A myth born of the British Isles.

Hi everyone!

Apologies for my absence of late. I was buried up to my neck in research for two new posts on here – one on the Connecticut haunting (with some wonderful footage I’m dying to share with you) and another on mediums, psychics and spiritualists. And psychic mediums, and spiritualist mediums. The whole spectrum of people telling the future and talking to the dead.

Then I moved house. Again!

Now who saw that coming? Anybody? No?

My 500 year old cottage was beautiful and steeped in history. And of course some of the longest residents there had some wonderful tales to tell of things that go bump in the night. But although it was secluded and mostly serene, I lived 2 doors away from what I can only describe as the village idiot, who ruined the gardens, and my view, by building huge landfills of crap he cleared from houses and setting fire to it. Then when it was burned down, he’d start again. This isn’t the kind of place I wanted to live. I was looking for peace and quiet, not somewhere where one person ruined the whole place for the rest of the residents.

So I moved even further away from the hustle and bustle and to somewhere even bigger.

It’s beautiful and quiet, needs a lot of work, but it’s perfect for me.

And not a village idiot in sight!

So, one day, going through the local newsletter, I spotted something right up my alley. There is a Skull House Lane in the area!

Now, if a road is called Skull House Lane, it can mean only one thing – there is, or was, a Skull House of some sort.

I did some digging and there it was. Skull House! And with every Skull House there has to be a story, right?

Absolutely!

Way back in 2004, when Sceptic was a television series doing the rounds of commissioners, one of the episodes was about Screaming Skulls, which is a phenomena that seems to be concentrated in the United Kingdom. There also seem to be quite a few of them based around the North of England where I’m from, which makes me almost proud.

The origins of a screaming skull date back to the 16th Century when persecution was rife among the British.

Generally, a wish was made upon a persons death bed that they were to be kept in the confines of the home or dwelling that they felt a particular affection with, or they would return to wreak havoc upon those who had disobeyed their instructions. Those foolish enough to remove the bones or skulls of the deceased would be plagued by strange noises and screams throughout the night. Poltergeist activity would cause endless disruption and lives would be ruined until the skull was returned to its rightful place. That’s if it hadn’t already made its way back on its own…

The Screaming Skull Of Wrightington, Wigan.

Back to sunny old Wrightington and Skull House Lane.

Skull House was built in the late 16th Century and does indeed house a skull. But not the screaming kind.

The origins of who built the house aren’t well known, but it’s thought that the skull that resided in Skull House and gave it its name was dug up when the house was being built, and was, in fact, a guardian skull – thought to bring luck to the house where it belonged.

Historians think that the skull that was placed in Skull House, Appley Bridge, was a skull from a prehistoric Bog Body, where men and women were deliberately sacrificed and placed in a peat bog, to bring luck and prosperity to the village where it lay. The skull of Appley Bridge is said to be severely discoloured and aged, as well as that of a woman, which would add to that theory. But nobody knows for sure, so there is no absolute proof.

Various myths have grown about the skull of Skull House over the decades. Some say it was once thrown into the River Douglas nearby, but made its way back to the house by itself. It was removed by one of the owners of the house over the years, and so much paranormal activity manifested that they brought the skull back and all became quiet again.

Owners of the house who have spent substantial periods of time living there – with the skull – have reported that they have never experienced any kind of haunting or strange happenings, and felt nothing but love and warmth in the house. This goes against the myth that every house that holds a skull is deemed to be haunted.

One lady who lived in Skull House in the 70’s used to keep the skull in the fireplace in a cardboard box, and proudly brought it out to show anybody who asked.

Skull House is three private residences now, and there is no information available as to whether there is still a skull in situ. The house has been split into 3 seperate dwellings, with the middle house being the only part that bears the name of Skull House. It would be lovely to be able to see inside the Grade 2 listed house, as it is decorated with skull carvings and lots of wonderful gothic architecture, but it seems that this could only be a dream. Who knows. Maybe the owners of the house might read this one day and invite me round for tea.

The Screaming Skull of Wardley Hall

Across the Shire a little way stands a magnificent Tudor house called Wardley Hall. Built in the 16th Century on the grounds of an even older house dating back to 1292, Wardley Hall is currently the official residence of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford.

The story of the skull of Wardley Hall is that it belonged to a Benedictine Monk named Edward Ambrose Barlow who was hung, drawn and quartered at Lancaster Castle in 1641. Known as Father Ambrose, he was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, and he held secret services around the county for those who refused to give up the Catholic faith.

He was attacked on an Easter Sunday while delivering a sermon, taken to Lancaster Castle, tried, and condemned to death. He was hung, drawn, quartered, and then his remains boiled in a cauldron at the castle in front of a massive crowd who apparently enjoyed the entertainment. His head was then impaled on a spike outside the castle walls to serve as a warning to any other Catholic priests who would defy their King.

It’s said that the Lord of Wardley Hall at the time, who is thought to have been a relative of Father Ambrose, acquired the head, cleaned and polished it, then popped it in a panel at the head of his staircase.

The skull was later discovered in a Chapel wall in the hall in the 18th Century and thrown into the moat that surrounds the hall. Huge storms and horrific weather battered the house until the skull was returned to its home when all became calm again.

The skull was also stolen from the Hall during a break-in in 1930, but it was returned after a few months. There are no reports of any screaming during its absence.

The skull has been moved from the house by various owners over the years, with no paranormal activity reported while it was gone, so perhaps Father Ambrose, or Saint, as he’s now known, isn’t one to cause a bother?

I’m hoping to be able to visit Wardley Hall at some point before the year ends, so I will update you when I have. I don’t imagine I’ll have much that I can add to this legend, but I would like to be able to see the skull in person, so to speak.

The Scary Screaming Skull Legends

The scariest legends of screaming skulls come from those told about people who have been wronged after their deaths and have returned to make sure someone suffers for it.

In Bettiscombe Manor, Dorset, a wealthy landowner was arrested for his part in a rebellion and sent away to serve out his time. While serving his sentence in the Caribbean, the landowner, Azariah Pinney, managed to earn his freedom and work his way up to becoming a wealthy plantation owner, ending his days with wealth and good fortune. His descendant travelled to their ancestral home bringing with him a trusted slave and companion. The companion wasn’t used to the dreadful English weather, and ended up passing away after taking ill. On his deathbed, the companion asked his master to please return him to his home, so that he could be buried with his family. Pinney agreed to the slaves wishes, but didn’t follow through and buried the poor man in a local cemetery, forever doomed to be rained upon.

Shortly after the burial, bloodcurdling screams were heard throughout Bettiscombe Manor along with banging on the walls and slamming doors. Pinney, convinced that the ghost of his servant had come back to haunt them, had the man’s remains recovered and brought back to the house where only the skull now remains.

It is still thought, though, that if anyone should remove the skull from the house, unearthly screams will ring through the manor, and the person who removed the skull will die within a year.

Up in beautiful Derbyshire, sits a grim smallholding called Tunstead Farm. The farm is allegedly home to a skull known as ‘Dickie’.

The story goes that ‘Dickie’ is the remains of a soldier who lived at the farm after he returned from war. His family felt differently and wanted the farm for themselves, so they set upon the poor soldier as he slept, taking off his head and burying him in a shallow grave.

Shortly after, they began to hear screams ringing out through the house day and night, even claiming to being attacked by Dickie’s ghost.

They consulted a local witch about how to make the trouble stop, and she told them to bring the head back to the house and keep it there forever more. Once they did as she told them, the haunting stopped and all was well.

Dickie hasn’t just caused mischief after being moved from the farm though. It’s thought that people who have trespassed on the land have felt the wrath of old Dickie and been chased off the property by an unseen force. He’s also been stolen a few times, but returned pretty swiftly when the thieves have started to have massive amounts of bad luck.

There are many more skulls scattered around the country, all bearing the same legend – if you move the skull from its home, it triggers unearthly screams and paranormal activity until it’s put back in its place. There are skulls at Burton Agnes Hall in Yorkshire, Calgarth Hall in Cumbria, Higher Chiltern Farm in Somerset, and Warbleton Priory in East Sussex, to name just a few.

I expect many people over the years have moved the skulls and had no activity happen. In fact, I think there was one awful television show that actually made a point of making an episode based around a screaming skull and nothing happened.

I think until I can have the experience for myself, then I can’t see it as anything but lore. Fun lore, but lore nonetheless.

I’m hoping to get back into some form of regularity now, in between DIY and decorating, so check back regularly for more articles on famous hauntings. Or better still, subscribe and get an email every time I publish. I can promise you there’ll be no spam.

If you’d like to add any of your own stories or experiences, drop me an email to scepticonline@btinternet.com or comment below. I’d love to hear from you!