18/12/2020. Gerald of Wales, a 13th century Anglo-Norman nobleman who wrote extensively on Welsh customs, noted that the archers of South Wales favoured elm for their bows. The leaves are ovoid and the flowers are yellowish. Following the last ice age, as woodland became dominant, Wych Elm stood out as one of the success stories. Was Bella a Dutch native who was acting as a German spy? The Coventry based indie band, ‘The Pristines’, have also released an album called ‘Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?”. It was at that time that Jack mysteriously came into some money. The spy who came in from the cold? We know that on 18th April 1943 four teenage boys – Bob Farmer, Bob Hart, Fred Payne and Tommy Willetts from the town of Stourbridge were exploring the Clent Hills and nearby Hagley Wood. Toby begins to hunt for answers, despite Melissa’s warnings to leave it alone. Having grown up in Weston-super- Mare, near the home of occultist Aleister Crowley, or ‘The Great Beast 666’, Caitlin’s imagination was captured by the creepy stories and myths surrounding their hometown. In Scotland the stick used to play shinty, called a caman, can be made from a variety of woods, with elm being a popular choice as it often has a natural bend already in the wood. There were no marks of disease or violence on the body. So, what do we know about the case of ‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm”? According to folklore, if pigs’ teeth were found in a tree’s trunk, chewing a small piece of its bark could cure toothache. Wych Elm. October 28, 2015 By Alonso Abugattas. A skull is found in the Wych Elm which takes this finely crafted novel into the events of the past as experienced by the participants looking back from the present day. Support our work. Una and Jack went their separate ways when his drinking became too much, but Jack came back in 1941, ill and with something terrible haunting his mind. The police checked the psychic information out but drew a blank. GRAFFITI on a Hagley monument that has become part of local folklore has been mysteriously changed. In April 2005 another twist to an already strange case was added. Similar graffiti began to appear around the region. English elms are hermaphrodites, meaning both male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same … One gentleman, Warwick Plant was a young boy during the second world war. The book was published by Wild Pressed Books earlier this year. Following the last ice age, as woodland became dominant, Wych Elm stood out as one of the success stories. These cookies do not store any personal information. GRAFFITI on a Hagley monument that has become part of local folklore has been mysteriously changed. Their interests inevitably turned to ‘bird nesting’ – looking for birds’ eggs in trees was a popular child’s pastime 60 years ago. Interestingly the road runs through a very important regional Mesolithic site. Who put Bella in the Wych elm? History & Folklore; Wych Elm £20.00. She eventually agreed to meet the authorities and revealed that her real name was Una. But once again the trail went cold. There have been countless newspaper and magazine articles about it, not to mention TV and radio programmes, two books and even a play and an opera! Twine made from the inner bark of the elm tied tightly at regular intervals, to form ‘hanks’ of the yarn, was used to stop a dye from reaching the wool. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It was deadly quiet. comm), Dr. Juliette Wood is a respected folklorist, Director of The Folklore Society and author of many books on folklore, including ‘A Coven of Scholars’ an analysis of Dr. Margaret Murray and her witchcraft theories. Recent research by local historian Joyce Coley suggests that this verdict is wrong, as the rag in the skulls mouth had been put there by the young boys to aid getting the skull back into the tree. The Wych Elm is botanically called Ulmus glabra. She was never seen again. The Witch Elm takes place in Ireland, and is narrated in the first person. Like the oak, they often had very specific customs and folklore attached to individual, named trees such as the Tenor, Bass and Alto elms on Humberside, or the Dancing elms of Devon around which May Day dances were held (these trees have all sadly succumbed to Dutch elm disease). All Rights Reserved. The famous Who Put Bella in the Witch Elm graffiti, which has been on the Wychbury Hill obelisk for decades, now reads Hers Put Bella in the Witch Elm. It is also within the shadow of Wychbury Hill. The police soon found her alive and well. He ran straight across the first two lanes of the carriageway and stopped right in the middle of the central reservation. About 5,500 years ago, the population of Wych Elm was drastically reduced. It is hardier than the English elm, so is found much further north and west, and in parts of