In Pure Spirit

Near Macclesfield stands the grand estate of Capesthorne Hall.

The Hall was built between 1719 and 1732 and has been subject to architectual changes over the years – especially after a fire destroyed much of the building.

The history of the grounds go back further than the Capesthrone Hall itself; everything from the passing of Roman Legions (and Roman road may run the building) to myths of Merlin and Arthur. Capesthrone, itself, can trace its history to the Domesday Book.

Image by mharrsch via Flickr There are two Ashton Hall’s in Lancaster. The first is part of the council complex of Dalton Square near the Buck Ruxton murder site and the second is currently the headquarters of the Lancaster Golf Club. Ashton Hall, now used by the Golf Club, was originally built by Roger of [...]

The Beast is not one figure from the Bible – but two. In the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, the First Beast comes from the sea, has seven heads and ten horns. The Second Beast comes the earth, looks like a lamb but talks like a dragon.

The Second Beast acts as an ambassador for the first. It has people make an image of the First Beast and pray to it. The Second Beast is able to make the image come to life and strike down anyone who refuses to worship the First Beast.

Revelation 16, 19 and 20 refers to the Second Beast as the False Prophet. It forms one third of the unholy trinity along with the Dragon/Satan and the First Beast/the Antichrist.

Originally cat charms were used to signify luck and are common today. The question is whether they represent good or bad luck.

The black cat, in particular, is sometimes seen as unlucky as it represents one of the forms Satan is believed to take as he stalks the Earth. Others will wear the black cat charm to specifically ward against bad luck.

The Romans took the fiercely independent nature of the cat and translated this to the concept of liberty. The ancient Egyptians associated the cat to the moon and drew connections between the dilation and contraction of cat eyes to the waxing and waning of the moon. Egyptian moon gods or goddesses would often be depicted with the wedjat eye in the full-moon disk over their head. The wedjat-eye, however, belonged to Re and was later associated with Thoth, rather than the cats.

A 13 square metre mosaic pavement which depicts pagan rites and oriental gods has been found by archaelogists working in the Catholic cathedral in central-northern Italy. [Pagan Cult Mosaic Found Under Cathedral]

Superintendent of Archaeological Heritage in Emilia Romagna, Luigi Malnati, said, “this is one of the most important and interesting mosaics in northern Italy. It stands out for its size, design and refined technique.”

Discovery News was told by Renta Curina, the archaeologist in charge of the dig, “The size and design of the mosaic pavement suggest that it formed the floor of a huge room. We believe this was the residence of a wealthy Roman,”

The new City General hospital in Derby has an old problem – a ghost. The hospital, which is about to be renamed the Royal Hospital, is built on the site of the original City General. Staff have reported a black-clad figure in a cloak roaming the wards.

The Sun has been told that there have been dozens of sightings of the apperation in recent weeks.

“Several have seen a male figure cloaked from had to toe in black darting between rooms and through walls – especially in departments near the morgue.

Aeromancy Aeromancy is the divination art that studies cloud formation, atmospheric phenomena and wind currents. Closely related to Austromancy. Alectromancy The divination art which places a cock or hen in a circle of grain and letters of the alphabet. Letters near to where the bird pecks are assembled to form answers to specific questions. If [...]

The origins of the names given to the days of the week in the Western calendar are traced back to a number of different beliefs and sources. Monday The name ‘Monday’ is Roman in origin and means “Moon’s Day”. Tuesday The word ‘Tuesday’ comes from old German and derived from “Tyr’s Day”. Tyr is a [...]

Abaddon Abaddon is the name of the demonic entity which the Bible (Revelation 9:11) describes as the angle of the bottomless pit. Abigor Abigor is a demon conjured for military assistance, advice and fortune telling powers. Afrit Afrit, in Islamic lore, are giant and malevolent devil-djins. They are the second most powerful type of devil [...]