Hello!
The first British Urban Legends video I did was insanely popular - I think its sitting
at over 1.3 million views - that tells me that you guys may want some more so thats
actually what Ive gathered here for you.
My name is Danny Burke, this is the top 10 scary british urban legends part 2
Starting off at number 10 now we have The Tulip Staircase Ghost.
In 1966, Reverend RW Hardy was visiting the Queens House in Greenwich.
There was an old staircase there known as the Tulip Staircase.
He decided to take a picture of it.
It wasnt until he got his photo developed that he saw this - a figure scaling the stairs
that had not been there when he took the picture.
The strange, hooded figure became known as The Tulip Staircase Ghost.
Ghost hunters have now been visiting the site for over 50 years - many of them have reported
strange results from their recording equipment.
Looking at the picture, even the most skeptical of people have admitted that the hands and
the body look just like an actual person - albeit one thats perhaps locked between the two worlds
of the afterlife and the tulip staircase …
Coming in at number 9 we have Spring Heeled Jack.
In October 1837, a girl called Mary Stevens said to have been walking through Clapham
common in England when a strange figure leapt at her from a dark alley.
He began to kiss her face while ripping off her clothes with his claws before fleeing
the scene.
The next day, the same figure cause a carriage to crash - this time they said he breathed
fire, laughed and then jumped over a 9ft high wall.
Locals began to call him Spring Heeled Jack.
The following year, a woman called Jane Aslop said she answered the door to a man claiming
to be an officer who said theyd caught Spring Heeled Jack.
She brought him a candle at which point he tore his cloak off, vomiting blue and white
flames from his mouth while his eyes resembled red balls of fire.
He tore at her with his long claws but she managed to escape.
Its been over 180 years since then but that hasnt stopped the legend of spring heeled
jack from living on …
Next up at number 8 we have The Highgate Vampire.
In 1969, a man called David Farrant reported seeing a ghostly grey figure walking through
The Highgate Cemetery.
As more reports poured in, another man called Sean Manchester stepped forward to say he
knew what the sightings were of - a vampire.
As more stories came in, people started to believe in.
Local people went hunting around the cemetery looking for the vampire, armed with crucifixes
and heavy wooden stakes.
Sean claimed a sleepwalking girl ahd led him into the graves one night to kill the monster.
He and David became convinced that a group of Satanists were using the cemetery to summon
demons and that the vampire was just one of many.
Although the media frenzy has died down over the years, many locals still swear theres
something not right about that cemetery and so the legend of the vampire lives on …
Coming in at number 7 we have The Screams of The Dead.
In 1943, bethnal Green in East London experienced one of the worst tragedies of the war.
It wasnt from bombs - but panic.
During an air raid siren test, civilians on their way to shelter in the tube station began
to converge on the same entrance all at once.
In their panic to get down, some people tripped and then a stampede began.
People fell to the ground and were crushed.
173 people were trampled to death, including at least 41 children.
Locals say the place never really healed.
They report hearing women screaming and children crying in the station and a deep sense of
dread in the night air …
Moving on to number 6 now we have The Frittening.
This was the name given to a creature said to live on the Isle of Shetland in Scotland.
Locals claim it was a boneless, blob like beast that would scare anyone who saw it to
death.
Those that caught a glimpse and lived to tell the tale described it as looking like a bag
of wet sand or wool, others said it was an armless, legless, ghastly, wet, vile thing
with one lidless eye that presses a big lidless eye against their windows.
Im a bit worried because that description fits me if Im having a rough morning.
Next up at number 5 we have Netta Fornario.
This woman from London was said to be a member of the occult.
In the summer of 1929, at the age of 30, she left London for Iona, a small Scottish island
steeped in folklore.
She joined a secretive occult group known for ritual magic, tarot cards, mysticism,
telepathy and a deep interest in fairies.
After some months, her landlady found her one morning in a frenzy, packing her luggage.
She told the landlady that she needed to return to London immediately as several members of
the cult were attacking her telepathically.
The landlady said she would have to wait as the boat didnt run on Sundays.
Netta became enraged and retreated to her room.
She eventually calmed down and said she would stay and that she was going for a walk.
When she didnt return by nightfall, the landlady raised the alarm.
After 2 days, a search part found her body.
She was found lying on top of some turf that had a cross carved into it.
She was wearing only a thin black cloak.
The doctor who examined her body could not find any cause of death - her body was in
a fine condition physically, it was just - dead.
Officials put it down to exposure to the elements on the cold Scottish islands.
Others believe she was killed by a psychic telepathic attack generated by someone miles
away …
Moving on to number 4 we have The Boggart.
If youre a Harry Potter fan, you may have heard of a Boggart but did you know its based
on a real legend.
Boggart Hole Clough is 190 acres of ancient woodland that is said to be haunted by a boggart
- a mischievous spirit that typically lives in fields and marshes but can also be found
indoors.
They are usually know for their harmless peskiness - turning milk sour or making objects disappear
but some say that have a much darker side.
They are often blamed for the abduction of children.
The one that gave its name to Boggart Hole Clough is claimed to be notorious for this.
Its been said that it was so active that a farmer and his family were once driven from
their home for fear of the Boggart stealing their children …
Next up at number 3 now we have The Figure In The Studio.
In an interview with the Londonist, a couple of radio hosts from Resonance FM in London
told a story that has sparked a modern day urban legend: the figure in the studio.
They said that one day while working in studio, they saw an evil spirit - more maleovalant
than anything you can image.
It was just standing there, in their offices, watching them.
It looked like a shadow with angry, red rimmed eyes and strange looking dark teeth.
Just before they could call out to it - the spirit smiled, revealing its long teeth and
then it disappeared.
Many local ghost hunters are convinced that they have discovered a new spirit and that
this wont be the last haunting of the figure in the studio …
Moving on to number 2 now we have the Devils Bridge.
According to legend, the Devil visited Ceredigion in Wales in the 11th Century after hearing
about its breathtaking scenery.
Yes, even the devil appreciates a good view.
While there, he struck a bargain with a local woman whos cow was stranded across the river.
In a bid to buy her soul, the devil said hed build her a bridge in exchange for the soul
of the first living thing that she crossed it.
When the bridge was built, the woman threw a loaf of bread across which the dog chases.
The devil couldn't take the dogs soul.
He was said to be so ashamed he never returned to Wales again.
In the village of Devils Bridge today there are 3 crossings across the river, the oldest
is said to be the one built by Satan himself …
And finally at number 1 now we have Jack the Ripper.
This is arguably the most famous British Urban Legend - not sure how I managed to miss it
in the last video.
He was an unidentified Victorian serial killer also known as The Whitechapel Murderer because
of the area of London in which he killed.
He was thought to have targeted female prostitutes in slums by slashing open their throats.
He removed the internal organs from at least 3 of the victims which made authorities think
they were dealing with someone with some knowledge of surgery.
The police began to receive letters from a writer or writers claiming to be the murderer.
One of them even came with a kidney said to belong to one of the victims.
The murders were never solved and the legend of Jack the Ripper continued to grow.
There are now over 100 hypotheses about who the real killer was but the story still remains
shrouded in mystery …
So that was another video on British urban legends, would you like a part 3 or should
we keep focussing on other countries?
As always, the choice is yours.
My name is Danny Burke, thanks very much for watching and Ill see you all in the next video!