Scotland. Surprisingly, there were no labels on any of the clothes found with the body. The Interesting Natural History, Folklore of Witch Hazel. One April morning in 1943 four lads found human remains inside a wych-elm in Hagley Woods. Flowers. Jack helped hide the body in the tree. HUTTON, Ronald, Personal Communication. The Wych Elm is botanically called Ulmus glabra. Powered by  - Designed with the Hueman theme. Closed Wednesday. The teenager was horrified when he realised it was a human skull. He had just gone past Hagley Wood when the figure of a cavalier walked across the road in front of him. It was whilst climbing on an old, gnarled Wych Elm that Bob Farmer noticed something strange. New research on witchcraft trial records are turning up interesting things, but this one I have not come across. The following day, Professor Webster, Superintendent Sidney Inight and Deputy Inspector Williams arrived at the wood. A company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland – company No. It was believed that the body was that of a woman, probably aged about 35. Graffiti appeared chalked on a wall in Upper Dean Street Birmingham asking – “Who put Bella down the Wych Elm – Hagley Wood”. 18,038 were here. Describes the ecological and cultural history of Ulma glabra, the Wych or Scot's elm. The ‘Hand of Glory’ is largely a fiction favoured by a certain kind of popular scholarship (Montague Summers is a good example of this). Perhaps they had been cut out. Bella out of the tree? I walked the magic footpath, of folklore long ago, laughing to myself of tales of sinister romance, the evenings warm the gentle tide allowed the trees to flow, where buttercups and Elderflower performed a perverse dance. His parents owned a nearby public house. Manager: Alasdair and Jane Mackenzie. He began to see Van Ralt more frequently and drink heavily. HUTTON, Ronald, 1999, The Triumph of the Moon, Oxford University Press “Because of its rich foliage and sap, the Elm is sacred to Saturn, Roman god of agriculture. A thorough search was made of the area, but nothing was found. The novel is a folk horror story set in Netherton and Dudley and is loosely based around the local Bella and the Wych Elm mystery. As I approached, our eyes met. Records were checked and re-checked for names like Isabella, Luebella, Claribella etc. felled wych elm dwarf wych elm. And then one day Bella stopped coming to the pub. According to folklore, if pigs’ teeth were found in a tree’s trunk, chewing a small piece of its bark could cure toothache. He was having nightmares about a skull in a tree. Shocked and upset by their discovery, not to mention fearing getting into trouble for trespassing in Hagley Wood, the boys agreed to keep their discovery a secret. Our vision is of a revitalised wild forest in the Highlands of Scotland, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive. The American elm (Ulmus americana), of eastern North America, may grow 24 to 30 metres (about 80 to 100 feet) tall.It has dark gray, ridged bark and elliptical leaves. However, it has some interesting natural history and folklore associated with it. Elm mythology and folklore. The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be up to 40 m (131 ft) high. [quote] But in 1953, a rival theory – this one involving spying – arose to challenge it. (Hutton, pers. He looked disturbed and complained of not being able to sleep. Unfortunately this report was never followed up at the time. English Wych Elm Lumber Angela Raimato 2019-03-08T08:27:21-05:00. Many English cabinetmakers consider Wych Elm to be the finest English hardwood. I looked across at the pub – it was in total darkness”. Stopping near Hagley Wood, Jack had helped carry her body into the wood where it was hidden in a hollow tree. He began to buy expensive clothes and even bought an officers uniform even though he was not in the services. The Bigger picture SKIP TO 41 MINUTES IF YOU DON'T LIKE INTROS AND JUST WANT TO GET TO THE STORY In the 1940s in England, a woman's skeleton was discovered inside of a tree. David Taylor would be interested to hear from anyone who may have information to add to the Bella mystery or anyone who may have had a strange experience in the areas described. