Municipal state educational institution
Secondary school number 2
C.Kotelnikovo
PROJECT
In English language
On the topic:
"Mysterious Places in Great Britain"
Completed by a student of grade 11 «А»
Daniel Peskovatsky
Kotelnikovo ,
2022
Plan:
1 Introduction Art. 2
2 Main part of Art. 2-15
2.1 Chillingham Castle St. 2
2.2 Plakli Village Art. 4
2.3 Seashell grotto St. 5
2.4 Stohenge Art. 7
2.5 St. Michael's Hill St. 8
2.6 Loch Ness St. 9
2.7 Rainham Hall Manor St. 11
2.8 Busby chair Art. 12
2.9 Rollright Stones St. 13
2.10 Whitby Abbey St. 14
2.11 Hellfire Caves Art.15
2.12 Peel Castle. Art 16
3 Conclusion Art 17
Goal:
Tell about mysterious places in Great Britain, tell the reasons for their uniqueness, Our vast world can surprise us or scare us with its unusual places or phenomena. And today we'll talk in more detail about mysterious places in Great Britain, where a lot of stories about the Loch Ness monster, ghosts have gone
Main part:
Chillingham Castle. Chillingham Castle is located in the north of England in Northumberland, near the southern borders of Scotland. The castle was built at the end of the 12th century and originally included only a watchtower. At the beginning of the 13th century, Chillingham became the property of the Gray family. In 1298, during the campaign against William Wallace, the castle was visited by King Edward I of Long Legs. He spent the night on the last level of the tower, in a room where windows were specially made in the walls for the king. Since then, this room has been called the Room of Edward I. In the Middle Ages, the location of Chillingham was of great strategic importance: it was located on the border of two opposing nations, therefore, detachments of British troops that followed to Scotland often stopped in the castle. The Scots, in turn, raided the castle no less frequently. In 1617, James VI, the king of England and Scotland, stayed at the castle and traveled to both kingdoms. After the accession of James VI to the throne, the political situation between the countries improved, as a result of which there was no need to defend the borders. Chillingham gradually evolved from a military citadel to a secular castle. The moat surrounding the castle was filled with earth, new premises were added - a banquet hall and a library - and in the 18th and 19th centuries, luxurious gardens were laid out around the castle. During World War II, barracks were located in Chillingham. The trees around the castle were cut down and used for firewood to heat the soldiers. After the war, the castle fell into disrepair. Its roof collapsed, and about a ton of bird droppings accumulated on the upper floors. In 1980, the castle was acquired by Sir Humphrey Wakefield, whose wife was a descendant of the Grays. To restore the castle to its former glory, Sir Humphrey spent a lot of money on its restoration. Each room has been renovated and furnished in accordance with the era. For example, the "Room of Edward the First" acquired the look that it may have had in the 13th century. The banquet hall was also furnished in a medieval style.
Chillingham ghosts
Blue boy
Chillingham's most famous ghost is the Blue (or Shining) Boy. It is said that at night in the Pink Room of the castle loud screams are heard and a blue glow appears above the bed or a boy dressed in blue clothes. Confirmation of these stories was the crypt found in the castle - during the repair, the decayed skeletons of an adult man and a little boy were found in the wall. They were probably walled up alive, since the scratches left by the captives are clearly visible on the inner wall of the crypt.
Tormentor Sage
A fully equipped torture room can be visited in Chillingham. There, according to eyewitnesses, the spirit of the Tormentor John Sage, the former owner of the castle, appears and strangled his mistress Elizabeth Charlton. Elizabeth's father threatened Edward Longlegs that he would ally with the Scots and revolt if the murderer was not punished. As a result, by order of the king, Tormentor Sage was executed on the territory of the castle.
Lady Mary Berkeley
Another famous ghost is the spirit of Lady Mary Berkeley, who is said to frequently appear from her portrait in the Gray Room. According to legend, Lady Mary's husband went to her sister, leaving his wife to suffer alone in the castle.
