Anyone heard of the myth or legend of Spring Heeled Jack? Spring Heeled Jack, apparently a ghost like entity with the ability to jump tremendous distances in height and length. Some said he wore a black cloak, some said he had horns like the devil...

anyone got any other myths legends of Sheffield & Yorkshire?

Actually Spring heeled Jack was in Sheffield lin the 19th Century i believe, could be wrong though and he was known to spring out on unsuspecting folk before disapearing round the grave stones.
It happened in the church grounds next to the old Jessops hospital though many people believe this was a prankster who for some unknown reason just liked to scare people in the early hours.

I know of the Spring Heeled Jack. Made various appearances round the British Isles.
Canne think of anything specific about our area right now, but then I am still waking up from a hard night on Age of Mythology :D :shock:

Moon Maiden

I've got two.

1) The Drummer Boy who supposedly haunts the Herdings Park field.

2) The 3 Sisters. There were 3 tower blocks at Herdings (now only 2) and it's said that three sisters (triplets) lived in the flats (1 in each at the top). On the same evening, they were murdered and there bodies placed in a bag and dragged down the stairs (from the 12th floor to the bottom). They supposedly haunt the remaining two blocks, and that one night each year blood stains appear on the stairs of each block.

Not heard that one Debouncer, sounds like a good one for Jon to visit, and he will not need access to anyones property to investigate.
How about it Jon.

Does Sheffield forum boast sunpernatural debunkers group now???

Moon Maiden

http://www.mysterymag.com/html/spring_heeled_jack.html

MM

Spring heeled Jack used to jump between the tower blocks of Norfolk Park. I think one of the pubs on the estate had sommat about him. (Fellbrigg?)

Seems he had a good range of movement to hop around Sheffield so quickly.

Anyone remember the Spiderman around 1980.
He used to scale multi storey flats climbing on the outside and burgling the tennants, even on the top floors.
I actually knew who he was as he lived on the floor below me and his daring escapades stopped when he fell from a roof just 20 feet high and was killed.

Originally posted by "DaBouncer"

I've got two.

1) The Drummer Boy who supposedly haunts the Herdings Park field.

2) The 3 Sisters. There were 3 tower blocks at Herdings (now only 2) and it's said that three sisters (triplets) lived in the flats (1 in each at the top). On the same evening, they were murdered and there bodies placed in a bag and dragged down the stairs (from the 12th floor to the bottom). They supposedly haunt the remaining two blocks, and that one night each year blood stains appear on the stairs of each block. Which night we talking about DaBouncer? Yup sounds good to me The Cycleracer i might have to look into this :wink: Thank guys

Originally posted by "The Cycleracer"

Anyone remember the Spiderman around 1980.
He used to scale multi storey flats climbing on the outside and burgling the tennants, even on the top floors.
I actually knew who he was as he lived on the floor below me and his daring escapades stopped when he fell from a roof just 20 feet high and was killed.
Got any links to some old news paper stories?

Not on the net but you might find that the star could print a copy off though you would need to give them a date which unfortunatly i can,t give you.
The suspect was never caught or suspected though i knew it was him.
I will never name him but he made it obvious and i was not suprised when the crimes stopped when he fell off that roof.

There's a church in Greenhill, next to the old School house, down the alley behind there's 2 memorial stones built into the wall. Don't know how true this is, as it was a bit of a myth that used to go round our school. Apparently some psycho pushed 2 nuns from the roof years and years ago and if you go down there at dusk and stand in a certain place you can hear the screaming!!

Because of the way the alley is surrounded by walls and these head stones are set into an alcove, if it's a bit breezy it creates some very spine chilling noises!

Even if you don't hear the screaming it's still a really spooky story.

If anyones knows anything else about this I would be very interested to hear it!

Speaking of which, Jon, did you still want addresses for haunted houses?

yes cosywolf i'm always looking for addresses for haunted houses...please could you e-mail me what information you have thanks Jon :wink:

Hello people never really been here before, but i need some help.

i'm currently researching the Jessops Hospital just off west street in sheffield. i would be very grateful if anyone has any stories of supernatural goings on in the building or surrounding area.

Please help

This is an extract from :-

A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF SHEFFIELD

in my remembrance wrote in the year 1832 at the time the Cholera was raging in Sheffield.

BY

JOSEPH WOOLHOUSE.

FORE WORD

BY

MR. HENRY RICHARDSON.




Proceeding on Campo Lane there is a few old houses pulled down and new ones built, but it is yet a very narrow Street. There is a remnant of a part of an ancient wall still standing on your right hand. I have no doubt but ere long this street will be made considerable wider to the top of Paradise Square. This square in my Parent's time was a Cornfield called Hicks Stile field. My mother has seen Corn grow in this Square. I will relate one circum- stances to show what the 17 Century was. My GrandFather as I have said in the former part of this work, lived at Green Lane and kept a public house. He likewise carried on the Trade of Pocket Knives. One of his men was lame and compell 'd to have Crutches to assist him to travel for a number of Years. His residence was in Gregory Row. My mother has mentioned his name often. This person was out late one evening and had to come on Campo Lane, he saw (or fancied he saw) the Bargast (as it has been frequent]y called) coming towards him on Campo Lane.{26} At that time the Paradise Square was a field and a Stile at the top to go over. When he first saw this goblin he thought within himself " If I can but get over this stile into the field I can go down the hill merrily. " Gregory Row was a very narrow Row or Street at the bottom of Paradise Square. This was a very high hill at that time. The bottom of the present Street has been raised 3 or 4 feet in my time. He managed over this Stile, but the fiend gained ground of him. Faster he went and faster it followed, he ran with his Crutches till his fears came thicker and faster, and this demon still getting nearer, when, being about the middle of this field (the Square) seeing this goblin close at his heels, he there dropt his Crutches and away went he without them, and never stopt or look'd behind him until he got home (he lived in Gregory Row, a very narrow thoroughfare out of West Bar Green and came out at the bottom of Silver Street at the back of the now Sign of the Little Tankard). The wife had the door made, but him being in such a fright had not patience to wait until she opened the door but burst it open. He told the wife what was at the door, but she was the worse frightened at him coming without his Crutches than at the Bargast. However they were a little reconciled and went to bed. He could not rest from fright etc., got up at daylight the next morning to go in quest of his Crutches; he found them in exactly the same place where he dropt them. He went to his work the next morning and his Shopmen



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{26} Hunter (Glossary) says the Barghasts were peculiar to towns or places of public concourse, not to the country, the features by which they were distin- guished being long teeth and saucer eyes. This is borne out by the examples of the use of the word in the English Dialect Dictionary. It quotes Grose's remark that the Barghast was a ghost "commonly appearing near gates and stiles"; and a Cumberland definition, "a boggle that haunts burial places" both of which characteristics are appropriate to the story above.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


was nearly as frightened to see him come trotting to the shop without his crutches as he was when he saw the Bargast. However he was so overjoyed that he gave his Shopmen a treat of some ale, and they spent the day Cheerfully; and he for his own part never used Crutches again while he lived, and he lived a many years after this. So much for this Bargast.


With regard to Jessop's Hospital, I don't know of any ghostly legends, but I do know that a woman was found murdered in St George's church yard (it's next to Jessops for those who don't know) around the mid 50's. My mum was in the hospital at the time and I recall seeing the screens around where the body was found.

Hasn't David Clarke written a book on this subject?
Also Jenny 'Haircut stylist needed' Randles too just recently

8) Next time i see Jenny Randles Internetowl i will tell her what you said:lol:

There are a brilliant set of books available from WH Smiths called Pit Ghosts & Padfeet.. cant remember the author but the
cover is all black and very distinctive!
Brilliant reads ...

I would recommend easily 2 places for regular haunting activity:

Roche Abbey
Anston Stones

Anyone out there in sheff land camped out in any of those 2?

Originally posted by DaBouncer
I've got two.

1) The Drummer Boy who supposedly haunts the Herdings Park field.

