Hallowed Histories
by Richard Sheppard
A regular podcast covering different aspects of English folklore, starting in East Anglia. Broadcast from the media suite at UEA, we include monthly podcasts covering a different myths, interspersed with interviews, specials and readings from local authors.
Episodes
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Sub-Zero by SA Harris - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Finally Winter appears to be coming to an end, and so too our strand of Winter Tales. Behind me you can probably hear the fire crackling on the hearth, but soon we will warm ourselves with the return of the sun, taking the chill off our bones and quickening the long Winter nights. However, we...
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DBL645 (mono) by Shane Brown - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Hello and welcome back to another in the Hallowed Histories strand of Winter Tales, and we hope you all had a very pleasant Christmas. Christmas is an odd time, as i am sure you realized. What strikes us as being so odd is the way in which it collapses the old into the new. Christmas traditions...
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Marie Curie Ghost Story by Alexandra Evans - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Hello, and welcome back to the Hallowed Histories series of Winter Tales A huge you to those who attended last Wednesday's event at Stranger’s Hall featuring local historian, author, and paranormal expert Neil Storey. It was a pleasure to watch him captivate a packed house with his extensive...
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Ten Knocks by Helena K Bacon - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Hello and welcome back to the Hallowed Histories strand of Winter’s Tales, stories to amuse, to chill and to wrap presents by. One of the joys of Christmas is meeting with friends, and i am happy to announce that this story combines two old friends of the show, a writer and an actor who are much...
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Fungal by Shannon Lewis - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Greetings, and a warm welcome back to the Hallowed Histories series of Winter's Tales. A heartfelt thank you to those who ventured through Storm Darragh to join us at Stranger’s Hall in Norwich, where we delved into the allure of ghost stories with renowned local author SA Harris. Your presence…
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The Blacksmith's Tale by Alexandra Evans - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales 2024
Welcome back to Hallowed Histories, presenting the first of our annual Winter Tales series. This year's lineup is exciting, featuring returning favorites like Sally Harris and Shane Brown, as well as new voices, all linked by the haunting landscape of East Anglia—a muse for the likes of Susan…
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Episode Forty-Seven: Norwich is the Old Hollywood - How a Local Boy Revived Dracula and Frankenstein for the Ages (w. Dr. Mark Fryers)
During the Halloween season, we had the pleasure of merging our passion for horror and East Anglian tales. This opportunity arose when Dr. Mark Fryers, a film history expert and a friend of our podcast, reached out to us. He shared his ongoing research involving Norwich, Count Dracula, and...
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Episode Forty-Six - Genius on the Run: Cromer, Einstein and the Bomb
Albert Einstein, one of the 20th century's most transformative figures, found refuge in the secluded expanse of North Norfolk's coast during a critical juncture in his life. His odyssey to Roughton Heath was fraught with danger, yet it proved to be a defining moment in his evolution as both a...
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Episode Forty-Five - Life in the Bronze Age and the Fire that Saved Must Farm
We return from a short break with more tales of the strange and extraordinary from England's East Coast. In this episode, we explore a recent excavation along the River Nene near Peterborough. A farm has been discovered, offering a unique glimpse into the lives, labor, and constructions of Bronze...
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Within Walls by Georgina Pearsall, read by Emma Zadow. Hallowed Histories Present The Winter Tales
We are reaching the end of our strand of the Winter Tales here at Hallowed Histories, but we couldn't resist a couple more stories best enjoyed after dark. For the penultimale episode we are drawing again from the anthology Slow Burn Horror. We supported this project from it's Kickstarter…
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The Finale of The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Read by David Mccabe - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales
When we left Sherlock Holmes he was just about to explain who and how the vicious attack on Mr and Mrs Cubbit was perpetrated. We return you once more to the beautiful Norfolk countryside, the scene of a most gruesome murder. Once again, thanks to David Mccabe for his reading. Enjoy, and we’ll…
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The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Read by David Mccabe - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales
Hello and welcome back to the Hallowed Histories strand of Winters tales, and tonight we have a real classic for you. The Adventure of the Dancing Men is a classic slice of Sherlock Holmes, and one set in North Walsham. We’re breaking it into two parts for you, so stay tuned for the conclusion in…
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Yaxley's Cat by Robert Westall - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales
We present the 1992 adaptation of Robert Westall's classic, Norfolk-set novella, Yaxley's Cat. Set in Cley-Next-The Sea, it combines folk horror, pagan magic and the usual warnings about city folk going to the country. Robert Westall's work can be found here Director: Nigel Bryant Rose: Kathryn...
