S06-E08 - Vampires in the UK

Vampires are often treated as creatures of fiction.But long before cinema, gothic novels and Dracula, people across Europe were opening graves, driving stakes through bodies, placing bricks in mouths, burning remains, and taking extraordinary measures against the fear that the dead might rise again.In this episode of Haunted UK Podcast, we explore the folklore, history and alleged real-life cases of vampires — beginning with older European accounts before turning to some of Britain’s most unsettling vampire legends. From the infamous Croglin Vampire of Cumbria to the blood-soaked stories of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Hunderprest of Melrose Abbey, and the modern hysteria surrounding the Highgate Vampire, this is a journey through some of the strangest stories ever attached to graveyards, vaults, abbeys and old houses.Along the way, the episode examines how vampire belief took hold, why certain burial customs were used to contain suspected revenants, and how fear, disease, folklore, violence, superstition and the occult all became entangled in the vampire myth.Atmospheric, strange and historically rooted, this is a dark folklore investigation into the undead of Britain — and the enduring question of whether vampire stories are simply legend, or something older and more troubling that refused to stay buried.Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave us a rating, and drop a review. It really helps the show reach more listeners. Here's where to find more:Support the show: Patreon (patreon.com/hauntedukpodcast) | Ko-fi (ko-fi.com/hauntedukpodcast)Follow us: Instagram @hauntedukpodcast | TikTok @hauntedukpodcast | X @hauntedukpodWebsite: https://hauntedukpodcast.com/Produced by Pink Flamingo Sound Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.