You would be hard put to list every mystery that England had to offer. Several millennia of history lends to the ability of a land to provide a high yield of the supernatural and mythical. You will find lists of other mysterious sites that are, perhaps, a little more comprehensive, but I’ll offer what I have visited myself or what are (likely) on my bucket list.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is the land of mystery when it comes to ancient megaliths, the best known (but not my favorite) of which is Stonehenge. I was lucky enough to visit Stonehenge when there were no Disneyesque shows or bus loads of tourists being shuttled to and fro. Or even the gigantic gift shop that now exists near the site. I imagine that Stonehenge felt much more mysterious a few centuries ago. Many tourists have not ever heard of the Avebury stone circle. This stone circle is the largest in Europe and dates back to 2600 BC. I felt a very intense energy about Avebury, but I haven’t seen it in a few decades. I will, hopefully, rectify that soon!
The self proclaimed “most haunted pub in England” resides in the center of Avebury (see Red Lion).
There are other monuments worth seeing like the West Kennet Long Barrow (a burial mound) and Silbury Hill (a large mound for which no purpose has been determined). There are other sites as well that you may feel worth your time to research and visit!
Somerset
Just to the west of Wiltshire is the county of Somerset. So many mythical ties exist in this county that it comes in a close second to Wiltshire (for me) for the legends and myths that surround it. The central focus of these myths would most likely be the city of Glastonbury. There is a huge music festival there each year (equal to our Woodstock), so verify before you go if you don’t want to get involved with the multitude of concert goers.
Glastonbury is considered by some to be where the mystical (?) isle of Avalon existed. At one time, the valleys of Glastonbury were flooded and a mound rose out of the ground (Glastonbury Tor).
Many followers of new age think that the Tor is the conjunction of numerous ley lines. Ley lines are alignments of ancient sites or holy places, such as stone circles, standing stones, cairns, and churches. This alignment results in an intense energy about the site. The Tor is also believed to be the site of a vortex or portal into another dimension.
The energy of Glastonbury doesn’t stop there. If you are visiting for the mystery of Glastonbury, take a trek to Wearyall Hill at the top of which is the holy hawthorn tree.
In addition to the stories of mysterious energy, the myth of King Arthur and the Holy Grail also run strong throughout Glastonbury’s story. It is rumored that Joseph of Aramathea came to Glastonbury with the holy grail and buried it in the Chalice Well (another holy destination for visitors). The waters of the well are considered to be healing. The White Spring is another (more recent) addition to the mysteries of Glastonbury and is also believed to have healing waters.
Once you’ve visited the magical sites, you might treat yourself to the site of King Arthur’s Tomb at Glastonbury Abbey. No one has proved or disproved the existence of King Arthur, though many have claimed to be Arthurian sites. Glastonbury is not the only one to lay that claim.
The shops at Glastonbury are also very interesting and a bit like Austin’s SoCo area (multiplied by about a hundred times). I took a tour while I was there which took way too much time on things I wasn’t interested in and left very little time for additional exploration. I’ll be going to Glastonbury for my own self-tour this year!
Cornwall
I have only just begun my exploration of Cornwall, but I can tell you that it definitely yields interesting stories! It’s not surprising that the mystery writer, Agatha Christie, lived in and wrote about Cornwall in her novels!
I have stayed in Tintagel (and highly recommend it for visitors). My favorite B&B in England is there (the Avalon). It is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, and last (but not least) King Arthur’s Castle and Merlin’s Cave! What a wonderful gem this town is. However, even the castle and cave were not my favorite mystery spots.
As far as magical goes, the energy, beauty, and mystery of St. Nectan’s Glen has nothing to compare to. It sits about 2 miles outside of Tintagel. Park your car and walk a mile through an ancient wood past streams where you can almost hear fairies twittering among the crepuscular rays peeking through the forest canopy. At the end of the walk is a café (in the middle of nowhere!) that serves guests lunch and tea. There is also a gift shop where you can purchase tickets to go to the waterfall. I can’t even begin to describe the beauty of this waterfall or the spiritual energy that I felt in that area. Fairy stacks and prayer ribbons abound at the site. It’s a place you can happily spend quite some time in quiet contemplation.
Not far from St. Nectan’s Glen is the small town of Boscastle. It is a pretty little town that would be a very good tourist destination just for its idyllic setting next to the Valency and Jordan rivers. There are quaint shops and stores and a wonderful visitor’s center. But, for the more mysterious minded, you might take in the Museum of Witchcraft which houses the world’s largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts and regalia.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a wonderful county (the largest in England) and the seat for religious worship in the north of England lies at York Minster. For magic and mystery, though, it rivals some of the more southern counties.
Knaresborough
Knaresborough is a small town to the west of York which was home to a prophetess and contemporary of Nostradamus. Her name was Mother Shipton and her prophecies were considered extremely accurate. Mother Shipton’s cave and the petrifying well nearby are well worth a visit.
Whitby
For those who are interested in the nocturnal adventures of Count Dracula, Whitby is definitely a destination point. On the east coast of Yorkshire, it is the place where Count Dracula landed in England according to author Bram Stoker, and many of the place descriptions were taken from the town. It’s also just a lovely place to take a seaside holiday!
Northumberland
Northumberland is home of the tidal island of Lindisfarne (also known as the Holy Island). It is located just off the coast and is only accessible to vehicles at low tide. Lindisfarne was the center for Christian Civilization with a priory that existed on the site. Some of the most important figures in early British history are a part of Lindisfarne’s heritage (St. Cuthbert, St. Aiden, and St. Bede). The Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the finest illustrated gospels in existence, originated here.
The church was destroyed by the Vikings in their initial invasions. A modern castle now sits at the peak of Lindisfarne. The ruined monastery is in the care of English Heritage, which also runs a museum/visitor center nearby.
Summary
Whole books have been written about Mysterious England. I invite you to do your own travel research, but feel free to use this article as a guide as well. Each of the places I’ve mentioned are places I would definitely visit again and are areas of amazing beauty.