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One Candle by Kathryn Leigh, Read by John Davis - Hallowed Histories Presents The Winter Tales
We're back with our strand of ghost stories for Christmas, this time expanded all the way through January and encompassing ghost stories, horror stories, detective stories and anything else with a local connection that tickles us. This time Kathryn Leigh returns to haunt us with One Candle, an...
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Episode Forty Four - The Waters Receded Steadily From the Earth (The Flood of 1953 Part Two)
When we left our last episode, the storm had hit East Anglia with full force. Lives were lost, communities shattered and thousands were left without electric, light, heat and hope. Today we are going to focus on the community of Sea Palling, and how one of the worst hit villages survived the…
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Episode Forty Three - All That You Love Will Be Carried Away (The Flood of 1953)
With the Summer behind us and Autumn breathing softly on our shoulder, we notice the weather more. A subtle change in leaves, and a slight drop in temperature - all subtle, temperate beautiful things. Today we are going to look at weather that couldn't be ignored - the flood of 1953 which…
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Episode Forty Two - Back to the Woods (Monsters, Ghosts and Raiders of the Golden Plough in Fritton Woods)
Thank you for bearing with us the past few months whilst we have been relocating. Going through all of our books unearthed a few stories about a quiet, tranquil holiday spot with beautiful scenery, placid lakes, great fishing, aliens, monsters and the neolithic dead. Why not book your cabin now?...
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Episode Forty One - A City Under the Ocean: The Disaster and Afterlife of Dunwich
Nowhere on the Suffolk Coast holds as much allure for the lover of the strange than the ruins that were Old Dunwich. Once a thriving seaport, and vital to the nation's wellbeing, it tumbled into the sea through bad weather and bad planning. Rumours sprang up that Dunwich did not lie easily…
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Episode Forty - Round and Round the Chicken Man Goes
Roundabouts are strange things - often baffling to tourists, often decorated with flowers in the midst of pollutions, often eerily quiet and empty surrounded by noise and bustle. One man made a difference to a local roundabout in a most eccentric way. Listen to the tale of the Chicken Man of...
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Episode Thirty Eight - William of Norwich, Blood Libel and Jewish Norwich
Christmas is over, and we move from ghost stories for Christmas to a more serious, bloody chapter of Norwich's history. The murder of an apprentice tanner in 1144 sparked off a chain reaction that would affect the Jewish community in Norwich, and the rest of the nation throughout the medieval...
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The Book of Shadows by Scott Cherry - Hallowed Histories Present Ghost Stories for Christmas
For the next in our strand of ghost stories for Christmas, we present a classic audio drama, the Book of the Shadows, written by Scott Cherry and originally broadcast a week before Halloween in 1995. Not only is it spooky stuff, with demonic curses, sinister witch covens and a village with…
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Houses Never Forget by Shane Brown - Hallowed Histories Present Ghost Stories for Christmas
we are all big fans of Norfolk native Shane Brown here at Hallowed Histories. We featured his work a few years ago in a strand of ghost stories, and his novel, Welcome To Marlington, was one of the best horror novels of the year. Here, he reads his own story from last Christmas's collection of...
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'Krampus' and 'Half-Hanged Maggie Dickson' by Joey Herzfeld - Hallowed Histories Present Ghost Stories for Christmas
Ghost stories with melody this week, as we present two songs for Christmas. 'Krampus' is a carol-like ode to the demon of Christmas, and 'Half-Hanged Maggie Dickson' is a grim, funny ballad about a botched execution. As you can imagine, Joey Herzfeld's music is very much in Hallowed Histories'...
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I Walk By Myself, by Jane Appleton - Hallowed Histories Present Ghost Stories for Christmas
Jane Appleton joined us last year for a recital of her story, The Yellow Tricycle l, and we are delighted to welcome her back again with another story. This one is another winner - the story of the Reverend Mr Ambrose, priest by day, and by night.....something altogether different. You'll see....
