The Welsh X-Files: Wales' Most Significant UFO Sightings
September 19, 2023 1:00 AM ‐ Paranormal • UFOs
The rugged terrain and mystic landscapes of Wales holds an air of mystery that goes far beyond its natural beauty. Over the years, it's been the backdrop to a series of unexplained phenomena and sightings that continue to perplex both devoted ufologists and skeptics alike. From the strange occurrences in the Berwyn Mountains to the compelling observations that rendered Pembrokeshire the so-called "Welsh Triangle," Wales has become a fertile ground for tales of the unexplained.
This exploration delves into various incidents across the decades, each worthy of a chapter in what could only be described as the Welsh X-Files. From unsettling experiences reported by schoolchildren to aerial phenomenon on isolated farms, Wales has become a focal point for discussions that question the very nature of our place in the universe.
1974: Berwyn Mountains
Photo: en.wikipedia.org
In a tranquil village near the Berwyn Mountains in 1974, a night like any other was shattered by a series of booming explosions. These reverberations rattled windows and stirred residents from their evening activities, only to be succeeded by brief but noticeable earth tremors. When locals flocked to their windows and ventured into the streets, their gazes were inevitably drawn to a mysterious white light hovering above the mountain peaks.
In the immediate aftermath, calls inundated the local police station, many from eyewitnesses speculating about a UFO having crashed into Cadair Berwyn. The following days witnessed an unusual flurry of law enforcement and military activity in the area, complete with road closures and restrictions that prevented farmers from tending to their nearby fields. Official police records were frustratingly tight-lipped, stating merely that nothing extraordinary had occurred that fateful night.
The tale doesn't end there. UFO researcher Tony Dodd later alleged that he'd been contacted by an anonymous informant privy to classified information. This whistleblower claimed that a special military unit had been dispatched to the nearby village. Their classified mission? To recover "two large, oblong boxes" and whisk them away to Porton Down, a government science park in Wiltshire noted for its long history of chemical weapons research.
It was what lay inside these boxes that escalated the Berwyn account from the merely puzzling to the outright bizarre. The informant insisted that each box contained the corpse of a humanoid creature, so emaciated their forms bordered on skeletal. The whistleblower's account also mentioned that other members of his unit had transported similar cargo to Porton Down, but theirs was reportedly still alive.
1977: The Welsh Triangle
The year 1977 was an exceptionally eventful one in the realm of Welsh UFO sightings. The phenomena were so concentrated around Pembrokeshire that the locale earned the nickname of "the Welsh Triangle." A sequence of encounters, from schoolchildren reporting strange crafts to unsettling experiences at a local farm, thrust Wales into the limelight of UFO lore and added to the rich tapestry that is the Welsh X-Files.
The Broad Haven Primary School Incident
Our first stop in 1977's carousel of cosmic curiosities is the seaside town of Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire, where several pupils of Broad Haven Primary Schoo claimed to have seen a flying saucer land in a field near their playground and even independently drew striking similar pictures of the encounter.
According to data released from the National Archives, the officials who investigated the Broad Haven sightings concluded that it was most likely the work of local pranksters. Others have suggested that the sighting might be attributable to machinery related to nearby sewage works, but the children's willingness to report to the police does add a layer of sincerity to their account.
Deborah Swan's Encounter
Later in the year, 13-year-old Deborah Swan stared out into the great unknown, in the hopes of spotting a UFO. Astonishingly, she reported seeing a silver, football-shaped object darting erratically through the sky. Although the likelihood of setting out to find a UFO and succeeding seems slim, her story found acceptance in public discourse at the time. Whether her account was a genuine sighting, a misinterpretation, or a vivid imagination remains an unresolved question.
The Ripperston Farm Series
Ripperston Farm's series of strange happenings garnered significant media attention. The Coombs family recounted multiple eerie incidents, ranging from displaced cattle to inexplicably malfunctioning cars and a shadowy figure appearing at their window. Interestingly, their neighbours reported nothing out of the ordinary, causing skeptics to suggest that more earthly explanations might exist. Local pranksters have even been named as likely culprits for some of the occurrences.
The Stack Rocks Sightings
Last but not least, we arrive at the Stack Rocks incident. Multiple witnesses, including Pauline Coombs and her mother, reported seeing a disc-shaped UFO, while Mrs Granville of the Haven Fort Hotel claimed to have seen figures moving on the rocks. However, a visit to the site raises questions; the challenging lighting conditions and significant distance from the witnesses to the alleged location make detailed sightings rather dubious.
1988: UFOs in Port Talbot
Port Talbot, primarily known for its steelworks and as the hometown of actor Michael Sheen, emerges as an unexpected epicentre for UFO sightings. Sheen himself has cheekily acknowledged these anomalies in interviews. The spotlight on these extraterrestrial activities has been brightened recently thanks to Roo Lewis' new book, 'Port Talbot: UFO Investigation Club.'
After distributing flyers and making numerous visits, Roo became deeply immersed in the local lore and storytelling of Port Talbot. He gathered testimonies from five unrelated individuals, all describing encounters with a low-flying, triangular aircraft speeding towards the coast. Roo's book also introduces us to Natalie, who in 1996 witnessed a UFO hovering above her and her best friend before it darted away. Roo's investigations add more facets to Port Talbot's already complicated identity - far beyond its industrial reputation.
1990s: Fire In The Valleys
A Welsh triangle of a different kind was spotted by one man in the early 90s. Driving on a secluded mountain road in the valleys, Matthew Williams noticed a triangular-shaped object on a distant hillside. Surrounded by an orangey-yellow glow, quite distinct from a fire, and more akin to a heat haze, its appearance was brief - disappearing from sight as Matthew's car passed a thicket of trees.
Matthew, who years later would become a popular urban explorer on YouTube, said that it had taken him a week to fully grasp the significance of what he'd seen. It was a delayed reaction that left him questioning why it took so long for the significance to sink in.
At the time, a friend who had been in the car with Matthew reported having noticed something, albeit vaguely, but had been too distracted by the full moon to pay it much heed. The two never really discussed the event thereafter, but for Matthew, it set him on a path of deeper exploration into UFOs and the unknown. He started to conduct more serious research into the subject, ultimately becoming a well-known speaker in ufology conventions nationwide.
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