Angel of Death
Folklore says that villagers in Llangernyw, Conwy, in Wales, may if they dare learn their grim fate under the boughs of a 3,000-year-old yew tree.
Over in the west of the region are to be found nestling among the hills many interesting and isolated villages harbouring strange remnants of forgotten lore. At Llangernyw, for example, the little medieval church had a reputation for being haunted by a weird, death-dealing spirit!
The origins of this legend may have something to do with its location. The church itself is centuries old, but the site it stands on was sacred thousands of years before it was built. The churchyard at Llangernyw, midway between Abergele and Llanrwst, has the honour of containing within it the oldest living thing in Wales - a mighty yew tree, which botanists believe to be more than 3,000 years old. This means it was planted sometime in the prehistoric Bronze Age. What makes this particularly interesting is that elsewhere in the churchyard are two standing stones, which would have been raised up by pagans at about the same time.
These stones have primitive Christian crosses etched on them, made sometime in the Dark Ages. Between these Christianised pagan stones and the yew tree stands the medieval church. Clearly, Llangernyw is a very ancient and sacred place.
This then may be what attracted the presence of the mysterious "Angelystor". Angelystor - the Recording Angel - manifested itself in the church every Hallowe'en. Here, at the dead of night, it was said to speak the names of all those in the parish who were to die in the following year.
One fateful Hallowe-en night, after a few too many pints, the sceptical village tailor, known as Shôn ap Robert, laughingly derided the existence of the Recording Angel. Spurred on by his drinking pals, he barged out into the night and made his wobbly way to the church, to prove Angelystor a myth.
But when he arrived at the door he heard to his horror a deep voice booming from within. It was reciting names. And the first name he heard was - "Shôn ap Robert"!
"Hold, hold!" he cried. "I am not ready yet!" But, ready or not, he found his grave in Llangernyw churchyard that coming year.
Reference: Welsh Folklore, Rev Elias Owen, 1896
Posted on Wed 13th Oct 2010 13:05:24