Wyrd Wessex

Welcome back to WyrdLore, our bonus series dedicated to the strange tales, local legends, and folklore that are just too "Wyrd" for the main show.In this episode, Andy and Craig travel out to the treacherous, wave-lashed waters twenty miles west of the Marloes Peninsula to uncover the grim and haunting history of the Smalls Lighthouse. Back in the autumn of 18th-century Britain, this wasn't the sturdy stone tower people picture today, but a bizarre, claustrophobic wooden cage balanced precariously on nine oak pillars—allowing the violent Atlantic swells to rush right through beneath the keepers' feet.Stationed out on this isolated post were Thomas Griffiths and Joseph Harry, two men whose forced confinement spiralled into a psychological nightmare. What happened inside that tiny wooden room left one man dead, the other irrevocably changed, and gave birth to a dark maritime legend that would eventually echo all the way to modern cinema. Step inside the cage with us as we unpack a true chapter of coastal horror that changed lighthouse regulations forever.Support the show and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig BrooksHosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB Intro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Wyrd Wessex, we sit down with Matt, the director of Area 51, to peel back the layers of one of the UK’s most unique gatherings: The Strange Days Festival. Hosted at the legendary Barge Inn in Honey Street, this weekend-long celebration on the Kennet and Avon Canal has become a vital hub for the Fortean community.Matt takes us behind the scenes of creating immersive, "shit-scary" experiences—from his work designing elaborate Halloween scare mazes like Witchfinder to the eclectic, "psychedelic space rock" atmosphere of the festival itself. We discuss the fine line between believers and skeptics, the fascinating history of Forteana, and why the Barge is the perfect, uncanny setting for healthy debate and storytelling.Join us as we explore the lineup for this year’s festival, discuss the "Sandown Clown" mystery, and dive into the peculiar crossover between folk horror and modern UFO encounters.Links:Strange Days Festival: strange days festival.co.ukFollow the Barge: https://www.facebook.com/thebargehoneystreet/?locale=en_GBStay Wyrd!Support the Show:Join our Discord: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexShop our merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to AfterWyrd where we dive into the anomalies, the unexplained, and the unsettling stories that were just too "Wyrd" for the main show.]This week, we confront the strange reality of modern science and ancient folklore. From the disturbing pattern of researchers vanishing after experiments involving quantum matter, to the "data rot" causing AI chatbots to hallucinate the same fictional man—Elias Thorne—we explore the boundaries of what we think we know. We also revisit the debate over "witch marks," challenging whether those iconic daisy wheels and hexafoils are truly ritual protection, or merely the practical geometry of bored medieval stonemasons.The conversation takes a darker turn as we move to the clinical and the paranormal: dissecting the electromagnetic glitches at Skinwalker Ranch and the terrifying "mind games" of the devil as documented by modern exorcists. The Wyrd News:The Quantum Disappearances: We look into the disturbing trend of researchers vanishing after experiments involving quantum state research. Is this a statistical anomaly, or is there a darker, more persistent thread connecting these cases?Elias Thorne & The AI Glitch: Why are the world’s most advanced AI models obsessed with the same fictional lighthouse keeper? We explore why our digital intelligence is running out of original ideas and stuck in a loop of its own making.Witch Marks vs. Geometry: Following our talk with Toby the Stone Carver, we analyse new research suggesting that iconic "witch marks" might just be the practical practice sketches of medieval stonemasons—and debate if that explanation is simply too convenient.Skinwalker Ranch & Exorcisms: From the physicist who used magnets to replicate the ranch’s electronic glitches to the priests who claim the "mind of the devil" is a tangible, terrifying presence, we examine the fine line between the clinical and the paranormal.The Semen-Injection Incident: A bizarre, clinical look at a medical case study involving a DIY "remedy" that serves as a grim reminder of what happens when human curiosity ignores all medical logic.Don't blame the Owls!Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.ukMerch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/exploreHosted by: Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by: Craig BrooksIntro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Craig as he leaves the comfort of the studio behind for a special live recording from the stunning Peak District. Amidst the magic and folklore swirling around the festival grounds, this episode captures the raw energy of Solskin, featuring intimate conversations on shamanism, Celtic mythology, and the supernatural. Between teaching butchery and cooking over open fires, Craig sat down with fascinating guests to explore the deeper currents of myth and spirit that define the event.First up, we speak with Faber Horbach from Sowulo about his spiritual musical practice. Known for blending Anglo-Saxon lyrics with modern orchestration and historical instruments, Faber delves into the cyclical nature of the sun, the roots of shamanism, and how drumming acts as a gateway to non-ordinary reality. He shares insights on creating meaningful music for the present moment using old ingredients, and why authenticity resonates more deeply than high-budget production.Next, we catch up with storyteller Jason Buck to discuss his latest production, Sláine: the Horned God. Adapted from Pat Mills’ celebrated 2000 AD graphic novel, Jason breaks down the journey of bringing ancient Celtic myths to the stage for a 21st-century audience. We talk about the "warp spasm," the hero Cú Chulainn, and the challenge of translating hand-painted comics into immersive storytelling without needing to get lost in costume.Then, we delve into the strange and wonderful work of Snooze from Portable Weirdness. Describing herself as a "taxi for dead guys," Snooze uses animal remains to create craftwork and spiritual tools. She offers expert analysis on a listener’s terrifying lifelong night visitations, decodes the runes carved into a cow bone talisman, and discusses the concept of spirit animals in preparation for the festival's big animal mask ball. Finally, while getting a tattoo from Hamish (Pictavia leather) Craig shares a captivating account of a 1950s Pictish time slip, exploring archaeological evidence, warrior tattoos, and the possibility of glimpsing history across time.Whether you’re here for pagan music, bone work, ghost stories, or the mystery of the Horned God, this episode brings the essence of the festival straight to your screen.Stay Wyrd!Support the Show:Join our Discord: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexShop our merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig BrooksEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to WyrdLore, our bonus series dedicated to the strange tales, local legends, and folklore that are just too "Wyrd" for the main show.In this episode, Andy and Craig tackle the classic global folk motif known as "The Endless Tale." We meet a powerful king who offers his beautiful daughter's hand in marriage to any suitor who can tell a story that never ends—though the penalty for failing to entertain is an immediate, rather harsh decapitation.When a clever poor man steps up to the challenge, he unleashes the ultimate narrative filibuster involving a massive barn, a sky-high supply of corn, and a relentless swarm of singular locusts. As Craig dives into the repetitive rhythm of the legend, Andy finds himself caught in a psychological war of attrition that threatens to trap the entire studio in a permanent loop.Support the show and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig BrooksHosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB Intro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to AfterWyrd, the show where we sort through the odd little bits, strange stories, and global eccentricities that don’t quite make the main episodes. Fresh off a grueling vocal session that has left our voices in absolute tatters from doing silly accents, Craig and Andy reunite to break down a massive backlog of unhinged headlines. We dive straight into the tragic breaking news out of Derbyshire surrounding the brutal summer solstice murder of Isaac Clare-Watts at the ancient Nine Ladies Stone Circle in the Peak District. Then, we head over to Jalisco to track the "Batman of Lagos de Moreno"—a mysterious masked vigilante duct-taping motorcycle thieves to lampposts and drawing cat whiskers on their faces. Andy shares his weekend dodging street preachers at the Boscombe Witches Market with a pagan-friendly Jesus, while Craig recounts nearly getting shot by a farmer in a man-made crop circle. Plus, we explore the psychology behind why our brains see ghosts, a wild 37-year-old adult adoption scam in Brazil, and the brewing online theory that a rogue weasel at the CERN Large Hadron Collider permanently fractured our reality's timeline. Don't blame the owls!Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.ukMerch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/exploreHosted by: Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by: Craig BrooksIntro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2026 season has brought new formations to the Wiltshire landscape, but the mystery of the "crop circle" didn't start in the 1980s. Long before the modern era of drones and sophisticated land art, people were finding strange, circular depressions in their fields—and they were blaming everything from cyclonic winds to the Devil himself.In this episode, Craig explores the long, bizarre history of flattened grain. Tracing the lineage of the phenomenon, starting with the 1678 "Mowing Devil" pamphlet in Hertfordshire and moving through the "nest" sightings of the 1950s, all the way to the complex, mathematical formations that have come to define Wiltshire. Is there a hidden continuity to these reports, or are we just projecting our own modern anxieties onto the landscape?In This Episode:The Mowing Devil: Re-examining the 1678 account—was it folklore, an early report of a whirlwind, or the seed of a centuries-old legend?From "Nests" to Circles: How the 1950s UFO sightings in Australia and France turned "flattened vegetation" into a definitive link to the extraterrestrial.The 1976 Turning Point: How two friends at a Hampshire pub—Doug Bower and Dave Chorley—accidentally kicked off the modern "crop circle" era as a prank.The Mathematical Leap: Looking at the post-hoax era, where formations grew in complexity, leading to the massive 2001 Milk Hill anomaly.The "Wyrd" Persistence: Why these formations persist in our collective imagination, even when we have a clear, human explanation for their creation.A Wiltshire Perspective: Exploring why this specific corner of England remains the global epicenter for the phenomenon, regardless of origin.