Welcome my lovelies to the first instalment of my new series The Curiosity Chronicles. This series will delve into the unknown, unexplained, and the unique. From ghosts to witches, mysterious occurrences to cryptozoology. I have been looking for something new to sink my teeth into for a while and I came up with this idea when I was watching a YouTube video about archology of all things. I remember as a child I LOVED watching a program called “Strange but True” I think I was about 8. Granted that program made me think I was being abducted by aliens one night, but I digress. Anyway, that program is the main inspiration behind this new series, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy researching and writing to you about it. So, let’s begin!

Since you have stumbled across my blog, I’m guessing you like all things weird and wonderful, saying that you have probably heard of a French man named Nostradamus? Nostradamus was an astrologer, physician, and a seer, but most famously he is known for his prophecies and his book ‘Les Prophéties’. What if I told you there was another lesser-known soothsayer? (Step aside Nosty!)

Commonly known as Mother Shipton, Ursula Southeil was born in 1488 to a 15-year-old girl only known as Agatha. Ursula was born in a cave, just outside of Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England. Ursula’s birth was full of controversy as it is said she was born ugly, deformed and witch-like. Another factor that had a massive impact on the controversy was that Agatha refused to say who Ursula’s father was, even under pressure from the local magistrate. This caused many people to believe that Ursula’s conception was the work of the Devil himself.

This caused the pair to be ostracised from the community and they were forced to flee into the local woods where they lived in cave near the River Nidd. The controversy surrounding Ursula’s birth also manifested in the belief that her mother Agatha was also a witch. The cave where they dwelled was also known to have a pool of water inside it, shaped like a skull, which turned things to stone. Many people believed this gave more reason to suspect that the pair were indeed witches. (To be fair sometimes I wish I lived in a cave in the woods).

Two years passed, and the pair were aided by the Abbott of Beverley who empathised with them and found a local family who would take Ursula in and raise her. (How nice of him!) Agatha however was sent to a nunnery presumed to be the Convent of the order of St. Bridge in Nottinghamshire, where a few years later she would die, never seeing her daughter again. (Never mind).

Even as a child Ursula was described as having a crooked body and a large, crooked nose, her behaviour was strange, and this just ignited the local gossip. Rumours spread even when she was a toddler, it was said that at this age Ursula would sit in her foster mother’s kitchen, alone with various pots and pans around her cackling to herself. However, as she grew, word got around that unexplained and strange occurrences would happen to those who mocked her. Locals soon concluded that if you dared mock the strange child you would quickly be on the receiving end of her wrath.

Ursula would keep to herself and often journey to the woods and cave where she was born. It was here that she studied the woods in great detail and used this knowledge of the flora to make potions and remedies. When her abilities as an herbalist became common knowledge, she became very sought after by people wanting her to cure their ailments.

When Ursula was 24, she married the local carpenter Tobias Shipton, after taking his name she was known from then as Mother Shipton. People were however shocked at this union, and it was assumed that Ursula had put a spell on him.

Not long after her marriage to Tobias, it was said that Ursula helped a neighbour who had some items of clothes go missing. The next day a woman walked down the road singing “I stole my neighbour’s smock and coat. I’m a thief!” Then promptly gave the items to Ursula with a curtsy.

Unfortunately for Ursula, two years later in 1514 Tobias died, many people thought that Ursula was responsible for his death. As a result, a grieving Ursula left the town and from then on lived in the cave that she had been born in. Here she continued to make potions and started dabbling in premonition. However, word spread far and wide about Mother Shipton, her potions and premonitions and she was sought out by people far and wide. News of her predictions coming true not only prompted people to seek her out for potions but for answers to their questions too. From then on Ursula would only be referred to as ‘Mother Shipton’. (Again, I want to live in a cave and sell random potions to people).

One such local prophecy was, “Before Ouse Bridge and Trinity Church meet, what is built in the day shall fall in the night, till the highest stone in the church be the lowest stone of the bridge.” Not long after this prediction a large storm fell across Yorkshire, as a result of this the steeple of Trinity Church and a portion of the Ouse Bridge was destroyed. Later when making repairs to the bridge a part of the steeple was used as a foundation making the top of the steeple the lowest part of the bridge.

It is said Mother Shipton also predicted the Black Death of 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666. Other predictions include aeroplanes, cars, the American Civil war and even the internet.

“Around the world thoughts shall fly in the twinkling of an eye.”

Mother Shipton died in 1561 aged 73, the cave where was born and lived can be visited today. Click here to find out more about visiting.

Thank you, my lovelies, for joining me at the beginning of this journey, I hope to see you again.

As always take care,

Curious Chris xx

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