Fairies: The Cottingley Hoax (Modern Sightings & The Fairy Census)

Fairies are often dismissed as Victorian folklore or Disney magic, but for over a century, the Cottingley Fairies have stood as one of the world's most debated supernatural mysteries. While many call it a childhood prank with paper cutouts, thousands of people are still reporting real fairy sightings today through the Fairy Census. Are these encounters just "tricks of the light," or are we glimpsing a hidden layer of reality that our modern senses have forgotten how to see?This week, Craig and Andy grab the scissors and a Brian Froud book to see if they can replicate the 1917 "hoax" using an iPhone and a bit of Wessex garden shrubbery. We dive into the "ethereal matter" that convinced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the chilling accounts of modern-day witnesses, and the reason a recent trip to a "fairy city" in a Cornish woodland was too weird to be broadcast.In This Episode:The Cottingley Deception: Why two girls with hatpins and Princess Mary’s Gift Book were able to fool the creator of Sherlock Holmes.The Fairy Census: A look at the startling modern data proving that fairy sightings aren't just a thing of the past.The Hidden Layer: Is there a finer plane of existence? We discuss the "ectoplasm" theory and the beings that live right beneath our noses.The Cornwall Incident: Craig and Andy reveal why their encounter with a "thriving city of folk" in a Cornish wood never made it to the main feed.DIY Paranormal: We attempt to recreate the "motion blur" of wings. Does paper and string stand up to a 21st-century lens?Art or Evidence? Why the Cottingley girls might have been "translating" a real experience into something the world could finally see.Check out our website for the photos from today’s experiment and more www.wyrdwessex.co.ukStay Wyrd!www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Leonell Cassio - The Paranormal Is Real (ft. Carrie) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.