Christmas Ghosts at Dinefwr & Llandeilo: Welsh Hauntings for the Darkest Nights
Christmas in Wales has always been a season for ghost stories, and few places offer stranger, richer tales than Dinefwr and Llandeilo.
In this episode of Ghosts and Folklore of Wales, Mark Rees is joined by Ronnie Kerswell-O’Hara of the National Trust — a storyteller, ghost-tour guide and expert on local folklore.
Witch Baubles and Protective Magic
Ronnie begins with one of the most surprising discoveries: the history of the witch baubles.
Long before they became modern Christmas decorations, these glass spheres were used to protect homes from witches and evil spirits. Their colours and reflective surfaces were believed to confuse, trap or repel harmful forces — a theme echoed in the house’s witch marks and even mummified cats found sealed in the walls.
A Mansion Haunted All Year Round
While Dinefwr is famous for its Halloween ghost tours, the activity doesn’t stop after winter.
Ronnie describes reports of glowing fog moving through rooms in summer, unexplained static from televisions “like something out of Poltergeist,” and sudden drops in temperature felt by staff and visitors.
The Boy in Blue and the Mystery Paintings
One of the house’s most talked-about spirits is the Boy in Blue, linked to a painting that may depict the ghostly child. Other paintings in the house — especially those of children at the top of the stairs — have a long history of unsettling sightings and eerie encounters.
Llandeilo’s Tragic Hauntings
Beyond the estate walls, Ronnie’s Llandeilo ghost walks explore darker tales from the town’s past:
- An accident on a historic bridge involving a horse-drawn carriage now said to echo with phantom sounds.
- A woman who fell — or was pushed? — from a window, now believed to linger in the area.
- And a Scooby-Doo-style mystery straight from the Victorian press.
Listen to the Full Episode
AVAILABLE FROM 18 DECEMBER 2025
This special Christmas edition explores Welsh hauntings, folklore, cursed objects and real local legends:
Christmas Ghosts: Haunted Dinefwr & Llandeilo – Welsh Ghost Stories for the Darkest Nights (Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees EP163)
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Discover the secrets of the Mari Lwyd!
Ever wondered how to make a Mari Lwyd of your own?
Check out the last episode, in which Ronnie explains how to make a Mari Lwyd – and where to get a skull!
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