Welcome to...
Local Legends
In this Bonus Series, Martin interviews acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on England's 39 historic counties.
Local Legends 1: Kirsty Hartsiotis
Martin chats about Suffolk and so much more with expert storyteller and author of Suffolk Folk Tales Kirsty Hartsiotis.
A storyteller extraordinaire, described by Three Ravens hero Dr Ronald Hutton as “as good as it gets,” Kirsty is the author of several excellent books, including The Anthology of English Folk Tales, Suffolk Ghost Tales, and Ballad Tales: An Anthology of British Ballad Tales Retold.
It's a fascinating conversation, ranging from York's overflowing cemeteries to the Green Children of Woolpit, the many Shucks of East Anglia to fairies, and takes in haunted airfields, drowned cities, and much, much more. We hope you enjoy!
Local Legends 2: The Faerie Folk
Martin chats about Somerset and the life of a content creator with enigmatically anonymous internet personality The Faerie Folk.
The Faerie Folk has a folklore podcast, launched in the pandemic, which is aimed a bit more at younger children and families than Three Ravens. She has an extremely cheerful delivery, and, based on our experience, if you’re ever feeling down in the dumps, one of her episodes is all but guaranteed to cheer you right up.
Elsewhere, she also releases short documentaries on YouTube on a huge range of topics – from the ghosts of the London Underground to Shakespeare’s cursed bones to, appropriate for this week, an episode all about the fairy king who once ruled Glastonbury Tor.
During our conversation we talk about all this, Somerset, and more.
Local Legends 3: Mike O'Connor
Martin chats about Cornwall, Medieval music, King Arthur, and so much more, with expert storyteller and author of Cornish Folk Tales Mike O'Connor.
A prizewinning competition fiddle player and a master of the concertina, Mike is the leading researcher of Cornish instrumental music anywhere in the world. He has been working as a musician since the 1970s and as a storyteller since the 1990s. He has been awarded the OBE, is a bard of the Gorsedh of Cornwall, and received the Henwood Medal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, too.
With tales varying from 5-minute fireside fancies to epics such as Tristan and Iseult, Imravoe, the Tales of the Holy Rood, and Loki, Mike is a master storyteller who has made many recordings and radio broadcasts.
Few people alive today have such a deep knowledge of Cornish legends and folk tales. And so we hope you enjoy our chat, which ranges from mermaids and giants to King Mark, the beauty of the Cornish landscape to the legacy of Cornwall's ancient mineral wealth, and far, far beyond.
Local Legends 4: Adam Bushnell
Martin chats about County Durham, a writer's life, and so much more, with storyteller and author of over 40 books, including County Durham Folk Tales, Adam Bushnell.
Born and raised in County Durham, Adam knows and loves the county where he now resides - and he has perspective on it. His work regularly sees him travelling all over the world, delivering workshops in Asia, Africa, and America, as well as all over the UK. As you’ll hear, he knows so many of the stories of the place, and is always acquiring more. A story magpie, drawn to shiny things, he is a compulsive tale-teller and so friendly – the North East could hardly have a better ambassador!
With our chat ranging from Medusa to the Lambton Worm to friendly ghosts, horrible murders, and vampires staked under childrens' playgrounds, it's a good one. So settle in for an hour of talk with a master storyteller, and if your workmates ask you to go through a haunted field to get extra beer, there's advice within about exactly what to do...
Local Legends 5: Cath Edwards
Martin chats about the folklore and character of Warwickshire and the West Midlands with storyteller and author Cath Edwards.
A member of The Society for Storytelling representing the Midlands, and author of excellent books including ‘Warwickshire Folktales’ and “West Midlands Folktales,” Cath is highly experienced storyteller and workshop leader. She has decades of experience telling stories, and developed her love of folklore as a small child.
Join us for a chat which ranges from Shakespeare and Warwickshire's shifting borders to Guy of Warwick, some truly tragic ghosts, through perilous snowy blizzards, and to Yebberton, where the men are extremely daft. At least, if you ask the people of Ilmington...
Local Legends 6: Mike O'Leary
Martin chats with the author of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Folk Tales Mike O'Leary.
Mike has been a professional storyteller since 1995, and across the last almost 30 years has developed a real expertise in the folklore of Hampshire. He’s written several books, including Hampshire and Isle of Wight Folk Tales, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Ghost Tales, Hampshire Folk Tales for Children, Sussex Folk Tales, and The Pilgrimage of the Piltdown Man.
One of the special things about Mike’s storytelling style is that he likes to play tunes on his walking stick flute, a wonderful prop and instrument, but, as anyone who has read his books will tell you, his voice has wit and humour whether in person or on the page.
