This time, Henry, David, and Ross gather at Hardy's Monument, the sun sinking behind Black Down as they set off towards one of Dorset’s most mysterious ancient sites: the Hellstone on Portesham Hill. Once a Neolithic long barrow, the Hellstone was reassembled in 1866 after its mighty capstone collapsed. But history isn’t the only thing lurking among the stones. On the way back, as the shadows deepened and the air turned cold, they crossed paths with a man tormented by the presence of a large bla...
May 18, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Join Henry, David, and Ross as they get increasingly sozzled at the Red Lion pub in Weymouth. They originally set out to discuss the pub’s haunted history and the lifeboat disaster that launched from the station just around the corner. However, after too much rum, beer, wine, and whiskey, they ended up completely sidetracked, diving into the origins of nautical terms instead. We can also heartily recommend the steak and chips—it might be the beer talking, but it's probably the nicest pub we've b...
Feb 07, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 19
This Halloween, we created our own ghost walk around Dorchester, bringing along our partners and kids to explore the eerie local lore! Here are the spine-chilling stops we visited, each with a story from Dorchester's haunted history. Join us as we walk through these ghostly tales! Stops on Our Tour: Maumbury Rings Story by Ross The ancient grounds of Ghostly Romans and the legend of the Bleeding Phantom. Antelope Walk Story by Kate Tales of Judge Jeffreys sightings and the mysteries of Dorcheste...
Nov 08, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 18
After a long summer break, the boys are back! In this episode, Ross and David take us on a journey to the mysterious Grey Mare and Her Colts, a megalithic chambered long barrow near Abbotsbury in Dorset. Built during the Early and Middle Neolithic periods, this ancient tomb holds secrets uncovered in the 19th century, including human remains and pottery fragments. The duo also visits the nearby Kingston Russell Stone Circle, also known as the Gorwell Circle. Back at the Dark Darzet Studios, they...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this episode, Ross, David, and Henry embark on a pre-dawn journey to a secretive spot deep in the Dorset countryside, drawn by tales of a mysterious black cat lurking in the shadows. As the first light of dawn filters through the misty trees, the air is thick with anticipation. They delve into eerie local legends and past encounters, with Henry and David recounting their own spine-tingling sightings. Skeptical Ross tries to unravel the mystery and determine if there’s any truth behind these e...
Jun 06, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, David, Henry, and Ross embark on a journey between the imposing Corfe Castle and the idyllic coastal village of Studland. Along the way, they detour to uncover the shrouded secrets of Rempstone Stone Circle. Nestled beneath a canopy of ancient holly and fir trees, the trio explores the weathered remains of this 4,000-5,000-year-old monument. Their exploration takes an unexpected turn as they encounter remnants of local tradition. They craft a symbolic "Green Man" offering and fl...
Apr 28, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Join Ross, David, and Henry for a chilling journey to Wareham, Dorset, where ancient traditions meet modern mysteries. This episode delves into the intrigue of the Court Leet, a centuries-old legal system with eccentric roles like: The Steward: The Lord's right-hand man, presiding over proceedings. The Bailiff: Enacting the court's decisions. The Reeve: The Bailiff's deputy. Constable: Keeping order. Carniters and Chimney Peeper: Ensuring the town's hygiene. Scavenger: Battling unseen plagues in...
Feb 09, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Join Ross, David and Henry as they delve into the fascinating history of Madien Castle, near Dorchester, (known as Durnovaria in Roman times), a town with a mysterious past. Derived from the Celtic word "durnov", meaning "fist", Durnovaria was founded by the Romans in 60 AD. The name aptly reflects the landscape of the area, with fist-sized pebbles found in abundance. The Romans established Durnovaria as their administrative center for the Durotriges tribe, a Celtic group that inhabited southwes...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this episode of the Dark Dorzet Podcast, Ross and David, along with their long-suffering partners, head to the infamous Dorchester Prison for a night of ghost hunting. Dorchester Prison was a Category B men's prison located in Dorchester, Dorset, England. It was built in 1855 and closed in 2013. The prison was originally designed to house 200 inmates, but by the time it closed it was holding over 500. The team used a variety of methods to try to contact the spirits of the prison's former inma...
Oct 22, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Ross and David visited Brownsea Island, a place with a rich and mysterious history. They learned about Mary Bonham-Christie, the eccentric woman who bought the island in 1927 and ordered the residents to leave. They also visited Maryland, a deserted village that was once home to hundreds of people. Ross and David explored the island's hidden corners, searching for clues to its past. They discovered a dark side to Brownsea Island, a place where strange things have happened and secrets have been b...