Dungeon
The underground dungeon is another ominous room in the castle. There are no windows or doors in the dungeon; you can get there only through a small hole in the wall, covered with a lattice. Probably, the prisoner's arms and legs were broken before being imprisoned in a cell and left there to die. At the beginning of the last century, except for one, the remains accumulated in the dungeon were removed. And now in the cell you can see the skeleton of a little girl, the last prisoner who died in Chillingham.
Plakli village. Where else can ghosts be found, if not in a mysterious, always covered with wet flakes of fog, England? And it maintains its reputation as the most magical place on Earth. One of the strange attractions of Foggy Albion, where the ubiquitous tourists do not really want to, is the village of Pluckley in Kent. Such a strangely semi-familiar name for the Russian ear, isn't it? Nevertheless, everything in the village is fully consistent with the English, stately and prim tradition. Since ancient times, hops have been grown here for the production of real English ale. However, local farmers could not get much income from this. Many of them believe that a huge number of ghosts, per square kilometer of the village area, stagger around the neighborhood and scare away all buyers of intoxicating drinks, prevents them from enriching themselves. Locals say that twelve ghosts of different people constantly live here, one way or another, manifesting themselves at different times and in different places. Having approached the village from the east, be extremely careful, a black carriage pulled by four ghostly, foggy horses may rush across to you. Rumor has it that the carriage is quite tangible, you can touch it with your hand, and even sit down in its black interior, but this is highly undesirable. They say that one curious traveler climbed into the carriage, its door slammed shut, and foggy, mystical, gray horses carried it in an unknown direction. A tourist was found five days later in the forest, he did not remember anything, muttered something indistinct, and his hair, black as a raven's wing, became completely gray. More like a legend, but nonetheless. There is also the ghost of a burnt gypsy witch who constantly blows puffs of smoke - she smokes a pipe and you can even hear the smell of burning tobacco. In a clay quarry, a man, a worker who died under the rubble, periodically screams. He returns day by day and screams heart-rendingly, asking for providence for mercy, but there is no salvation for him. One of the mistresses of Rosecourt Castle, once poisoned with poison, wanders nearby, arm in arm with another ghost, monk or hermit. A complete list of Plakly's ghosts can be purchased at the Black Horse pub for just 2 European rubles. This complete brochure is called the Haunted Pluckley. Without this card, you will be asked about the purpose of your visit at every step, and you will be sent for it to the pub. Therefore, it is best to buy it immediately upon arrival and wander freely around the village, the money is small, but the use is a wagon. You can dine at the Black Horse, or you can return to London, since it's only about forty minutes to go. However, I really want to stay overnight to see the notorious ghosts myself. But, to stay here, not everyone will succeed, the number of rooms in the hotel is limited, and they cost a lot.
Due to such a fuss raised by the press about the ghost in the village, the multiple testimonies of local residents, as well as the complete lack of photo and video evidence confirming their existence, Plakli residents have repeatedly tried to expose and convict of a simple hoax to siphon money from tourists ...
Once, a real research group even went to a village among the fields of hops, scientists brought a bunch of equipment and instruments and got down to business. But as soon as they began to take their measurements, a real natural disaster struck the village of Plakli, a huge number of flies filled the space around. They climbed into all the cracks, not giving anything to do either the researchers or the villagers. As soon as the people of science, having collected the inventory, got away, the flies immediately disappeared, and life returned to its usual course. Interesting? Still would!
Seashell grotto. The Shell Grotto in Margate is one of the UK's most mysterious landmarks. Its origin still remains a mystery, despite the fact that it was discovered back in 1835. The grotto is an underground winding corridor (its length is more than 20 meters), the walls of which are decorated with 4.6 million shells.