So settle in for an hour of chat with a storyteller who knows Hampshire's stories as well as anyone, from knights and giants to ghosts to those ever elusive white deer...
Local Legends 7: James Wright
Martin chats with Nottinghamshire local and author of the fascinating new book Historic Building Mythbusting, James Wright.
Though a long-time resident of Nottinghamshire and a genuine expert in its historic buildings and folklore, James was born in Staffordshire and has been involved with the world of archaeology for over twenty years.
In 2020 he began writing the 'Mediaeval Mythbusting Blog' and that project was then picked up as a book – Historic Building Mythbusting: Uncovering Folklore, History, and Archaeology, which was published this week.
He's a fascinating chap with genuine expertise in Nottinghamshire's culture and heritage. And he's not afraid to take a pigeon to the face in the pursuit of science.
So, settle in and enjoy a ranging chat that includes a diverse array of topics, from Goose Fairs and Robin Hood to saucy carvings, Lord Byron, secret tunnels, and much more besides.
Local Legends 8: David Crowther
Martin chats with Oxfordshire local and host of The History of England podcast, David Crowther.
David has lived in Oxfordshire for many years, giving him a perfect perspective on the county. That of someone who's familiar with it, but who sees it with a sense of perspective. Plus, in addition to being very funny, David is inclined to take the long view, having told the story of England from the Anglo Saxon period right on through to - at present - the English Civil War, via his much-loved podcast, which has been running for a whopping 13 years!
So, what better companion could we ask for to sit around the campfire and enjoy a chat?
As such, we suggest you make a cup of tea, or pour a glass of something stronger, and join us for a conversation which ranges from being bopped on the head with pigs' bladders to mistaking Morris Men for fox hunters.
Local Legends 9: Emma Ozenbrook
Martin chats with Kent resident and host of the Real Life Ghost Stories podcast, Emma Ozenbrook.
Born in Ireland, Emma has lived in Kent for a fair old chunk of time and knows it very well, which, combined with her love for a good story, makes her a cracking ambassador for 'The Garden of England.'
If you like a spooky podcast, odds are you’ll already know her from Real Life Ghost Stories – one of our absolute favourites, and a definite inspiration for Three Ravens.
So, settle in and join us for a good ol' chinwag which ranges from theatre to Kent's rich history, through Romney Marsh and hidden seashell grottoes to the curious case of The Hythe Mothman!
Local Legends 10: Graeme Cook
Martin chats with the Lancashire-born host of the Tales of Britain and Ireland podcast, Graeme Cooke.
For the last six years Graeme has been releasing episodes, but, unlike us, he's taking things slow and steady: he recently published his 50th episode, and by focusing on quality, deep research and a diverse range of incredibly rich stories, he has created a back catalogue of fantastic tales brilliantly told.
Graeme's knowledge of Lancashire's lore is outstanding and, like his interest in history and folk culture, it's born of passion.
Our chat ranges from Lancashire's curious land divisions to the Pendle Witch Trials, famed local folklorists to boggarts, devil summonings, screaming skulls and more, and folds in fascinating details of some of the most important sites in Lancashire, as well as its curious evolution.
Local Legends 11: The Loremen
Martin chats about the folklore of Middlesex with the hosts of The Loremen Podcast James Shakeshaft and Alasdair Beckett-King.
Over seven years ago, when they were fairly early in their careers as stand-up comedians, James and Alasdair found themselves chatting about folklore on a road trip to the South West. After amusing one another in the car, they wondered if the world might like to be in on the joke. So The Loremen was born.
In this episode, Martin steers James and Alasdair's attentions toward the lore of the historic county where they met - which is better known today as London.
Encompassing buried temples beneath the financial district, mysterious automata, dragons, The London Monster, myths of gigantic kings, famous ghosts, and a surprising amount of chat about The Muppets, it's perhaps the giggliest episode of Local Legends we've released, but that's no bad thing!
Local Legends 12: Amy Boucher
Martin chats about the folklore of Shropshire with Amy Boucher.
Amy is a writer and a folklorist, an educator and a podcaster. She focuses on her native Shropshire, with her emphasis primarily being on the interplay between folklore, history and the paranormal.
Like many of us, Amy is fascinated by perceptions of the past as seen through the lens of folk beliefs. We first encountered her through Twitter, and tumbled headlong into her blog, Nearly Knowledgeable History, which is amazing. And from there we listened to her audiodrama podcast ‘Best of Men’ which, if you’re after a spooky adventure, comes highly recommended!
Amy is incredibly well-informed and passionate about Shropshire’s folklore. She could talk Shropshire for days, and be consistently interesting and funny, and we're so happy to be finally sharing our chat, which we recorded a few weeks ago.
