Curious Britain

In December 1900, three lighthouse keepers vanished from the remote island of Eilean Mòr without a trace. Over the years, their disappearance has become legend through stories, songs, and speculation. But what really happened on that storm-swept rock? This episode explores the mystery behind one of maritime history’s most enduring tragedies.📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.nlb.org.uk/lighthouses/flannan-islands/ https://www.nlb.org.uk/history/flannan-isles/https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Eilean-Mor-Lighthouse-Mystery/https://www.enschrage.nl/lh/hebrides/hebrides_outer/flannan_isles.htmlDundee Evening Telegraph - Saturday 29 December 1900Oban Times and Argyllshire Advertiser - Saturday 05 January 1901

Step into 12th-century Suffolk with this episode of Curious Britain, as we uncover the mysterious legend of the Green Children of Woolpit. Found in the fields with green skin and speaking an unknown language, these children have baffled historians for centuries. Were they lost immigrants, aliens or something else entirely? We explore the strange tale, historical context, and theories behind one of England's most intriguing medieval mysteries.📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://plover.net/~agarvin/faerie/story/green_children.htmlBury Free Press - Friday 17 February 1984The World’s Greatest Unsolved Mysteries by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe Music: "Mourning Song" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Lightless Dawn" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Beneath Leicester’s Braunstone Park lies a hidden mystery — a forgotten network of tunnels beneath a grand Georgian hall. Once the home of the Winstanley family, Braunstone Hall has long held secrets within its foundations. In this episode, we explore the eerie passages rediscovered after centuries in the dark.📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:Long, David (2021-03-09T22:58:59.000). Lost Britain : An A-Z of forgotten landmarks and lost traditions . Lume Books. Kindle Edition.https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/secret-tunnels-hidden-towers-leicester-3213863 https://www.flickr.com/photos/braunstonehall/8714469687https://www.winstanleyhouse.co.uk https://www.leicester.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/our-parks/braunstone-park/braunstone-park-history/#:~:text=Braunstone%20Park%20was%20originally%20part,Hastings%20and%20the%20Grey%20families.Music:"Morgana Rides " Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Long Note Three Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When an exotic traveller knocked on the door of the parson’s house in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, in April 1817 seeking food and shelter, the local community were fascinated by the mysterious young woman who dressed in oriental attire and couldn’t speak a word of English. Soon, visitors poured into the town from far and wide to catch a glimpse of the famous ‘Princess Caraboo’ from the far-off land of Javasu. But was the elegant stranger really all that she pretended to be…?📢 Get in touch & support the showHave a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Music:"East of Tunesia" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Who knew that an urban tunnel could be so filled with curiosities? From its celebrated opening in 1897 to today, the Blackwall Tunnel has played host to a mass underwater luncheon, caused various kinds of chaos, and been home to a ghostly hitchhiker who flagged down a motorbike and then disappeared. Do spirits really lurk in this modern-day traffic hotspot underneath the River Thames?📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:“Blackwall Tunnel”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwall_Tunnel“Blackwall Tunnel Dangers”, Southwark and Bermondsey Reporter, Friday 4th May 1928, British Newspaper Archive “Bomb incidents”, Historic Hansard, API Parliament.UK.com, HC Deb 18 January 1979 vol 960 cc1988-94, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1979/jan/18/bomb-incidents “Centenary of the opening of the Blackwall Tunnel”, Greenwich Peninsula History, July 2013, https://greenwichpeninsulahistory.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/centenary-of-the-opening-of-the-blackwall-tunnel/Huggett, Poppy, “Blackwall Tunnel reported as haunted hotspot in London”, News Shopper, 24th October 2023Icy Sedgwick Blog, “Who is the phantom hitchhiker that haunts the Blackwall Tunnel?”, September 2019, https://www.icysedgwick.com/phantom-hitchhiker/Isle of Dogs Life, “The Blackwall Tunnel – The Twenty First Wonder of the World”, https://isleofdogslife.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/the-blackwall-tunnel-the-twenty-first-wonder-of-the-world/ Isle of Dogs Life, “The Mystery of Sir Walter Raleigh’s House in Blackwall”, https://isleofdogslife.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/the-mystery-of-sir-walter-raleighs-house-in-blackwall/Kendrick, Lauren, “The Hidden Secrets of the Blackwall Tunnel”, March 2022, LondonXLondon, https://www.londonxlondon.com/blackwall-tunnel/Mansfield, Ian, “Today’s the 125th anniversary of opening of the Blackwall Tunnel”, May 2022, IanVisits, https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/todays-the-125th-anniversary-of-opening-the-blackwall-tunnel-54863/Noble, Will, “A Brief History of the Blackwall Tunnel”, February 2023, Londonist.com, https://londonist.com/london/transport/blackwall-tunnel-125-years-anniversaryThe Shady Old Lady’s Guide to London, “The Blackwall Tunnel”, http://shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=1104Westwood, J & Simpson, J, The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends, 2005, Penguin Group, London

