A screaming skull is a
paranormal
Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. No ...
object, a human skull which per legend speaks, screams, or otherwise haunts its environs. The legend is most found in England and other English-speaking regions.
The Bettiscombe screaming skull of Dorset, England, is attested at least as early as 1897 in the book ''The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain''. That book details an alleged visit to Bettiscombe in 1883 by curiosity-seekers to investigate a skull which, according to legend, was of an African slave once owned by the owner of the house. The slave had supposedly died determined to be buried in his homeland, and any attempt to bury his skull elsewhere would cause the skull to scream aloud.
Known skulls
*Bettiscombe Manor,
Bettiscombe
Bettiscombe is a small village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale west of Beaminster. Dorset County Council's 2013 mid-year estimate of the population of the civil parish is 50.
...
, Dorset
*Dickie – Tunstead Farm,
Tunstead Milton, Derbyshire
*Skull of St
Ambrose Barlow
Ambrose Edward Barlow, O.S.B. (1585 – 10 September 1641) was an English Benedictine monk who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. He is one of a group of saints canonized by Pope Paul VI who became known as the Forty Martyrs of En ...
–
Wardley Hall,
Greater Manchester
*Skull of Anne Griffith –
Burton Agnes Hall, Yorkshire
*Skull of Thephilus Brome? – Higher Chilton Farm,
Chilton Cantelo
*Two skulls –
Warbleton Priory ruin, Rushlake Green, Heathfield, East Sussex
*Two skulls - Calgarth Hall, Windermere, Cumbria
In fiction
* "The Screaming Skull" (1911) – short story by
F. Marion Crawford
Francis Marion Crawford (August 2, 1854 – April 9, 1909) was an American writer noted for his many novels, especially those set in Italy, and for his classic weird and fantastical stories.
Early life
Crawford was born in Bagni di Lucca, in t ...
* ''
The Screaming Skull'' (1958) – American horror film
*''
Carrie's War'' (1973) - novel by
Nina Bawden
* ''
The Great Ghost Rescue
''The Great Ghost Rescue'' is a children's novel authored by Eva Ibbotson. It was published by Macmillan in 1975 and was Ibbotson's first published novel. The story deals with a ghost called Humphrey the Horrible.
A film adaptation of the nove ...
'' (1975) – novel by
Eva Ibbotson
References
External links
*
In Search of Screaming Skulls– directions to main locations
*{{cite book, title=Skull Superstitions, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iu4gMwEACAAJ, year=1877, author=William Andres, publisher=Hull
English folklore
English legendary creatures