Boggart

What it is

A boggart is a supernatural entity in English tradition, defined by folklorists as a generic name for an apparition or a solitary evil spirit. These beings are ambivalent but often malevolent, inhabiting both domestic spaces and the wider countryside. They function as household spirits or as local deities tied to specific topographical features. Descriptions vary widely, ranging from ugly human-like figures to beastly monsters with bestial attributes. Some accounts depict them as headless apparitions or proto-poltergeists capable of causing chaos within the home.

Where it comes from

The term originates from the Middle English word bugge, which referred to a spirit or monster. The addition of a suffix created boggart, implying a great big bugge. This linguistic root connects it to other British and Irish terms like bogle, bugaboo, and bogeyman. While related to words like bucca and pooka, the exact connection remains uncertain. The concept evolved through regional dialects, with variations like boggard appearing in Yorkshire.

How it is done

Boggarts are not performed rituals but are believed to act autonomously. They are said to crawl into beds at night, placing clammy hands on faces or stripping sheets. In some tales, they create disturbances like banging doors, laughing loudly, or overturning carts. A key belief involves their names; giving a boggart a name was thought to make it uncontrollable and destructive, preventing any reasoning or persuasion.

Tools and materials

Descriptions of boggarts include physical traits rather than tools. They are often depicted with long shaggy hair, eyes like saucers, and sometimes cloven hooves or tails resembling a satyr. Some versions trail chains that sound like hounds. Others are described as squat, hairy men strong as horses. The Bannister Hall Doll is cited as a representation of a boggart in two forms.

What it is for

Boggarts serve no beneficial purpose for humans. They are feared for their torment, including theft, pranks, and physical harassment. Families reportedly fled their homes to escape them. In one tale, a farmer outwitted a boggart by choosing crops that grew underground, leaving the spirit with nothing. Another version involved planting iron rods to blunt the boggart's scythe.

Who does it

No practitioners perform rites for boggarts. They are subjects of study for folklorists and dialectologists. Scholars like Elizabeth Wright and Simon Young have analyzed their definitions and distribution. Local communities in northern England historically held beliefs about them, often avoiding naming them or digging near their supposed graves.

Peoples and places

Boggarts are central to English folklore, particularly in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire. The word boggard is common in Yorkshire dialect. In Scotland and southern England, similar entities might be called bogle or bogeyman. The distribution map suggests stories extended from Cleveland to Skegness. Different regions had varying descriptions, from hilltop hobgoblins to house-dwelling faeries.

What people believe

Belief in boggarts stems from a worldview where spirits inhabit places and homes. They are genius loci, tied to specific geography. The fear of naming them reflects a belief in the power of true names to control spirits. Some legends suggest they can change shape or hide in cracks. A leader called Owd Hob was said to appear as a devil-like figure with horns and hooves.

When it is done

Boggarts are active at night, crawling into beds and causing disturbances after dark. Specific occasions are not recorded, but their presence is felt during daily life in the home. Some tales involve seasonal harvest disputes, though these are narrative devices rather than ritual timings.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Folklorists categorize boggarts as ambiguous spirits. Simon Young launched a census in 2019 to track modern understanding, finding many negatives among older generations. Dialectologists note the word's usage for skittish horses or owl pellets. Scholars distinguish between house boggarts and those tied to land, noting the evolution of the term from a general apparition to a specific malevolent entity.

Compare and confuse

Boggarts are often confused with brownies, especially in later fiction where angry brownies become boggarts. This distinction is not found in traditional sources. They share roots with the bogeyman and bogle. In fantasy literature, they are sometimes depicted as shape-shifters reflecting fears, a trait borrowed from later adaptations rather than original folklore.

Questions people ask about Boggart

Good reading and sources

• Boggart on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data