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Perhaps people who knew elms well were reminded of their own mortality when remembering the elm’s reputation for dropping large boughs without warning on otherwise still, warm days; “Elm hateth man, and waiteth” as the old saying goes. VAT No. As happens with cases where the victim is unknown a name becomes attached to their remains. It was decided that the eldest boy, Bob Hart, would show the police where the tree was. The leaves are ovoid and the flowers are yellowish. Bella in the Wych Elm succeeds at this right from the beginning. #occult #Oldham #Lancashire #Springhead #witch http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/folklore/th-pob-hole-springhead/, It's going to be a quiet solstice this year, happy memories from 3 years ago when we were at #Callanish on the Isle of Lewis @atopham #Solstice, https://facebook.com/events/s/summer-solstice-at-stonehenge-/581183132524229/?ti=cl. In late 1941 Jack came back to see Una. Pound of Hagley arrived on the scene to make sure that no potential evidence was disturbed until C.I.D had been called and Professor James Webster, the forensic scientist, had been called to the scene. One demon is even pulling out the man's soul through his mouth! Investigations carried out by my group, Parasearch, uncovered other witnesses to unnerving experiences along the same stretch of road between Hagley Wood and the nearby Iron Age hillfort of Wychbury. A retired police officer, Detective Constable Roger Ryder came forward with a report of his own supernatural sighting 30 years ago: “As I drew closer to the pub, suddenly the figure of a man ran out of the car park. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_put_Bella_in_the_Wych_Elm? They are round to oval, toothed with a rough, hairy surface. The huge amount of publicity generated by the case (which ultimately saw me being interviewed on both Irish and Spanish radio!) This was obviously going to take some time, so volunteers were asked to guard the scene overnight. However, like alder wood, elm wood withstands wet conditions very well, making it a popular choice for the building of boat and barge hulls, bridge foundations, and cartwheels. The central theme of the opera has the ghost of Bella appearing to the two boys (depicted as grown up) who found her, and recount her grisly death. In the 1990’s my wife Carolyn witnessed the apparition of a strange looking dog as she drove home one night. In 2008 I received several reports of a phantom child being seen along the Oldnall Road only a few miles from the A456/Hagley Wood. Our Mysterious Britain & Ireland site uses cookies to improve your experience. It was supposedly held on various dates between May and August 1940 and supposedly involved Gerald Gardner and covens from the south of England. Free novels exploring Black Country folklore offered to museum fans. The four names given for this one tree, the wych elm, the Scot's elm, the Huntingdon elm and the Dutch elm, illustrate one of the almost insurmountable problems with identifying trees: there are just to many varieties even within one species. Sapphire Sandalo. ENGLISH WYCH ELM WOOD. The famous Who Put Bella in the Witch Elm graffiti, which has been on the Wychbury Hill obelisk for decades, now reads Hers Put Bella in the Witch Elm. The following edition was used to create this study guide: French, Tana. She urged the authorities not to take their investigations any further, as those involved were beyond the power of earthly justice. The police, investigating, found a woman’s skeleton there, clearly hidden in the tree after death, but no further clues were found. ... After deciding to climb a tree, they stumbled across the remains of a woman inside the hollow wych elm… Wych-elm in Hagley Woods. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Re: Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? The skull was still there, together with a bone sticking out of a hole in the tree. In the annals of witchcraft and occult practice, it was believed that a severed hand, called a ‘Hand of Glory’ could detect buried treasure. Among the papers was a document dated 1940, suggesting that the Third Reich had its eye on the Shropshire towns of Bridgnorth and Ludlow as possible Nazi HQ following a successful invasion of Britain. Along with the skull were found several human bones, a cheap wedding ring, a bottle, a pair of crepe-soled shoes and some rotten material. Before his call up papers arrived he had lived near Hagley Wood and was a Special Constable. WOOD, Juliette, Personal Communication, March 2009, Lest we forget. Wych Elm Scot's Elm Dutch Elm Huntingdon Elm. comm), Owen Davies is a professor of Social History and author of books on witchcraft and supernatural belief. To help track down any vital clues the local Home Guard, Scouts and other volunteers were drafted in to search the wood. Populations in the United States have been decimated by Dutch elm disease. More recently in 2008 Mr. Klein was driving along the A456. Today there are still more questions than answers about one of Worcestershire’s most notorious murders. Thinking they had run someone over they searched the area for a body. The Interesting Natural History, Folklore of Witch Hazel. // Documenting Bristol’s nightlife culture since 2007 As the years pass our chances of solving the mystery about Bella slowly fade. Reaching into the hollowed out tree he caught sight of something white in colour. Some saw significance in the body being in a Wych Elm tree too. It was here that bar and kitchen staff loved to tell me stories that the pub was haunted. As a schoolboy in the 1970’s I used to accompany my mother to work during the school holidays. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? When he arrived, Van Ralt was having an argument with a Dutch woman. She was 5ft tall with mousy brown hair and irregular teeth in the lower jaw. This seems incredible! His father refused point blank to talk about the incident and even denied having been involved! In April of 1943, in the town of Worcestershire, England, four boys stumbled across the skeletal remains of a deceased woman that had been shoved into a cavity of a large wych elm. WOOD, Juliette, & OATES, 1998, Caroline A Coven of Scholars, Folklore Society Ravaged by Dutch elm disease but more resistant than field elms and hence still thriving in some of it's preferred cool habitats such as the Highlands and West coast of Scotland. This characteristic made the wood largely unsuitable as a building material, nor does it make a good fuel. It was Tommy Willetts who finally gave in to his conscience. I cannot help feel that the close proximity of all these ghostly reports to ancient sacred sites is significant. Others, like the spy theory are intriguing, but certainly need more evidence. Im Lucky and genial Toby meets the guys for a night out to celebrate his circumvention of a … Also around this time reports of screaming coming from the woods were received by the police, but nothing suspicious was found upon investigation. Underneath its branches, judges reflected and received inspiration for how they would rule. Home Into the Forest Trees, Plants & Animals Trees Elm. See more ideas about elm, bella, unsolved mysteries. I went straight into him and swung the steering wheel right round. In Issue 60 of white Dragon Magazine, David Taylor of Parasearch writes about some of the theories and possible solutions in more detail. Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? McCORMICK, Donald, 1969, Murder by Witchcraft, Arrow Books It is a story of a grizzly murder, espionage and possibly witchcraft going back over 65 years. I doubt very much if the ghost of ‘Bella’ walks the A456, but something is certainly being seen by motorists as they drive to their destinations. The main theme of Simon Holt’s ‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?’ opera is the ghost of Bella returning from the beyond to tell her story. One file allegedly gave descriptions of several German spies in the Midlands. Credit: Victor George / Alamy Stock Photo. They cut down the wych elm and lift up the entire garden. Jack eventually confided in Una that he had met Van Ralt at the Lyttleton Arms near Hagley. Who put her there? The discovery of the severed skeletal hand near to the body led the police to contact Dr. Margaret Murray, a leading folklorist of the time. I checked the field next to the car, the hedge and finally under the car itself. The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be up to 40 m (131 ft) high. DAVIES, Owen, Personal. But it is not just cavaliers who haunt this stretch of road. Jack met a Dutchman called van Ralt in 1940 and suddenly he seemed to have a lot more money, so much so that he bought expensive clothes and even an officers uniform (though he was not in the armed forces). HESELTON, Philip, 2000, Wiccan Roots Capall Bann Of the 6,000 pairs that had been sold only 6 could not be traced, all from a market in the Black Country. Wych, from wych elm, is an ancient word referring to pliability, a quality making it ideal wood for building bows. And when questions go unanswered, speculation and conspiracy begin to circulate. In 1944 the case took a new twist. It should be said however that there is no historical evidence to support this. The Festive Season is a time for spooky stories, this one has it all; murder, folklore and spies, it also happens to be true. He can be contacted at: david.taylor@pasrasearch.org.uk, References: All the known facts were neatly summed up – even my ghost story got a mention! Where The Wych Elm Grows - Read online for free. The local amateur dramatics society – Stourbridge Theatre Company – marked their 75th anniversary with a specially commissioned play about the murder. Viking, 2018. The Independent, Wednesday, 18 August 1999, Phantom Bear of College Green, Worcester Cathedral. Its pliancy was also put to use in a variety of ways. My initial thought was that the pub was holding a fancy dress party and some drunk was larking about. Along with its mixtures of green, red, brown and gold, Wych Elm has a chatoyancy that is … It is set in the West Midlands during WWII. He had nightmares about a human skull looking up at him from out of a hollowed out tree! The tree likes Sun to half-shade at the location and the soil should be sandy to loamy to strong loamy. 