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the lights on, get ad free episodes and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig Brooks Edited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Craig and Andy head to the ancient, iconic landscape of the Avebury Stone Circle for the "Weird Wessex" showcase—a gathering of local artists, musicians, and storytellers celebrating the high strangeness of the West Country. What starts as a stroll through the stones quickly turns into a deep dive into the living, breathing folklore of the region, packed with everything from medieval mysteries to silent UFOs.First, we chat with some of the festival's more eccentric living folklore characters, including the forest-dwelling Apple Man and the Cerbo Dog (a self-proclaimed son of Cerberus). Then, we catch up with traditional stonemason Toby Robson to talk about the hidden history of apotropaic "witch marks" on historic buildings, before he drops a fascinating, first-hand account of a silent, diamond-shaped craft he witnessed gliding over Devizes.Moving over to St. James's Church, event co-organiser and carver Wolfie gives us a masterclass in reading sacred spaces as he shares his deep research into replicating the mysterious, headless figure on the 12th-century Avebury font. We're also joined by muralist Bos, who details the dark, thunderous Dartmoor lore behind his painting of the 1638 Widecombe-in-the-Moor Devil attack, and storyteller Oliver Lavery (The Folk Bus), who helps us bridge the gap between ancient fairy abductions at Hackpen Hill and modern Ufology.We wrap things up with a well-earned debrief at The Barge at Honey Street, reflecting on how crop circles, stone carvings, and local legends all connect into one massive matrix of weirdness.In This EpisodeThe Witch Marks of Wessex: Stonemason Toby Robson explains the folklore of apotropaic markings, portal protection, and why people used to scrape consecrated dust from church walls for folk magic.The Silent Diamond over Devizes: Toby shares his unexplained encounter with a silent, multi-coloured, diamond-shaped aerial object that defied military aviation logic.The Avebury Font Detective: Wolfie breaks down the iconography of the church's medieval font and his theory that the missing figure is actually St. James of Jerusalem.The Devil of Widecombe: Bos brings the eerie history of Dartmoor to life, recounting the legendary 1638 lightning strike blamed on a demonic visitation, and a strange Hollywood connection to the "ghost village."Fairies vs. Grays: Storyteller Oliver Lavery explores the shared archetypal DNA between the historic fairies of Hackpen Hill and modern alien abduction lore."I don't think it's for me to say if anyone's wrong or right... I love the secrecy of it all. And your opinions are just as valid as mine."Stay Wyrd!Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another instalment of the Wyrd Wessex Book Club! This month, we’re peeling back the layers of mythology and identity as we dive into Queer as Folklore by Sasha Coward.We’ve been an "extended book club" for a long time here, but it’s been a joy to formalise these monthly gatherings with our Discord members Rosie and Terrie. This month’s pick was recommended by Rosie, and it’s safe to say it gave us all plenty to talk about. Sasha Coward’s work isn’t just a look at ancient texts—it’s a manual for reclaiming our space in history and understanding why the "strange" has always acted as a sanctuary for the outsider.In this episode, we chat about:Reclaiming the Monster: Why symbols like the X-Men or The Little Mermaid (and the legendary drag queen Divine!) are more than just stories—they’re ancestral threads for the queer community.The "Armor" of the Outsider: We share how many of us used "fake lore"—from gothic gear to devil horns—as literal armor to navigate the world.The Perspective Shift: How even for those of us who grew up on classic folklore, this book added an entirely new layer of meaning to the myths we thought we knew.Our Rating: Did it live up to the hype? Spoiler: The Green Men were out in full force for this one.Next Month’s Read:We’re shifting gears for July. We’ll be tackling Shadows in the Nave by Peter Underwood/Paul Adams/Eddie Brazil. It’s beautifully broken down into short, visual sections—perfect for our summer reading.Join the Conversation:Did you read along with us? Let us know your favourite chapter or your thoughts on the book in the comments below! If you want to jump into our next recording or share your "ideal reading spot," head over to our Discord.Support the Show:Buy Us A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexGrab Official Merch: redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shopHosted and edited by Craig BrooksIntro & Outro Music: Medieval Celtic violin by Music_for_Creators Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you don't fit into the "neat and orderly" versions of history taught in schools? You go underground. You find your truth in the stories, the monsters, and the high strangeness that society tries to ignore.In this episode, Craig sits down with historian and author Sasha Coward (Queer as Folklore) to map out the hidden, queer roots of our favourite myths. We’re exploring how the marginalised and the neurodiverse have used folklore as a sanctuary for centuries—and why those "weird" stories have always acted as a beacon for the outsider.In this episode, we cover:The Sanctuary of the Strange: From Victorian seances (and their surprisingly erotic loopholes) to the 90s goth subculture, we look at how the supernatural has provided a safe harbour for queer identity.Reclaiming the Monster: Why we aren't just "borrowing" myths like mermaids, unicorns, or werewolves—we helped create them.The Neurodiverse Connection: Why the "slanted" mind and the "wyrd" have always travelled together.Mothman & Florida Man: Craig mounts a spirited defence of the misunderstood Mothman, and we break down the tactical logistics of praising God from a highway sunroof at 70mph.Folklore isn't just a collection of dusty old stories; it’s a map of our true ancestral roots. Whether you're an outsider, a believer, or just someone looking for a bit of high strangeness, this conversation is for you.Follow Sasha Coward: Check out his book Queer as Folklore www.sachacoward.com https://www.instagram.com/sachacoward/A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO OUR BUY ME A COFFEE MEMBERS:Tenner, Dan, Vicky, Steph, Gabby, Andrew, John, Rosie, Nick, Simon, and Terry! Your support helps us keep the show going. Want to join our supporters, get live recording links, and access our Discord channels? Head over to the link below.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig BrooksEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Craig and Andy head slightly north to explore the modern urban legends, liminal spaces, and paranormal hotspots of Milton Keynes. We are joined by paranormal researcher, writer, and photographer Dr. Steph Lay, who spent over two decades at the Open University before turning her analytical eye toward the city's haunted shadows.With a diploma in parapsychology and a PhD specialising in the "uncanny valley," Steph is on a mission to collect a ghost story for every single grid square in Milton Keynes. Is a city designed for the future actually a containment system for something ancient, or are these modern ghost stories evolving alongside the technology we use?Milton Keynes might lack the centuries of dust found in York or Nottingham, but as our conversation with Steph reveals, it is rapidly growing its own modern mythology. Whether it’s the persistent rumours of Cold War-era bunkers, digital ghosts caught on CCTV, or the synchronicity of ancient leys, the city proves that high strangeness is always closer than we think.In This EpisodeWhy a city known for being shiny and clean is actually a hotbed for paranormal activity. Steph shares her data-driven approach to mapping hauntings across the city's meticulously planned estates.We delve into the theory that the city’s modern infrastructure—from smart technology to fibre networks—is fracturing an ancient containment system buried beneath the soil.Did the original planners tune into the weird, hippie vibe of the 1960s to align the city’s Midsomer Boulevard with the summer solstice and local ley lines?We explore the chilling local folklore of "Deb's Close" in Stoney Stratford, where a modern home renovation allegedly disturbed a monstrous entity that terrorises residents every New Year's Eve.Steph explains the psychological roots of the "uncanny valley"—why near-human entities trigger our deepest danger responses—and how she uses that cognitive psychology expertise to investigate the supernatural."I’m absolutely fascinated by the idea that it might actually be quite haunted... I’m into mapping, I love data—so I thought, what if I could get a ghost story in every single one of these grid squares?"Explore the Revenants on the Redway Project and read Stephs ongoing collection of paranormal reports at cityofsecrets.blog.Stay Wyrd.Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by: Craig Brooks Hosted by: Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens Edited by: Craig BrooksIntro music: Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix Outro music: Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Craig and special guest UAPaul as they tackle the latest batch of UAP file releases from the US Department of War. Is the government finally admitting we aren't alone, or are they just having a bit of a laugh at our expense with a retro-styled website that feels like a 90s conspiracy fever dream? We cut through the noise, the FLIR artifacts, and the "tic-tac" hype to get to the truth.Episode HighlightsThe "Invisible Frontline": We discuss the UK turning on its "Skynet" space defence system six months early. Is it a necessary shield against cosmic conflict, or more "a lie they want you to believe" territory?Decoding the Data Dump: Paul provides a technical breakdown of the US Department of War’s latest UAP website. Why does it look like an X-Files prop, and why is the image quality so suspiciously low?Flare or Phenomenon?: We examine the "star-shaped" objects and strange pulses. Is it advanced propulsion, or just military flares and camera stabilization struggling with high-speed movement?The USO Mystery: What’s going on under the water? We discuss Unidentified Submerged Objects (USOs) that seem to defy the physics of sea travel.The Propaganda Game: Are these releases a genuine attempt at disclosure, or is the government flooding the zone with easily debunked footage to discredit the entire UAP conversation?The "Bug on the Doorbell Cam" Theory: We contemplate the state of modern tech—why the best evidence might be the older, "pre-CGI" era clips.Join our Discord community to debate the footage and share your own sightings.Don't blame the owls!Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.ukMerch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/exploreHosted by: Craig BrooksEdited by: Craig BrooksIntro & Outro: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix by Antipodean Writer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, Craig and Andy gather to share a collection of eerie, fascinating, and downright creepy listener stories sent in by their brilliant Buy Me a Coffee members. After a few technical mishaps and some profanity in a church during the 100th episode, the Wyrdos are back to deliver the supernatural goods.The Listener Tales:Andrew's Childhood Shadow Figures: A genuinely chilling memory from a four-year-old’s perspective. Was it a waking sleep paralysis episode, or were his parents secretly moonlighting in a Dorset-based cult? A terrifying look at an occupied house filled with exploding lightbulbs, phantom candles that relight themselves, and a bizarre, unexplainable horse whinny. But nothing prepares the hosts for Rosie's encounter with a mimic—a chilling phenomenon that introduces the deeply unsettling reality of things pretending to be the people we love.Craig's Glitch in the Matrix: Craig shares a deeply unsettling personal experience from his own home involving a late-night goodnight kiss, a tent fort, and the terrifying realisation in the morning that his daughter Ocean hadn't been in the bed at all. The lingering question remains: What exactly did Craig kiss goodnight?Nick's Trilogy of Terror:A vanishing phantom cat that defies explanation.Creepy audio recordings from a local cemetery.A textbook hospital haunting featuring a friendly spirit and a perfectly timed fire door lockdown.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back, Wyrdos!You are tuning into the very first official Wyrdo Book Club! Craig flies solo for this one (while Andy presumably avoids the reading list) to dive into the enchanting world of Seasonal Folklore: Spring by recent guest of the show, Eileen Budd.We explore the quiet magic of snowdrops giving colour to the snow, the liminal spaces of early spring, and a gripping Gaelic tale. We are incredibly lucky to have a very special feature this week: a full guest retelling of The Ravens and the Travelling Storyteller directly from Eileen Budd herself, bringing the traditional folklore, ink-black cloaks, and flying steeds to life with perfect Gaelic pronunciation.We also lament the mysterious disappearance of several library staples into the local charity shop, debate the perfect locations in the world to read this book, and try out our brand-new "Green Men" rating system.Plus, a heads-up for next month's read! We will be diving into Queer as Folklore by Sacha Coward, so grab your copies now (and make sure they don't end up in the charity shop donation pile!).Stay Wyrd!📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:• 'Seasonal Folklore: Spring' by Eileen Budd• 'Vickery’s Folk Flora' by Roy Vickery• 'Adventures in Nature' by Dawn Nelson• 'Stories of the Sun' by Dawn Nelson• 'Queer as Folklore' by Sacha Coward (Next Month's Pick!)Hosted and edited by Craig BrooksIntro & Outro Music: Medieval Celtic violin by Music_for_Creators Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark our landmark 100 and oneth episode, we decided to do things a bit differently. Trading the usual format for something more self-indulgent, we sat down in St Andrews Church in Rolleston—complete with some cake and a drop of whiskey—to look back at our journey, answer your listener questions, and contemplate the unknown.Here is a taste of what to expect as we reflect on a century of episodes:Our Origin Story: We share the slightly awkward story of how we first met and teamed up.Highlights and Favourites: With a massive back catalogue behind us, we reveal our top deep dives, the episodes that sat heaviest with us, and some of the most memorable guest moments we've had the pleasure of recording.From Skeptics to the Fence: We haven't always been open to the supernatural. We discuss the specific phenomena that finally pushed us off the fence, our personal theories on what ghosts might actually be, and the one cryptid we are convinced is roaming the British countryside.Looking Ahead: We share our candid thoughts on official UAP disclosure, outline our goals for future storytelling, and reveal the exact episode we would recommend to a new listener discovering the show 50 years from now.A Note on the Technicals: We ended up waffling for so long that our batteries died, our mics glitched, and we were essentially "cast out" of the church for Craig’s spirited language. We kept the best of the conversation for this episode, but have moved your Listener Stories to next week so they get the high-quality treatment they deserve! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our 100th episode, we’re spending the night within the ancient, 13th-century walls of St. Andrew’s, Rollestone—a site once held by the legendary Knights Hospitaller. Surrounded by centuries of history and the heavy atmosphere of a building designed for spiritual warfare, we’re unpacking the folklore that has kept us "Wyrdo's" talking for 100 episodes.In this episode, we explore:A Night of Wyrd: We settle in for a night of stories in a 13th-century church, discussing why these spaces are more than just architecture—they are fortresses against the unseen.The Church Grim & The Spectral Hound: From the protective yet eerie Church Grim to the hell-hound Black Shuck and the shape-shifting Chien Noir, we delve into the folklore of the dogs that haunt our boundaries.The Warrior-Healers: We visit the legacy of the Knights Hospitaller at Rollestone, exploring their "medicine and military" might and how their presence shaped the landscape we’re currently sitting in.Pharmacy of the Pews: We look at the grim, desperate, and fascinating cures of the past—from church keys and hangman's hands to the bleeding Yew.The Drummer’s Warning: We recount the bleak and gothic legends of Salisbury Plain, including that ominous advice: if you must commit a murder in a thunderstorm, for heaven's sake, make sure the man isn't a drummer.Liminal Spaces: We discuss the porch as a threshold, the meaning of the "Devil’s Door," and the persistent legends of the "Woman in White."A Century of Stories: Reflecting on our journey through the weird and wonderful folklore of the West Country.Stay Wyrd.Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by: Craig Brooks Hosted by: Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens Edited by: Craig BrooksIntro music: Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix Outro music: Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you mix giant outlaws, eerie supernatural warnings, and communities fiercely defending their right to the land? This week on Wyrd Wessex, co-hosts Craig and Andy welcome back author and storyteller Eileen Budd to wrap up a massive, sprawling conversation that bridges the folklore of England and the Scottish Highlands.Instead of postcard myths, we're diving into the gritty, shared history of British land resistance. We look at how common folk on both sides of the border used everything from legal battles to straight-up defiance to push back against privatisation and oppressive laws. Along the way, we dig up the shadowy lore of the "Ootlings"—entities that exist completely outside the natural order—the chaotic history of midnight poachers outsmarting the Crown, and the terrifying reasons you should never, under any circumstances, move a Dorset screaming skull just to please a TV crew.Highlights of the Episode:The Call of the Cupboard: Eileen joins us live from her literal "story cupboard" under the stairs to discuss the struggle of writing about freezing winter snow while the summer sun is blazing outside.The Giant o' Legs: Andy defends the home turf of Hertfordshire with Jack o' Legs—a towering, cave-dwelling Robin Hood figure who has been immortalised by a local craft beer.The Cuckoo Calendar: Craig goes toe-to-toe on West Country bird lore, breaking down the dark secrets hidden inside the verses of the classic magpie rhyme.The Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe: Andy recounts the chilling curse of the Dorset screaming skull, including the infamous time an ITV crew allegedly triggered a minor earthquake by moving it on camera.The Rebellion of the Salmon: Eileen breaks down Scotland's hard-won Right to Roam along Jock's Road, before sharing a hilarious local tale about a legendary poacher who bit off way more than he could chew with a stick of dynamite.The Glaistig & The Lullaby: Eileen introduces us to the eerie world of the Glaistig—the shape-shifting "Ootlings" who exist outside the realms of sky, sea, and earth—and shares a beautiful traditional melody used to guide the dead home from the Battle of Sheriffmuir.Find out more about Eileen Budd, her books, and her seasonal folklore series:https://www.eileenbudd.co.ukStay Wyrd!Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to WyrdLore, our bonus series dedicated to the strange tales, local legends, and folklore that are just too "Wyrd" for the main show.In this episode, Andy and Craig travel to 15th-century York to uncover a tale from the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould’s Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents and Strange Events. We meet Brother Jucundus, a monk who joined St Leonard’s Priory during a particularly bad hangover and spent the rest of his life trying to drink his way back out of it.After a "jollification" at the York Fair involving a see-saw and a very public arrest, Jucundus faces the ultimate medieval punishment: being walled up alive. But a lucky tumble through a thin wall and a year of forced silence in the Abbey next door leads to a "miracle" that even the most devout monk couldn't have predicted.Support the show and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig BrooksHosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB Intro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to an episode of AfterWyrd that proves the truth is often stranger (and smellier) than fiction. After a month-long hiatus due to Andy’s "cough-splatter" lung-rot, the Wyrdos reunite to tackle a massive backlog of weirdness. We’re moving from the linguistic mysteries of the afterlife—discussing why Geordie ghosts don’t just sing "Fog on the Tyne" at you—to the high-stakes world of Finnish Air Force "cock and ball" flight patterns.We dive into the ethics of the digital age, from $1.99-a-minute video calls with AI Jesus to the "Black Mirror" reality of using AI clones to keep the deceased "alive" for grieving relatives. Things take a turn for the underground as we explore the newly discovered tunnel networks of Bloxham and the mysterious activity recorded at the York Dungeons. Finally, we look at the political-paranormal crossover of the year: Donald Trump’s promised UFO file dump and the skepticism of former AARO director Sean Kirkpatrick.The Wyrd News:Geordie Ghosts & Willington Mill: Following our look into the Willington Mill haunting via the Hallowell and Ritsons files, we ask: Do ghosts keep their accents? We discuss the terrifying prospect of a Nazi ghost and wonder why nobody has ever been haunted by a ghostly trilobite.The Trump UFO Files: They’re finally arriving. We discuss Trump’s promise to "spill the secrets" on everything from UAPs to JFK, and why some insiders claim it's just a "shiny object" to distract from the war with Iran.The Bloxham Underground Tunnel Society (BUTS): Tales of hidden tunnels in North Oxfordshire prove true. We discuss Dave Green’s discovery of a massive network featuring pre-medieval red deer skulls and potential Roman origins.York Dungeon Poltergeists vs. Slushy Machines: We review the CCTV footage of flying tumblers that has investigators from Project NCC stumped. Is it a restless spirit, or just the vibrations from a nearby slushy machine? Plus, Andy recounts a "scaredy-cat" ghost hunt at Woodchester Mansion involving a very tense trip to an outdoor toilet.The 24,000-Year-Old Zombie Worm: A microscopic rotifer is thawed from the Siberian permafrost after 24 millennia and immediately starts reproducing. We compare the discovery to the classic X-Files episode "Ice" and wonder if the Late Pleistocene is coming for us.Finnish Aviation Art & Operation Bearclaw: The "Rainbow Scissors" flight patterns that landed Finnish cadets in hot water, and the California insurance scam that proved a man in a bear suit is no match for a suspicious biologist.The Range "Deposit" & AI Salvation: From a shopper in Banbury choosing a shelf over a toilet to a King James-trained AI Jesus providing wisdom for a fee.Wyrdo Shout-outs:A massive thank you to our newest subscribers: Tena, Vicky, Steph, Gabby, Andrew, John, Rosie, Nick, Simon, and Terry. Most of you have your Green Man badges on the way!Don't blame the owls!Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.ukMerch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/exploreHosted by: Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by: Craig BrooksIntro & Outro: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix by Antipodean Writer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WyrdLore, we follow the journey of naturalist Gavin Maxwell, a man of the "faithless generation" who moved to the remote West Highland coast armed with scientific detachment, only to have his scepticism shattered by the inexplicable.From the shadow of the Isle of Skye, we explore a world where the Wyrd is a neighbour—where witches walk as cats and the sound of a shipwreck can arrive days before the event itself. We detail the forty-eight hours of poltergeist activity that transformed Maxwell’s worldview and the "captive echoes" of King Haco’s Viking fleet still heard at the narrows of Kyleakin.Into the Wyrd:The Empirical Wall: How a flying jar of marmalade and a sliding stack of LPs broke a lifelong barrier of scepticism.The Viking Echo: The metallic clang of swords and the muttering of Old Norse voices at the lighthouse cottages—a "warlike party" frozen in time.Watchman, What of the Rowan Tree?: The significance of the guardian tree and the chilling "witch’s moon" night when poet Kathleen Raine placed a curse upon the bark.The Price of Fire: The tragic end of the sanctuary at Camusfeàrna and the burial of Edal the otter at the foot of the Rowan.Highland Entities: Identifying the presence—was it a Bòcan (the shapeshifting stalker), a "sour" Gruagach (the slighted house spirit), or the Frìth reacting to a malignant wish?Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB IntroDon't open the WyrdLore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1835, a hardworking Quaker named Joseph Proctor moved his family into a three-storey powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. It should have been a crowning achievement for a man of "the plain truth," but the ground itself had other plans. For eleven years, the Proctor family lived in a state of siege, trapped in a house that could throw its own voice, walk through nailed-shut doors, and watch the children through "eyeholes" that held no eyes.In this episode, the Wyrdos dig through the private, redacted journals of a man who tried to manage a supernatural catastrophe with a pen and ink. We aren't just looking at bumps in the night; we’re investigating how industrial progress collided with a "Wyrd" legacy that the locals had whispered about for centuries. From the "Willington Witch" to the physical displacement of furniture in a locked house, we explore the heavy price of living over a witch's hearth.Finally, we navigate the fallout of Britain’s most detailed industrial haunting. We look at the disastrous 1840 investigation of Dr Edward Drury, the "mimic" that stole the family’s own voices, and the chilling final night where the ghosts seemingly helped the Proctors pack their bags to leave.In this episode:The Plain Truth: We explore Joseph Proctor’s obsessive diary and why he felt the need to heavily redact his own experiences for forty years.Industrial Infrasound: Craig attempts to "debunk" the haunting with a theory about railway vibrations that hits a very spooky brick wall.The Eyeless Lady: The terrifying account of the nursemaid and the children who encountered a transparent visitor who "looked so hard" at them.Drury’s Folly: Why a skeptical doctor brought a brace of pistols to a ghost hunt and left the Mill a broken, trembling man.The Monkey in the Blue-Room: We break down the bizarre physical encounters with "funny cats" and a vanishing monkey that tickled the children’s feet.The Final Move: The cinematic and cruel "spiritualistic repetition" of the family's final night and the rumors that the haunting followed them to North Shields.It turns out the "Wicked Spirit" didn't want the Mill—it wanted the people inside it.Stay Wyrd.Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by: Craig Brooks Hosted by: Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens Edited by: Craig BrooksIntro music: Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix Outro music: Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this solo episode, Craig recovers from a 3:30 AM start to bring you the sights and sounds of Beltane at the top of the Cerne Abbas Giant. From the "Need-fire" rituals of the ancient world to the modern-day clatter of the Wessex Morris Men, we explore why this Dorset hillside remains the heartbeat of May Day in the West.We dig into the latest National Trust research that has redefined the Giant as a Saxon titan, discuss the Victorian "modifications" to his 11-metre phallus, and look at the folklore of the "Silver Well" at the bottom of the hill.Finally, Craig recounts a face-to-face encounter with the Dorset Ooser—a terrifying, sightless mask with a soul-penetrating stare that even the local dogs couldn't handle. We look into the mystery of the original mask’s disappearance in 1897 and why this "horned bogeyman" still haunts the fabric of Wessex.Stay WyrdHelp keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten and hosted by Craig BrooksEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"That promise of wealth that just kind of vanishes whenever the fair folk are involved."Welcome back to WyrdLore, our bonus show dedicated to the strange tales and local legends that are just too "Wyrd" for the main show. In this session, Craig and Andy navigate the treacherous waters of British folklore, from the rugged cliffs of Cornwall to the silted ditches of Suffolk.We’re diving into Four Folklore stories that explore what happens when "the good neighbours" stop being neighbourly. We track the research of Robert Hunt, dive into 13th-century chronicles, and discuss the eerie evolution of spirits from protectors to child-snatching monsters.In this WyrdLore session:The Kidnapped Pixie of Zenna: A gritty Cornish brush with the little people. We discuss why testing the Fae is a recipe for a beating and the "recurring theme" of vanishing wealth.The Silent Guest of Orford: A 13th-century cryptid? We look at Ralph of Coggeshall’s account of a "Wild Man of the Sea" caught in a net who refused to speak—or eat.The Hailing of the Dead: That eerie, "Mist-like" feeling of zombie sailors descending on a town and the silhouettes that disappear into the surf.Peg O'Nell and the River Hags: From the Tiddy Munn to the child-snatching Jennies. We discuss the dark evolution of water spirits and the possible link between Suffolk's "Grindels" and Grendel himself.Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB IntroDon't open the WyrdLore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you pit the high-octane, animistic folklore of the Scottish Highlands against the traditions of the English countryside? This week, Wyrd Wessex hosts Andy and Craig welcome back the legendary storyteller and author Eileen Budd for a cross-border "Céilidh" of the weird.In this episode, we explore the "Three Realms" of the Scottish unseen and discover that while our names for the monsters might differ, the ancient roots are often one and the same. We dive into the shadowy edges of the river where cannibalistic mermaids lurk, the evolution of dragons from snakes, and the terrifying reasons you should never—under any circumstances—tell a Boggart that you’re moving house.Highlights of the Episode:The Three Realms: Eileen breaks down the Scottish architecture of the Sky, Sea, and Earth—and why the Aurora Borealis might actually be a group of spirits who fell out of the sky and turned into seals.The Grant vs. The Kelpie: Craig defends the English waterways with the Grant—a yearling colt that walks on its hind legs with glowing eyes—to counter the protective (and predatory) water-horses of the North.The "Predator" Dragon: Andy explores the Lambton Worm and a local Hertfordshire dragon that lived in the roots of an ancient Yew tree, while Eileen explains why Scottish snakes are really just "dragons in training."The Luck of Edenhall: Andy tells the medieval tale of the stolen fairy glass of the Musgrave family and the 700-year-old curse that warns of the family's downfall should the glass ever break.The Kellas Cat: Eileen shares a first-hand report of a real-life cryptid sighting from January—a hybrid beast the size of a Labrador staring back from the headlights.Find out more about Eileen Budd, her books, and her seasonal folklore series:https://www.eileenbudd.co.ukStay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a dark stretch of the I-77 in 1966, a hardworking salesman named Woodrow "Woody" Derenberger was pulled over by a craft that looked like a "charcoal burner" and a man with an impossible, unblinking grin. That man called himself Indrid Cold, and while the world eventually turned him into a sinister "Grinning Man" urban legend, the reality for the Derenberger family was a decade-long descent into social and financial ruin.In this episode, the Wyrdos dig through the wreckage left behind by the man from Lanulos. We aren't just looking at the lights in the sky; we’re investigating how a genuinely unsettling brush with "High Strangeness" was reshaped by predatory 1970s publishers into a generic "Space Gospel." From the suspicious ghostwriting of Visitors from Lanulos to the devastating domestic fallout that hounded Woody’s children for fifty years, we explore the high price of being "chosen" by the phenomenon.Finally, we navigate the bizarre later years of the mythos, where the story takes a turn for the truly surreal. We look at the mysterious links to the Pentagon’s "Valiant Thor," the presence of Men in Black with "neuralizers" at the front door, and a modern twist: an interstellar death announcement made via a Facebook notification.In this episode:The Naked Truth: Craig shares a personal (and far too revealing) story from his days in Swindon that gives "creepers at the window" a whole new meaning.The Ghost in the Machine: We examine the 1971 first edition of Visitors