In the summer of 1858, London was overwhelmed by a horrific stench emanating from the River Thames, which had become a vast, polluted cesspool. The unbearable odour disrupted daily life, with Parliament nearly relocated due to the health risks. The crisis, known as the Great Stink, spurred action, leading to the construction of a modern sewage system designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette. This monumental project, initiated to address the sanitation emergency, marked a turning point in public health and urban infrastructure. The episode highlights how this historical event reshaped London's approach to waste management and sanitation.📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:http://www.choleraandthethames.co.uk/cholera-in-london/the-great-stink/ https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/photographs/the-great-stink/ https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-great-stink-londons-unbearable-summer-of-1858

Explore one of the most little-known and unsettling cases of poltergeist activity ever to take place in the UK. This is the case of 12-year-old Mary Jobson from Sunderland, who was brought almost to the brink of death by a series of disembodied phenomena which could not be easily explained away. Where did the music come from? And was she really hearing the voice of God?📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:A Faithful Record of the Miraculous Case of Mary Jobson by W.R ClannyThe Sunderland Echo, December 1950The Yorkshire Post, June 27, 1932Newcastle Chronicle September 19 1874  Music: "Night Vigil" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

How do you go about finding someone who walks round a corner and disappears, seemingly without a trace? This is what happened in the curious case of Benjamin Bathurst…📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!

An extraordinary sighting of a comet over London in 1664 heralded a double disaster of the following two years: The Great Plague and the Great Fire. But it wasn’t just Londoners who suffered. The Peak District village of Eyam made an incredible sacrifice, dooming themselves to the pestilence to stop the disease spreading further, in a curiously progressive approach that became the forerunner to modern-day quarantines.  📢 Get in touch & support the showHave a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.eyamvillage.org.uk/plaguehttps://www.eyam-museum.org.ukhttps://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Why-Is-Eyam-Significant/   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35064071https://britishheritage.com/travel/derbyshire-village-of-eyam-the-town-that-stopped-the-plague   https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/03/02/bubonic-plague-coronavirus-quarantine-eyam-england/  https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Nursery-Rhymes/   https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/great-plague#:~:text=In%201665%20a%20devastating%20epidemic,in%20London%20suddenly%20in%201665   https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/three-myths-you-believe-about-great-fire-london   http://smhccg.org/folklore-legends/lost-love-of-rowland-torre-and-emmott-sydall/  

The heavy snowfall overnight in Devon in February 1855 was unusual. But what was even more unusual was the trail of footprints that appeared in the snow, ranging for over 100 miles, crossing rivers and 20-foot-high obstacles. They didn’t seem to be made by any recognisable animal. So who, or what, was walking through Devon that night?📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources: Cheshire Observer, Saturday 24th February 1855https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000158/18550224/014/0004Fanthorpe, Lionel & Patricia, “The World’s Greatest Unsolved Mysteries”, 1997, Dundurn Press

