Episode 76 - THE HIGHGATE VAMPIRE

Episode 76 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS conjures up a "true story" from North London, circa late 1960s-early 1970s. Neighbors walking in and around the Highgate Cemetary claimed to have witnessed a tall, dark spectral being who disappeared into thin air, hypnotized people, crawled out of graves, and killed animals. Dubbed "The Highgate Vampire" by the press and two prominent occultists, the spectre created a sensation around London, resulting in a riot at the cemetary: self-proclaimed "vampire hunters" descended on the sacred ground with homemade stakes, crucifixes and shovels...only to be chased out by "something crawling in the dark". BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF puts a final bite into this episode with a reading of, "The Vampire", a poem by Conrad Aiken. To send correspondence, email [email protected] To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.