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The Bell, by Frederick Cowles - Hallowed Histories Presents Ghost Stories for Christmas
Our annual season of ghost stories begins with a classic, The Bell by Frederick Cowles, read by Hallowed Histories host Richard Sheppard. A classic chiller set on the Norfolk coast this is a fine way to begin our festival which this year contains original readings, narrative songs, ghoulish...
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Episode Thirty Seven - King's Lynn: The Devil's Port
Happy Halloween, and welcome back to another stop on the Devil's tour of East Anglia. We've heard about his throne, but in King's Lynn he seems to have made himself more at home. Not only his cloven hoof print in the cobbles, and his face on the town coat of arms, he also worked in the hearts of...
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Episode Thirty Six - Two Dreamers, Off to See Swaffham
The peddler of Swaffham is one of the oldest folk legends of East Anglia, and one that is still present today in Swaffham's streets and buildings. It has the hallmarks of a great legend - an unaware and unlikely hero, a great journey, prophetic dreams and an incredible reward. Please leave a...
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Episode Thirty Five - The Luftwaffe Guide to the Norfolk Broads
The horror of the Baedeker raids in 1942 came about due to a concerted effort by German military command to not only wreck a country, but also break its spirits. Centres of culture and spirituality were targeted, all according to a Victorian travel guide, the Baedeker. How did one innocuous book...
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Episode Thirty Four - What Drives a Good Hangman Bad?
The case of Robert Goodale reads like a Thomas Hardy novel meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre on a particularly blighted part of East Anglian farmland. However, when Goodale murdered his wife and threw her down the well near Wisbech, he assumed that his troubles were over. Unfortunately, due to the...
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Episode Thirty Three - The Devil Leaves His Chair on the Shores of East Anglia
The Devil may be in the details - but he's also in the landscape. From Dykes to mountains to valleys to standing stones, any piece of geography can be renamed as belonging to the Devil. However, in the sixteenth century an unusual natural phenomena washed up near Caister that became associated…
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Episode Thirty Two - The Thumb Line Stops Here
Celebrity culture is not a new concept, and often throughout history has made stars of the most unlikely people. Charles Stratton was born with a medical condition that restricted his growth, resulting in a grown man with the stature of a small child. However, he had the ambition that was not...
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Episode Thirty One - Oh We Do Like To See UFOs By The Seaside
The quiet seaside town of Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast has had a long and storied history. However, one story that the locals might want to forget is the day that aliens may have come calling on a housewife. Her story inspired others to come forward and talk about what they had seen in the…
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Episode Thirty - Sea Monsters, Ocean Serpents, Ancient Beasts of the Water
Back to our monthly programme of weirdness from East Anglia, and this time we are looking out to see. Everyone knows Loch Ness, but back in the 1930s Eccles Beach gave it a run for its money with sightings of a beast that terrified fishermen, clergyman and local politicians. What was it? A...
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter's Tales: The Adventures of Zachariah Jaeger Part One: The Beast in the Cave
We are honoured to end our series of tales of the macabre and strange with a crossover with a new podcast drama, The Adventures of Zachariah Jaeger, produced by former podcast guest Richard J Hand. This story, part of a trilogy of stories featuring occult investigator Zachariah Jaeger, piqued our...
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter's Tales: The Shadow of a Midnight by Maurice Baring
A reading of a classic tale of destiny, death and fate, taken from the pages of Swan River Press's new book, Ghosts of the Chit-Chat, edited by Robert Lloyd Parry. Available here http://www.swanriverpress.ie/ For another Victorian ghost story in the classical style, please get a free ticket for…
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter's Tales: The Easy-Life Box by Johnny Raspin
Hallowed Histories favorite Johnny Raspin returns with a chilling story of technology dependence and horrific ends that will make you think twice before talking to Alexa..... For a Victorian ghost story in the classical style, please get a free ticket for our exclusively commissioned performance…
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter's Tales: Between Sunset and Moonrise by RH Malden, Read by Robin McLoughlin
A real treat for this edition of our series of winter's tales; RH Malden's Between Sunset and Moonrise, read by Robin McLoughlin. Info on actor, director and writer Robin McLoughlin can be found at https://www.robinmcloughlin.com/ For a Victorian ghost story in the classical style, please get a...