In 19th century England it seemed that having a distinctive moustache was risky, as chemist Adolf Beck found out to his misfortune. At the time, eyewitness descriptions of criminals were accepted as fact, in a world without DNA and the scientific advances we now rely on. How was Beck mistaken for a conman who, except for his moustache, didn’t really look like him at all?📢 Get in Touch & Support the Show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support Us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by becoming a patron at Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories.💰 Make a One-Off ContributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: [Donate Here]🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep Curious Britain alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources: ·Arkowitz, Hal & Lilienfeld, Scott, 2010, “Why science tells us not to rely on eyewitness accounts”,Scientific American Mind, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-the-eyes-have-it/  Futility Closet Podcast, Episode 165: A Case of Mistaken Identity https://www.futilitycloset.com/2017/08/14/podcast-episode-165-case-mistaken-identity/The Evening Times, December 24, 1909The Sun, May 31, 1914, “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle a detective in real life” https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1914-05-31/ed-1/seq-47/#date1=1789&index=8&rows=20&words=Adolph+Beck&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1924&proxtext=Adolph+Beck&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1Wikipedia, Court of Criminal Appeal, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_of_Criminal_Appeal   ·      Wikipedia, “George Edalji” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Edalji

Few birds are as quintessentially British as the humble pigeon, but at best, they’re seen as comical, at worst, as vermin. But did you know that pigeons served as daring message carriers in the World Wars? In this episode, we’ll explore the contributions of these noble and under-appreciated birds who risked their lives to carry top-secret messages to the front-line in all weather conditions, frequently coming under fire.Operation Turtle Dove: https://www.operationturtledove.orgCheck out Penny's Pigeon Aid at https://www.pennyspigeonaid.com — a wonderful organisation dedicated to improving pigeon welfare through education and awareness. Music:"March of the Spoons" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Sources:https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/homing-pigeons-contributions-world-war-2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-17138990 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11400814 https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-carrier-pigeons-of-the-first-world-war https://www.rpra.org/pigeons-in-war/ https://www.rpra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/national-pigeon-service.pdf https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal/gi-joe https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/poultry-101/heroic-pigeons-in-world-war-ii/ https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/poultry-101/the-sport-of-racing-pigeons/ https://www.onekindplanet.org/animal/pigeon/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-62362307 https://www.gchq.gov.uk/information/pigeon-takes-secret-message-grave https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/british-army-entrusted-its-secrets-birdbrains   https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/past-times/1760047/winkie-broughty-ferry-homing-pigeon/ https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/british-army-entrusted-its-secrets-birdbrains “Birds”, Collins Gem British Birds: A Pocket Guide

Hampton-on-Sea, a once-thriving Kent village, now lies beneath the waves—forgotten by time but not by history. Among its final residents was Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, famed for his role in the Jack the Ripper investigation. As the sea devoured homes, Reid waged a desperate, good-humoured battle to save his own. But could anything stand against nature’s relentless march? Join me, Prash, on Curious Britain as we uncover the lost village swallowed by the tide.📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/mystery-heartbreaking-remains-drowned-village-27041964 https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/hampton-sea-drowned-herne-bay-6321829 http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/hampton.html

Fraud, deception, a striking red cloak, and a crashed car on a lonely Welsh clifftop road. What was the enigmatic story behind this curious little-known incident, and why is this spot still known as “Violet’s Leap” today?📢 Get in Touch & Support the ShowHave a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support Us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by becoming a patron at Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories.💰 Make a One-Off ContributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: [Donate Now] 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep Curious Britain alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/welsh-woman-who-stole-2m-24779142 https://www.welshcountry.co.uk/january-1909-the-motor-car-mystery/Magazine Echo, 2 October 1954, British Newspaper Archive

If you shoot a ghost that’s been frightening people to death, is it against the law? This could be one of the strangest murder defences in history, when Francis Smith armed himself with a pistol and went in search of the ghoulish apparition that was haunting Hammersmith in 1804.📢 Get in Touch & Support the Show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18040111-79?text=Francis%20SmithHull Packet, 17 January 1804London Courier and Evening Gazette, 9 January 1804The Lore of the Land by Westwood & Simpson

Think modern fads are strange? Try the Georgian craze for having a hermit living in your back garden. Let’s explore this forgotten trend which saw a spate of advertisements for people to spend seven years living on country estates without washing or cutting their hair, while dispensing contemplative words of wisdom to visitors.📢 Get in Touch & Support the Show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Music:"March of the Spoons" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Sources:Campbell, Gordon, “The Hermit in the Garden: From Imperial Rome to Ornamental Gnome”London Courier and Evening Gazette, 10 April 1829https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ornamental-hermits-were-18th-century-englands-must-have-garden-accessory-180982469/https://www.historicmysteries.com/ornamental-hermit

Did you know there’s a replica of the famous Colosseum of Rome in Scotland? Let’s find out where it came from, who built it, and why, in this episode of Curious Britain.📢 Get in Touch & Support the Show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support Us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by becoming a patron at Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories.💰 Make a One-Off ContributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: [Donate Now]🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep Curious Britain alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCaig%27s_Towerhttps://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/mccaigs-tower-p255141 https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/oban/mccaigstower/index.html

We explore the cryptic inscription on a stone slab which hints at the terror wrought by a boggart in the village of Longridge, Lancashire. Many people in the area have reported tales over the centuries of apparitions, misfortune, and mischievous invisible forces, which are often blamed on the local boggarts. One man was even chased by a headless figure down a dark lane on his way home at night…📢 Get in touch & support the show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:Westwood & Simpson, “The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends”, 2005, Penguin Books https://ludchurchmyblog.wordpress.com/places-further-afield/the-boggart-stone/ https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Boggart https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/homes-and-gardens/places-to-live/22628672.lancashires-fairy-folklore/#:~:text=The%20headless%20boggart%20of%20Longridge,It%20was%20hers https://www.spookyisles.com/boggart-headless-lady/ https://from-bedroom-to-study.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-latter-day-legends-of-devilish-dogs.html

Disguises, sword fights, kidnapping, and a band of 17th century rogues – they’re all here in this eventful episode of Curious Britain, as we explore this historic attempt to purloin every thief’s dream target…The Crown Jewels.📢 Get in touch & support the showHave a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories. https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a one-off contributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources: Charles River Editors, “The Mysterious British Isles: A Collection of Mysteries, Legends, and Unexplained Phenomena across Britain and Ireland”, Kindle Edition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blood https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Theft-of-the-Crown-Jewels/ https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/Trails/the-crown-jewels https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/education/thomas-blood.pdf

Did a 15th century witch who lived in a remote North Yorkshire cave really predict the rise and fall of monarchs, world wars, planes, and even the internet? Some people think so, and even today tourists flock to visit Mother Shipton’s cave in Knaresborough, tucked away in an otherworldly forest next to a magic well which can turn items into stone. But who was Mother Shipton really, and is there any truth in her mysterious prophecies?📢 Get in Touch & Support the ShowHave a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support Us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by joining us on Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories.https://www.patreon.com/CuriousBritainPodcast💰 Make a One-Off ContributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain 🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep the show alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources:https://www.mothershipton.co.ukhttps://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclopedia/10456/The Strange and Wonderful History of Mother Shipton Plainly Setting Forth Her Prodigious Birth, Life, Death, and Burial, with an Exact Collection of All Her Famous Prophecys, More Compleat than Ever Yet before Published, and Large Explanations, Shewing How They Have All along Been Fulfilled to This Very Year. London: Printed for W.H. and sold by J. Conyers, 1686.

St Michael’s Church Clock in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, is the largest of its kind in the country. But what else is unique about this historic timepiece? Find out in this episode of Curious Britain.Get in touch with us at: [email protected] you've been enjoying our content, we'd love your support to continue delivering more! A one-off contribution, no matter how small, goes a long way in helping us keep things running. You can donate through PayPal here:Donate Now**Thank you for your support** – it truly means the world to us!Sources:https://coningsby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/parish-information/famous-one-handed-clock/1#:~:text=The%20one%20handed%20clock%20in,Very%20few%20survivedhttps://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/history/peculiar-lincolnshire-clock-largest-kind-8836927https://englishbuildings.blogspot.com/2016/08/coningsby-lincolnshire.html https://roys-roy.blogspot.com/2013/10/curious-church-clocks.htmlhttps://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=2619