Local Legends 13: Dr Paul Quinn
Martin chats about the folklore of Sussex with Dr Paul Quinn.
Paul grew up in Sussex, going on to complete his doctorate at the University of Sussex, working on anti-Catholicism and the Early Modern Stage.
After completing his postdoctoral fellowship at Sussex University’s Centre for Early Modern and Medieval Studies, he moved ultimately to the University of Chichester, where he teaches modules including ‘Fairy Tales: From Early Modern to Postmodern’ and ‘Theatres of Pleasure and Theatres of Pain.’
Local Legends 14:
Stephen G Rae
Martin chats with Stephen G. Rae, the Bard of Cumberland.
Though he was born in Scotland, Stephen has deep family links in Cumberland. He spent a lot of time there as a child, and, once he’d grown up, he settled there, slowly but surely developing a deep understanding and love of Cumbria and its many mysteries.
As you’ll hear, Stephen has led a fascinating life, accumulating a whole load of qualifications including BAs in Botany and Fine Art, as well as training as a Buddhist monk and as a Bard with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.
Settle in then for a chat that includes reflections on social media and organised religion, leprechauns and boggarts, dragons, Cumbria's legendary archer Adam Bell, and much more besides.
Local Legends 15:Tim Laycock
Martin chats with Tim Laycock, an inspirational, multi-talented person and a true champion for the county of Dorset.
Author of books including Dorset Folk Tales, writing is just the tip of the iceberg with Tim, who came to the attentions of many in the British folk community through his work as part of Magic Lantern with the one and only Taffy Thomas.
Music is absolutely key to Tim’s life. He is a tremendous singer and multi-instrumentalist, and, like a crafty folk song magpie, he has been finding stories and songs, and story-songs, and bringing them out and into the light across his many years of performance.
With a rich catalogue of wonderful recordings available as CDs and through streaming services, his talents stretch yet further, including into theatre, where he has worked with the likes of the National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Festival Theatre Chichester, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and many others.
He has written ten plays, too, some award-winning, and has had a long and successful career as a performer and director. Being a Dorset man, it’s perhaps necessary that Thomas Hardy would feature in that mix, and Tim is also the Artistic Director of the New Thomas Hardy Players, while also performing Hardy’s poetry and works as part of
Local Legends 16:
Dr Kevan Manwaring
Martin talks with the rather extraordinary Dr Kevan Manwaring, a multi-talented son of Northamptonshire who is also a true champion of the underdog.
Kevan has written in the region of 30 books, including his collections of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire Folk Tales, and his tremendous collection Ballad Tales - and that's not to mention his academic writing on the Bardic tradition, or his poetry and novels!
These days he is the course leader for the MA in Creative Writing at Arts University Bournemouth, with his current academic focus being around ecofiction – a subject we’ll explore in some depth during our conversation.
For many people though, he will be more familiar as a storyteller and performance poet, in which guise Kevan has performed all over the place, including live on BBC One, at Glastonbury Festival, and at innumerable bookshops, museums, heritage sites, and in schools.
Local Legends 17: Taffy Thomas MBE
Martin gathers round the Three Ravens campfire with England's first-ever Storytelling Laureate, the folklorist and author Taffy Thomas.
In his younger years Taffy was a drama teacher and entertainer, founding the highly influential theatre company Magic Lantern. Then a debilitating stroke at the age of 36 changed Taffy’s life, and he turned to storytelling as self-imposed speech therapy.
In the years that followed he became England's leading proponent in the art of traditional storytelling, collecting tales from oral sources and folklore, writing books, touring nationally and internationally, and earning the MBE in 2001.
He was appointed England’s first Storytelling Laureate in 2009, then in 2010 received The English Folk Dance and Song Society Gold Badge Award and in 2013 won a British Award for Storytelling Excellence.
Now 75, with over a dozen books and storytelling albums to his name, he is the patron of the Society for Storytelling and artistic director of Tales in Trust, the Northern Centre for Storytelling in Grasmere, where he is regularly to be found spinning yarns.
Along the way, he tells stories, of course, and discusses the character of Westmoreland and Cumbria through tales both tall and not so tall - including the story of how he acquired his iconic storytelling hat...
Local Legends 18:
Jonathan Sims
As part of Haunting Season 2024, Martin gathers round the Three Ravens campfire with the author, voice actor, and co-creator of hit podcasts The Magnus Archives and The Magnus Protocol Jonathan Sims.
It's a conversation which ranges from Magnus' origins as prompted by long nights working night shifts to Jonny's school-age discovery of M.R. James and H.P. Lovecraft, to favourite haunted places, some recommended reading, what to take from writing advice, the impact of popular writers like Stephen King on perceptions of horror, and some big issues to do with the genre, not least taboo, plus much, much more.