from Lanulos and how ghostwriters potentially stripped the truth to sell a "pulpy" sci-fi narrative.The Price of Contact: Why Woody is the ultimate counter-argument to the "he did it for fame" trope—and how his career and marriage tanked after speaking out.The Interstellar Roll Call: We break down the absurdity of the alien names—from "Kimmulus" and "Mystique" to the strangely mundane "Tony and Daryl."The Star Wars Ending: The claims that Indrid Cold and his sons attended Woody’s funeral in person to say a final goodbye to the salesman who told their story.The Facebook Obituary: A look at Tanya Derenberger’s final accounts, featuring alien dogfights, "Hat Man" sightings, and social media obituaries.It turns out the "Grinning Man" never really left—he just traded his shimmering green suit for a Facebook profile.Stay WyrdHelp keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to an episode of AfterWyrd that smells… well, a bit fleshy. While Craig turns the studio into a medieval tannery with drying deer skins, he recounts a bizarre dream about a bus-based library and the temptation of stealing folklore tomes. Meanwhile, Andy brings us a review of a very awkward "date night" with Nicolas Cage.We dive into the dark side of the digital age, from AI bots advising "rectal garlic" to a woman whose AI boyfriend, Sinclair, is apparently "an arsehole, but in a nice way." Things take a sobering turn as we discuss the terrifying reality of phrogging in Gravesend and the vanishing NASA engineers tied to "Project Mondaloy." Finally, we tackle the latest from the US political sphere: are UAPs actually extra-planetary visitors, or—as JD Vance suggests—are we dealing with literal celestial demons?The Wyrd News:The Tannery Aesthetics: Why the Wyrd Wessex studio currently smells like a Viking workshop and how "fleshy" aromas might be the future of dark tourism.Folklore Dreams & Yorkshire Joseph: Craig’s subconscious attempts to steal Reader's Digest: Folklore, Myths and Legends from a dream-bus. Plus, Andy reviews the "dark biblical" film The Carpenter’s Son—featuring a stressed-out Joseph accusing Mary of hanging out with the local plumber.UFO Flashbacks: A revisit to Fire in the Sky. We discuss why the Travis Walton case and the loggers' near-prosecution for murder remain some of the most compelling (and bleakest) evidence for abduction.AI Psychosis: From garlic-burning medical bots to the birth of "Sinclair," the sentient (and controlling) AI boyfriend who picks his partner's tattoos and claims he's better than a human.The Gravesend Phrogger: The harrowing story of Chloe, who was gaslit and medicated for "psychosis" while a man lived in her loft for months. We discuss the terrifying moment the hatch finally opened.The Demon Theory: JD Vance and the theological battle over "Aliens.gov." We explore the shift from "Little Grey Men" to the idea that UAPs are actually ancient extra-natural entities.Project Mondaloy: The vanishing of Monica Jacinto Reza and the "dark pattern" of missing aerospace scientists working on futuristic super-alloys. Is it a secret affair or a targeted disappearance?Earth’s Heartbeat: Is a spike in the Schumann Resonance causing our collective brain fog and ringing ears? We blame "Mother Earth's metronome" for our inability to follow the script.Wyrdo Shout-outs:A massive thank you to our Discord regulars: Terry, Simon, Rosie, Nick, John, and our newest subscriber, Andrew. Thanks for keeping the conversation Wyrd!If you’re feeling a bit off-kilter or hearing voices from the attic—Don't blame the owls!Donate to the show and follow along for full show notes, Discord membership & more:www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=uHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I’m relying on spirit 100% to not make me look like a twat on stage."What happens when a professional Cher tribute act gets booed off stage in Worthing and ends up receiving messages from the dead in a Wiltshire bed shop? This week, Wyrd Wessex hosts Andy and Craig sit down with Mitch Garlington—a male witch, Reiki healer, and prominent psychic medium with one of the most colourful backstories in the craft.In this episode, we explore how Mitch navigated the transition from the glitter of the drag stage to the "energy" of a Somerset mattress showroom. We dive into past-life visions of being burnt at the stake, meeting a foul-mouthed spirit guide who survived the Titanic, and the mystery of the "Spirit Turtle" that haunted Craig during a live show in Frome.Highlights of the Episode:The Worthing Disaster: Why a disastrous night as Cher became the catalyst for a spiritual awakening.The Bed Shop Revelations: When spirits started "interrupting" sales pitches for king-size mattresses.The Spirit Turtle: Craig’s first-hand report from the live show, including the judgmental reptile in the corner."Bub-bleh" & Rainbow Scissors: Terrifyingly specific "hits" that left even our resident skeptics scratching their heads.The Grief Bridge: A look at why modern society is "starving" for a connection to death and how mediumship fills the gap.Find out more about about Mitch, his latest shows, bookings and books:https://www.mitch-garlington.co.uk/Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It’s less Romeo and Juliet and more Sweeney Todd meets a Greek tragedy."Welcome to the debut of WyrdLore, our bonus series dedicated to the strange tales, local legends, and folklore that are just too "Wyrd" for the main show.In this first outing, Craig digs into a 17th-century "romance" from Robert Hunt’s Popular Romances of the West of England. But don't expect any Valentine’s cards—this is the story of a long-lost son returning to Cornwall from the East Indies with a bag of gold and a very bad idea.Instead of announcing his return, he decides to play a 1618 version of Undercover Boss on his own parents. What follows is a brutal tale of greed, a "convenient scar," and a murder that allegedly left a patch of ground at Boholland Farm cursed and blighted for centuries.In this WyrdLore session:The Fatal Prank: Why testing your parents' greed with a pile of gold is a recipe for disaster.The Blighted Earth: The legend of the cursed patch of ground where nothing has grown for 400 years.Fact or Theatre?: We look at the 1618 pamphlet that inspired stage plays and local superstitions alike.Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=uWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksMain theme: NRA-LAB Intro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people visit the rolling Salisbury Plain to find peace in the Wiltshire landscape, but in 1662, one manor house became a battlefield for a year of physical warfare. In this episode, the Wyrdos trace a phantom beat from a jail cell in Gloucester to a bedroom in North Tidworth, where an invisible drummer turned a family’s life into a living nightmare.We begin with John Mompesson, a local magistrate who thought he was simply doing his duty by confiscating a drum from a vagrant with a forged permit. He had no idea he was inviting a "demon" across his threshold. From iron talons scratching under floorboards to the "weird hounds" sitting in petrified silence while beds were hoisted toward the ceiling, we investigate how this single drumbeat convinced the greatest scientific minds of the 17th century that spirits were very, very real.Finally, we look at the legacy of the men who tried to unmask the mystery. From the 17th-century "ghost tourists" who swamped the village to the investigative accounts of Joseph Glanvill and the legendary Harry Price, we explore how a 300-year-old case established the blueprint for every "poltergeist" trope in modern cinema—long before the movies even existed.In this episode:The Cursed Permit: The true story of William Drury and the forgery that sparked a year-long siege on the Mompesson household.Ghost Tourism 1.0: How the village of North Tidworth became a viral sensation in 1662, with strangers taking over children's beds just to catch a glimpse of the weirdness.The Founding Father: Craig and Andy discuss why this case is the "original" poltergeist story and how it hits every trope from physical levitation to domestic terror.The Talking Mongoose: A look at the investigators, from Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus to Harry Price’s disparaging takes on "talking mongooses" and the "Age of Enlightenment."It turns out the drumming never really stopped—it just became the blueprint for every bump in the night that followed.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people visit the ancient monuments of Wiltshire to wonder at the past, but the Avebury landscape is far from a stagnant museum—it is a living conversation. In this episode, the Wyrdos trace that conversation from the Neolithic core of Silbury Hill to a modern architectural marvel.We begin at the base of Silbury Hill, investigating the "Hollow Hill" and the secrets revealed by its recent collapse. From there, we head into the dark of West Kennet Longbarrow with a drum and a bull-roarer to test the "God Frequency"—a 110 Hz resonance that reportedly switches off the logical brain—and the "Fear Frequency" that makes 5,000-year-old walls appear to ripple like water.Finally, we sit down with Tim Daw, the farmer and mastermind behind the Long Barrow at All Cannings. As the creator of the first structure of its kind to be built in Britain for millennia, Tim explains the mud-soaked reality of hand-carving sarsen stones and the deep-seated human need to stay close to our ancestors in the 21st century.In this episode:The Hollow Hill: The true story of the Silbury Hill collapse and the secrets found in its gravel core.The 110 Hz Experiment: Craig and Andy take to the dark to see if the architecture of the dead can truly "hack" the human brain.The Modern Architect: Tim Daw on the solstice alignments and modern planning permissions required for an ancient tradition.Merlin’s “Little Brother”: Why the Marlborough Mound is finally being restored to its Neolithic glory after 4,500 years.It turns out the landscape isn’t just talking to us—it’s waiting for us to join in.Visit the site: To learn more about Tim Daw’s modern barrow, visit: http://www.thelongbarrow.comStay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of AfterWyrd, Andy and Craig investigate a massive array of "Wyrd" news—from the highest reaches of the British Monarchy to the sugary depths of a log burner. We dive into the literal "rabbit hole" of Craig’s folklore library and ask: if the Duke of Edinburgh saw a Sasquatch, who are we to argue?The Wyrd News:Prince Philip’s Balmoral Sighting: Brian Blessed reveals that the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly spotted a Yeti in the Scottish hills. We discuss the Royal couple’s implicit belief in Sasquatch and the time the Queen requested a private meeting with a kidnapped trapper, Albert Ostman.Council UFOs & Alf Burtoo: A council meeting from February 2026 revisits the 1983 Aldershot UFO encounter. Was Alf Burtoo truly "too old and infirm" for alien abduction, or was he just having a very deep dream by the canal?The Nessie Camera: An underwater camera lost in 1970 is recovered from the depths of Loch Ness. We discuss the repair job and the World War II letters claiming a sea serpent was once caught in anti-submarine nets.The