Paranormal case file · Location 16
Haunted LandCurated Haunted LocationKnown Haunted Location
Curated Haunted Location
Bradley Woods
Bradley Woods, Bradley, North East Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
The haunting
The Black Lady is said to appear within the woodland as a young woman dressed entirely in black, usually described wearing a long flowing cloak and hood. According to the traditional story, the woman was attacked by soldiers while her husband was away. Her baby was taken from her, and she subsequently wandered the woods searching for both her child and her missing husband. Her spirit is said to have continued this search after death. The most unusual part of the legend is that the apparition is supposedly capable of being summoned. Local folklore says that on Christmas Eve, someone can call out the words "Black Lady, Black Lady, I've stolen your baby!" and the apparition will appear. The Paranormal Database records this as a recurring December 24th haunting.
Reported / claimed activity
◆ THE BLACK LADY — A young woman reportedly seen wearing a long black cloak and hood. ◆ PALE, SORROWFUL FACE — Traditional descriptions portray her face as extremely pale and mournful. ◆ THE WOODLAND APPARITION — She is said to wander among the trees rather than remaining in one particular location. ◆ THE SEARCHING WOMAN — According to the legend, she continues searching for her missing child and husband. ◆ CHRISTMAS EVE APPEARANCE — Local folklore claims she can be summoned on Christmas Eve. ◆ THE SUMMONING PHRASE — The traditional challenge is: "Black Lady, Black Lady, I've stolen your baby!" THE STORY OF THE BLACK LADY The best-known version places the story during a period of medieval warfare, although accounts disagree about exactly when. Some versions place it during the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), while others give different periods. According to the legend, a young woodsman lived in Bradley Woods with his wife and their baby son. When the woodsman was called away to fight, his wife remained at their cottage. She supposedly spent her days waiting at the edge of the woods, hoping to see her husband returning. One day, according to the tale, three enemy soldiers encountered the woman. They attacked her and took her baby before riding away. Devastated by the loss of her child and the disappearance of her husband, she wandered through the woodland searching for them. The legend says that she eventually died, but her grief prevented her spirit from leaving the woods. She became the Black Lady, continuing her endless search through Bradley Woods. Another explanation for the ghost is that she was a nun, possibly connected with the religious history of nearby Nunsthorpe. This version is considerably less detailed than the woodsman's-wife story but has also become part of the local folklore. The Black Lady was reportedly used as a bogey figure to frighten children, which is important context because it suggests that at least part of the story may have originated as traditional folklore rather than from documented paranormal encounters.
Background and folklore, separate from member eyewitness experiences.
Historical background
Bradley Woods lies just south of the village of Bradley, near Grimsby. Today, Bradley and Dixon Woods form a Local Nature Reserve, covering around 42 hectares of ancient woodland, meadows and ponds. The woodland is publicly accessible and is managed by North East Lincolnshire Council. The woods have a long history of local folklore. The story of the Black Lady has apparently been passed down through generations and was once used locally as a warning to children. Parents reportedly told children that if they stayed out too late, "the Black Lady" would get them. There are several versions of who the Black Lady supposedly was. The most commonly repeated version describes a young woman whose husband, a woodsman, left to fight in a war. She remained behind with their baby and continued waiting for his return.
References & research
Sources & background
These sources document the location, story or claimed activity. They do not prove paranormal activity.
- Lincolnshire Folk Tales ProjectHistoric record · Lincolnshire Folk Tales Project
The Black Lady of Bradley Woods
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