Ghosts and Legends of Suffolk

The Suffolk coast is widely regarded as an area of great national beauty. However, it is also surrounded by an air of mystery, with a number of tales of ghosts and legends still being told to this day.

The Merman of Orford

The village of Orford has a curious tale attached to it, taking place during the reign of King Henry II (1154-1189). The local fisherman caught what they thought was a merman. The man was naked, with a long beard, and a very hairy chest. The merman was taken to the local castle, and imprisoned in the dungeon.

When spoken to, the merman wouldn't speak back, even though he was regularly tortured. He showed no signs of belief in God, he would eat any food that was given to him, and he was always in bed by sunset, staying until sunrise. A documented history of the event states that it wasn't known whether this was in fact a man, an evil spirit in the body of a drowned man, or a fish pretending to be a human.

The merman was eventually allowed to exercise in the water guarded by nets. Though he escaped, he returned some time later. However, he eventually swam away, never to be seen again. Today, it is believed that the merman haunts the castle at Orford.

Ghost Stories by M. R. James

A number of local ghost stores were documented by M. R. James (1862-1936). One tells of an encounter with the ghost of a boy in Great Livermere, spying through a hole in the gate. Though there has been speculation as to whether this story is true, there has always been a reputation in Great Livermere as being haunted.

The Green Children of Woolpit

Woolpit is a village in the heart of rural Suffolk, where it's name means a pit for trapping wolves. The story is documented by Abbot Ralph of Coggleshall, telling of two green children.

During the summer, farmers were working the fields when they spotted a green boy and girl come from a 'Wolfpitte'. Their skin was completely green, they were covered in strange clothing, and could not understand any of the villagers, though they spoke with each other. The children were taken back to the village where they refused to eat, until given green beans. Over time, the boy died, but the girl lost her green colour and survived, learning to speak English.

The girl said they came from a land called St. Martin's, where the sun never shone. All people there were the same colour of green. They had been tending sheep when they heard the local bells, followed the sounds and found themselves with the workers on the farm. It isn't known where this story came from, but it's thought that these children may have suffered from 'green sickness' – a name given to anaemia.

UFO Sightings

In 1980 in Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk was one of the best documented sightings of a UFO. In total, the sighting lasted four days. Security guards at RAF Woodbridge spotted strange lights coming from the forest. After going to investigate, they saw a metallic looking triangular object, spanning 2-3 metres across the base. The next day, there were depressions in the ground where this 'craft' had been, and it was seen again two days later. There has never been a proper explanation for the event.