The Three Ravens Podcast

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by author, folklorist, musician and songwriter Paul Weatherhead, whose book Weird Calderdale is a must-have for fans of Yorkshire folklore!Paul is a native of the Calder Valley in Yorkshire, and was brought up in Hebden Bridge. After finishing school and his BA, Paul spent several years teaching in Greece, Moscow and Northern Siberia before he returned to Calder Valley in the late 1990s. With a longstanding obsession with the weird history of the area he grew up, he wrote Weird Calderdale, the first edition of which was released in 2003 which went on to become a local best-seller.After earning his MA, Paul’s writing then began to be published in various magazines and journals, including Psychology Today, The Skeptic, Northern Life and Psychedelic Scene. He frequently writes on topics including mass hysteria, delusions, weird history and folklore. And on the mass hysteria and delusions front, his latest book, released in September 2024, is called Social Panics and Phantom Attackers – A Study of Imaginary Assailants, which was co-written with renowned sociologist Robert Bartholomew: a mega-interesting topic which we discuss in some depth during this episode.As well as his research interests, Paul is a musician and songwriter, playing electric mandolin with cult folk rock band The Ukrainians for many years, as well as composing solo work consisting of comic folk horror songs inspired by 60s psychedelia, 80s video nasties and the Hebden Bridge Times.All of which makes Paul the ideal person to speak to about Yorkshire, and about folk music, too. To learn more about Paul and his work and books, and to read his excellent blog, do be sure to visit his website at paulweatherhead.com.Otherwise, settle in for a chat which engages with topics including local witches battling Cliff Richard, Yorkshire’s zombies, the Halifax guillotine, local anti-hero Tom Bell, unidentified flying objects, and so much more!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's bonus episode, we proudly present the first installment of a new series, Magus, all about the legendary lives of the most famous witches and wizards in history, and their legacies in the magic of the modern day.In this first episode we are exploring the mythical life and magical accomplishments of King Solomon, including some of the iconic objects associated with him, such as the Seal of Solomon and the Lesser Key of Solomon, while also digging into the history of how the legends about him have come to be.Via early Jewish mystic writings to Arabian folktales and Medieval European grimoires, we're sifting through sand, rifling through parchment scrolls, and seeking the truth behind forged texts, disputing revisionist accounts of the past and discussing archaeological evidence to separate fact from fiction. For example, what was Solomon's Temple said to be like, and why can nobody find it? Did he really have a flying throne to whizz about on jolly adventures? What was his relationship like with the Queen of Sheba, and why is it said the Kingdom of Israel fell to pieces after he died? From super-destructive magical worms to demons forced into manual handling work, a litany of pagan deities being worshiped in buildings right alongside armies of busy sex workers, we're weaving a wild tangle of stories, spells, mysteries and enchantments that we hope will enlighten and entertain. Also, if anyone has any ideas as to what to get 700 wives as anniversary presents, please send your answers on a postcard. Ideally one enhanced by an angel-summoning arcane wax seal...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the icing on the cake of our Series 5 finale, we split Eleanor's chunky new mystery story "Old Stinker" into three parts, and this is its' suitably lycanthropic conclusion! If you missed the first two parts, GO BACK! The tale begins in Series 5 Episode 13, continued with "Old Stinker Part II" and ends here, with Finn, Oona and Mr Timms taking a trip to the funfair - though what they find there is more than just dodgems and a coconut shy...We won't say more about it here, but we hope you enjoy it, and do hang around at the end to hear Eleanor speak about her inspirations for the story, as well as the surprising amount of the tale which is based in folklore and in fact!Otherwise, we will be back tomorrow with the first episode of our new Bonus Series Magus, about the legendary life of King Solomon, all before Saturday's Local Legends interview with Paul Weatherhead to round out Series 5 in style!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of our Series 5 finale, we've split Eleanor's tangled mystery story "Old Stinker" into three parts. This is the second. If you missed the first section, do check out yesterday's Yorkshire episode, in which Oona St Clair, in her new job working for 'Heritage Management' company Spenser & Associates, found herself drawn to Wold Newton, alongside her boss, Finn, and his friend and fellow assistant Mr Timms.What lured the trio to Yorkshire were reports of missing pets and grave robbery, but as the team continue in their investigation and their list of suspects expands, Oona begins to wonder quite how many of the case's disparate threads might be connected...We hope you enjoy the episode, and be sure to check back tomorrow for its concluding part - all before Thursday's first episode of our new Bonus Series Magus, about the legendary life of King Solomon!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.