The Murdered Pedlar of Carlswark Cavern, Stoney Middleton

In the mid-18th century, the body of a Scottish pedlar was discovered in Carlswark (or Cael’s Wark) Cavern near Stoney Middleton, identified by his shoes and buckles. He was believed to have been murdered around 1763 in the yard of the Old Moon Inn, his remains hidden deep within the cave. Legend claims the crime was exposed after a labourer dreamt of a skeleton inside the cavern. The main culprit, a woman, was said to have died in misery soon after. The cave, long explored by locals and miners, still carries an eerie reputation.