The Head of Terror.

In 1971, an innocuous discovery in a seemingly ordinary Northumberland garden would trigger a series of chilling events that have baffled and terrified those involved for over three decades. The story of the Hexham Heads has become a legend, but what’s the truth behind these eerie stone objects?

In today’s blog, we delve deep into the mystery of the Hexham Heads.

The Mystery Unfolds in Hexham, 1971

It all began when two brothers, Colin and Leslie Robson, were innocently playing in their back garden. Some versions of the story say they were throwing stones at each other, while others suggest they were digging in the soil. Either way, they uncovered something far more unsettling than they could ever have imagined—a discovery that would haunt their family for the rest of their lives.

As they dug, they unearthed two small stone objects, each about the size of a tennis ball. When they cleaned off the dirt and debris, they were stunned to find that the stones were oddly uniform, almost like sculptures—and each had humanoid features.

Excited and intrigued, the brothers hurried inside to show their mother. She, too, was curious, but little did she know that this innocent find would set off a chain of strange, terrifying events. The Robsons would soon realise that these heads were far from ordinary.

No 3 Rede Avenue

A palpable shift in the air seemed to take place in the house, as though something ancient and malevolent had been awakened. The strange heads would move by themselves, particularly at night. The furniture would shift, lights would flicker—even though the power was perfectly functional—and doors would swing open without explanation. The family, already unsettled, grew increasingly terrified as bizarre phenomena continued to unfold.

Des Craigie with the heads he made.

One day, Mrs. Robson decided to show the heads to a neighbour, hoping a fresh pair of eyes would shed light on their strange find. But whatever curse had attached itself to the heads didn’t stay confined to the Robson home. The very next door neighbours, the Dodds, began experiencing their own terrifying episodes.

The paranormal activity in the Robson household intensified—children’s hair was yanked while they slept, shards of glass mysteriously appeared in their sister’s bed. Meanwhile, the Dodds were faced with an even darker presence. Mrs. Dodd reported seeing a half-man, half-goat creature standing in her bedroom. When she screamed, it turned and calmly walked down the stairs.

The Robson boys claimed to have found the heads.

Terrified, the Dodds applied for an urgent move, which was granted. They left their home—and the Robsons—behind, never to return. The Robsons, realising that these heads were somehow responsible for the terrifying events, tried to rid themselves of the cursed objects. Instead of discarding them, they handed them over to the authorities, where they were held for examination at Newcastle University. The heads also made brief stops at Hexham Abbey and Southampton University.

The heads travelled far and wide, subject to scrutiny from various experts, all of whom disagreed on their origins, size, and composition. Some claimed they were made from sandstone, others said they were made from an unknown cement-like substance. Despite these investigations, the mystery remained unsolved. What was certain, however, was that the heads were somehow tied to something dark.

The heads were described as male and female—yet the descriptions only deepened the mystery. The male head was said to have hair covering its eyes, while the female was described as grotesque, with bulging eyes, a beaked nose, and, in some accounts, dubbed “the witch.”

The Theory of Dr. Anne Ross

For years, the heads remained an enigma. But then, in an unexpected twist, Dr. Anne Ross, a respected archaeologist and Celtic expert, was sent photos of the objects by her colleagues. She was quick to proclaim them of Celtic origin.

Eager to investigate further, Dr. Ross requested the heads be sent to her for more in-depth study. And so, the objects embarked on yet another journey—this time into the hands of a determined scholar. But as soon as Dr. Ross began her research, strange things started to happen again. It seemed the curse had transferred to her.

When Dr. Ross received the heads, she immediately noted the coldness that radiated from them and an overwhelming sense of unease. Hoping to continue her research in the comfort of her own home, she placed the heads in her office. But the terror was only just beginning.

True iron age stone head, Corleck 3 sided head.

Two nights later, Dr. Ross was awoken by a deep sense of dread. The air in her bedroom had turned bitterly cold. As she strained her eyes in the darkness, she saw a figure standing in her doorway—tall, over six feet, and eerily resembling a half-man, half-wolf creature. She described it as being a menacing, beast-like presence. Inexplicably, Dr. Ross rose from her bed to follow the figure, which seemed to disappear before her eyes.

The creature appeared to jump from the landing and into the hallway, its back heavy with black fur— unmistakably wolf-like. Terrified, Dr. Ross fled back to her room and woke her husband. Together, they searched the house, but found nothing.

The mystery deepened when Dr. Ross’s daughter, Bernice, returned home from school a few days later. Normally greeted by their pet cat, Bernice found the animal cowering in the living room. When she approached it, the cat hissed and scratched at her. As she looked up, she saw a shadowy figure emerging from the landing. It was the same wolf-like creature that had haunted her mother. Fearing for her safety, Bernice hid in a room, clutching the cat.

When Dr. Ross and her husband returned home, they found their daughter in a state of terror. Bernice was shaking and pale, still in shock from what she had witnessed. Concerned for their family’s safety, Dr. Ross’s husband demanded the heads be removed from the house immediately.

A Mysterious Visitor: Des Craigie

Then, just when it seemed like the mystery couldn’t get any stranger, a local man named Des Craigie contacted the press, claiming to know the origin of the heads. Des was, in fact, the previous resident of the house at No. 3 Reded Avenue, where the heads had been discovered. According to Des, the heads were not ancient artifacts at all, but were instead made by him as playthings for his daughters. Des even produced replicas that closely resembled the original heads.

But Dr. Ross dismissed Des’s claims, calling them a work of fiction. As the heads changed hands again, further examination only seemed to undermine her theories. The mystery deepened as each new analysis failed to provide conclusive answers. One chemist, Don Robinson, even speculated that the heads could be imbued with memories or spirits from their time of use. He published a book called Secret Language of Stones, suggesting that places like Stonehenge and the Ring of Brodgar held magnetic fields capable of affecting objects like the Hexham Heads.

The heads eventually passed into the hands of Frank Hyde, an astrologer and dowser, who performed his own experiments but vanished without a trace. It’s unclear whether he had simply disappeared or if the heads had somehow claimed yet another victim.

The Big Question: Hoax or Real?

Could the Hexham Heads be genuine artifacts, or were they simply an elaborate hoax? The circumstances of their discovery raise doubts. If the boys had been digging in such shallow soil, it’s unlikely they would have unearthed objects of such apparent significance, especially considering that the area had been heavily landscaped in the 1950s and 1960s.

Dr. Ross’s theory that the heads were linked to a Celtic shrine remains speculative. Archaeological surveys conducted in the area found no evidence of significant settlements before the 7th century, making it highly unlikely that the heads could have originated from such an ancient site.

Some have speculated that the heads were the product of modern craftsmanship. Des Craigie’s replicas, which were strikingly similar to the original heads, further fuelled this suspicion. And with Frank Hyde’s mysterious disappearance, the story takes on even more of a surreal, almost mythical quality.

So, what’s the truth behind the Hexham Heads? Are they an ancient Celtic mystery, or the result of a hoax perpetuated over decades? The answers may never fully emerge, but one thing is certain: the tale of the Hexham Heads has left an indelible mark on the paranormal world—and on the lives of those involved.

What do you think—hoax or real?

Sleep well, and be cautious if you ever find strange objects buried in your garden.