2) The 3 Sisters. There were 3 tower blocks at Herdings (now only 2) and it's said that three sisters (triplets) lived in the flats (1 in each at the top). On the same evening, they were murdered and there bodies placed in a bag and dragged down the stairs (from the 12th floor to the bottom). They supposedly haunt the remaining two blocks, and that one night each year blood stains appear on the stairs of each block.

I have never heard of either of those two stories, Db. the second one sounds very implausible, to be honest.

The three blocks that were there (now two) at Herdings were nicknamed "The Three Sisters" because, being right on the top of what is about the highest hill in the city, (Crosspool "might" be fractionally higher) they were visible from all over the Sheffield area. They were even visible on the route heading back from Chesterfield (and no, I don't mean when you get to Norton, I mean from way back down the bypass)

PT

Originally posted by Internetowl
Spring heeled Jack used to jump between the tower blocks of Norfolk Park. I think one of the pubs on the estate had sommat about him. (Fellbrigg?)

Seems he had a good range of movement to hop around Sheffield so quickly.

and time travelling skills... ;)
spring-heeled Jack was a Victorian legend... the towers were 1960's (PT removes tongue from cheek)

I have heard (way back in my childhood) that there was a sighting of SHJ, on Frog Walk, the dank, spooky little footpath that runs down the side of the general cemetary, at the very top of Cemetary Road. (that footpath is awful... about as gloomy as Bunting Nook)

I can well believe that someone might have thought they had seen SHJ, or something very similar, as they had walked down a narrow, dimly gas-lit path with stone walls of 10 feet high either side, in the late evening... I would be terrified to "walk" down that path in daylight (if my 'chair would have negotiated the set of steps on that path).

That concern is something which I find strange, as I will happily "walk" with my 4 y-o granddaughter along the other path, that runs alongside the Porter, at the foot of the general cemetery the path that is across the river from the Porter Croft School. (I think it's called Stalker Walk; it comes out on Stalker Lees Road, from Montague Street)

PT

Spring Heeled Jack seems to be well travelled.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/black_country/index.shtml

What about the ghost of the Boardwalk?

Originally posted by Jon
Anyone heard of the myth or legend of Spring Heeled Jack? Spring Heeled Jack, apparently a ghost like entity with the ability to jump tremendous distances in height and length. Some said he wore a black cloak, some said he had horns like the devil...

anyone got any other myths legends of Sheffield & Yorkshire?

I believe the legend of Spring Heeled Jack originated in London in about the 1830s. Then in the 1880s he began to be spotted in the Park area of Sheffield. He was otherwise known as The Park Ghost.

However, he was rather more earthly than all that. Apparently, people would pretend to be 'Jack' in order to win a bet of £50 (quite a sum in those days).

All this is from a book in the Local Studies Library in Sheffield.

there is supposedly a ghost in fulwood, at the bottom of hallam school field there is a gennel supposed ly haunted by a gypsy girl.

Read a library book recently on local history around Ranmoor. There are old stories in there of Lodge Moor Rd being haunted, down near the bend in the road, and no one would travel down it at midnight. Even horses were terrified of going down the lane.

Col

My fiance told me about a house he went to one night on collegiate cresent with some friends. They had all been drinking but not him as he was driving. A woman in her fifties owns it. All sat down chatting and this woman tried to get it on with one of his friends but failed. She slammed her drink down hard on the table and a second later all three spot lights in kitchen exploded then all lights in house went brighter and dimmer three times. My fiance got out of there ASAP

There is a book called strange south yorkshire, myth and magic in the valley of the don by david clarke,
it goes on about all the mysterious goings on in s yorks including spring heeled jack, barghasts and boggards, the ghost tunnel, ghosts down the pits, etc..... a very interesting book published by sigma leisure.

Originally posted by Tom in Bradway
There's a church in Greenhill, next to the old School house, down the alley behind there's 2 memorial stones built into the wall. Don't know how true this is, as it was a bit of a myth that used to go round our school. Apparently some psycho pushed 2 nuns from the roof years and years ago and if you go down there at dusk and stand in a certain place you can hear the screaming!!

Because of the way the alley is surrounded by walls and these head stones are set into an alcove, if it's a bit breezy it creates some very spine chilling noises!

