Ghosts and the Supernatural

Ghosts, witches, fairies and black dogs: the nights they walked and the tales told of them.

Customs

The year from Thursday 19 November

Tuesday 24 November Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December New moon

Thursday 24 December Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January New moon

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February New moon

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Monday 8 March New moon

Monday 22 March Worm Moon

Tuesday 6 April New moon

Tuesday 20 April Pink Moon

Monday 3 May

Mon 3 May 12:00 15:00
Custom

Laa Boaldyn at Cregneash

Cregneash Folk Village, Cregneash, Isle of Man

Thursday 6 May New moon

Thursday 20 May Flower Moon

Friday 4 June New moon

Saturday 19 June Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July New moon

Sunday 18 July Buck Moon

Monday 2 August New moon

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August New moon

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September New moon

Friday 15 October Hunter’s Moon

Friday 29 October New moon

Friday 5 November

Fri 5 Nov 20:00 16:00
Custom

Shebbear Turning the Devil’s Stone

St Michael’s Church, Shebbear, Devon

Sunday 14 November Beaver Moon

From the old calendars

1 to 25 of 114 entries

16 November, not tied to the day

23 November, not tied to the day

24 November, not tied to the day

27 November, not tied to the day

20 December

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

27 December, not tied to the day

Folklore from the old calendars

Anne Jefferies and the fairies Lore and belief CornwallMoses Pitt wrote an account of his family's former servant Anne Jefferies, born at St Teath in Cornwall in 1626.
Browny’s stone Lore and belief Outer Hebrides, ShetlandMartin wrote that until lately every family of any substance in Shetland had been haunted by a spirit called Browny, who did all kinds of work and was given offerings in return.
Elf-shot Lore and belief Highlands, IrelandWhen cattle sickened or a heifer lay struck down, it was said that the fairies had shot her with their arrows headed with flint, and the flints themselves, often found in the ground, were called elf-shots.
Fairy rings Lore and belief EnglandThe rings of taller, darker grass found in meadows were said to be the traces of fairies dancing hand in hand by moonlight, and were called fairy rings.
Fairy sickness in Ireland Lore and belief IrelandCamden recorded that when an Irishman fell he sprang up, turned round three times to the right, dug the earth with a sword or knife and took up a turf, believing the ground had given back his shadow or that a spirit was in the earth.
The fairies’ saddle Lore and belief Isle of ManWaldron described a stone on the Isle of Man called the fairies' saddle, from its shape, which seemed to lie loose on the edge of a small rock.
The fairy hills of the Highlands Lore and belief Argyll, HighlandsThe minister of Strachur and Stralachlan in Argyll wrote in the Statistical Account of a small conical hill, seen from Inveraray, whose name meant the fairy dwelling of a multitude.
The knockers of the Welsh mines Lore and belief WalesBesides the fairies of the story books there was a kind said to live in the mines, where they were heard copying the work of the miners and were thought willing to help them, and never to harm them unless insulted.

28 December, not tied to the day

Folklore from the old calendars

Charming away the milk Lore and belief Highlands, Inner Hebrides, Outer HebridesMartin found it a received opinion in the Western Isles and the neighbouring mainland that a woman could, by a charm, draw the increase of her neighbour's cow's milk to herself.
Keeping the fairies from the brew Lore and belief FifeProfessor Playfair wrote to Brand from St Andrews in 1804 about the superstitions of the neighbourhood.
Mary Dore, the witch of Beaulieu Lore and belief HampshireWarner's Topographical Remarks on south west Hampshire, of 1793, told of Mary Dore, the parish witch of Beaulieu, who had died about fifty years before.
The goodman’s croft No longer kept ScotlandIn 1594 the elders of the Scottish church tried hard to stamp out a custom among farmers of leaving a piece of their land untilled and uncropped year after year.
The taman of Tipperary Lore and belief County Durham, Munster, NorthumberlandCunning men, sometimes called white witches, were consulted to cure diseases laid on by witches, to find thieves, recover stolen goods and tell of absent friends.

7 January, not tied to the day

17 January, not tied to the day

Customs

Tuesday 24 November🌕 Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December🌑 New moon

Thursday 24 December🌕 Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January🌑 New moon

Friday 22 January🌕 Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February🌑 New moon

Saturday 20 February🌕 Snow Moon

Monday 8 March🌑 New moon

Monday 22 March🌕 Worm Moon

Tuesday 6 April🌑 New moon

Tuesday 20 April🌕 Pink Moon

Monday 3 May

Laa Boaldyn at Cregneash

Thursday 6 May🌑 New moon

Thursday 20 May🌕 Flower Moon

Friday 4 June🌑 New moon

Saturday 19 June🌕 Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July🌑 New moon

Sunday 18 July🌕 Buck Moon

Monday 2 August🌑 New moon

Tuesday 17 August🌕 Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August🌑 New moon

Wednesday 15 September🌕 Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September🌑 New moon

Friday 15 October🌕 Hunter’s Moon

Friday 29 October🌑 New moon