The HexHam Heads
In February 1971, Colin and Leslie Robson were working in the garden of their family home when they stumbled onto what they thought was a treasure. Digging in the garden, the boys hit something strange. As they dug around the strange object it appeared to them that it might be some sort of toy. What they brought up were two, carved stone humanoid heads. Although these objects were small their impact on the family were anything but.
The heads were each about the size of a tennis ball and could fit in the palms of the boys’ hands. They were largely round, but had human-like facial features carved into them. One of the heads looked more masculine and the stone it was carved from was greenish-grey with flecks of quartz crystals, giving it a slightly shimmery appearance. The other head was more female-like, and is even described similar to a witch. In the carvings of her head, remnants of yellow and red coloring are present.
Excited about their recently discovered treasure the boys headed back into the house. When they were brought into the house, strange poltergeist-like activity began to occur within the home and it seemed focused on the heads. The heads would often roll around or even throw themselves across the room, making large thuds. Other strange things began to happen around the home that seemed centered around the children, including the two sisters of the family who more than once found shards of glass in their beds. The parents were also affected, complaining of headaches. There was often a strange glow emanating from the patch of garden where the heads had been found.
Even the Robson’s neighbors, the Dodds, were affected. Although the activity was less consistent, there were similarities such as her children’s hair being inexplicably pulled. Nelly Dodd, the matriarch of the family, also claimed to see a half-man, half-sheep who had walked on all fours in her bedroom one night and examined her feet.
Believing the strange increase in activity had something to do with the heads, the Robson’s decided to dispose of them. Interestingly enough, they decided against simply throwing away the heads. Perhaps they thought that merely throwing them out wouldn’t be enough. Or, maybe they were worried they would just pop back up again. So, they reached out to Dr. Anne Ross who was an expert in Celctic artefacts and sent her the heads.
According to Dr. Ross, who was a well-respected and incredibly brilliant historian, one night after getting the heads she also saw a part-animal, part-man creature in her house. She caught it walking out of her room and decided, bravely, to follow it down the stairs. However, she lost track of it and returned to her room. Just a few days after that, her daughter mentioned she had seen a werewolf-like creature on the stairs of the home that vanished down a corridor.
She had heard about Nelly Dodd’s experience, as well as the activity of the Robsons, and decided the heads must be the connecting thread to this strange phenomena. She later removed all the Celtic heads, including the Hexam heads, from her home.
Shortly after the story gained some traction a man named Desmond Craigie came forward and claimed he was the creator of the heads. He had made them originally for his daughter in 1956. He even made some re-creations of the heads to prove his connection - however, when the heads were examined by Professor Dearman, he noted that the items hadn’t been carved, but moulded artificially.
Interestingly enough, the location of the Hexam Heads remains unknown. Although they were examined by Professor Dearman of the University of Newcastle their whereabouts after his investigation are faded in history. They were also being reviewed by several other historians and professionals, so perhaps they just got lost in the mail and are waiting in some mislabeled package waiting to be found again.
Thanks to Andrea B for the blogstonishing suggestion!
Drawings of the Hexham Heads by Mary Hurrell of the Museum of Antiquities. It is licensed under Fair Use.