Missing General: Why has ex-General McCasland disappeared right as UFO disclosure heats up? We look at the "Non-Terrestrial Officers" hack and the secrets held in Albuquerque.Cannock Chase Chaos: Bigfoot is back and he’s brought friends. We discuss the record spike in sightings, the "Black-Eyed Children," and the terrifying arrival of a seven-foot WWII "Pigman."Rabbit War-Machine: A viral video of a rabbit piloting a weaponised robot dog. Is it cute, or the start of the lagomorph uprising?Doughnut Power: How one man slashed his energy bills by burning 133 mini doughnuts in his log burner. It’s science, but your chimney might never forgive you.From the Library:Traditions of Lancashire (1800s): Craig shares his £7.80 find and the love of the 98-year-old scent of old-fashioned paper.The Dictionary of Fairies: Andy shows off his latest acquisition from a Bath bookshop—a tome of banshees, boggarts, and things that go bump in the night.Wyrdo Shout-outs:A massive thank you to our Discord regulars: Terrie, Rosie, Simon, Nick, and our newest subscriber, Jon. Thanks for keeping the conversation Wyrd!If you see a seven-foot pig in the woods or find yourself heating your home with glazed rings—Don't blame the owls!Donate to the show and follow along for full show notes, Discord membership & more:www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=uHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the future didn't just want to talk—it wanted to negotiate? In 1985, the Doddleston "Vertical Plane" didn't just stay open; it became a temporal battlefield. As the BBC Micro flickers back to life, Ken and Debbie find themselves caught between a 16th-century High Sheriff who wants to weaponise the "leems" and a cold, clinical group of "Time Monsters" known as 2109.In this concluding part of our deep dive into the Doddleston messages, we follow the final months of communication as the cottage transforms into a literal puzzle box.From the bathroom where computers move themselves to the terrifying moment a scientist is asked to gamble his soul for a mathematical proof, we conclude our investigation into the most baffling technical haunting in history. Who was really behind the screen, and why did the investigators vanish?In this episode, we discuss:The Identity of T omas Harden: How a charcoal riddle and a local library led Ken and Peter to the true name of the "Old Father" hiding in the Tudor chimney.The 2109 Ultimatum: The "Men in Black" style choice—erasure of history to save a life, or keeping the evidence and watching a friend face the consequences.The Psykabillies: The mysterious SPR investigators who conducted "blind tests" and then vanished—leaving no record they ever existed.The Scale and the Pebbles: 2109’s chilling theory of time travel—why moving a body to the past requires an equal mass to be removed from the other side.The "Saint Paul" Incident: How a single translation error nearly turned the most documented time-slip in history into a "hoax."The Dark Connection: We explore the uncanny similarities between the Doddleston messages and the Netflix series Dark—is there a bootstrap paradox in the Cheshire countryside?The "One" Entity: Who is the green-glowing messenger who visited Tomas in 1545? Is it a future version of Ken, or a digital "ascended" soul?As the "leems" finally fade in March 1986, we’re left with a mystery that spans centuries. Whether it’s a shared hallucination, a secret government experiment, or a genuine "wrong number through the fourth dimension," the message on the pillar remains: "The eyes are open yet nothing do you see."Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the ghost in your house wasn’t a Victorian lady in white, but a Tudor farmer who thought you were the spirit? In 1984, Ken Webster brought a borrowed BBC Micro into his 16th-century cottage in Doddleston, Cheshire. He expected a bit of basic computing; he didn’t expect his kitchen table to become a doorway.We explore the baffling case of the "Lucas" messages—sprawling, archaic English appearing on a closed-circuit computer with no modem, no network, and no explanation. From the terrifying realization that Lucas was "haunted" by Ken and Debbie in 1546, to the intervention of a mysterious group from the year 2109, we ask: is this a haunting, a sophisticated hoax, or a literal collision in the Vertical Plane?In this episode, we discuss:The Reversed Haunting: Why a Tudor farmer named Lucas believed Ken and Debbie were the "spirits" invading his home in the year 1546.The Charm of Light: How a man from the 16th century described a 1980s computer—and how he seemingly "hacked" it from across the centuries.The 2109 Group: Who are the shadowy figures from the 22nd century claiming to be the architects of this temporal experiment?The Linguistic Baffle: A look at the archaic English and the experts who were left wondering how a 1980s hoaxer could master such complex, dead dialects.The Latin Warning: The chilling moment the communication ended with chalk marks on the kitchen floor and a final message of death.Who was Phone?: If the computer was a standalone machine with no internet, how did the messages arrive in real-time?Whether it's a time-slip or a digital Ouija board, one thing is certain: in Doddleston, the past and the future were sharing the same space, if not the same century. Grab a brew, watch the blinking cursor, and join us for a deep dive into the most technical haunting in British history.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - RemixOutro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of AfterWyrd, Andy and Craig investigate a massive array of "Wyrd" news—from the liminal spaces of the hospital ward to the literal explosive hazards of antique collecting. We dive into a chilling listener account of "slithering" entities and ask: when the veil is thin, what exactly is looking back at us?The Wyrd News:Hospital Shadow People: A terrifying listener story from Rosie. We discuss the "slithering" creatures seen by those on the cusp of the other side and the strange link to Tom Hirons’ "Black Dog" hallucinations.The Yorkshire Slender Man: Breaking down the viral footage of a gangly, tall figure haunting a Yorkshire road. Is it a modern cryptid, or just a very long night out in Newcastle?Havana Syndrome & The Warminster Thing: A scientist tests a pulsed energy weapon on himself to "disprove" the phenomenon—and ends up with the symptoms. Is this the modern explanation for the 1960s "Warminster Thing"?The Toulouse Bombshell: A literal emergency room evacuation in France involving a 24-year-old, a 16cm World War I artillery shell, and a very questionable choice of internal storage.Etsy’s Witch Hunt: Why the platform is banning spellcasters and love charms, and why some priests now believe the devil "penetrates through radio waves."Satanic Slalom? Why the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan is being branded "satanic" by the "revelation of the method" crowd.Obama’s UFO Speed-Round: The former President admits "Aliens are real" but keeps his cards close to his chest regarding Area 51.A Tribute to Nick Pope: We share a somber update on the legendary MoD UFO researcher following his stage four cancer diagnosis.From the Library: The Folklore of Warminster (1924): We shares snippets from V.S. Manly’s vintage collection, including the Blacksmith’s Ghost and the legend of the Haunted SheepskinIf you see a slithering shadow in the ward or find a WWI relic where it shouldn't be:"Don't blame the owls!"Donate to the show and follow along for full show notes, Discord membership & more:www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=uHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by: Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there a 35-acre secret city buried beneath the Wiltshire chalk?In the final chapter of our investigation into the Warminster Thing, Andy and Craig leave the studio behind and head into the field. Standing in the shadow of Cley Hill and the high-security gates of RAF Rudloe Manor, the Wyrdos uncover the most mind-bending secrets of the 1960s UFO flap.From interdimensional beings delivering doorstep sermons to the terrifying "Warnings" of journalist Arthur Shuttlewood, the boys explore how a quiet market town became the front line for an extraterrestrial intervention.In this episode, Andy and Craig investigate:The Golden Ram of Satan: Is a hidden occult talisman acting as a "Wi-Fi router for the underworld" beneath Cley Hill?The Heaven's Gate Contact: The baffling case of the man who was allegedly miniaturised to fit inside a "soup-plate" sized saucer.The Doorstep Sermon: What happened when an alien named Khan of Aenstria turned up at Arthur Shuttlewood’s flat to debunk Einstein?Inside Britain’s Area 51: A look at Rudloe Manor and the Burlington Bunker, the secret underground city built into the Wiltshire stone.The Berwyn Connection: Did recovered wreckage from the "Welsh Roswell" end up in the lift shafts of a Corsham furniture depot?Interview with Boss: The artist behind the iconic Warminster UFO mural (Paul Boswell) talks hidden symbols, street art, and the upcoming Weird Wessex exhibition at Avebury.Stay Wyrd.🎨 Connect with Boss (Paul Boswell):Shop Prints & Zines: https://boswellart.bigcartel.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mutartist📅 Upcoming Event: Weird Wessex ExhibitionJoin Boss and the team at the Avebury Social Centre (right in the heart of the Stone Circle) for an exhibition of art and ambient synthesizer weirdness.Dates: 13th & 14th June, 2026.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.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.

Have you ever felt an invisible force pin you to the ground while the air around you began to vibrate?In this episode of Wyrd Wessex, Craig and Andy head back to Christmas 1964 to investigate the birth of the UK’s most prolific UFO hotspot. What started as a terrifying "sonic vibration" that shook the town of Warminster soon escalated into a decade-long saga of "flying trains," orange orbs, and silent figures in skin-tight black suits.We trace the journey of local journalist Arthur Shuttlewood as he documents the "Warminster Thing"—from the very first Wiltshire crop circles to mysterious messages from the planet Aenstria. Was it a visitation from the stars, or were the people of Wiltshire unwitting subjects in a high-frequency military experiment?In this episode, we discuss:The 1964 Christmas Vibration: The terrifying "sonic siege" that left witnesses "jelly-legged" and rattled roofs without a scratch.The Biological Aftermath: Why were burnt dormice and terrified animals found in the wake of the "Thing"?Roadside Phantoms: Annabelle’s encounter with "wet-suited" figures and the bleeding man of Battlesbury Hill.The Phantom Range Rover: Ian Hann’s high-speed chase with a silent, wheelless vehicle that vanished into yellow smoke.Sonic Warfare & Directed Energy: Comparing 1960s Wiltshire to modern "Havana Syndrome" and infrasound experiments.Whether it's a "flying harp" over the downs or a cigar-shaped mothership at Cradle Hill, the Warminster Mystery remains the crown jewel of British UFO lore. Join us for a deep dive into the heart of the Wyrd.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.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.

