Hand of Glory Haunting
The Old Spital Inn on Bowes Moor in Yorkshire is home to a rather unusual and intriguing paranormal tale. It's said that a band of robbers once tried to use a Hand of Glory to keep everyone in the inn asleep while they burgled the place. The Hand of Glory, made from the hand of a murderer with candles placed between each finger, is a notorious item from folklore. Legend has it that once the candles are lit, every person asleep in the area remains unconscious until the flames are extinguished with milk. Luckily for the inn's occupants, a maid was still awake when the candles were lit and she quickly doused them with milk, enabling the landlord to wake up and scare the robbers off with his shotgun.
Dating back to the 1790s, this incident is one of the few recorded instances of the Hand of Glory being used. The item itself is steeped in dark history, crafted from the hand of a convicted murderer. It's said that the candles placed between the fingers, once lit, have the power to keep people asleep until extinguished with milk. This particular event showcases the quick thinking of the maid, whose actions likely prevented a robbery and potentially worse. The Old Spital Inn, now possibly a farmhouse, remains a site of interest for those fascinated by the paranormal and the folklore surrounding the Hand of Glory.
Late 18th century incident
Location
Location Details
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