HALLOWEEN HORRORS: THE ANGELYSTOR OF ST DIGAIN’S CHURCH
The Angelystor speaks…
Welcome once more to my blog, my dear friend. Can anything compare to sitting by the fireside, too fearful even to raise a hand, whilst listening to tales of ghostly goings-on? Outside, frost nips at the trees, leaving their leaves glowing in pleasing shades of red and orange, but inside all is safe and warm.
Today, I would like to tell you about a spirit said to make its presence known on Halloween. So feared was this entity that the little Welsh church it haunted became a place to approach with considerable caution on that most sinister of nights.
St Digain’s Church stands in Llangernyw, a rural village in Conwy, North Wales. Its churchyard is home to an ancient yew, thought by some to be more than 4,000 years old and among the oldest trees in Europe. Nearby stands the wonderfully Gothic Hafodunos Hall, sadly ravaged by fire in October 2004 and subsequently the subject of restoration work.
But it is the church that concerns us today: a charming building and, no doubt, a wonderful place for the faithful to give praise. On Nos Galan Gaeaf, however, its reputation takes a darker turn.
Nos Galan Gaeaf is the Welsh name for Halloween, the eve of the first day of winter. On this night, a spirit known as the Angelystor is said to speak from the church’s altar, reciting the names of local parishioners destined to die during the coming year.
The name Angelystor is commonly translated as “the Recording Angel”. Those daring enough to seek its warning were said to gather beneath the east window and listen. What courage it must have taken to stand there in the darkness, hoping that the next name would not be their own.
One tale concerns Shôn ap Robert, a local tailor who scoffed at the legend and ventured to the church one Halloween night.
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In the version recounted by the owners of the village’s Old Stag pub, Shôn had downed a few too many pints before laughingly dismissing the existence of the Angelystor. Spurred on by his drinking companions, he announced that he would put the story to the test. Out he barged into the cold autumn night and, no doubt on rather wobbly legs, made his way towards the church, intent on disproving the old legend.
But when our inebriated hero reached the church, he heard, to his great horror, a deep voice booming from within.
It was reciting names.
And the first name he heard was his own.
“Shôn ap Robert!”
“Hold, hold!” he cried. “I am not ready yet!”
But his protest mattered little. Ready or not, according to the tale, he found his grave in Llangernyw churchyard during the coming year.
The Reverend Elias Owen recorded a shorter version in his 1896 collection, Welsh Folk-Lore. His account includes the sceptical tailor, the midnight visit and the dreadful announcement, although it makes no mention of the goading drinking companions.
The season is right, and the date is fast approaching. Would you, dear reader, be willing to travel to St Digain’s Church, walk beneath the ancient yew, creep towards the east window and listen?
THE PERFECT HALLOWEEN READ
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If you enjoy tales of the strange and the unknown, please consider exploring my horror trilogy, The Wendlelow Mysteries. It tells the story of a haunted town and the people—and things—that call it home, unfolding across twenty-seven interconnected stories that reveal both the town’s origins and its ultimate fate. So grab a copy of the first book in the series Fireside Horror and begin your journey into the strange and mysterious town of Wendlelow. Links to the books and audio books can be found in the Shop section of this website.
Until next time, my friend.
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