The Green Children of Woolpit

In 12th-century England, two mysterious children appeared near the village of Woolpit in Suffolk. Their skin was said to be green, they spoke an unfamiliar language, and they refused nearly all food except raw beans. Their strange arrival became the legend of the Green Children of Woolpit.

In this episode of The House of Strange, we explore the medieval accounts recorded by Ralph of Coggeshall and William of Newburgh, the children's mysterious origins, and their claim to have come from a strange place later known as St. Martin’s Land. As they adapted to life in England, their green coloring eventually faded, but questions about where they came from remained.

From historical explanations involving migration, illness, and malnutrition to folklore and more extraordinary theories, the Green Children of Woolpit remain one of medieval England’s most enduring mysteries.