Even if you don't hear the screaming it's still a really spooky story.

If anyones knows anything else about this I would be very interested to hear it!

Dead Man's Alley?

Crikey, that post is from yonks ago.

Yeah, dead mans alley it's known as!!

Originally posted by Tom in Bradway
Crikey, that post is from yonks ago.

Yeah, dead mans alley it's known as!!

Tee Hee! Used to walk down there with my friend when we were little. We were terrified! The slightest little noise and we'd be running all the way back home, screaming our heads off! Lol.

Wasn't just me then :)

Originally posted by Tom in Bradway
Wasn't just me then :)

Hell No! ;)

off topic slightly, but come to think of it I got caught smoking down there by my teacher when I was 13.

Any idea if its true about the 2 nuns? or is a load of knackers made up by unruley school kids like myself!?!?

Originally posted by Tom in Bradway
Any idea if its true about the 2 nuns? or is a load of knackers made up by unruley school kids like myself!?!?

I don't have a clue actually. I'm guessing it was made up as these things generally are. :)

Originally posted by Tom in Bradway
There's a church in Greenhill, next to the old School house, down the alley behind there's 2 memorial stones built into the wall. Don't know how true this is, as it was a bit of a myth that used to go round our school. Apparently some psycho pushed 2 nuns from the roof years and years ago and if you go down there at dusk and stand in a certain place you can hear the screaming!!

Because of the way the alley is surrounded by walls and these head stones are set into an alcove, if it's a bit breezy it creates some very spine chilling noises!

Even if you don't hear the screaming it's still a really spooky story.

If anyones knows anything else about this I would be very interested to hear it!

I have heard about this too! I live have been there and heard the noises but didnt know the background to it! I put it down to the wind!

Do you know of any other places in Sheffield that are supposedly haunted?

Hello, sorry i'm a little unsure of something, is there just a Jessop Wing of the Hallamshire hospital now, but there was once an old Jessop Hospital somewhere off West Street? Is that right?

Does anyone know of old interesting buildings of Sheffield's past to go see, closed down hospitals, factories etc?

I thought Spring Heeled Jack was a made up thing, like The Bogeyman, just to scare people.

The flats at Herdings were called The Three Sisters because there was.... erm.... 3 of them?!

The Drummer Boy is said to haunt the woods around Herdings and Hemsworth, I think he was with some kind of army regiment that camped in the area.

A Barghast is said to haunt the bottom of Buntings Nook/ Hemsworth Road. Was seen by a policeman in the 50's I think.

I have a book called The Ghost Hunters Guide To Sheffield by (Victoria) Salim, not certain on first name. Got it from one of the cheap bookshops in Meadowhall, a few years ago though.

Originally posted by _Ren
Hello, sorry i'm a little unsure of something, is there just a Jessop Wing of the Hallamshire hospital now, but there was once an old Jessop Hospital somewhere off West Street? Is that right?

Does anyone know of old interesting buildings of Sheffield's past to go see, closed down hospitals, factories etc?

Yep. Most of the building is still there. It's between Leavygreave Road, St George's Terrace, Brook Hill and the ring road. I think the university is taking it over, but I'm not sure.

There is a bit about the history of the old (Jessops) hospital and a few old photos at

http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield/jessops.htm.

Oh no that link doesn't work : (

Watched a programme early, really early, this morning....about myths and mysteries.

One of the stories was about Springheel Jack....a ghost like entity able to jump great distances in height and length.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Heeled_Jack

This person/creature was supposed to have been seen in Sheffield as late as 1978.

Anyone know anything more?

No info, but he sounds kool!

Found some more....

http://www.mysterymag.com/hauntedbritain/?page=article&subID=7&artID=83

but the programme said there was an alleged sighting as recent as 1978....I wasn't in Sheffield then and I will appreciate that a lot of the people on here weren't born then but there must be someone who remembers this????

Intriguing isn't it :D

wasnt born til 86, but i want himk back!!!

sounds great!!!

So it says in my last linky that there were sightings in the 1970's and Springheel Jack was referred to as the Prowler of Westbury Street.

