Unleashing Terror: The Shocking Legend of Canrig Bwt

With spooky season upon us, let’s explore the chilling tale of the Welsh Blair Witch. Today’s blog discusses Canrig Bwt, the brain eating witch of Llanberis.

The Story of Canrig Bwt

“On the Llanberis Pass, near Ynys Ettws and the stones of Mur Mawr, a witch was rumoured to live. She was known as Canrig Bwt. She was said to live under a cromlech situated next to the Pont-y-Cromlech bridge. Now this was not any ordinary witch, she was rumoured to be a cannibal and had a love for the brains of children.

It was rumoured that Canrig Bwt had sold her soul to the devil. How true this is, I cannot say, but she was well known for her powers of black magic.

The village was dealing with several missing children and had no idea on how to deal with the problem. They originally thought that it must have been a wild animal that was carrying off the children, but that was soon put to bed when they discovered bones near the witch’s cromlech. That was, until the locals formulated a plan. They approached a criminal that was set to be executed and offered him a lifeline. If he could kill the witch, he would be pardoned of his crimes.

The criminal, known as Idwal, armed with the best Iron sword of the village, headed off to confront Canrig Bwt. On his travels, he was stopped by a wise woman who lived at the foot of the mountain who advised him to wrap Vervain and Yew around the handle of his sword. After decorating his weapon, Idwal began climbing the Llanberis Pass. He was quickly surrounded by high peaks and a strong wind. As he continued his climb Idwal took the time to gather his thoughts, pondering what the cleric had said to him as he was leaving.

“Idwal, remember, don’t suffer a witch to live.”

Idwal arrived at the cromlech, his heart pounding, and climbed to the top of the ancient stone. He called out, his voice echoing in the moonlit darkness.

“Canrig Bwt, eater of children, face me here tonight at your altar.”

Standing on that stone, he suddenly noticed that he was surrounded by the bones of little children, skulls not yet fully formed, and he began to question if this was a clever idea.

“Wait, I am just finishing eating my lunch from this cute little skull” the witch cried out.

Idwal silently removed the sword from its sheath, trembling in anticipation. He bowed his head and said a silent prayer.

Emerging from the shadowy mouth of her cave, Canrig Bwt was a vision of terror. Her skin was mottled and grey, stretched taut over her cheekbones and a jaw that seemed far too wide for her face. Tangled black hair spilled down her back like a nest of tangled snakes, covered with bits of bone and moss. Her eyes which glowed with a dull yellow light, unblinking and hangry, were set deep beneath a heavy brow. Blood stained her lips, which curled into an evil smile, revealing jagged teeth sharpened by years of chewing on skulls. Around her neck hung a necklace of tiny skulls, each one a grim trophy from her gruesome feasts.

The air around Idwal became thick with the stench of sulphur and decay, and every step the witch took seemed to draw the darkness closer. As quick as a flash the criminal took her head with his sword. The decapitated head rolled down the hill, leaving the smell of sulphur and a trail of blood in its wake.

Idwal headed back to the village of Llanberis, blood still dripping from his sword. Upon arriving at the town square, he was greeted with a hero’s welcome. True to their word, the townspeople forgave him of his previous criminal behaviour.

It is said that the witch was buried near Tir Coch in Llanberis without fanfare and spectacle. The Devil pleased to have received his side of the deal.

The parents could now rest easy as the witch was now nothing more than a footnote in the annals of Welsh folklore.

Who Was Canrig Bwt?

I hope you enjoyed the story, it seemed perfect for this time of year. Beyond the chilling tale, Canrig Bwt’s legend raises an intriguing question.

Who was the witch?

• Was she an archetype? Maybe “The Devouring Mother”? – Originating from the psychology of Carl Jung, is an aspect of the maternal that consumes rather than nurtures.
• Was she a crone like keeper of a liminal place? A gatekeeper for underworld exploration. Like Hekate at the crossroads, or Baba Yaga in her hut in the forest.
• Could she be an echo of a pre-Christian deity? Often surviving figures of pre-colonialised beliefs are demonised and relegated. Was the cromlech once a sacred site to the Neolithic or Brythonic inhabitants of North Wales.
• Was she created to stop children venturing into dangerous areas? If this is the case, then she holds a similar position as Ginny Greenteeth from Lancashire and Merseyside Mythology.

Over to you!

I am sure that you will agree that Wales has some amazing local folklore and legends. But great tales are not limited to Cymru, I would love to hear about any local legends that you may have in your area. Pop them in a comment below.