Folk horror is a genre where ancient beliefs, rural isolation, and the unseen forces of nature entwine to create chilling tales that linger like smoke in the trees. Unlike monsters that lurk in city shadows, folk horror draws its terror from forgotten rituals, eldritch folklore, and the oppressive weight of tradition.
Think of movies like The Wicker Man or Midsommar where communities hide from modern eyes—bound by blood and earth— performing rites passed down through generations. The horror here isn’t fast or loud. It’s creeping, ritualistic, and inescapable. You’re not just being hunted—you’re being sacrificed to something older than God.
At the heart of folk horror lies isolation. A village with no cell service. A forest older than any map. A charm nailed above a child’s crib. These stories remind us how little we truly know about the land we live on… and what still lives beneath it.
Welsh Folk Horror
The Welsh legend of The Corpse Candles of Llanwenog is an example of folk horror. Pale, flickering lights float along desolate paths, always before a death. To see one is a harbinger; to follow it is to walk with the dead.
Locals swear the candles glide just out of reach, leading the curious straight to the site of their own demise. It’s not a myth meant to entertain—it’s a warning. One passed from grandmother to grandchild like a lullaby made of teeth.
What are Corpse Candles?
Described as faint, bluish or yellowish flames floating above the ground, corpse candles follow the path a funeral procession will soon take.
Sometimes they hover, sometimes they drift slowly, and at other times they dart with eerie purpose—always silent, always low to the earth. Witnesses claim the lights travel from the home of the soon-to-be-deceased to the graveyard. If the invited see two candles, it is said two will die. If a small one follows a larger one, a child is fated to die after a parent.
Their Significance
This belief stems from Celtic ideas about the veil between worlds being thin, particularly in rural or liminal places. The candles are not malevolent spirits, but omens—guides for the dead, or warnings for the living. However, they are not to be mocked, followed, or dismissed.
Modern Sightings
Even into the 20th century, locals whisper reports of corpse candles in Llanwenog, especially near churchyards and old footpaths. Residents warn travelers to avoid these lights at night, lest they lose more than just their way.
Next time you see a strange light in the field—don’t follow. It’s already following you.
Next week, I’ll post a Flash Fiction on The Corpse Candles. Meantime, if you are wanting more creepy, check out my other blogs.
- The Corpse Candles: “Follow Not the Flame” - June 27, 2025
- Folk Horror and The Corpse Candles - June 12, 2025
- Straw Eyes - May 9, 2025
2 replies on “Folk Horror and The Corpse Candles”
Creepy…belongs in X-Files👹
Maggye, nothing beats X Files for sure.