Author and folklore expert Mark Rees has recorded a special festive ghost story episode for BBC Radio Wales. Mark explores the chilling folklore of corpse candles and other death omens as part of this eerie Christmas series.
This seasonal programme is part of a collection of supernatural specials airing on BBC Radio Wales. Each episode delves into a different paranormal theme, offering a uniquely Welsh take on the traditions of ghost stories at Christmas.
When to tune in?
The corpse candles episode, titled after their Welsh name, canwyll corff, airs on Friday, December 21, 2018. Listeners can catch it twice on the day and access it later on BBC iPlayer.
What are corpse candles?
Corpse candles are spectral lights said to haunt the roads and countryside of Wales. They are deeply rooted in Welsh folklore as harbingers of death, foretelling the passing of individuals by illuminating their future path to the grave.
Here’s how they are described in Ghosts of Wales: Accounts from the Victorian Archives:
The ghostly lights, which are interpreted as a sign of impending death, were common throughout Wales, but were particularly prevalent in ‘the counties of Cardigan, Carmarthen, and Pembroke’. They are called candles for ‘their resemblance, not to the body of the candles but the fire’.
The candles travel on a fixed route, possibly the same path a sick or a dying person will follow during their funeral. They will change appearance if they come within close proximity of a human being:
‘In their journey, these candles are sometimes visible and sometimes disappear, especially if anyone comes near to them, or in the way to meet them. On these occasions they vanish, but presently appear again behind the observer, and hold on their course.’
The colours, quantities, and the direction of the corpse candles can also affect their meaning: ‘Sometimes these candles point out the places where persons shall sicken and die. They have also predicted the drowning of persons passing a ford.’
Discover more about corpse candles
For a deeper dive into the folklore of corpse candles, explore Mark Rees’ Ghosts of Wales: Accounts from the Victorian Archives. Other death omens include Jack y Lantern, the dreaded Welsh jack-o’-lantern.
You can also visit the Ghosts of Wales page for more articles, updates, and resources.
Want to know what’s next? Keep an eye on the news page or reach out for more information about Mark’s work.