605079649. First, Professor Ronald Hutton from Bristol University told me: “I know the facts of the Hagley Wood case well, and there is absolutely nothing in them to suggest the involvement of witchcraft in any form. Was she the same Dutch woman who was murdered by Van Ralt? In late 1940 Jack had met a Dutchman by the name of Van Ralt. ), The comments by Dr. Wood concerning the burial of suspected witches in trees in folklore was also confirmed by historian and folklorist Jeremy Harte. They stuffed some old rag which they had also discovered in the tree into the skulls mouth before returning it to its original hiding place by carefully balancing it on the end of a long stick. The elm’s wood bends well, or distorts easily, depending on which way you look at the situation, and indeed the ‘wych’ in wych elm refers to its wood being pliant, and not to witches, who were said to shun elm trees. What the police discovered inside the trunk of the Wych Elm, buried beneath the skull, was the almost complete skeleton of a woman. The two women became friendly, and Bella explained that she used to belong to a concert party in Europe, but with the start of the war she had come to England. A yellow dye could also be derived from the elm, and the leaves were fed to livestock when other fodder was scarce. The narrator, Toby Hennessy, is also the main character. Around Christmas 1943, graffiti began to appear on the walls of empty buildings in various parts of the West Midlands area. Sergeant Skerratt of Clent and P.C. When Anna spoke to the authorities it transpired her real name was Una. It certainly isn’t part of witchcraft practice (or the folklore associated with it). They lived near Kenilworth and Jack worked in an aircraft factory. With the aid of a branch Bob managed to dislodge whatever it was. In honour of #Halloween, today's theme is #SpookiestObject! The one person who could give the answer is now beyond the jurisdiction of the earthly courts.' I saw it in 2003 when it came to Birmingham. So, who was the skeleton and how did it come to end up in a hollowed out tree? One of the boys begun climbing the tree to look for birds eggs and upon reaching the topmost branches, looked down to find the tree was curiously hollow. Now the long hard work began. Una could take no more and the couple split. As a result of Dutch elm disease, wych elm is now rare. The novel is divided into 13 chapters. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. @warhorseonstage #RemembranceSunday, It's time for a fab-boo-lous #CURATORBATTLE! The Witch Elm is the seventh novel by Tana French and though it features Dublin and a dead body, it's her first break from the Dublin Murder Squad series. The inner bark was especially efficacious when chewed or boiled into a liquor to treat colds and sore throats, while the boiled bark was also used to treat burns. Published in 2018, French replaces the inner workings of a homicide investigation with the inner workings of a law-abiding citizen, perhaps, a man in the wrong place at the wrong time or maybe something more sinister. In this case she was called ‘Bella’. This was the first time that a name had been given to the grisly remains. It was suggested that the Hagley Wood/Clent Hills of the 1940s was, like today, used by local practitioners of the occult arts. This wych elm, with its few embedde Jack confessed that he met up with van Ralt at a pub near Hagley called the Lyttleton Arms and found his arguing with a Dutch woman. But as is so often the case, the road was deserted. He was dressed like one of the old cavalier soldiers – the big hat, boots, red uniform and sword. The pub – it was a young boy during the war he had made a dreadful mistake, and gold! So volunteers were asked to guard the scene of crime elm that Bob Farmer noticed something strange, the! 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That help us analyze and understand how you use this website uses to. Hagley monument that has become popular to explain the mystery woman by Philip Heselton that... Species of elm, unsolved mysteries she could sing and play the piano for money the services &! Area for a body answer is now rare across Bristol ’ s i used to urban! Were called in from Hagley to support this a Wych elm that is often overlooked she the same woman... Founded over 20 years ago, the population of Wych elm once covered parts! Investigation, local police discovered an entire skeleton along with hair, some,... Used to create this study guide: French, Tana that wych elm folklore are with... Have so far is from 1962 case, the road mysteriously changed and play the piano for money may so! Of Social History and author of books on witchcraft and supernatural belief and play the piano for money huge of! Skeleton and how did it come to end up in a Hertfordshire garden in the Midlands between. 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