Friar Alban & Friar Mortimer were local monks dedicated to minister the word of God to travellers and help pray for the sick… (As well as burying decaying plague infested bodies in mass graves outside the walls of the town, amongst the rats) The Friars, locally known as the “Black” Friars for their reputed evil and treacherous deeds, occupied Friaries on the outskirts of town. One year they came across an ancient Grimoire written backwards and encased in human skin, carried by a traveller who found it on his journeys.

The traveller never returned home…

Reverend Black came to these parts a well-travelled man, preaching his unholy sermons across Europe in the 16thC It is said that his blood came from the Pyrenees the mysterious land of the Basque people between Spain and France, indeed those who where known as the witch people….

The Reverend was an Alchemist and a very skilled black magician who worked alone…..

He made his way to these parts upon a pilgrimage and a calling, indeed a bloodied vision to seek a place of power Regarded as a strange man especially to those that knew him here, he came to settle taking on a small remote parish on the Mid Shropshire/Wales border.

They say his congregation never exceeded 13 and the small church he was administered to was on the site of an ancient pre-historic ritual burial mound, the graveyard there was circular…

The Reverend over the years blended in well with the locals as the village shared in a dark and debauched secret as well, indeed the villagers had there own black coven…

Every so often a traveller or outsider disappeared for the main ritual sacrifice that was demanded by the villagers as part of their ancient blood-soaked custom Reverend Black disappeared one dark and odious night whilst performing the ritual of the `Abrah Melan` never to be seen again…

Some believe that he raised the Devil himself and the consequences never left his soul…

DR (JEREMIAH) ATLAS (Surgeon and Anthropologist 1839-1897)

Dr J Atlas was a skilled surgeon and anthropologist preying on his victims wherever his work took him…

Dr Atlas was indeed an unusual man of medicine and culture. He held his practice in London but came to partly reside in Ludlow after being drawn there in the late 19thC Dr Atlas was a well educated and travelled man reaching out to study in far parts of the world that most deemed savage and uncivilised (It was said that he mastered the art of Witch-Doctoring and voodoo)

Dr Atlas was also influential in `Masonic` circles and is how he made the acquaintance of one Sebastian Beltain here in Ludlow Together they made a formidable team…

Still today their victims remains of over a hundred years ago are still being found…all over the Shires.

They where never caught…

It is said that Dr Atlas always carried the two gold crowns for the `Ferryman` in his breast pocket for his next victim

Mr Beltain lived in a large Mansion just outside of Ludlow’s Town Centre. The grounds and the house were guarded by two very large black dogs, it is said, that one day a hapless tramp entered the grounds of the manor house… the following day word was sent to the butchers to cancel the weeks meat order.

Mr Beltain's coach could be seen on a few occasions in the town, normally at twilight. The coach would race into town, the coachman whipping at the horses, the coach was described as thus...

“ I saw it, oh yes I saw it alright, it was black, the windows were black and the horses sweated blood. The coachman never stopped. Even old Mrs Hawthorn, she was almost run down by it, we locked our doors when the black coach was due”

No one ever disputed their bills with the Manor House unless they wanted a visit….

Sir Stuart was a Knight at Ludlow Castle. Traumatised by the Death of what was said to be his sweetheart Marianne de la Bruyere (she threw herself of the castle tower), he went to the crusades but not until he killed every one of the fifty strong welsh legion that ransacked the castle. It is said it took four full moons for the river Teme to run clear again, as before it ran red with the blood of the traitors.

Up until a while ago at every full moon, the river would turn red again….

Sir Stuart never returned from the crusades but word returned that he could be seen on a pale horse: and the name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him…..

The fearless Lance Corporal Evans, standing alone on the battle field against 8000 Zulu Warriors armed only with his broken Sword and Bayonet,....Charged.... Never to be seen again.