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Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees

Paranormal Podcasts

Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast with Mark Rees: Real-life ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends from haunted Wales. Join Mark Rees - "arguably Wales' leading authority on the curious and paranormal aspects of the country's history." (Western Mail) and author of book such as Ghosts of Wales, Paranormal Wales and The A-Z of Curious Wales - for a fascinating journey through the weird and wonderful history of Wales and the world. From 'most haunted' Welsh castles to fairy-filled forests, discover long-lost cases of pesky poltergeists, sea-faring stories of mermaids and mermen, and ancient tales from the Mabinogion and King Arthur on this spine-chilling tour of Wales’ magical, fantastical, dark and, at times, horrible history. Each episode of this unique podcast explores at a different topic, and offers Mark's unique insight and research into: seasonal traditions from the Mari Lwyd to Halloween (Nos Calan Gaeaf); unusual funeral and wedding customs, such as the macabre Sin Eater and eerie corpse candles; how the magic of witches, wizards and the ancient Druids continue to cast a spell over the land today.

Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast with Mark Rees: Real-life ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends from haunted Wales. Join Mark Rees - "arguably Wales' leading authority on the curious and paranormal aspects of the country's history." (Western Mail) and author of book such as Ghosts of Wales, Paranormal Wales and The A-Z of Curious Wales - for a fascinating journey through the weird and wonderful history of Wales and the world. From 'most haunted' Welsh castles to fairy-filled forests, discover long-lost cases of pesky poltergeists, sea-faring stories of mermaids and mermen, and ancient tales from the Mabinogion and King Arthur on this spine-chilling tour of Wales’ magical, fantastical, dark and, at times, horrible history. Each episode of this unique podcast explores at a different topic, and offers Mark's unique insight and research into: seasonal traditions from the Mari Lwyd to Halloween (Nos Calan Gaeaf); unusual funeral and wedding customs, such as the macabre Sin Eater and eerie corpse candles; how the magic of witches, wizards and the ancient Druids continue to cast a spell over the land today.

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast with Mark Rees: Real-life ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends from haunted Wales. Join Mark Rees - "arguably Wales' leading authority on the curious and paranormal aspects of the country's history." (Western Mail) and author of book such as Ghosts of Wales, Paranormal Wales and The A-Z of Curious Wales - for a fascinating journey through the weird and wonderful history of Wales and the world. From 'most haunted' Welsh castles to fairy-filled forests, discover long-lost cases of pesky poltergeists, sea-faring stories of mermaids and mermen, and ancient tales from the Mabinogion and King Arthur on this spine-chilling tour of Wales’ magical, fantastical, dark and, at times, horrible history. Each episode of this unique podcast explores at a different topic, and offers Mark's unique insight and research into: seasonal traditions from the Mari Lwyd to Halloween (Nos Calan Gaeaf); unusual funeral and wedding customs, such as the macabre Sin Eater and eerie corpse candles; how the magic of witches, wizards and the ancient Druids continue to cast a spell over the land today.

Language:

English

Episodes

EP40 The Haunted Highway: A phantom coach and ice-cold apparitions have been haunting a lonely Welsh road for centuries. It's time to go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore podcast!

3/4/2021
The Haunted Highway: Phantom Coaches and the Ice-cold Ghosts For centuries, a phantom coach has been spotted travelling along the same Welsh road. And while the times might have changed, this carriage with it's black horses and eerie passenger continue to travel at speed after night has fallen. If that wasn't eerie enough, ghostly women have also been seen along the same route, seemingly waiting for their coach to arrive. What does it all mean? Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales)...

Duration:00:19:43

EP39 The Magic Power of Leeks: Fight evil spirits with Wales' national vegetable and explore the darker side of St David's Day history and traditions on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

2/25/2021
St David's Day Special: How to fight evil spirits and other uses for the leek, Wales' national vegetable St David's Day is celebrated in Wales and around the world on March 1, but why do people wear a leek to commemorate Wales' patron saint? Welsh folklore tells us that the leek has many important historical uses, from winning wars to fighting off evil spirits, and all is revealed by Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) on this St David's Day special of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales...

Duration:00:21:50

EP38 Vampires of the Valley and Other Strange Creatures: Witches, dog demons, the Devil, a poison fish and a real-life "Dracula" are lurking in the shadows on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

2/18/2021
Vampires of the Valley and Other Strange Creatures There are strange creatures lurking in the Vale of Neath. There are vampires, witches, dog demons and the devil, not to mention the poison fish and the magical frog. Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the weird and wonderful entities that inhabit Wales' "waterfall country" and home of the Welsh fairies, y tylwyth teg, in which the sound of a vampires can be heard sucking through walls, and diabolical calves...

Duration:00:22:50

EP37 Pesky Poltergeists in Wild Wales: Evil spirits from the "invisible world" attack unsuspecting victims in Wales' oldest "real-life" ghost stories on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

2/11/2021
Pesky Poltergeists in Wild Wales Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) for some eerie tales of "evil spirits" - what we might call poltergeists nowadays - from Wales' oldest collection of "real-life" ghost stories. Dating from as far back as the seventeenth century, while these "most haunted" tales might be old, they are just as terrifying - if not more so! - than modern-day accounts. Because not only do these apparitions go bump in the night, they hurl missiles and even beat the...