This unique architectural monument was found quite by accident by the Englishman James Newlove, when he was digging an artificial duck pond. The first to go down the underground passage was his son, Joshua. It was he who told his father about the mysterious tunnel, decorated with mosaic of seashells. James Newlove quickly realized that he literally managed to catch his luck by the tail: having equipped the mainsail with gas lamps, after three years he opened the attraction for visiting. A wave of tourists poured into Margaret, because before that even the locals did not know about the existence of such a curiosity, which had never been on the map. As soon as the first visitors visited the mysterious tunnel, heated debates immediately began about the origin of the Seashell Grotto. Some considered the grotto to be one of the last "gifts" of antiquity, while others saw it as a gathering place for a secret sect. Everyone deciphered strange mosaics in their own way: someone fancied hints of sacrificial altars, someone saw images of gods and goddesses in intricate patterns, there were even versions that these were the trees of life. Despite the abundance of versions, none of them has been fully proven. The shell grotto truly amazes visitors: about 4.6 million shells of clams, oysters and mussels were needed to decorate its walls and ceiling. True, some of the decorations were damaged during the installation of the lighting, in addition, the grotto was damaged by a bomb during the Second World War. Today, the grotto of seashells has been completely restored; anyone can visit it. This marine treasury is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. Scientific attempts to date the Grotto using radiocarbon dating have been unsuccessful, and the age of the structure is uncertain. The analysis is hindered, among other factors, by the soot that has coated the shells during exploitation, as Victorian lamps were used to illuminate the landmark in the 1800s.
The grotto was rebuilt, a lot of panels were damaged during the electric lighting, one of the walls of the altar room was destroyed during the bombing during the Second World War. According to some assumptions, the age of the grotto can reach 3 thousand years.
Skillfully laid out intricate patterns that leave no one indifferent, give rise to an endless stream of associations and versions of the origin of the unique cave. All surface areas of the walls and ceiling of the grotto are covered with mosaics depicting lilies, sunflowers, trees, snakes, bunches of grapes, symbols of fertility, eight-pointed stars and symbols of the Sun. The winding tunnel ends with an altar room. In the center of the grotto there is an open-air dome that acts as an accurate solar calendar covering the period from March to October.
On the day of the summer solstice, the Sun illuminates the grotto exactly at noon, being in the center of the dome. The Sun begins to enter the grotto shortly before the vernal equinox, and leaves it only after the autumn equinox.
The grotto may have functioned as a pagan temple of the Sun and Venus. Gnostic symbols evoke associations with Phoenician symbols. Phoenician religion was a synthesis of various traditions. The nomadic Semitic cult of heavenly bodies (the solar bull-headed Sun and the female goddess of the Moon) layered on the matriarchal Neolithic cult of the Great Mother (akin to Cybele) and the Egyptian couple Isis and Osiris (Adonis), who came after the Sumerian Inanna and Dumuzi.
The symbol of the Phoenician Venus - the goddess Tanit, as well as the symbol of Inanna, was an eight-pointed star, since eight years is the main cycle of Venus. Stohenge. Stonehenge, Stonehenge [ˈstəʊnˌhendʒ] is a World Heritage-listed stone megalithic structure (cromlech) in Wiltshire, England. It is located about 130 km southwest of London, about 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury. One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, Stonehenge is made up of ring and horseshoe structures built from large menhirs. It sits at the center of the densest Neolithic and Bronze Age complex in England. The monument itself and its surroundings were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 together with Avebury. Stonehenge is transferred by the British crown to the management of the English Heritage, while the surrounding area is owned by the National Trust. The first researchers associated the construction of Stonehenge with the Druids. Excavations, however, pushed back the creation of Stonehenge to the New Stone and Bronze Ages. The modern dating of the elements of Stonehenge is based on the radiocarbon method. Currently, the following phases are distinguished: Phase 1 - construction of the main moat and ramparts (Windmill Hill culture). A significant number of deer antlers with signs of "wear and tear" were found in the moat. Since no silt was found below these antlers, it has been suggested that the moat was dug shortly after the deer were killed. The last event was radiocarbon dated 3020-2910 BC. e. Phase 2 - Re-fill the moat, timber