a knife, pin or needle. First … Continue reading

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The Devil’s Footprints, a Devon Area Victorian Mystery

The Devil’s Footprints is a name given to a phenomenon that occurred in February 1855 around the Exe Estuary in East Devon and South Devon, England. After a heavy snowfall, trails of hoof-like marks appeared overnight in the snow covering … Continue reading

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Georgian Era Mystery~The Cock Lane Ghost: A Format for Religious Fervor

The Cock Lane ghost was a purported haunting that attracted mass public attention in 1762. The location was an apartment in Cock Lane, a short road adjacent to London’s Smithfield market and a few minutes’ walk from St Paul’s Cathedral. … Continue reading

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The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, an Early Incident of Ball Lightning

The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor, Kingdom of England, took place on Sunday, 21 October 1638, when the church of St Pancras was apparently struck by ball lightning during a severe thunderstorm. An afternoon service was taking place at … Continue reading

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Scotland’s Nostradamus: The Brahan Seer

The Brahan Seer, Kenneth Mackenzie (or Coinneach Odhar), is Scotland’s most famous prophet. Often referred to as the Scottish Nostradamus, Mackenzie lived in the 17th Century. Most experts believe that he was born on the Isle of Lewis (at Baile-na-Cille … Continue reading

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Regency Era Celebrity: John Nash, the Prince Regent’s Architect

John Nash (18 January 1752 – 13 May 1835) was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London under the patronage of the Prince Regent, and during his reign as George IV. Nash was also a … Continue reading

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Infamous Court Cases: The 1828 Burke and Hare Murders

The Burke and Hare murders, also known as the West Port murders, were a series of murders committed in Edinburgh, Scotland, over a period of about ten months in 1828. The killings were attributed to Irish immigrants William Burke and … Continue reading

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Dorset’s Smugglers’ Tunnel

In my research for THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MR. DARCY, I have spent a great deal of time researching all those special “places” in Dorset, which would become part of the setting of this novel. Today, I would like to … Continue reading

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