Welsh Halloween Folklore: Hwch Ddu Gwta at Nos Calan Gaeaf

Halloween in Wales (Nos Calan Gaeaf) has some spooky old monsters lurking in the old folklore books, but few of these creatures are quite as fearsome – and notorious – as the Hwch Ddu Gwta, the legendary tailless black sow.

So join me and my good friend – and expert storyteller – Ronnie Kerswell-O’Hara at Dinefwr in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire on a very specific Halloween mission: to find the Hwch Ddu Gwta, who has been locked away deep downstairs in the wonderful old Neo Gothic mansion house that is Newton House!

What the heck is the Hwch Ddu Gwta?

What exactly is this strange creature, and why has it become associated with Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween?

According to an old children’s rhyme, the black sow would chase home the little ones at the end of the night after the last ember of the bonfire had burnt out, and is anyone was still out and about and dawdling after the witching hour, there was a good chance the last one might be eaten.

Yes, dawdling on Halloween could result in being eaten by a terrifying large sow.

The good news is, Ronnie and I now exactly where she’s lurking, because not only did we go in search of here, but in the video below – can you believe it – we actually find her in the “flesh”!

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s plenty more spookiness to discover along the way too, because Newton House has its fair share of ghost stories, from a former butler who may not have been quite ready to quit his post, to some mysterious marks of protection on the walls – witch marks?

We also explore some of the Halloween traditions recorded by Victorian writer Anne Beale, and discover more of Dinefwr’s folklore, including its magical white cows and a little village of fairies.

Watch the Hwch Ddu Gwta video below and check out the YouTube channel for lots more Halloween adventures:

So what is Nos Calan Gaeaf?

Nos Calan Gaeaf is the night before Calan Gaeaf, which traditionally marks the beginning of winter. So much like All Hallows’ Eve, it is the night before – the liminal time when the veil between our world and the Otherworld is at its thinest.

The Hwch Ddu Gwta – literally the cutty or short-tailed black sow – is one of the most fearsome figures associated with this night, alongside the ghostly Ladi Wen (White Lady) – more on her on another video!

Want to know more about what haunts Dinefwr?

If you’re interested in Welsh folklore, ghosts, haunted places and the stranger side of Welsh cultural history, be sure to check out the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, on YouTube/ Spotify/ Apple/ Amazon etc – whatever your podcast platform of choice might be.

Happy Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf hapus!

Listen to the Ghosts of Dinefwr/ Newton House below and find more videos on YouTube:

Got an idea for a Halloween video? Get in touch!

You can keep with Mark’s adventures on social media, or get in touch with us via email.

📍 Newton House, Dinefwr, near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales