13 places in Wales with eerie and haunting past that may strike a chill

Wales, steeped in history and folklore, has its fair share of chilling tales. Halloween, or Noson Galan Gaeaf as it's known in Welsh, has deep roots. Calan Gaeaf, traditionally celebrated on November 1, signalled the onset of winter and bore similarities to the Gaelic festival of Samhain.

Typically, this time was marked by harvest celebrations, adjusting to shorter days and longer nights, reminiscing about the past and anticipating the future. Now that the spooky season is upon us, we've explored 13 locations across Wales with a particularly eerie and haunted history.

Some of these sites bear witness to our brutal past, while others are steeped in mythology and local legends. Some have all but disappeared, leaving only traces behind, while others remain standing and have become popular tourist destinations. Find out about the latest events in Wales by signing up to our What's On newsletter here.

READ MORE: The huge feature in Cardiff that wasn’t there 15 years ago that we all now take for granted

LATEST: The date this year when you have the best chance of seeing the northern lights in Wales

1. Capel Salem

Pentre Gwynfryn, Gwynedd

The chapel is where one of the most famous paintings in Welsh culture is set. Sydney Curnow Vosper's watercolour titled ‘Salem’, which was painted in 1909, depicts a woman wearing an ornate shawl and a Welsh hat arriving at her pew at the chapel in Pentre Gwynfryn near Harlech in Gwynedd.

But if you look closely, some say you can see an outline of a face appearing in the folds of the woman's shawl. According to reports, the artist denied that the shawl contained an image of the devil, but this has not prevented it becoming the painting's main talking point over the years. The chapel still stands to this day.

2. Devil's Bridge

Pontarfynach, Ceredigion

The story goes that an elderly lady needed to cross the deep Mynach gorge in Ceredigion to get her cow back from the other side of the river. The Devil offered to build her a bridge on the condition that he would take possession of the soul of the first living thing that crossed it. The woman agreed and the Devil built the bridge.

The Devil was hoping that the lady would cross the bridge first, however, she was able to cheat the Devil by throwing a piece of bread from her apron over the bridge. Her dog eagerly chased it, and the Devil got the soul of the poor dog rather than the woman. The elderly lady was reunited with her beloved cow once again.

3. Frongoch internment camp

Frongoch, Gwynedd

In June 1916, an abandoned distillery in Frongoch near Bala became an internment camp for 1,863 Irish prisoners following the Irish Republican Easter Rising. Previously, the site had held German prisoners of war, who were relocated to accommodate the junior officers and rank-and-file members of the Irish Republican movement, which included Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith.

British authorities had previously executed 15 of the leaders of the rising, with the surviving leaders being sent to high-security prisons. But the camp became a breeding ground for the Irish revolution. The camp was emptied in December 1916 and today another building is now on the site, while a commemorative marker stone and plaque stands nearby.

4. Cardiff's secret tunnels

Cardiff city centre

In the Welsh capital, there are loads of tunnels that its citizens may never see or use. Within the walls of the castle are tunnels, which were used as air-raid shelters during the Second World War. It was estimated that more than 1,800 people could take shelter within the walls and when the sirens sounded, people who lived and worked in the city would rush to the shelters.

Meanwhile, there was a tunnel near what was once the Glamorganshire Canal, which is now under St David's Shopping Centre. There were canals running through the capital that would feed into the docks during the industrial period but most have since been filled in.

There's also the friars' tunnel under Greyfriars Road, which dates back to 1280. The Greyfriars friary managed to survive the city being looted and set on fire, ransacking soldiers and religious persecution before Henry VIII ordered it destroyed in around 1540. But in the late 16th century the ruins were bought by the Herbert family who built a mansion on the site, Greyfriars House. Sir William Herbert used some of the stonework from the original friary to build the mansion in 1582. And those remains could still be seen in the 20th century, before they were finally removed to make way for what is now the Capital Tower.

5. Ynyslas Fossilised Forest

Ynyslas, Ceredigion

This fossilised forest between Ynyslas and Borth in Ceredigion has been associated with the 17th Century myth of a sunken civilization known as 'Cantre'r Gwaelod', which in English means 'sunken hundred'.