structures and Aubrey holes. Phase 3 - Burial inset at the top of the re-fill of the ditch, construction of stone rings of sandstone and blue stones, avenues and holes Y and Z (Wessex culture). The material for dating the sarsen boulders, which is available in very limited quantities, points to 2440-2100 BC. e .. Legends associated the construction of Stonehenge with the name of Merlin. In the middle of the 17th century, the English architect Inigo Jones put forward a version that Stonehenge was erected by the ancient Romans. Some medieval scholars believed that Stonehenge was built by the Swiss or the Germans. At the beginning of the 19th century, the version of Stonehenge was established as a sanctuary of the Druids. Some believed that this was the tomb of Boadicea, the pagan queen. Even the authors of the 18th century noticed that the position of the stones can be linked to astronomical phenomena. The most famous modern attempt at interpreting Stonehenge as a grand observatory of the Stone Age belongs to J. Hawkins and J. White. In 1995, British astronomer Duncan Steele hypothesized that Stonehenge originally served to predict cosmic catastrophes (associated with the consequences of the Earth's passage through the tail of a comet known as the Taurida Complex). It has no scientific confirmation. It is also often claimed that Stonehenge was used for burials. Indeed, burials were found on the territory of the monument, but they were made much later than the construction of Stonehenge. For example, a skeleton of a young man was found in a ditch, dated by radiocarbon dating to 780-410 BC. e. Mike Parker Person, professor of archeology at the University of Sheffield, who leads the Stonehenge Riverside Archaeological Project, noted that in his opinion, Stonehenge from the very beginning of its existence until its heyday in the third millennium BC considered by the inhabitants of England as a territory for the burial of the dead. In 2005, the Welshman Robin Heath put forward a hypothesis according to which the "blue stones" of Stonehenge were mined in the Preseli Mountains (northwest Wales). Heath was fortunate enough to discover the ancient Preselian quarries. According to Heath, stones to Stonehenge were delivered by sea (on catamarans from dugout boats), and then by drag. This hypothesis was supported by the British archaeologist Michael Pearson, who excavated the former Vaun Mown stone circle, which, in his opinion, was later dragged to the site of Stonehenge. Saint Michael's Hill. It is a natural elevation of about 145 meters, surrounded by seven man-made ledges. Their origin is vague: some researchers believe that this is an ancient Celtic path that led to the temple of the Mother Goddess located on the top of the hill, others tend to see them as a kind of labyrinth. And still others argue that there is nothing mysterious here - these ledges are the most ordinary vegetable gardens: in ancient times the area around was swampy, often flooded, so the practical Celts broke them up on special terraces arranged on the slopes of the hill.
It is quite possible that this is so - the Celts settled in these parts in time immemorial: already in the III century BC. e. there was a fairly large settlement of them, and in the 5th century. n. e. - and a small fortress, the inhabitants of which had to eat something, so the version about gardens, for all its prosaic nature, looks quite reasonable.
And yet, it was precisely from the Celtic times that the idea of this hill as a place of power, a portal to another world called Avalon, where there is no sorrow and suffering, was entrenched in the popular consciousness. In Celtic legends, Avalon is the residence of immortal heroes and wizards, wonderful apples grow on it, which grant immortality, King Arthur's sword was forged on Avalon, and he himself was taken there after his last battle ... The appearance of these legends is justified by nature itself: during During frequent floods, the hill, towering over the surrounding swamps (they began to be drained only in the 16th century), turned into an impregnable island and gradually became a symbol of hope for salvation from the elements, a new life.
One way or another, but for hundreds of years, the hill of St. Michael has been closely connected in the popular mind with the main myths of the English land: about Avalon, about the Land of the Fairies (which, allegedly, can also be reached from here), about King Arthur. The discovery of sarcophagi with the remains of the legendary ruler of the Britons and his wife, the beautiful and unfaithful Guinevere, was announced in 1191 by the monks of the nearby Glastonbury Abbey during the renovation - they seemed to be under the floor of the church. The holy fathers reburied them, erected a cross over the grave and began to reap the fruits of their "resourcefulness": the flow of pilgrims to the abbey increased significantly. More than 8 centuries have passed since then, but popular rumor continues to stubbornly regard the hill of St. Michael as the resting place of Arthur, and not the nearby abbey.