Sep 19, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Ross and David camp out in Southover Woods - https://www.southoverwoods.co.uk, which extend to over 60 acres with two adjoining meadows, nestled in the South Dorset countryside. Here, they talk about two spectral white hounds that haunt the woods. They also discuss Ross's recent holiday beyond the borders of Darzet, which included a visit to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle (https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/) and a little-known stone circle called ‘Stonehenge’ or something...
Aug 18, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 10
The so-called "pirate graveyard" in Portland, Dorset, England is actually the graveyard of St Andrew's Church, which was destroyed by fire in 1665. The churchyard is located on the edge of Church Ope Cove, and it is said that some of the headstones and table tombs have skulls and crossbones carved on them, which has led to the legend that it is the final resting place of pirates. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, and it is more likely that the skull and crossbones were simply ...
Jul 05, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 9
David, Ross and their friends went on a pub crawl around Old Poole in Dorset visiting a number of haunted locations The Blue Boar The Blue Boar is a pub in Poole, Dorset, England. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young woman who was murdered in the tunnels beneath the pub in the 18th century. The tunnels are no longer accessible to the public, if they exist at all? The Angel The Angel is another pub in Poole, Dorset, England. It is said to be haunted by the ghosts of two children who w...
Jun 14, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Ross and David Visit The Nine Stones, also known as the Devil's Nine Stones, the Nine Ladies, or Lady Williams and her Dog, is a stone circle located near to the village of Winterbourne Abbas in the southwestern English county of Dorset. The Nine Stones is part of a tradition of stone circle construction that spread through much of Great Britain, Ireland, and Brittany between 3,300 and 900 BCE, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The purpose of such rings is unknown, although archaeo...
Apr 21, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 7
We went to Knowlton Church, a ruined church in Dorset, UK, which is said to be one of the most haunted places in Dorset. The church is located in a beautiful countryside setting, and the surrounding area is said to be home to many ghosts and spirits. We visited the church on a Sunday morning, and the sun was shining brightly. We felt a sense of peace and tranquillity at the church, and we did not experience any negative vibes. The bells of Knowlton Church were stolen, and the third bell was eith...
Mar 23, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The Ghost of the Toll Gate A witch, who had taken the form of a black cat, was killed while sitting on the toll gate in Ulwell near Swanage. Since then, the gate is said to open for those who travel late at night... The Sheela Na Gig of Studland St Nicolas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, and students. After raiding Lindisfarne Priory in Northumbria in AD793, the Vikings occupied, harassed, and sacked parts of England until th...
Jan 27, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 5
A Roman road runs through Thorncombe Wood at Higher Bockhampton (near Dorchester) with legends of a ghostly centurion who roams upon it! Thorncombe Wood has been a wonderful feature of the Dorset countryside as far back as the time of famous novelist Thomas Hardy in the 1800s. David and Ross went to explore the site of the haunting, beautifully described in the book Mysterious Dorset by Rodney Legg , kindly donated to the podcast by friend of the show Gareth Watch the videos we made visiting the...
Dec 11, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 4
T E Lawrence and the Ghostly Motorcycle of Clouds Hill Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence CB DSO was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer, who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Lawrence lived (for a time) and died in Dorset. Tales have been told of his ghostly motorcycle haunting the road where he died. There’s a conspiracy theory about his death, did he die? Or was he tak...
Oct 04, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The Singing Barrows of Weymouth were mentioned in The Hellebore Guide to Occult Britain, where they claim that, if you put your ear to the ground on the mounds at Midday, you can hear otherworldly fairy music. It would seem that the specific barrows they are talking about are the line of six barrows known locally as the Bincombe Bumps.Bincombe, which probably means ‘valley where beans are grown’, lies midway between Dorchester and Weymouth on the South side of the Dorset Ridgeway. The bumps are ...
Sep 09, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Dark Darzet Episode One The Woodwose of Yellowham Forest. -David and Ross go in search of the Dorset Bigfoot- During our quest we drink: Dark Ages Vanilla Porter - Copper Street Brewery, Goram IPA - Butcombe Brewery. Check out our field report on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFHcnYE8rPM. Listen to our review of ‘The Ritual’ on General Witchfinders here: https://shows.acast.com/general-witchfinders/episodes/fih002-the-ritual-2017-uk-canada. +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+...
Aug 15, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
