The Boggart That Moved House
A farmer, tired of the spirit that plagued his house, loaded his cart to move away. From inside the milk churn, a voice said: 'Aye, we're flitting.'
What was reported
In the folklore of Lancashire and Yorkshire, a boggart is a mischievous, sometimes malicious household spirit, often a helpful spirit that has turned bad. It spills milk, pinches sleepers, pulls bedclothes off, and makes life miserable for the family it lives with.
In a famous tale, a farmer's family can bear it no longer and pack everything onto a cart to move away. A neighbour asks if they're leaving, and before the farmer can reply, a voice from the churn says: 'Aye, we're flitting.' The family gives up and goes back home. A park in north Manchester, Boggart Hole Clough, is named after one.
Explanations offered
Boggarts gave a face to household mishaps and the feeling that bad luck follows you. Folklorists note that the 'we're flitting' tale is found in many versions across Britain and Scandinavia.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Boggart Hole Clough, Manchester, England, UK
- Witnesses
- Lancashire and Yorkshire folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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