Tradition: English Mythology
Alternative Names: Lantern Man
Category: Flame
The Myth
The Lantern Man is a terrifying supernatural light from the folklore of the Fens in East Anglia, England, particularly associated with Wicken Fen and the surrounding wetlands. It appears at night as a mysterious light that lures travellers away from safe paths and into the dangerous reed beds. According to local stories, these lights are evil spirits that deliberately lead their victims toward their deaths in the marshes. Their deceptive glow resembles that of a lantern carried by someone walking through the darkness, tempting people to follow where they should not.
The Lantern Man is said to be attracted by whistling. Folklorist L. F. Newman recorded accounts describing how people who whistled in the fens risked attracting the spirit’s attention. One local fisherman reportedly escaped by throwing himself face down onto the ground when a Lantern Man approached him after hearing his whistle. Traditional advice for evading the creature was to lie flat with one’s mouth pressed into the mud, making oneself less noticeable to the pursuing spirit.
Another tale describes a man who attracted a Lantern Man while whistling to his dog during a walk across the fen. He sought refuge at a friend’s house, where his companion hung a horn from a long pole to distract the spirit. By the following morning, the horn had been burned away. These accounts portray the Lantern Man as a dangerous presence that could pursue those who attracted its attention, even when they attempted to find shelter.
Sources
“Lantern man.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_man