Episodes
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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.
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Written by: Craig Brooks Hosted by: Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens Edited by: Craig Brooks
Intro 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.
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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.uk
Stay Wyrd!
Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Missing episodes?
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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/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written by Craig Brooks
Hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Main theme: NRA-LAB Intro
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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!
Stay Wyrd.
Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/explore
Hosted by: Craig Brooks & Andy Stevens
Edited by: Craig Brooks
Intro & Outro: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix by Antipodean Writer.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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/wyrdwessex
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Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Main theme: NRA-LAB Intro
Don't open the WyrdLore!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written by: Craig Brooks Hosted by: Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens Edited by: Craig Brooks
Intro 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.
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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 Wyrd
Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written and hosted by Craig Brooks
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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"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/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Main theme: NRA-LAB Intro
Don't open the WyrdLore!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.uk
Stay Wyrd!
Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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 Wyrd
Help keep the lights on and join our Discord here: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.uk
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=u
Hosted by Craig Brooks & Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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"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/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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"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/wyrdwessex
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Main theme: NRA-LAB Intro
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.com
Stay Wyrd!
Help keep the show alive:buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.uk
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=u
Hosted by Craig Brooks & Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.uk
Buy our merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?anchor=profile&asc=u
Hosted by Craig Brooks & Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by: Exceptional_3D - Unexplained mystery intro/outro
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mutartist
📅 Upcoming Event: Weird Wessex Exhibition
Join 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/wyrdwessex
www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
Buy our merch here
Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Leonell Cassio - The Paranormal Is Real (ft. Carrie)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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