So where is Westbury Street?

http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=437913&y=388315&z=1&sv=westbury+street&st=6&tl=Westbury+Street,+Sheffield,+S_9&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf

Thank you....alchresearch....it mentions Attercliffe in the article but I couldn't find it in the A-Z :D

Watched a programme early, really early, this morning....about myths and mysteries.

One of the stories was about Springheel Jack....a ghost like entity able to jump great distances in height and length.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Heeled_Jack

This person/creature was supposed to have been seen in Sheffield as late as 1978.

Anyone know anything more?

I Watched This Too. Was Really Interesting-I'd Never Heard Of Him, But It'll Be Good To Find Out More.

So where is Westbury Street?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=Westbury+Street&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

I can see 9 in the UK and the closest to sheffield being Derby/Leeds

Thanks Akita...location already established at Attercliffe....the road they showed on the programme didn't lead me to believe it was Attercliffe or indeed the very short road that it now is....perhaps it used to be longer? :D

Have just sent an e-mail to someone I think might know something about this.....and have sent him a link to this thread.

Now will Rony Robinson of BBC Radio Sheffield be able to enlighten me....I think he has posted on here in the past. :D

threads merged

There is a book called strange south yorkshire, myth and magic in the valley of the don by david clarke,
it goes on about all the mysterious goings on in s yorks including spring heeled jack, barghasts and boggards, the ghost tunnel, ghosts down the pits, etc..... a very interesting book published by sigma leisure.

Well would you believe it....for years - before I got the internet - I relied on books...and had I turned round and looked on my local history bookshelf I could have taken down the book mentioned above and found this information.....strange how I have so easily embraced this new technology when some information was so close to hand. :lol:

I thought Spring Heeled Jack was a made up thing, like The Bogeyman, just to scare people.

The flats at Herdings were called The Three Sisters because there was.... erm.... 3 of them?!

The Drummer Boy is said to haunt the woods around Herdings and Hemsworth, I think he was with some kind of army regiment that camped in the area.

A Barghast is said to haunt the bottom of Buntings Nook/ Hemsworth Road. Was seen by a policeman in the 50's I think.

I have a book called The Ghost Hunters Guide To Sheffield by (Victoria) Salim, not certain on first name. Got it from one of the cheap bookshops in Meadowhall, a few years ago though.I beleive the first name is correct, I used to work with her son and met her on a couple of occasions (she wrote a total of 3 books about ghosts in sheffield)

So it says in my last linky that there were sightings in the 1970's and Springheel Jack was referred to as the Prowler of Westbury Street.

So where is Westbury Street?

Westbury Street is /was indeed in Attercliffe. I lived just one road away back in 1978! And although I love the thought of Springheel Jack jumping over the roof tops - I honestly can say, I never heard about it back then! I did however read about it on the net about a year ago and found it fascinating! I was 9 in 1978 and would imagine it would have been the talk of the neighbourhood if it had actually happened! :)

Thanks Akita...location already established at Attercliffe....the road they showed on the programme didn't lead me to believe it was Attercliffe or indeed the very short road that it now is....perhaps it used to be longer? :D

Westbury Street DID exist before they knocked all the houses down in 1980/1981. Maybe that is why it can't be found now? :huh

Just had a look at the new map provided by alchresearch. Back in 1978 (before the houses went) you would have seen that Westbury Street ran from where it is listed now, right the way down, through what is now Stadium Way and linked onto Jessell Street (where I lived!) just before Cottingham Street.

Footy Freak is right about the location of Westbury Street and also correct in her assertion that nothing exciting ever happened there. I know cos I lived there at the time.

If I said to Footie Freak that the prowler lived on Cottingham Street she would probably know who I mean. Can't name names, as he is alive and well to this day. He didn't jump buildings but he did bang on windows and had a fondness for knocking policemen's helmets off. How this turned into Spring Heeled Jack, God only knows.

The Spring Heeled Jack legend supposedly started as a prank by the then Marquis or Waterford, a sort of aristocratic Oliver Reed. From there a load of nonsense spang up, such as him jumping around Attercliffe in the seventies


I also know who the bloke who sat up looking for UFOs over Westbury Street was, and he was crackers as well.