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter's Tales: The Yellow Tricycle by Jane Appleton
A modern ghost story of cursed possessions, haunted lives and the inescapability of fate by Norwich based author Jane Appleton. For a Victorian ghost story in the classical style, please get a free ticket for our exclusively commissioned performance of E.F. Benson's Outside the Door by renowned...
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Hallowed Histories Presents - The Winter Tales: Live for Today by S.A. Solomon
We're kicking off our traditional collection of stories of the macabre in two ways: For a Victorian ghost story in the classical style, please get a free ticket for our exclusively commissioned performance of E.F. Benson's Outside the Door by renowned actor and voice artist, Richard Crowest. Get...
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Episode Twenty Nine - The Sound of his Horn: The Wild Hunt, and How to Avoid It.
The Wild Hunt has been a ghoulish mainstay of folklore since time immemorial, but who are the Huntsmen, and what do they want? Often terrifying, sometimes generous and always enigmatic, we take a look at this enduring slice of East Anglian mythology. Please leave a review, subscribe and recommend...
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Episode Twenty Eight - In the Mood for Mystery: The Vanishing of Glenn Miller
The disappearance of 40s big-band icon Glenn Miller is one of the best known, and most investigated, mysteries of the second world war. Friendly fire, freezing cold, fog and propaganda cover-up have all been suggested as probable cause for the vanished flight that carried Miller and two airmen to...
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Episode Twenty Seven - The George at Dereham (For Norwich Pride 2021)
In honour of Norwich Pride 2021, we take a look at the bloody beginnings of Dereham, before focusing on one it's most famous landmarks, the George Hotel. Stories had been circulating about the ghosts there for decades, before a medium and ghost investigation team uncovered a tale of The Green…
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Episode Twenty Six - The Ghosts of Poppyland
Poppyland, the wide stretch of meadows and fields that runs along part of the North Norfolk coast, was the inspiration for many Victorian poets and artists. However, alongside this celebration if beauty, not a stone's throw away from the poppy fields, like the Shrieking Pits. Once deep, dark…
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Episode Twenty Five - The Song of the Sea
The sea shanty was the recent focus of a social media craze, but in many ways it revival completely predictable. As we shall see today, the shanty has always been a way to connect disparate groups, causing all of them to pull in one direction. It was exactly the tonic that people lockdowned with...
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Episode Twenty Four - The Society for Psychical Research: The Science of Ghosts
The history and aims of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) provides a fascinating look at a point in our history where religion, science and the paranormal took centre stage in a discussion that would define the modern world. We're back at UEA's media suite now (although this episode was...
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Episode Twenty Three - Eye Witness The Dead
As a follow-up episode to last month's look at the white women ghosts of East Anglia, we present an eye-witness, first hand account of a student teacher who witnessed something sinister in Sprowston. For reasons of privacy we have removed any references to where in Norwich this took place, and...
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Episode Twenty Two - Madness and Blessings: The Lady in White
Imagine a ghost and the classical image of a figure in white may pop into your mind. The lady in white is one of the archetypal spectres, and East Anglia certainly has its share. But is the lady in white here to harm or heal? And is she still about her business to this very day? We investigate a...
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Episode Twenty One - Midnight in the Village of Heaven and Hell
While locked down in our houses, it is very easy to forget that we are surrounded by wild, open, empty spaces. The Broads exemplify the strange patchwork of countryside that make up a lot of East Anglia, both picturesque and strangely menacing. When the Broads do throw up folklore, it runs that...
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Episode Twenty - Murder On A Winter's Day: The Killer and the Lord
Thank you so much to those of you who joined us for our recent run of ghost stories, as well as the online screening of Clive Dunn's documentary about M.R. James last month. We're going to be bringing you more screenings in 2021, so keep an eye out on our website and on the podcasts for further...
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Hallowed Histories Extra - More Ghost Stories for Christmas: Daffodils by S. A. Harris
Hallowed Histories is delighted to bring back one of our favourite traditions - ghost stories for Christmas. Each week leading up to our Christmas special (details to come), we will be hosting a story written and narrated by a local author. This episode is a reading of Daffodils by Sally Harris…
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About this show
A regular podcast covering different aspects of English folklore, starting in East Anglia. Broadcast from the media suite at UEA, we include monthly podcasts covering a different myths, interspersed with interviews, specials and readings from local authors.
Hosted by
Richard Sheppard