Duration:00:21:34

EP36 Ghosts, Devils and Death Omens; or, A Wild Night by the Romantic Lakes: A haunting (and unromantic!) real-life ghost story for Valentine’s Day on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

2/4/2021
Ghosts, Devils and Death Omens; or, A Wild Night by the Romantic Lakes In this long-lost ghost story from the archives, Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) explores a real-life account of an apparition which haunted the sublime lakes and mountains of Wales. It was one moonlit night that a Victorian painter, who was in Wales to capture the romantic landscapes, discovered something far more haunting. The spectre itself, however, would be the least of his worries, for this haunted spot was...

Duration:00:27:12

EP35 The Dark Fairy Tale of Rhys and Llewellyn: Have you heard fairy music playing in the woods at night? What would happen if you followed it? Find out on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!

1/28/2021
The Dark Fairy Tale of Rhys and Llewellyn Have you ever heard sweet music drifting on the breeze as you walk home through the woods at night? And what would happen if you followed that music, and were lured into an endless dance with the Welsh fairy folk - y Tylwyth Teg? All is revealed as Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) investigates the dark fairy tale of Rhys and Llewellyn, an old Welsh story from the days when not everyone lived happily ever after. What is the Ghosts & Folklore of...

Duration:00:23:04

EP34 Witchcraft by the Sea: In this eerie ghost story of death omens and clairvoyance, a witch's dire prophesy brings tragic news to an unsuspecting young man - Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

1/21/2021
Witchcraft by the Sea; or, A Tragic Prophesy Do you believe in clairvoyance? What about fortune telling? One Welsh man thought it was all a load of rubbish, but soon changed his mind after a chilling death omen was sent his way from an all-seeing 19th century witch. To find out more, join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) as he investigates this seaside tale in which Witch's Point on the south Wales coast really does live up to its name. What is the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with...

Duration:00:23:50

EP33 St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers: The dark history of Wales' patron saint of love, the folklore of Ynys Llanddwyn - the 'Island of Love', and how to celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen

1/14/2021
St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers and the 'island of love' According to the legend, the life of fifth-century saint St Dwynen was far from easy. She is said to have forsaken love for herself in order to bring it to others, and was granted wished by angels, and a magic potion, in order to make it happen from a church off the coast of Anglesey. Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) as he investigates her former home and site of pilgrimage on the island of Ynys Llanddwyn, and...

Duration:00:19:45

EP32 The Murdered Knight: A chilling real-life "Ghosts of Wales" tale in which the spectre of a slain warrior returns to a secluded Welsh farm house and turns a paranormal sceptic into a true believer

1/7/2021
The Murdered Knight The Ghosts and Folklore podcast kicks off 2021 in the best possible way - with a real-life "Ghosts of Wales" story sure to send a shiver down your spine! Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) as he investigates a long-lost tale from the Victorian archives, in which an "intelligent" man is turned from a hard-nosed sceptic to a true believer in the paranormal after spending the night in a secluded farm house. What he experienced that night forever changed him... dare...

Duration:00:19:44

EP31 New Year's Folklore of Wales: From the Mari Lwyd to Calennig, it's out with the old and in with the new as Mark Rees explores the history of Welsh folklore on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

12/30/2020
New Year's Folklore of Wales It's out with the old and in with the new on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast! Join Mark Rees (author of Paranormal Wales/ Ghosts of Wales) as he explores the old New Year's Eve and New Year's Day traditions, from such curious customs as the Mari Lwyd to seasonal favourite Calennig. Is it good luck or bad luck if a you see a woman before a man on New Year's Day? Press play to find out... Happy new Year/ blwyddyn newydd dda! What is the Ghosts &...

Duration:00:22:46

EP30 Curious Christmas Folklore of Wales: Christmas Eve and Day traditions and customs, from kissing under the mistletoe and light-filled Plygain services to Sion Corn (Santa Claus) and the Mari Lwyd

12/23/2020
It's Christmas Eve - the perfect time to pull up a chair next to the log fire, pour yourself a glass of mulled wine and listen to some old folklore of Wales. In this festive special, Mark Rees takes a look at: • Why kissing under the mistletoe isn't just about the romance • The incredible Plygain services, in which countless candles are used to illuminate the night • How the town of Tenby ensured nobody had a lie-in on Christmas Day • A return of the horse-skulled Mari Lwyd • And even...

Duration:00:25:30

EP29 The Magical Christmas Tree... and a few ghosts!: The curious tale of a tree that blossomed in a west Wales garden every Christmas Eve, and some gothic ghost stories to go with it

12/17/2020
Welsh folklore tells us that on Christmas Eve, a magical Christmas tree would spring to life in the garden of a west Wales mansion. What was its supernatural purpose, and where did it come from? And more to the point, where is it now? The old tales tell us that the tree was destroyed, but that isn't the whole story. In fact, there could be a lot more to the tale of this tree than just folklore, and it could even still be active to this day, if you know where to look. But beware - in true...

