The Scottish Cannibal, Sawney Bean episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 19, 2025 · 24 MIN

The Scottish Cannibal, Sawney Bean

from A Popular History of Unpopular Things · host Kelli Beard

Join Kelli as she goes over a tale of a Scottish incestuous cannibal family - the Beans. As legend goes, they lived in a cave in southwest Scotland, only venturing out to kill passersby and loot them for good - and meat. Over 25 years, it's said they killed over 1,000 people.But how much truth is there to this grisly tale? It sounds a little too gross to be real. Let's dive into the history to find out where the Sawney Bean story comes from, how credible the sources are, and whether there's any truth we can corroborate from the story. From James I and his bloodhounds to the Jacobite Rebellion and Battle of Culloden (I see you, Outlander fans), let's see how much history we can attribute to this gory story.Intro and Outro music credit:  @nedricmusicFind him on all streaming services and YouTube!http://www.nedricmusic.com Support the showIntro and Outro music credit: Nedric | Yello KakeFollow me on Instagram! @beardhistoryIf you want to support the show, donate to the cause at Buy Me a Coffee

Join Kelli as she goes over a tale of a Scottish incestuous cannibal family - the Beans. As legend goes, they lived in a cave in southwest Scotland, only venturing out to kill passersby and loot them for good - and meat. Over 25 years, it's said they killed over 1,000 people. But how much truth is there to this grisly tale? It sounds a little too gross to be real. Let's dive into the history to find out where the Sawney Bean story comes from, how credible the sources are, and whether th...

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The Scottish Cannibal, Sawney Bean

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This episode is 24 minutes long.

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This episode was published on January 19, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Join Kelli as she goes over a tale of a Scottish incestuous cannibal family - the Beans. As legend goes, they lived in a cave in southwest Scotland, only venturing out to kill passersby and loot them for good - and meat. Over 25 years, it's said...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

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