According to legend, this once-fertile land and township was protected by floodgates, until a drunken prince called Seithennyn forgot to close the floodgates one evening, which saw the sea swept across the land. The remains of the forest's trees, preserved in the local peat, have been exposed by low tides and high winds.

6. The Skirrid Inn

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

The story goes that this Monmouthshire inn was once a courthouse and jail, where hundreds of prisoners were hanged from the beam in the stairwell. The earliest known reference to this is in 1110, when John Crowther was hanged for sheep stealing. Today, this is a popular pub but some of its visitors have claimed to be haunted by ghosts and spirits.

7. Ruthin Gaol

Ruthin, Denbighshire

This Victorian prison in Denbighshire reportedly used to hold some of the worst criminals in the country. Many of the prisoners were said to be mistreated by guards. People who have visited the Ruthin Gaol claim to hear doors slamming, a presence sitting right next to them, voices muttering in the dark and cackling laughs down the corridors.

8. Kidwelly Castle

Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire

The Princess of Deheubarth, Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, was known for leading the Welsh to battle against the Normans near Kidwelly Castle in Carmarthenshire. Despite inspiring a comeback that held off the enemy for years, Gwenllian was ultimately captured by the Normans and beheaded in 1136.

To this day, Gwenllian is known as a fierce warrior and a free spirit. Some say that Gwenllian’s headless body still roams the castle grounds seeking justice. Various sightings have said to spot a grey hooded figure stalking the grounds of the castle and the bloody battlefield where she was murdered.

9. Roch Castle

Roch, Pembrokeshire

This Pembrokeshire castle rests high above the landscape, which provides 360-degree views of the county. It's a heritage property that has been beautifully restored with six luxurious en-suite bedrooms.

But this castle hotel has a unique, haunted history. It was built in the late twelfth century and was home to Lucy Walter during the 1630s. She was the consort of Charles II and the mother of the Duke of Monmouth. It is believed Lucy is haunting the castle and she has been seen floating through locked rooms wearing a white dress. Noisy running footsteps have also been heard by guests during the night.

10. Lost tunnel network

Llandudno, Conwy

Close to Llandudno Pier, there is a nondescript steel manhole cover, which is the locked doorway to a lost subterranean world. It is bolted shut for a good reason as youngsters have died exploring the miles of tunnels that lie beneath the town's streets and under the Great Orme. Some even lead out under the sea. They were part of a 19th century copper mine that may have been built on multiple levels, most long lost to flooding.

11. South Stack (Ynys Lawd) lighthouse

Holy Island, Anglesey

The popular tourist destination near Holyhead is said to be haunted by the ghost of former lighthouse keeper, Jack Jones. According to legend, lighthouse keeper Jack Jones died after being struck by a falling rock during the storm. Some say Jack's ghost can be heard pounding on the lighthouse's doors and windows at night to this day.

12. St Catherine's Island

Tenby, Pembrokeshire

Legend has it that during a violent storm there was an unaccounted ship in the distance, strange lights played across its decks and ghostly shapes clinging to its masts. Today, many people have reported spooky sightings and dancing lights near this mysterious island.

13. Sub-Control Centre

Llandaff, Cardiff

If you were to walk past the Llandaff Sub-Control Centre in Cardiff, you might not even notice it. From the outside, it is a single storey, windowless building, appearing absolutely unremarkable to any passers-by that aren't actively looking for it. But this bunker, hidden in plain sight, once held the secrets of Wales' role in the Cold War.

The Sub-Control Centre building is on the outer edge of the beautiful, terraced gardens of Insole Court — a Victorian mansion which, during the Second World War, was a centre for the emergency services responding to the Cardiff Blitz. In the years after the war, tensions mounted between the former allies and in 1948 the Civil Defence Corps (CDC) was revived across the UK.

Nuclear weapons had been invented and used by the USA — and in 1949, the Soviet Union produced its first atom bomb, followed by Britain in 1952. Tensions continued to rise, and during 1953, Cardiff’s city surveyor, EC Roberts, built a Civil Defence Control Centre on Allensbank Road — next to what was once a crucial location for the city’s water supply. He also built two Sub-Control Centres in the east and west of the city, at Cyncoed and Llandaff.

This led Cardiff County Borough Council to make plans for a possible Third World War. But the Llandaff Sub-Control Centre is the only one of these buildings to have survived.