Duration:00:22:44

EP28 A Ghost Story for Christmas Eve; or, Festive Spirits at the Inn: A real-life tale of paranormal activity at a Welsh town's "most haunted" pub on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

12/10/2020
There is a Welsh pub which is said to be haunted by many ghosts, which range from the good old "lady in black" to a "headless cavalier." They are, for most part, seemingly harmless enough, but on Christmas Eve a more troublesome phantom - a pesky poltergeist, you might say - has been known to cause mischief at the Castle Hotel in Neath. This spirit - of the supernatural variety, rather than the alcoholic - has been reported on more than one occasion, and by multiple witnesses. What is...

Duration:00:20:49

EP27 Mari Lwyd, the Welsh Christmas "Ghost Horse": Secret history and folklore of the "bone horse" of Wales, a peculiar custom in which a horse's skull disturbs people late at night for beer and cake

12/3/2020
The Mari Lwyd is arguably the most well-known character in Welsh folklore. But why do people carry a horse's skull door-to-door late at night, and challenge their neighbours to a battle in verse? In a similar way to Krampus, the Central European "evil Santa", and Gryla, the Icelandic troll, this curious Christmas custom fascinates people around the world. In this special festive episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) goes in search of some...

Duration:00:33:06

EP26 Ghost Hunting in Wales' "Most Haunted" Places: Paranormal investigators Cymru Paranormal reveal what it's REALLY like to search for the supernatural in some of the spookiest Welsh locations

11/26/2020
What is it REALLY like to go ghost hunting in Wales' "most haunted" places? To find out, Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales) caught up with fully-trained paranormal investigators Cymru Paranormal to learn not just how to track down the paranormal, but how to do it ethically. What are their scariest experiences? What equipment do you need for an overnight vigil? Do they use Ouija boards? And is it anything like the ghost-hunting TV shows and spooky movies that we see on our screens? For...

Duration:00:56:12

EP25 The Secret Islands of the Faeries: How the fairies of Wales are connected to King Arthur, why they are called y Tylwyth Teg, and more Welsh folklore about the fair folk who haunted the forests

11/19/2020
Welsh folklore tells us that the fairy folk of Wales can be traced back to the times of King Arthur. But what connection do they have with the legendary island of Avalon, and why are they called y Tylwyth Teg in Welsh? Join Mark Rees (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ "Paranormal Wales" etc.) as he explores these questions and more in this episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast. Do you believe in the fairy folk? Listen to this podcast before making your mind up! What is the Ghosts...

Duration:00:24:47

EP24 The Cursed Room at Wales' National Stadium: How a jinx caused rugby and football teams to lose games at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, and the Welsh artist-turned-exorcist who banished the ghosts

11/12/2020
Can the changing room of a sports stadium really be jinxed? And did it really cause team after team to continuously lose important games? That's exactly what was claimed to be happening at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, when more than 10 English football league teams in a row (along with a few rugby teams) lost major games after being stationed in the dreaded south changing room. The odds that so many teams could miss out on the glory of winning the FA Cup, league cup and promotion...

Duration:00:23:32

EP23 Guy Fawkes Night: The folklore, traditions, history and ghosts of Bonfire Night, and how Noson Guto Ffowc was celebrated in Wales following the Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf parties

11/5/2020
Guy Fawkes Night: The folklore, ghosts, history and traditions Remember, remember, the fifth of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot! On this episode, Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) is joined by storyteller Owen Staton to discuss Guy Fawkes Night in Wales. Because while Halloween might be a few days behind us, there's still time for another autumn festival with bonfires and fireworks. Together they explore: All of these questions and more will be explored...

Duration:00:26:38

EP22 Halloween Special - Ghosts of Wales Live!: Explore Wales' "most haunted" places in Mark Rees' new book Paranormal Wales, ghost hunting with Cymru Paranormal and Welsh storyteller Owen Staton

10/29/2020
Ghosts of Wales Live - A Halloween Special: A paranormal podcast party for Nos Calan Gaeaf How are you celebrating Halloween this year? Do you fancy some ghost hunting, but don't where to start? Or maybe you want to visit a haunted pub, but need some tips and advice? Or maybe you're just looking for a good spooky book to read? Then this is the podcast for you! On this extra-long Halloween edition, author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) will be talking about his new book Paranormal Wales, and...

Duration:00:55:49

EP21 Spooky Halloween Folklore and Traditions of Wales: How to celebrate Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween, with Gothic ghost stories and long-lost lore of death omens and witches

10/22/2020
Halloween Folklore and Traditions of Wales: How to celebrate Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween Join cultural adventurer Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) on this journey in search of the curious, dark, and at times macabre history and folklore of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween. One of three spirit nights, it was a time for fun and festivities, but also a time of apprehension, and to beware the supernatural creatures abroad. On this episode we will...

Duration:00:29:08

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