A Barghast is said to haunt the bottom of Buntings Nook/ Hemsworth Road. Was seen by a policeman in the 50's I think.

Does anybody know anything more about this?

My ex used to live around the corner and 100's and 100's of times i walked down Bunting Nook late at night and felt that something was there.I'm not a great believer in ghosts but a big fan of stories and horror so i'm not easily scared but i could always feel something strange and would love some more info.

Footy Freak is right about the location of Westbury Street and also correct in her assertion that nothing exciting ever happened there. I know cos I lived there at the time.

If I said to Footie Freak that the prowler lived on Cottingham Street she would probably know who I mean. Can't name names, as he is alive and well to this day. He didn't jump buildings but he did bang on windows and had a fondness for knocking policemen's helmets off. How this turned into Spring Heeled Jack, God only knows.

The Spring Heeled Jack legend supposedly started as a prank by the then Marquis or Waterford, a sort of aristocratic Oliver Reed. From there a load of nonsense spang up, such as him jumping around Attercliffe in the seventies


I also know who the bloke who sat up looking for UFOs over Westbury Street was, and he was crackers as well.

Oh yes! I know exactly who you mean! :wink: And no he didn't jump buildings, but I once remember him nearly jumping out of his skin when a certain person who we both know, (intitials BB) jumped out on him from an entry on Jessell street while he was on his way to the shop. Don't think I've ever seen him move so fast. At the time we thought it hilarious, but kids can be so cruel.

I have a book called The Ghost Hunters Guide To Sheffield by (Victoria) Salim, not certain on first name. Got it from one of the cheap bookshops in Meadowhall, a few years ago though.

her name is valerie salim. i have the book as well. i think she brought out a second book but not too sure

not heard the two stories from herdings park before. i always thought the flats where called the 3 sisters because there are 3 of them, at least this is what my wife tells me and she has lived around there all her life. i talk to someone who lives in the flats. i will ask her tomorrow.

bunting nook is always spooky. i last walked down there at 12 noon on a foggy sunday morning. the eerie silence and twittering of birds gives you the creeps!

her name is valerie salim. i have the book as well. i think she brought out a second book but not too sure

not heard the two stories from herdings park before. i always thought the flats where called the 3 sisters because there are 3 of them, at least this is what my wife tells me and she has lived around there all her life. i talk to someone who lives in the flats. i will ask her tomorrow.

bunting nook is always spooky. i last walked down there at 12 noon on a foggy sunday morning. the eerie silence and twittering of birds gives you the creeps!
Somewhere I have a paperback book called Spring Heeled Jack.He was very active a long time ago and even terrified armed soldiers who shot at him.Also Velocette motorcycles made a motorcycle before the war that had rear suspension and it was nicknamed Spring Heeled Jack by Harold Willis (I think) who was their brilliant designer as it hopped about when raced.I bet your glad I told you that !!!!

He was featured in a chidrens magazine but can't recall which, perhaps the Champion or Wizard or one in the1930ts publications of such. Cheers Arthur.

I've got two.

1) The Drummer Boy who supposedly haunts the Herdings Park field.

2) The 3 Sisters. There were 3 tower blocks at Herdings (now only 2) and it's said that three sisters (triplets) lived in the flats (1 in each at the top). On the same evening, they were murdered and there bodies placed in a bag and dragged down the stairs (from the 12th floor to the bottom). They supposedly haunt the remaining two blocks, and that one night each year blood stains appear on the stairs of each block.

i asked the wife about this last night and her response was:

(1) The Drummer Boy according to rumour haunts the flats. apparently, it is the ghost of a young man who got his head stuck in one of the lifts and died due to his injuries. He is supposedly sometimes heard in the flats mainly, drumming on his head. He could haunt the park too, possibly as he was something to do with the army with the aerodrome being across the road.

(2) The 3 sisters flats got thier name because there were 3 of them. she hasnt heard of any ghost story.

if you go to the cholera monument park on norfolk road,sheffield, theres a display type/informaton board and this mentions "spring heeled jack"