A juicy chat whether you're a fan of Magnus or have never given the series a listen - and big shout outs and love to all those classic horror anthology series out there!
Local Legends 19: Robert Lloyd Parry
As part of Haunting Season 2024, Martin gathers round the Three Ravens campfire with the acclaimed actor, art historian, and expert in classic ghost stories Robert Lloyd Parry.
In case you've not heard of him, since 2005 Rob has been engaged in "The M.R. James Project," a set of performances where Rob, dressed and in character as 'The Father of the Modern Ghost Story,' performs James’ terrifying tales to much acclaim, including from the likes of The Times and Sunday Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Fortean Times, The Spectator, and The New Yorker, who said of the M.R. James Project, “Lloyd Parry’s mastery of the role is itself an act of possession.”
In this interview, we focus in on M.R. James and classic ghost stories, discussing writers like Algernon Blackwood, H.G. Wells, H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, and many others. What makes them so brilliant, and which of their tales would Rob recommend? Moreover, what made M.R. James such a special, singular writer whose influence on weird fiction is probably greater than any writer of the last 200 years?
Local Legends 20:
Evelyn Hollow
As part of Haunting Season 2024, Martin gathers round the Three Ravens campfire with writer, paranormal psychologist, and all-round super-cool spooky person Evelyn Hollow.
Evelyn is probably most famous for her work on Uncanny and various Danny Robins-hosted series such as The Battersea Poltergeist and The Witch Farm. You might have also seen her on the Warner Bros TV shows Spooked Scotland and Spooked Ireland which stream on Discovery Channel+. And there's perhaps a prevailing perception of her as "That Ghost Lady from The Programmes" but, as this interview goes to demonstrate, there's a heck of a lot more to Evelyn than such a persona might imply.
She holds a Master of Research degree in Paranormal Psychology, is a former psychology lecturer, is tremendously nerdy about things you might not expect - not just maths but quantum physics, for example - and she has had a super-interesting career.
As such, settle in for a chat which folds in all sorts of fascinating concepts, from the history of Planck's Constant and the fiercely brilliant fiction of writers like Shirley Jackson to the awesomeness of dictionaries and the reality of what's actually involved in being a parapsychologist.
Local Legends 21: Brice Stratford
As part of Haunting Season 2024, Martin gathers round the Three Ravens campfire with folklorist Brice Stratford to chat all about his new book Halloween Folklore and Ghost Stories.
This new collection is Brice’s third book, following his first collection, Anglo Saxon Folklore: The Struggle for the Saxon Kingdoms, and New Forest Myths and Folklore, both of which were published in 2022.
A storyteller, historian, actor and theatre director, Brice writes on heritage, art and architectural history for Apollo Magazine, the Spectator, and various trade publications, and for 12 years he ran the award-winning Owle Schreame theatre company which is currently on hiatus.
Born and raised in the New Forest, he started his journey into folklore in the New Forest area of Southern England, engaging in folklore collecting and plenty of deep-dive research – skills which he brought to bear for his new Halloween Folklore and Ghost Stories collection.
For now though, settle in for a chat which encompasses Halloween's origins, 'Blood Month' traditions, pig-faced spectral brides, Charles Dickens, the stunning Sedlec Ossuary and much more.
Local Legends 21:
Dr Francis Young
Martin chats about Cambridgeshire, paganism and much, much more with one of the nation’s most prominent and celebrated folklorists, author and historian Dr Francis Young.
In case you’re unfamiliar with his work, such as his frequent appearances on BBC radio, as well as his writing for magazines including History Today and BBC History Magazine, Francis specialises in the history of religion and belief. He is the author, editor, or co-author of over 20 books, including the award-winning Pagans in the Early Modern Baltic, as well as Twilight of the Godlings and Magic in Merlin’s Realm. His new book, just out, is called Paganism Persisting: A History of European Paganisms since Antiquity, which he co-authored with Robin C. Douglas.
We first encountered Francis in relation to his scholarship about witchcraft, magic, and paganism, but for our purposes today he's gathering round the Three Ravens campfire to chat about the history and folklore of Cambridgeshire, a county about which he is a bit of an expert. As a Cambridge-based academic who has written books about the county’s folklore, and that of neighbouring counties, he is the perfect person to guide us through its murky earthy fenlands on the one hand, and its world-famous university town on the other.
So, settle in for a chat which encompasses fairies, wild hunts, ghostly knights, fenland drainage, some very nice cathedrals, and anecdotes about Isaac Newton, M.R. James, Enid Porter and much else too!
