The Paranormal Database

Soothsayer Curse

Location: Urray (Highland) - Brahan Castle, former site of
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Before being boiled alive in a cauldron of tar, a local soothsayer predicted the downfall of the family that owned the castle. His every word came true...

Fire

Location: Vale (Guernsey) - L'Ancresse Bay - large stone (no longer standing)
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown - pre twentieth century
Further Comments: Despite dire warnings from locals, Mr Hocart of Belval had workers cut this former monolith into stone for his new house. The day the building work had finished, a fire broke out, killing two servants. Two ships which carried spare stone to the UK sank within the year, and even though Hocart moved into a second house to Alderney, the fire curse followed him, destroying that dwelling also. Hocart finally returned to Guernsey, but just prior to landing, some rigging fell and landed on his head, killing him instantly.

No Touching

Location: Walsham Le Willows (Suffolk) - Gypsy's Grave, under oak tree along Hundred Lane
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: The rumoured curse on this grave prevented it from being disturbed by workers in the area.

Chainsaw Accident

Location: Walsham Le Willows (Suffolk) - Tree (no longer standing), exact location not known
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Warnings concerning a cursed tree were not taken seriously by one farmer, who took a chainsaw to it and died in the process.

Roman Coins

Location: Watton-at-Stone (Hertfordshire) - Close to the River Beane
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: One story says misfortunes befell the family of a man who found a cache of Roman coins near the river and kept them for himself.

Marcus Beck

Location: WC1 (Greater London) - University College Hospital
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Before being stolen in January 2001, the portrait of Beck was considered cursed. People who fell asleep under the painting quickly became ill, and in some cases died. It was also said that if the shutters were not closed on the painting at night, a patient would unexpectedly die.

Crop Curse

Location: Wetherden (Suffolk) - Field between Wetherden and Woolpit
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: Robert Rosier was burnt to death in this field in 1556 by a former friend; since that day, no one has been able to raise a successful harvest in that pasture.

Bad Luck Stone

Location: Wexford (County Wexford) - Lightship Guillemot Museum (no longer open, cut up for scrap)
Type: Curse
Date / Time: 1960s
Further Comments: After the decommissioning lightship 'Guillemot', it became a maritime museum that housed a stone that caused ill-luck to anyone who touched it (taken from a fairy fort by a lorry driver who refused to return it. One woman who held the stone injured her leg, while another man who touched it slipped off the ship into the water.

Cursed Hoard

Location: Wherwell (Hampshire) - Exact location unknown
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Somewhere in the village, a fabulous treasure is hidden; searching for it will do little good, however, as anyone who finds it will die.

Sir Laurence Tanfield

Location: Whittington (Gloucestershire) - General area
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A former landowner in the area, Sir Laurence returned after dying and can be seen driving a coach pulled by four black horses. It is said that bad luck falls on any witnesses.

Blue Lady

Location: Winterbourne Dauntsey (Wiltshire) - Manor House
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: A painting of a blue woman (who died after being banished from the property) that hanged in the manor house was thought to have been cursed, with the destruction of the property a promised result of any movement of the work.

William the giant and his stones.

William the Giant

Location: Wroot (Lincolnshire) - Thumb Stone and Little Finger Stone (no longer present?)
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: These two boulders were thrown into position by William, the local giant and wizard. A farmer who tried to move one using six horses failed to do so, and all the horses died shortly after their attempt - it became known that to mess with the stones was unlucky.