SHOCKLACH

The hamlet of Shocklach close to the border of North Wales. a small farming community with wonderful views of the Welsh hills . Shocklach actually means Goblin's stream or boggy stream haunted by an evil spirit... intriguing.

St Edith's church in Shocklach, is one of the countries eldest, built in the 12th century. Another of the areas most idyllic settings.

The church is dedicated to St Edith. Unfortunately there are two St Edith’s but the later one, Edith of Wilton who died in 984, has no obvious connection with this area. However, the earlier one, known as Edith of Polesworth or Edith of Tamworth, was the sister of the Saxon King Aethelstan. In 925 she married Sihtric Sytriggson, the Viking King of York and Dublin. The wedding took place in Tamworth, Staffordshire, which in the 10th century was an important Mercian political and ecclesiastical centre; Shocklach would have been in its territory. Edith’s stepson was Olaf Sihticsson, also King of York and Dublin, who was defeated at the battle of Brunanburgh (usually interpreted as Bromborough on the Wirral) in 937. So could there be some connection between Shocklach and the Vikings?

Within the church, tucked away in a corner at the western end near the bell-tower, is a small stone, about 12 inches [300mm] square. On it has been carved a man on a horse. The stone is very weathered and difficult to see, but it appears to show a rider who is carrying a shield and perhaps a spear, and may be wearing a pointed hat. The horse has its head lowered. The style is very reminiscent of Norse crosses, particularly those of the Isle of Man. It is possible that the stone formed part of a pre-Norman cross which once stood outside the church, combining pagan and Christian images in a style seen around the shores of the Irish Sea in the Viking period.

With the eye of faith, it is possible to push the Viking associations of the stone even further. The details of the horse’s anatomy are not clear, but there are too many legs for a conventional animal and there is certainly no second horse behind it to account for the extra legs. The same eye of faith may make out a hunched bird sitting on the horse’s rump behind the rider.

One suggestion to explain all this is that the figure represents Odin, the greatest of the Norse gods, sitting astride his horse Sleipnir. He was the fastest horse in the whole world – so fast, in fact, that he needed eight legs. And Odin had two ravens who brought him news from around the world, which would explain the bird on the horse’s back.

If this is indeed a crude representation of Odin and Sleipnir, and if we have the right St Edith for the church dedication, then there is a possibility that there was some sort of Scandinavian presence at Shocklach in the tenth or eleventh centuries. This should not come as too much of a surprise since there were many Norse settlers living in Chester and the Wirral at the time.

The church itself is quite strange as it was built over a mile away from Shocklach Castle an earthwork enclosure fortress or fortified manor house, The low 13th century embanked platform, with the remains of its defensive wide ditch, stands against the slope of a brook, and its predecessor Shocklach Motte, A Norman earthwork motte and bailey fortress, founded by Thomas de Shocklach. Standing against the steep banks of a brook, the large motte is encased by a ditch but sadly the bailey has been damaged. But further still from the village. Not the normal way of building a community.

The hamlet was once part of the ancestral home of the brereton family. The church still regularly holds ancient

Festival's, reed ceremony's and suchlike.

Once a year a ghostly procession of horses, carriages, the entire wealthy brereton family and other mourners, make their way from the brereton home, and up the lane toward the church. Supposedly an amazing although scary sight when witnessed.

An old peasant woman, dressed in ragged clothing has been seen tending to the graves around the cemetery. Could this be the spirit of somebody performing their employment in years gone by, or someone who just enjoyed keeping the grounds looking nice.

The sounds of hymns being sung from inside the empty building have also been reported, when investigated the sounds continued but nobody were within.

It has also been alleged through sources of ill reputation that an old cross's plinth in the graveyard was once used for the sacrifice of witches. This of course is incorrect and quite ludicrous. Although chanting has been reported from the fields beyond.

UPIA have had the opportunity to visit the location on numerous occasions.

Many recordings have been taken and on a video and 35mm camera shots, we have some unexplained items.

Mists appear on several shots, and some with the now infamous orbs, these however of course have been discounted. Due to confidentiality we are unable to disclose the full information behind the video footage, although a figure of a person does appear.

Probably the most strange event's we have witnessed during our investigation's have involved what can only be described as time slips. Again though I am unable to discuss the occasion's as the persons involved feel these instances to be personal.

During one of these time slips I was however present, and am still unable to explain how a 1 minute event can actually happen in 7 seconds. This being timed on many visits to recreate the event. An audio recording from the actual event also lasts for 1 minute, with stop and go signals heard. the question is of the three investigators present, who actually were within the slip?

This case was discussed at the MAPIT conference in Ellesmere Port in September 2000 at at several other lectures, it was also published in the Chester Evening Leader.

THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT WAS RECIEVED VIA EMAIL ON THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2001:

Dave

Just a quick note to say excellent website and very easy to navigate. I have been to Shocklach church on several occasions and twice have seen and heard things, on one occasion i saw the hearse coming down the lane it was floating above the road presumably because the road has subsided since many years ago. The second time i was there it was just about dusk and i was speaking to some old boy in the grounds and upon hearing the choir i turned to the church and when i turned back the man had disappeared. I have also seen a ghost at Bruera church ,near Aldford it was a man dressed in a cape who glided across the back of the cemetery and dissapeared behind a monument, beig inquisative i went to look at the stone and the person buried ther was the prince of pless(a little weird for the middle of nowhere)I have also seen or experienced strange goings on in many other places i.e Hawkstone caves, Harthill Caves and inside Peckferton Castle. Hope this confirms what you have already discovered in these places. if you have any questions please send me a mail.