The county is no stranger to supernatural stories. From northern to western Manchester, many tales of spirits are believed by its inhabitants. Nearby villages like Billinge, Horwich and Blackley, have a rich paranormal history unlike others.
Key points
- All around Greater Manchester, small villages contain paranormal legends.
- Billinge, Wigan is a hotspot for supernatural occurrences.
- Enriched with royal and regal history, the village is a known spot for unexplainable encounters.
- A town in Bolton, named Horwich, is prone to mysterious encounters.
- Horwich is surrounded with ghostly history from sightings of priests to cavaliers.
- The north of Manchester is surrounded by archaic tales. This is significantly seen in Blackley.
- Ancient legends of Boggarts are believed to reside in Blackley’s woodlands.
Billinge’s fearing folklore
Located in between Greater Manchester and Merseyside, Billinge is infamous for superstitious stories. However, the most prominent tale is linked to Billinge’s vampire grave. The stone church named ‘St Aidens’, has stood since the 16th century and houses some notorious graves. Spookily, one is decorated with a skull. This is linked with Billinge’s vampire legend. In the graves, the Smiths have rested for over 300 years. For centuries, George and Kitty Smith have been centred around vampire folklore due to their shared gothic grave. Allegedly, George passed away from a snakebite, leaving Kitty to join him later on.
Alongside this, the pub adjacent to the church has an eerie reputation. Dating back to 900 AD, legends around the past pub have prospered. Ominously, there’s rumoured to be a crypt beneath. Allegedly, a cavalier was tortured and is believed to still haunt the building. A ghost of him galloping on the horse has frequently been spotted. Additionally, it is believed that one of Queen Elizabeth’s members of parliament, Robert Cromwell stayed over in “The Stork’. Billinge is a smaller village, but is certainly shaped with ghostly history.
Horwich haunting history
Horwich is no stranger to indescribable incidents. Not only is the town immersed with mysterious folklore, the tale of the headless cross is known. Reportedly, it is haunted by a cavalier and a past priest. The legend of the priest started, as became trapped beneath the surface; was never discovered. Alongside this, numerous sightings of the cavalier have been recorded. Howrich’s Heritage Centre features local ghost tales, which was famously written by history expert Thomas Hampson in 1887. Many are still superstitious about Horwich’s supernatural history presently.
Blackley’s bizarre tales
Situated in the north of Manchester, Blackley has around 16,000 residents. However, not all of the inhabitants are precedented. Legends loom around the local woodlands and unwanted spiritual visitors. The nearby greenery is known as the Boggart Hole Clough. Believed to be as old as the Bronze Age, stories state a goblin-like creature (called Boggarts) resides in the woodland. The tale states it lives in an aging farmhouse. Alongside this, many suspiciously believe that Boggarts are connected to missing people’s cases. This superstition was widely believed in the 18th century.
As the spooky seasons approach, local folklore is spread vastly. Past legends of spirits and unknown visitors live in people’s minds to this day. However, what other sightings will be spotted around Greater Manchester soon?