In light of all of the above, it would be quite logical if the hill was named after this legendary king. Why is it named after the main Christian archangel? After the Celts became part of history, they were replaced by the Romans, and then by the Christians, who built a church on the top of the hill dedicated to St. Michael. By the way, it is considered one of the first religious Christian buildings in the British Isles. Now, from this ancient (archaeological excavations claim that it was erected almost in the 5th century), only a medieval tower remained - at first the church was severely damaged during a powerful earthquake in 1275, and during the reign of the frantic Henry VIII, who destroyed many churches and monasteries throughout good old England, it was completely abolished. By order of the king, the last abbot of Glastonbury was hanged on the hill, and the walls of the church were dismantled - stones were used to pave the roads.
Despite the fact that nothing remains of the ancient structures, except for the majestic tower, St. Michael's Hill is one of the main tourist attractions in Great Britain. Thousands of people come here to see with their own eyes a place that has become so firmly embedded in dozens of English legends and traditions. Loch Ness. In the west of the Scottish Highlands, there is one of the most popular holiday destinations - Loch Ness. At over 30 kilometers long, Loch Ness is the second largest and largest lake in Scotland in terms of displacement.
Lake area - 56 sq. km, maximum depth - 230 meters.
In the vicinity of the lake there is everything for a varied holiday - historical sights, magnificent nature, cozy places to stay and excellent eateries. You can take a leisurely stroll along the scenic South Loch Ness Trail, or try the Great Glen Way hiking trail, which is about one hundred and ten kilometers (70 miles) long. Also worth a visit is the Caledonian Canal with its cascade of locks and Urquhart Castle, the most famous castle in the area. Only ruins remained of the four towers and the fortress. But they still make a huge impression. The castle is open to the public all year round, except December 25 and 26. According to scientists, Loch Ness was formed during the Ice Age, as a result of the displacement of rocks. The reservoir has an elongated shape: its width is only a little more than two kilometers, while its length is more than 30 kilometers. The water of the lake, although fresh and not polluted, is very muddy: it's all about the large amount of peat at the bottom. It is he who does not allow scientists to conduct a thorough study of the underwater world, thereby giving rise to many legends around Loch Ness. Loch Ness is surrounded by secrets and legends, the most famous of them is about a huge creature living in the water - the Loch Ness monster, or, as it is also affectionately called, Nessie. The first records about him were back in 565, they mentioned that the monster grabbed and ate a local farmer. Over the years, rumors have spread everywhere and until now, although it has not been proven whether it is true or fiction, a huge number of people come to the lake in the hope of seeing Nessie with their own eyes.
Nessie became so popular with locals and tourists that a museum was dedicated to her. It is located in the village of Drumnadrochit and has a complete and interesting exhibition telling about the exploration of the lake, legends about dragons dating back to the most ancient times. With the growing popularity of the lake among tourists, the infrastructure here began to actively develop, including numerous parking lots along the shore of the reservoir, located along the A82 highway. Any visitor can park their car here and take a leisurely stroll along Loch Ness. During the summer months, you can try swimming in it, if the cool water is not a significant obstacle.
The eastern shore of the lake is distinguished by a large number of paths leading to the water, but there is no large road here, so the number of tourists is noticeably less. Every day dozens of different travel agencies organize excursions to the lake - walking, bus and even yachting. They start mainly from Edinburgh and Inverness - two major cities in Scotland, located closest to the lake.
In addition, there are several ancient castles next to the lake, which look even more mysterious and bewitching against the background of water and hills. They are also worth a visit.
For fans of legends about Nessie, next to the museum dedicated to her, in the village of Drumnadrochit there is a tourist shop and cafes, which are not available during the season: the location is very popular with tourists and brings its owner millions of pounds a year.
