January ghosts

 

January begins with New Year celebrations, then becomes a long months of dreary quiet, full of cold, darkness and snow. It's any wonder that it's filled with ghost stories. Howling winds, blizzards, icy rain, frost, heavy snow, bare trees and grey skies. It's a perfect backdrop for anything scary and haunting. I shall include some ghosts in January.

On New Year's Day, a phantom golden coach pulled by headless horses appears every year, at The Hatches in Manningford Bruce. There's a pub called The Phantom Coach, named after the haunting, which is believed to have been where a coach disappeared in wetlands, killing several people including horses. Before the area became built up, it was a swamp. Centuries ago, a speeding coach toppled over as it passed a sudden sharp bend in the road. The passengers, driver and footmen died. Their screams can still be heard, and now the ghostly coach appears there every year.

Also on New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, a magical rock goes for a walk! It's in South Glamorgan, and this rock, also called Arthur's Stone, is believed to walk down to the sea for a drink. The Gower legend comes from stories that King Arthur found the stone in his boot and flung it away, which is where it stands now. This old story suggests that King Arthur was a giant. The stone itself, also called Maen Ceti, is a Neolithic burial chamber.

The ghost of Lady Jane Grey happens each year in Newton Linford, on the bridge near the ruins of a castle that was named Bradgate House. It's believed she sits in a coach pulled by headless horses, that passes along the bridge and looks out of the window. The ruins was where she grew up, so this seems the reason for her return. It happens on the 23th January, and it's not known why this date. Legend has it there's activity on New Year's Eve. And then her ghost appears wandering around the chapel. 

A headless horseman travels along a road in Stourton, Wiltshire. It's believed that he's the ghost of a man who broke his neck after being flung from his horse. He was originally trying to get to Wincanton Market from Stourton quickly and it stressed his horse. Now sometimes his ghost often appears on the 31st January with a black dog. 

During the first new moon of the year, a ghost monk appears in Guisborough, North Yorkshire. He's also referred to as the "Black Monk" and he always appeared in the ruins of Guisborough Priory, and also linked with travelling around to what is Monks Walk. a lime tree avenue associated with monks using hidden passages. Some say a box of buried treasure guarded by a raven is somewhere hidden there.

She Wolf Night