The New Murrey and Blue blog

Well, Hallowe’en is nigh, a time when we like to shiver and squeal, so here is a dark legend to set those shivers and squeals in motion.

It happened at the end of the 14th/beginning of the 15th century among the dense trees of Nannau Park near Dolgelly/Dolgellau, the county town of Merionethshire (now Gwynedd). Nannau was the ancient seat of the Vaughan family, but at this time the occupant was one Howell Sele, a cousin of Owain Glyndŵr .

As happens so often in families, there was animosity between the cousins, although the cause isn’t really known. Was it over disputed sporting prowess? Or Howell’s growing suspicion that his wife was too welcoming where Owain was concerned?

Among the many trees in the park was one that was very sinister. “….It was not only blackened and scorched, where it had been once struck by lightning, but its wide-spreading, knotted and gnarled branches bore a peculiar resemblance to the malshaped arms of a human being. It was known and shunned for this reason, though hitherto there were no substantial grounds for associating it with the supernatural….”

One day, perilously close to the ominous tree, the cousins’ acrimony reached the point of no return….and one of them was murdered by the other.

To know all that happened next you must go to This very informative link. From that day on, the terrible oak was the source of hauntings so vile and monstrous that few would even go near it. And rightly so. I wouldn’t either.

At the above link you will also find other stories, and if you go here you’ll learn more about the park today. To discover what happened to the old Nannau estate after these events, take a look here.

The original oak of Nannau Woods was destroyed by lightning in 1813 (oh yes, there really was such a tree!) and if you go here you’ll read that two of its believed descendants are still there.

Are they waiting? Watching? For you, perchance….?

And to pile on the supernatural shivers, I’ll just stay safely inside reading an M.R. James ghost story by candlelight….