Rainham Hall Estate. Rainham Hall is the family estate of the Townshend Marquises, located in the UK. Many say that for several centuries, the ghost of a woman, nicknamed the Brown Lady, can be found in the estate. It is not known exactly whose soul wanders the ancient building, but most believe that it is the ghost of Lady Dorothy Townshend, wife of the second and most famous Marquis of Townshend, daughter of Robert Walpole, MP for Houghton, and sister of Sir Robert Walpole, first Prime Minister of England. Over the centuries, many stories have come down to us about the mysterious Brown Lady. At the beginning of the 19th century, the regent George IV stayed at the family estate and spent the night in the sovereign's bedchamber. Unexpectedly for himself, he woke up in the middle of the night and saw a pale-skinned woman in brown robes next to the bed. The horror that gripped George forced him to leave the estate that very night. In 1835, on the night before Christmas, Colonel Loftus observed the appearance of a ghost on the stairs. He managed to sketch what he saw and the next morning showed the others the face of a woman with empty eye sockets.
In 1936, Lady Townshend invited a photographer, Indra Shire, to photograph the interior of Rainham Hall. Shire and his assistant Provand took photographs with a flash of magnesium; they were filming the stairs when Shira saw a blurry silhouette on the steps. He resembled the figure of a woman dressed in white. The ghost began to descend the steps. Shire excitedly ordered Provanda to film. Provand could not see the ghosts, but turned the camera in the direction indicated by Shire. Prowand didn’t believe that Shire had seen a ghost, and bet his five pounds that the photograph would not reveal the white silhouette. However, he lost - the "brown lady" appeared in the picture in the form of a silhouette, the attire of which resembled a wedding dress.
Busby chair. The Busby's stoop chair is an oak chair, an exhibit in the museum of the small town of Crickby, North Yorkshire, (UK), which, according to legend, caused the death of 65 people. According to popular belief, he was cursed by the murderer Thomas Busby shortly before his execution in 1702. The unfortunate history of the Busby chair begins in the 17th century, with the appearance of a new resident in Crickby - Daniel Otti. He acquired a large farm on the outskirts, built a new large house there, and began to lead the quiet life of an ordinary landowner. But this was all just a clever cover, since Otty was an experienced counterfeiter who needed a quiet place for his business. In the basement of Daniel's house was a whole workshop that produced sovereigns and guineas at night. Later, Otti took on the assistant to the indigenous local resident Thomas Busby. Busby fell in love with Ottie's daughter Elizabeth and was a drunkard and rowdy. Constant conflicts between partners led to the fact that, in the heat of one of the disputes, Busby beat his beloved father to death with a hammer and was so reckless that he was arrested on the same day. The fact that Otty turned out to be a criminal did not become an extenuating circumstance, and the fact that Tom himself was involved in counterfeiting money became an aggravating circumstance. After finishing his last glass, Busby exclaimed: “Now I will die, and I will not come back here again! But let the one who decides to sit in my place die! " Soon Thomas was hanged. No one dared to break the ban for more than 10 years, until in 1712 a visiting chimney sweep, who knew nothing about the curse, came to rest in a pub to rest. Several hours later, he was killed by falling off the roof. Rumors that the horror story was not fiction quickly spread throughout the neighborhood. The damned chair brought wide popularity to the bar and the new owner of the institution in 1966 renamed it "Busby Stoop" (ie "Stooped Busby"). A year later, two young pilots ridiculed the legend and defiantly took turns sitting in Thomas Busby's place, after which they left . A few hours later, their car crashed into a tree. Both guys died on the spot. Later, a sergeant in the British Army insisted on sitting on the famous chair. Three days later, he died of an unknown illness, although military doctors claimed that they did not remember at all when he was last ill. In 1973, a young construction worker seconded to Crickby, who sat in the damned place, fell off the roof 3 hours later. A few years later, the maid, who was cleaning the floor in the establishment, stumbled and accidentally sat down on the edge of a chair. A few weeks later, the woman died of brain cancer. The city's chief priest, Joseph Mainwaying-Taylor, made repeated attempts to consecrate the chair, but the list of victims continued to grow steadily. The penultimate victim of the hangman's seat was Anne Conelatter, a 37-year-old American tourist, an accountant from New York State, who was vacationing here. Half an hour after she sat in a chair, a woman died in a hotel elevator, which had a broken cable. The last victim of the creepy furniture was Melissa Doloni, who celebrated her birthday in the bar. Immediately after the party, two blocks from the inn, a drunk girl was bitten to death by a pack of stray dogs. After a series of deaths, the owner of the establishment, Tony Earnshaw, handed over the chair to the local museum, where it was fixed at a half-meter height along with the legend, a list of victims and a warning about the curse of the gallows.