UFO sightings today are often blamed on modern aircraft. But how can we explain the reports of moving lights and mysterious airships across Ireland as early as 1909, in the infancy of aviation?Get in touch with us at: [email protected] you've been enjoying our content, we'd love your support to continue delivering more! A one-off contribution, no matter how small, goes a long way in helping us keep things running. You can donate through PayPal here:Donate Now**Thank you for your support** – it truly means the world to us!Sources:The Irish Times, 21 May 1909 The Staffordshire Sentinel, 21 May 1909The Western Times, 22 May 1909The People, 23 May 1909The Weekly Freeman, 14 May 1910The Belfast Newsletter, 11 May 1910https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival_G._Spencer

When a group of workers on a routine drainage project accidentally discovered something buried in a cave in the Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, they could never have predicted that it would become one of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever made in Britain – a 10,000 Mesolithic skeleton known as Cheddar Man.Get in touch with us at: [email protected] you've been enjoying our content, we'd love your support to continue delivering more! A one-off contribution, no matter how small, goes a long way in helping us keep things running. You can donate through PayPal here:Donate Now**Thank you for your support** – it truly means the world to us!Sources:https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/cheddar-man-mesolithic-britain-blue-eyed-boy.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheddar_Manhttps://www.majesticdesigns.co.uk/news/10-facts-never-knew-cheddar/ https://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/education/workshop/cheddar-man https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/mesolithic-skeleton-known-as-cheddar-man-shares-the-same-dna-with-english-teacher-of-historyhttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/cheddar-gorge https://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/things-to-do/attractions/cave/cheddar-gorge-caves https://www.westcountryparks.co.uk/10-interesting-facts-about-cheddar-gorge-and-cavesTaunton Courier and Western Advertiser, 3 February 1904 Music:"Ancient Rite" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Who (or what) placed these curious monuments on top of a Cotswold hill between 3,500 and 1,500 BC, and what was their purpose? Let’s explore the archaeology and folklore that surrounds the Rollright Stones, which are less well-known that Stonehenge, but every bit as intriguing.Reach out to us at: [email protected] you've been enjoying our content, we'd love your support to continue delivering more! A one-off contribution, no matter how small, goes a long way in helping us keep things running. You can donate through PayPal here:Donate Now**Thank you for your support** – it truly means the world to us!Sources:https://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/stones/whispering-knights https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rollright-stones/Oxfordshire Weekly News, 30 January 1924

Britain isn’t known for its extreme weather events, but did you know the country was battered by snowstorms in 1891? The storm caused chaos, burying trains, blowing ships onto the rocks, and bringing down telegraph wires in an oft-forgotten incident that became known as The Great Blizzard.    Get in touch with us at: [email protected] you enjoy the show and would like to support us, please consider making a one-off contribution through PayPal. Every bit helps! You can donate here: https://paypal.me/curiousbritain?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBThank you for your supportSources:https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Blizzard-1891/Norfolk News 14 March 1891 Exeter Flying Post 14 March 1891

August 1577. Lightning struck. Thunder rumbled. And a demonic black dog appeared in a Suffolk church, terrifying the villagers, and leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. This was one of the earliest sightings of the mysterious beast that became known as Black Shuck. Was this vicious dog really a hound from hell, and if it’s not real, why is it still spotted across the country today?Get in touch with us at: [email protected]:https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21406687.weird-suffolk-thunderbolt-lightning-frightening-day-black-shuck-terrorised-suffolk/https://bungay-suffolk.co.uk/about/history/bungay-history-the-black-dog/https://www.strangehistory.net/2014/05/26/non-discovery-shuck/https://blackshuckfestival.comDownham Market Gazette, 23 July 1898Norfolk and Suffolk Journal, July 1970Ben Brierley’s Journal, 28 March 1891Evening News, 28 November 1996Daily Chronicle, 17 July 1922