Ghostly Folklore – The Two-Headed Ghost of Abersychan

The two-headed phantom.

Abersychan is a town in the south-east of Wales. It is located in the northern part of the Afon Lwyd valley. Originally, it was a fairly isolated agricultural community, but all this changed in the 19th century with the discovery of iron ore. Industry quickly thrived in the area, and saw the creation of the Abersychan Limestone Railway, built in 1830 to carry limestone from Cwm Lascarn quarry to the ironworks.

Abersychan is also the home of a very unusual spectre. There are a great many headless ghosts throughout the British Isles, but this little town’s most famous incorporeal resident is described as possessing two heads and having a most ‘hideous appearance’ that has left a great many local people terrified. It is to be imagined that in life, the ghost may have been something of a drinker, or else connected to the pub trade, as his favourite haunt was around the Blue Boar public house.

A newspaper report claimed that there were many witnesses to this fearful phantom, who could ‘minutely describe him.’ And such was his reputation that people started to avoid nightly rambles, lest they encounter this beer-supping spook. Sadly, labourer Dan Hartley was compelled to brave Abersychan’s dark lanes one evening, and was unfortunate enough to encounter the monstrous entity:

Being delayed from returning home until a late hour, he had no alternative but to pass the haunted spot, or to have a nights parade in the chilly air. Not liking the later, he determined to proceed despite his dread. He went on courageously until within a few yards of his lodging house, when he fancied he could see something - he paused, and a lo! It was no less than the dreaded phantom. He could not speak, neither could he move backwards nor forwards – He remained transfixed to the spot for several seconds, but as soon as he thought the spectre was disappearing, he made a desperate effort, and reached the house wherein he repeated undefinable prayers to his preserver. His feelings for the remainder of the night can be imagined rather described.

But Dan was a resilient fellow and recovered from his shock; however, he remained convinced of what he had encountered on that benighted street.

When he is spoken to now, he says, very seriously, that he never was afraid, nor never will be afraid of all the ghosts of the earth or of the spirits of the air; but that such a two-headed monster was enough to put the dread on any man, and no man could help it, and ‘Bejabers. I hope it may be the last I see of the lad.’

One local person put forward a theory to a journalist, explaining why he felt the being might possess this second head. He said:

It is the ghost of an old man who suddenly met his death by falling downstairs and splitting his skull. The old man, when living, was an apostate from the Roman Catholic faith, therefore, could not have rest in the other world; consequently, he is a wanderer upon the face of this one. The cause assigned for his appearing with two heads, that is his head being split, when dying, could not again be reunited; therefore, they are not really two heads, but two separate halves of the once whole!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, my friend. I do hope you sleep well tonight. This wonderful tale was collected by Mark Rees in his fantastic book Ghosts of Wales - a worthy read for all lovers of the strange. I have enclosed a link below for anyone interested in purchasing a copy from Amazon. You can also support Mark by listening to his excellent podcast, Ghosts and Folklore of Wales.

Until next time — Stay Spooky.