Rollright Stones. One of the Danish kings, there is no longer any memory of which one, like all monarchs, dreamed of seizing more lands into his possession, so that his power was not limited. That is why, having gathered an army, he did not perch a horse and decided to march. Well, where? Most likely, to conquer London, although in the legend, there is no mention of this either. How long or short, but it appeared once before the king a terrible witch, as if the earth had risen from the ground and trembled under the hooves of the king's horse. You will become the ruler of Britain! - the witch rumbled in a terrible voice, - But only on one condition. In just seven steps, you should see the village of Long Compton over the hill! If not, a terrible death awaits you very soon. The king of the witch did not believe the prediction of the witch, he ordered to seize the woman and kill, because she frightens his royal majesty. The soldiers surrounded the witch when the hill began to grow, grow, rise, and the people and the king himself turned into stones. So those stones still stand in a circle, and the worst thing is that people can see and hear, but they cannot do anything.
This legend tells of a place that is less than thirty kilometers from Oxford and is a huge hill, on top of which there is a circle made of boulders called the Rollright Stones. It is not possible to find out the age of the structure, it is quite realistic to assume that it is much older than the notorious Stonehenge. This place is called Rollright Stones, and there are many rumors and conversations among the locals, but tourists still come to this place. Among other things, they say that at a certain time, the most real witches who have not yet died out until today, gather here for the Sabbath. We, of course, have not seen witches, but if you touch these stone idols with your hand, you can feel warmth and a light electric discharge. Scientists talk about a geological fault, and mystics and researchers of the paranormal, about geopathogenic zones and similar amazing phenomena. Those who stayed here overnight talk about the end of the world, which does not happen very often. Rays burst out of the ground and pierce the night, as if cutting it right through. In the old days, women came here to ask the witch for a child, and often it worked, a big role, probably, was played by walks in the fresh air, in a dry, not unhealthy area, which cannot be said about all of England, with its damp valleys and poisonous swamps. Whitby Abbey. What is this place now shrouded in a mystical web of romantic legends and dark beliefs? On the heights of East Cliff near Whitby, surrounded by verdant fields and meadows, rise the ghostly ruins of a once majestic structure. The narrow Gothic window openings, the pointed domes of the surviving towers are witnesses of deep antiquity. In the evening hours, when the last reflections of the crimson sunset are extinguished, the monastery ruins seem to be black giants. Silently they listen to the symphonies of the wind walking through the empty halls, the numerous monuments installed at the local cemetery, where the inhabitants of the monastery were buried. Some of the gravestones are dated from 667 to 865 years. The legendary monastery (657) was organized and built at the behest of King Oswiu, who defeated the ruler of Mercia. On the eve of the battle, the king vowed before the Christian church to build a monastery on the conquered land. This is how the famous Whitby Abbey arose, and its first abbess was the nun Hilda, who after her death was given the status of "saint" for her services in the development of the abbey. At first, both men and women lived in the abbey, and later it (the abbey) became a men's monastery. Gradually, the holy monastery turned into a popular youth education center. It is known that a well-known representative of early British poetry, Cadmon, was brought up and studied within its walls. Here the descendants of the Deir royal family found their last refuge, important church cathedrals were held, including the fateful cathedral of 664, during which the Roman Church gained an advantage over the representatives of the Celtic Church. The proceeds from city fairs held annually on Saint Hilda's birthday went to the treasury of the abbey, and it flourished again until in the 15th century. Whitby was not ruined by the Norwegians. The abbey suffered the sad fate of oblivion during the reign of Henry VIII of England. Great damage to buildings, turned into ruins, was inflicted during shelling by German cruisers in the First World War (1915).