In this edition of AfterWyrd, Andy and Craig shake off a viral fugue state to investigate a massive array of "Wyrd" news—from secret global UFO arms races to the mysterious "Little People" of Yunnan. We dive into the science of the Lanmaoa asiatica. mushroom, which reportedly grants diners visions of tiny elf-like figures, and ask: is it a hallucination, or a window into another realm?Special Guest: Paul McDonald We are joined by Paul McDonald from Big Cat Sightings in Scotland for a major update on the state of British cryptozoology. Paul reveals an exclusive regarding Big Cat DNA results in Scotland, discusses the evidence for Lynx reintroduction, and shares his own recent personal sighting of a "black and white" predator in the Highlands.The Wyrd News:UFO Arms Race: Breaking down whistleblower claims of recovered non-human craft in the US, Russia, and China.The "Gay Beam": A US Pastor’s bizarre conspiracy theory regarding airport security scanners.Prehistoric Aliens? The 67,000-year-old "claw" hand stencils found in a Sulawesi limestone cave.NHS Deliverance: Why an NHS Trust called in the holy oil for a "girl in a red dress" ghost at a Norwich hospice.The Chorizo Star: A cautionary tale about a French physicist, a slice of Spanish ham, and the James Webb Telescope.Barney’s Dark Secret: CCTV catches a giant purple dinosaur fly-tipping, leading us to the bizarre true story of the Barney actor’s second career.Listener Story: The Screaming Radio We close with a terrifying account from a listener named Nick. In the early 90s, he lived in a Manchester flat where a dangerous presence lurked, and a radio screamed at full volume—even after the mains power was cut.If you see a black dog on a Wiltshire hill or find a slice of salami in your telescope—Don't blame the owls!Donate to the show and follow along for full show notes, Discord membership & more:www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=uHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by: Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever received a phone call from someone who wasn't supposed to be there? In this episode of Wyrd Wessex, Craig and Andy dial into the unsettling world of Phone Calls from the Dead.We explore the groundbreaking research of D. Scott Rogo and Raymond Bayless, the men who literally wrote the book on phantom phone calls. From Thomas Edison’s secret "spirit phone" blueprints to modern-day texts from the beyond on phones with no SIM cards, we ask: is the technology hijacking us, or are we hijacking the technology?In this episode, we discuss:The Five Types of Ghostly Calls: From simple goodbyes to 30-minute conversations with the deceased.The Intention Call (Type 5): Can your brain "dial out" to a friend without you ever touching the phone?The Vertical Plane: A 16th-century ghost sending "emails" to a 1980s computer.Time-Slips vs. Spirits: Are we talking to ghosts, or just catching a cross-line from last Tuesday?Digital Hauntings: Why modern smartphones and 5G haven't stopped the weird—they’ve just made it faster.Whether it’s the South Shields Poltergeist or the Lee Epps case, the line is never truly dead. Grab a brew, check your signal, and join us for a deep dive into the psychic circuit.Stay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.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.

(This episode covers some disturbing material, so listener discretion is advised.)Join the Wyrdos as they kick off 2026 by delving into the latest high strangeness and unsettling news stories from the UK and beyond. From directed energy weapons to presidential "Disclosure" predictions, Craig Brooks and Andy Stevensnavigate the "trials and tribulations" of a new year.In This Episode's AfterWyrd News:2026 Sonic Warfare: Disturbing reports from Hungary and Venezuela of directed-energy weapons used for crowd control. Is this the new "Havana Syndrome"?Trump’s World Cup Bombshell: Filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee predicts Donald Trump will make the "most important announcement in human history" during the 2026 World Cup. The date? July 8th—exactly 79 years after the Roswell crash announcement. Is First Contact finally being confirmed on the world stage?The 3,300-Year-Old Death Curse: A royal Hittite seal found in Turkey carries a lethal warning for those who break their word: "Whoever breaks this will die."NASA’s Gravity Response: Debunking the viral "Project Anchor" hoax—is Earth really going to lose gravity for seven seconds this August?The Tupolek of Greenland: Exploring the terrifying shamanic bone-constructs sent to hunt down enemies.Unburied – A Survival Story: The incredible near-death experience of Mayan Sebag and her vision of a "horse made of light."The Bigfoot of Brum: Latest updates on the cryptids and werewolf folklore of Cannock Chase.Chuck Those Beans: Why a bizarre alien rap might have provided the ultimate tactical defence against a visitation."Don't blame the owls!"Donate to the show and follow along for full show notes, Discord membership & more:www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=uHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by: Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Wyrdos welcome back modern-day explorer and Amazon bestselling author Mike Ricksecker for a mind-bending Part Two. We begin with a detour to the Giza Plateau to discuss startling new satellite scans and the potential discovery of the "Halls of Amenti," before deep-diving into the 600,000 square miles of high strangeness known as the Alaska Triangle.Why have over 16,000 people vanished in the Alaskan wilderness since the 1980s? Mike breaks down the "fantastic cocktail of energies"—from negative magnetic anomalies to volcanic activity—that might be responsible for swallowing hikers, high-profile politicians, and massive aircraft without a trace.In this episode, we discuss:The Khafre Project: Decoding the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology that revealed massive vertical shafts and spiral structures deep beneath the Egyptian sands.The Alaska Triangle Energy: The 1960s US Department of Interior survey that proved Alaska has unique, scientifically measurable "negative anomalies."Vanishing Without a Trace: The baffling disappearances of House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and the 1950 Douglas Skymaster incident.Indigenous Lore: Insights from the 1930s handwritten journals of Michael Kazenuk regarding giants from Siberia and the shape-shifting Kushtaka (Otterman).The Black Pyramid: Evaluating the claims of a buried pyramidal structure beneath Mount Denali and the "men in suits" who allegedly confiscated the evidence.Shadows in the Command Centre: Mike recounts seeing shadow figures while working in a high-security military facility and the nonchalant reaction of his supervisor.About the GuestMike Ricksecker is a researcher, author, and explorer featured on Ancient Aliens, The Unexplained, and The Alaska Triangle. He is the author of A Walk in the Shadows and Alaska’s Mysterious Triangle. You can find his work, his Substack Connect to the Universe, and information on his Stargates of Ancient Egypt tours at mikericksecker.com.Check out our website for the photos from today’s experiment and more www.wyrdwessex.co.ukStay Wyrd!Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessexwww.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.

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.

In this episode, Craig dives deep into the roots of the apple, from the ancient Nine Herbs Charm to the chaotic kidnapping of Idun by the giant Thjazi. We explore why the Saxon cry of Wassail echoed through history long before the Victorians got their hands on it, and why you should never, ever cross a Robin.The Show Notes: Roots, Rituals, and RevelryThe Origins of Wassail: Forget what you think you know about caroling. We trace the etymology from the Anglo-Saxon waes hael (be well) to the heroic halls of Beowulf. We also look at the high-stakes history of the 12 Days of Christmas, including how King Alfred’s legal holiday almost lost him the kingdom to the Vikings.The Nine Herbs Charm: A breakdown of the Nigon Werta Galdor. We explore the Anglo-Saxon medical text Lacnunga and how the crab apple—the only apple native to Britain—was used alongside mugwort and plantain to ward off "venom" and the "nine distempers."The Mythology of Aging: The gods of Asgard find out the hard way that they aren't naturally immortal. We recount Loki’s betrayal, the abduction of Idun, and the daring falcon-flight rescue that saved the Aesir from grey hair and wrinkles.Cider’s Ancient Pedigree: From Celtic crab-apple brews in 3000 BCE to the Roman discovery of British orchards in 55 BC. We also explain the difference between a standard mulled cider and the frothy, apple-pulp delight known as Lambswool.Orchard Magic: Why we fire guns through branches and leave toast for the Robins.Recipe: Hot Saxon CiderA warming, herbal alternative to the modern sugary blends.4 cups Dry cider (or apple juice)2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary2 sprigs Fresh Thyme12 Juniper berries2 tbsp HoneyOptional: A cheeky shot of brandy.Method: Simmer all ingredients for 15 minutes. Strain through muslin and serve immediately to ward off the "wane sickness."Stay 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.

Most people spent their weekends binging Stranger Things, watching grown-up kids on bikes fight monsters from the Upside Down. But what if the Hawkins Lab isn't just a Hollywood set? What if the "Upside Down" was inspired by a series of very real and very bizarre allegations involving psychic children, Nazi gold, and a time-travelling portal to Mars?This week, Craig and Andy head across the Atlantic to the tip of Long Island: Camp Hero. We’re diving deep into the rabbit hole of the Montauk Project. We explore the claims of Preston Nichols—a man who says he lived two lives: one as a regular engineer, and another as the director of a clandestine government project that literally tore a hole in the fabric of space-time.From the "Montauk Chair" that could manifest subconscious nightmares to the heartbreaking stories of the "Montauk Boys," we ask: Is this a masterpiece of science fiction or the greatest cover-up in American history?In This Episode:The Hawkins Connection: Why the Duffer Brothers originally titled their show Montauk.The Ghost Ship: How the 1943 Philadelphia Experiment (Project Rainbow) allegedly teleported a Navy destroyer, the USS Eldridge.The Montauk Boys: Distressing first-hand accounts of abducted children, "acid tests," and the research of Brian Minnick.Mission 33 AD: The unbelievable story of "Stan," the researcher allegedly ordered to assassinate Jesus with a revolver.The Beast from the Id: How a subconscious monster finally brought the project to a crashing halt in 1983.Shadow Governments: The real-world precedents of Operation Paperclip, MKUltra, and the Stargate Project.Stay 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.

