No, not THAT Barnard Castle. This is Barnard Castle the castle not Barnard Castle the town. And neither have got anything to do with eye tests, ok?
12.03.2026 05:30
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No, not THAT Barnard Castle. This is Barnard Castle the castle not Barnard Castle the town. And neither have got anything to do with eye tests, ok?
England is notorious for its bad weather but at least an Englishman can shelter from the rain in his home/castle. Except in North Aston, where an unlucky bunch of Englishmen and Englishwomen (and one Englishdog) got caught in a shower indoors. And it was a shower of rocks!
A new contender for Rudest Place Name has entered the ring! James provides a run-down of Upper Dicker's top monks. Plus, a couple of mysterious spectres and a jug you do NOT want to drink from.
James takes Alasdair round the manor house of Chilham Castle, in Kent. You want skeletons? We got skeletons mate, don't you worry! In manacles? Of course in manacles.
Roses are red, daffodils are jollier, it's Valentine's time, so we're joined by Jenny Collier!
James has been digging up the dirt on Maidstone. He's found a cute little Kentish tale, plus a murderous bull straight out of Looney Tunes.
Comedian & podcaster, Edd Hedges introduces a bevy of Cambridgeshire oddities, from a terrifying monkey (some would call it a dog) to The Chronophage.
Yeah, Jackie
Into the depths of Wychwood Forest, where one family made a terrible mistake while digging up a tree stump. Plus, we might just have come up with a new form of forensic science. (It's fingerprints, but instead of fingers it's bums. It's bumprints.)
Amateur ghost-hunter Rosina C. Despard's Cheltenham home was the site of one of the most well-documented hauntings of the 19th century... Or was it?
We conclude our round-up of the Lorefolk's favourite moments from 2025. Now is a time to reflect on man-eating horses, saucy giants and islands that definitely aren't potatoes.
Eleanor & Alasdair Read That X @loremen.bsky.social
It's Part 1 of the annual Loremen misunderstanding of how countdowns work! We've selected the top ten(ish) moments from 2025, as voted for by the Lorefolk. Roman robots! Man-faced pigs! Two Jesuses?
Comedian Daisy Earl joins us for the legend of a boozy Mancunian pig and the Scottish fairy tale of Whuppity Stoorie.
Who is that, judging me from afar? Why it's the Man-Faced Pigs of Brussels (Wisconsin), the pickiest swine the Loreboys have encountered to date! With a sprinkling of Christmas Pig magic, here is a festive little tale to warm you from your snout right down to your curly, curly tail.
Long Hanborough? Home of the Oxford Bus Museum? Yes! And once you've listened to this episode, you'll know it for more than being home to the bus from the Spice Girls movie. You'll know it for containing a spooky cottage with a particularly busy poltergeist...
You know what they say: if you remember Finstock, you've been to West Oxfordshire. Here we discover a wealth of ghosts, including a truly chilling lady whose beckoning hands can only be seen by children. Pop on your body warmers... now!
It's a case of Till Death Us DON'T Part in the legend of Sarah Polgrain and Yorkshire Jack, whose marriage vows echoed beyond the grave. Plus, a lovely handful of teeth.
A hardback edition of Liza Frank's Household Lore. "Folklore, Traditions and Remedies for Every Room in Your Home." The cover illustration is a stylised gothic revival house in purple
A checklist of characteristics to help the reader identify a vampire, including: "Is wearing a cape"
Thank you very much to @lilithepunk.bsky.social for this beautiful copy of Household Lore, which includes a surprisingly practical guide to keeping out Draculas. Hopefully @loremen.bsky.social will be vampire-free by 2026.
Two of my favourite pods coincide - @dannyrobins.bsky.social Uncanny x @misterabk.bsky.social from @loremen.bsky.social. A special listen.
A ghoulish groom attempts to drag his lover to Hell, like some kind of reverse-Meatloaf. This is the classic Cornish tale of Nancy Trenoweth, featuring a quick-thinking blacksmith, a humble servant and an exploding horse. But will the boys get through the story without any derailments?
It's true, other 10% is in Readers Digest
In 1809, Benjamin Bathurst vanished without leaving a trace. Apart from his trousers. And his cloak. And possibly his skull. Luckily, James has a theory NO ONE has considered before...
Thank LoreFolk!
LoreFolk! Assemble!
The boys discover a peculiar cult boasting not one, but two Jesuses. Yowzah! Must be pretty awkward at Christmas. James whisks Alasdair off to the commune of the Agapemonites: a scandalous Victorian sect nestled in the sauciest region of Somerset. (Well, a few miles north of Taunton.)
James and Alasdair do their darndest to keep Austin a little bit odd with this selection of spooky tales from that Texan bastion of peculiarity.
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