Hellfire caves. Hellfire Cave (also known as West Wycombe Cave) is a network of artificial chalk and flint caverns that extend 260M underground. They are located above the village of West Wycombe, on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, South East England. They were excavated between 1748 and 1752 for Francis Dashwood, 11th Baron Le Depencer (2nd Baronet), founder of the Amateurs Society and co-founder of the Hellfire Club, whose meetings were held in the caves. The caves have been used as a tourist attraction since 1863. Hellfire Caverns. The caves overlook the hillside above the village of West Wycombe and right below the Church and Mausoleum of St. Lawrence (which were also built by Sir Francis Dashwood around the same time the caves were excavated). West Wycombe Park, the ancestral home of the Dashwood family and also the property of the National Trust, lies directly across the valley. The entrance to the caves resembled the facade of an imitation of a Gothic church. This area can be seen directly from West Wycombe House. The unusual design of the caves was largely inspired by Sir Francis Dashwood's visits to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria and other parts of the Ottoman Empire during his Grand Tour. The caves extend 0.25 miles (400 m) underground, with individual caves or "chambers" connected by a series of long, narrow tunnels and passages. The route through the underground chambers runs from the Lobby to the Steward's Chamber and Whitehead's Cave, through Lord Sandwich's Circle (named after John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich), Franklin's Cave (named after Benjamin Franklin, a friend of Dashwood who visited West Wycombe), Banquet Hall (supposedly the largest artificial chalk cave in the world), Triangle, Miner's Cave; and finally, beyond the underground river Styx is the final cave, the Inner Temple, where the Hellfire Club meetings were held, and which is said to be 300 feet (90 m) right below the church at West Summit. Wycombe Hill. In Greek mythology, the Styx River separated the mortal world from Hades, and the underground location of the Inner Temple directly below the Church of St. Lawrence was to denote heaven and hell. Hellfire Caverns
Peel Castle. Peel Castle is a castle in the town of Peel on the Isle of Man, founded in the 11th century by the Norwegians. Peel Castle is located on the small island of St. Patrick, connected to the town of Peel by a causeway. Owned by the Isle of Man National Heritage Organization. In summer it is open to the public. Peel Castle was built by the Norwegians in the 11th century, during the reign of King Magnus III the Barefoot. Their first fortifications were made of wood, despite the fact that a stone Celtic monastery had already been built on the island. It is likely that the round tower was originally part of the monastery complex. The loopholes and battlements appeared on it later. By the early 14th century, most of the towers and walls were built of the red sandstone that abounded in the area. Later, the castle was used by the Church because it housed the Cathedral of Saint Germain. In the 18th century, the castle and cathedral were abandoned. In the 1860s, new fortifications were built in the castle. Today, the buildings inside the castle are mostly destroyed, but the outer walls are preserved. Also in the castle are the ruins of St. Patrick's Church. In 1982-1987. archaeological excavations were carried out, as a result of which a large cemetery and fragments of wooden Viking fortifications were found. Also found was the tomb of a 10th century “pagan lady”, in which jewelry and silver coins dating from around 1030 were found. According to legend, Peel Castle is home to a ghost dog, as described in Walter Scott's story "Peveril Peak". In addition, the castle is featured on the 10-pound note issued by the Isle of Man Government.
Conclusion
We talked about the mysterious and rather mystical in the UK. But there are such places not only in Great Britain, but also in Russia. What is the Dyatlov Pass? So before you go somewhere, make sure that you will not be eaten by the babayka.
Sources: WikiPedia, CameraLabs, Nature. 1001 chudo.
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