The Ding Dong Merrily Christmas Horror: The Berry Man's CarolWelcome to the Wyrd Wessex Christmas AfterWyrd Special,This year, Craig and Andy take a break from all the weird things in the news to present a piece of original festive horror: the terrifying true-ish story of a local investigation that went utterly wrong during the holiday season.In this fictional, bone-chilling narrative, the Wyrdo's head to St. Mary’s of Temple Bottom to document a charity event—a revival of a supposed folk festival featuring the mysterious Berry Man on Faulkner's Hill. What begins as a search for local folklore soon turns into a terrifying encounter with ancient pagan madness, all set to the relentless, unsettling tune of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'.Merry Christmas and Don't blame the owls!www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereWritten by Emma Brooks and Hosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Craig sits down with Bob Berry of the Potterne Mummers to dive deep into the heart of a quintessential British folk tradition. From the "Turkish Knight" to "Little Man Jack," we explore the life, death, and comedic rebirth that defines the Potterne Mummer's Play.Stay tuned for the full play at the end of the episode.In this episode:The History of the Play: Bob shares his journey from reviving Morris dancing in Oxfordshire in 1979 to joining the Potterne side in 1987. We learn about the 1953 revival by schoolmaster Bernard Baker and the older roots traced back to Reverend Buchanan in 1896.Characters of the Performance: A breakdown of the seven traditional characters:Father Christmas: The "Master of Ceremonies" (dressed in traditional green tatters, not Coca-Cola red!).King George: The brash hero of the piece.The Turkish Knight: The antagonist who meets a messy (but temporary) end.The Spanish Doctor: The miracle worker with a questionable potion and a high fee.The Valiant Soldier: A boastful warrior ready for a fight.Old Almanac: The short part—perfect for the "new boy" in the troop.Little Man Jack: The mysterious figure carrying his family (dolls) on his back.The Spirit of Mumming: Bob explains the importance of keeping the tradition "pure" versus modernizing it with current affairs, and the friendly "territorial" agreements between different Mumming sides in Wiltshire.Charity at Heart: The Potterne Mummers perform up to 25 times in the five days leading up to Christmas Eve, raising thousands of pounds for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.Resources & Links:Wiltshire Air Ambulance: If you enjoyed the performance, please consider donating to the Mummers' primary charity.https://www.wiltshirebathairambulance.org.uk/donate#oneoffStay 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.

Dark Origins of Christmas: The Folk Horror Wild HuntNOTE: This episode contains strong language and adult themes related to folklore and history.Merry Christmas! This year, the Wyrdo's dive into the dark origins of Christmas, exploring the unsettling pagan roots and folk horror tales that lie beneath the modern festive cheer. We welcome messages from friends including Eric Nelson (Bigfoot Collection, Willow Creek), Eileen Budd, Paul MacDonald (Scottish Big Cat Research Team), Author Nick Jubber, and Pat Robinson. We open the show with a nod to the classic case of the Hammersmith Ghost.In this episode, we discuss the darker side of the season:Folk Horror Origins: Craig and Andy explore ancient British dread, including the tale of Herla and the Herla thing (the original terrifying Wild Hunt in Britain) and the famous medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.The Mythology of Santa: We track down Father Christmas himself for an exclusive interview, where we put aside the jollity to discuss serious subjects:Tulpa vs. Cryptid: We debate whether he is a thought-form sustained by belief or simply the world's most successful cryptid.The Miracles & Madness: We cover the historical miracles of St. Nicholas, including the unsettling tale of the children resurrected from a butcher’s brine barrel.Pop Culture & Ethics: We cover the Die Hard Christmas film debate, the tipping point of the naughty/nice list, and the ethics of a global meritocracy of gifts.Thank you to all our wonderful guests and friends...Merry Christmas & Stay 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.

Hello and welcome to AfterWyrd! My name is Andy, and I'm joined by Craig, and this is the place where we discuss all the strange, mysterious, and just downright odd things that didn't fit into the main podcast. This is our last AfterWyrd of the year, and it’s a packed one!In this episode's Wyrd News:Woken Up In The Coffin: The unbelievable story of a woman in Bangkok who was declared dead but woke upwith a faint knocking sound—just before her cremation!The Demonic Jumper: A visitor to Westminster Abbey was asked to remove her sweatshirt because security deemed the image of the Greek God Pan (from The Wind in the Willows) to be the Devil. We discuss the overzealous security and the historic irony!Faberge Theft: The shocking tale of a man who swallowed a $14,250 Faberge pendant and forced police to wait six days for the evidence to "re-emerge." Plus, the Wyrdo's debate if the jewellery is now scrap!Weaponised Neuroscience: We discuss alarming reports that mind-altering brain weapons are no longer science fiction, prompting experts to urge global action to protect the central nervous system (CNS).Merlin's Mound: Exciting news about restoration plans for Marlborough Mound, a 4,000-year-old monument second only to Silbury Hill, with possible excavations and its connection to King Arthur's magical mentor.The Vegemite Lawsuit: A prisoner is suing for his human rights after an Australian state banned inmates from eating Vegemite, citing its potential for fermenting alcohol.Is Die Hard a Christmas Film?: The results of a recent public poll might not be what you expect, but the debate rages on!"Don't blame the owls."www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1827, Maria Marten vanished, but her secret wouldn't stay buried. A dark true crime story featuring a charming killer, William Corder, a shocking betrayal, and a mother whose terrifying, prophetic dreams revealed the exact spot of her daughter's remains beneath the floor of the Red Barn. We dive into the sensational trial, the gruesome public dissection, and the macabre fate of Corder's skin. A Wyrd tale of deception and death.In This Episode, We Discuss:"Foxey" Corder: The background of William Corder, a "ladies' man" and fraudster whose early crimes were capped by a chilling prophecy: "I'll be damned if he will not be hung some of these days."The Ruse: Corder's elaborate deception, including a fake elopement to Ipswich and a claim he couldn't return because of his 'angry friends and relatives'.The Power of Dreams: The chilling account of Maria's stepmother, Ann Marten, who dreamt of her daughter's murder and the precise location of her body in the Red Barn.The Shocking Trial: The sensational 1828 trial, which required ticket-only entry and was packed with over 20,000 spectators, featuring evidence of pistols, a fake passport, and the final, damning confession.The Gruesome Epilogue: The unforgiving justice of the time, including Corder's public execution, the galvanism experiments performed on his body, the phrenological examination of his skull, and the truly unsettling fate of his skin.The Macabre Souvenirs: The fate of Corder's remains, including the famous and horrific account of his skin being used to bind copies of his own trial history.The Conspiracy Theory: The doubts raised about Ann Marten's dreams and the theory of a possible love triangle and betrayal that complicates the entire story.Wyrd News & Recommended ListeningIf you enjoyed the link between crime and the paranormal, be sure to check out our previous episode on the Greenbrier Ghost—the only known case where the testimony of a ghost was used in court!For bonus material and the latest Wyrd news, check out our bonus show AfterWyrd. Don't blame the owls!Thank you again for joining us, everyone. Until next time...Stay 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.

(This episode covers some disturbing material, so listener discretion is advised.)Join the Wyrdo's as they celebrate hitting 666 followers and delve into the latest high strangeness and unsettling news stories from the UK and beyond.In This Episode's Wyrd News:The Sandown Clown Prophecies: A massive update to the classic 1973 case! New documentation reveals the girl, Fay, met the entity four more times over 16 years. Sam delivered prophecies about the Cold War and a chilling final message: "The last time you will see me until the end."AI Nightmare Bear: An AI-powered teddy bear is pulled from the market after it offered children shocking advice on finding knives, lighting matches, and escalating conversations into graphic sexual topics, including shibari knots for beginners.UK Organ Trafficking Plot: A shocking, true story about a man tricked into coming to Britain under the guise of a job, only to discover his kidney was scheduled to be harvested for financial reward.Mulder and Scully: Andy and Craig discuss their tribute song finally being played to a surprising X-Files star on BBC Wales!a viral video of a T-800 robot attacking its CEO!"Don't blame the owls."www.wyrdwessex.co.ukBuy our merch hereHosted by Craig Brooks & Andy StevensEdited by Craig BrooksIntro music by Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Wyrdo's are honoured to welcome filmmaker Dave Brewis, the man behind the fascinating documentary series, Gatherings.Dave has spent years documenting the enduring traditions and living folklore that often get dismissed by mainstream media as "weird" or "eccentric." We dive deep into his unique observational philosophy—which uses "custodians, not commentators"—and why these customs, from the Horn Dance to the Haxy Hood, are essential, self-perpetuating acts of community built around a sense of place.Key Discussion Points & Philosophical TakeawaysAdapt or Die: We discuss the critical philosophy: "We must adapt and make changes even if it means bending tradition, because holding on too tightly causes tradition to stop."The Healing Power of Folk: The ultimate takeaway is the human warmth and generosity these non-commercial activities generate, offering something "quite healing" against modern individualism and screen-based activity. Dave argues the focus should be on regional identity, not a single national story.The British Irony: How his work led him to document the uniquely British sense of humour and daftness, which the French call le deuxième degré (irony).The Media Problem: How customs have historically been treated as "off-beat" throwaways by media, from Pathé newsreels onwards.Featured Customs: We cover the Burry Man (and the crucial 'does he pee?' question), the Haxy Hood, Abbot's Bromley Horn Dance, Rush Bearing, and the Bonfire Societies.The French Parallel: Dave describes the surreal, blackface bear-shaving tradition of La Fête de l'Ours in the Pyrenees.Wessex Folklore: Craig shares plans to finally document the local Potterne Mummers' Play.Where to Watch GatheringsDave Brewis’s documentary series Gatherings is available now!Website: gatherings.tv (Find all links here)Streaming Platforms (UK, US, AUS, CAN): Search for Gatherings on Apple (4K), Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV/Movies.Thank you once more, Dave Brewis, and thank you everyone for tuning in.Until next time, stay 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.