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 you ...
Jan 07, 2021•23 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast 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 & Folklore of W...
Dec 31, 2020•23 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast 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 revealing ...
Dec 24, 2020•30 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Christm...
Dec 17, 2020•26 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast 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 causing su...
Dec 10, 2020•24 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast 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 long-los...
Dec 03, 2020•39 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast 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 some o...
Nov 26, 2020•1 hr•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast 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 & Folk...
Nov 19, 2020•26 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast 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 finals were...
Nov 12, 2020•28 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast 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: How is Noson Guto Ffowc, as Bonfire Night is known is Wal...
Nov 05, 2020•32 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast 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 some...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast 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 explore: T...
Oct 22, 2020•34 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Halloween in Wales: The secret history of Nos Calan Gaeaf In Wales, October 31 is a magical night when ghosts, fairies, and all manner of supernatural creatures may be encountered. On this special Halloween podcast episode, join Mark Rees ( author of Ghosts of Wales / Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the secret origins of Nos Calan Gaeaf , the Welsh Halloween. In the early 1900s a pioneering American author from New England published what is considered to be the first history of Ha...
Oct 15, 2020•37 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast The Welsh jack-o’-lantern is far more terrifying than some carved pumpkin. While the image of a grinning orange vegetable might be a modern-day staple of Halloween, in Wales it was traditionally carved from a swede and was known as Jack y Lantern. This "dreaded ghost" was thought to be a diabolical form of corpse candle that would lure lonely travellers away to a fate worse than death in the dark forests at night, and it could even be working in conjunction with the hobgoblins, fairies, or even ...
Oct 08, 2020•30 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast The History of Halloween: Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) for a whirlwind tour through the history of All Hallows' Eve. From ancient Celtic festivals to modern-day America, this concise journey through the dark past of the spookiest day of the year takes a look at such questions as: Where did Halloween originate? What vital role did Christianity play in things? How did America put its own stamp on the holiday? Why do we carve pumpkins on October 31st? Does trick...
Oct 01, 2020•49 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Dare you cross the Devil's Bridge? In this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast, join Mark Rees (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ Paranormal Wales" etc.) for a journey in search of Satan himself who, it is claimed, built a bridge over a great chasm in west Wales in exchange for the soul of an old Welsh widow. This story is one of Wales' most popular folk tales, and while it might seem a little bit too far-fetched to be true, there's no denying the fact that the Devil's Bridge really does exits i...
Sep 24, 2020•30 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast In this real-life ghost story, a terrified Welsh farmer is forced to flee from a spectral locomotive as it hurtles around the idyllic landscape. But this was no ordinary ghost train - according to the witness, it was a ghost train from the future. Join MARK REES (author of "Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales") as he delves into the archives in search of evidence surrounding this extremely rare type of haunting, and asks if a ghostly form really can travel "back to the future". He also takes a qui...
Sep 17, 2020•29 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Did a Welsh witch really invent beer in her magical cauldron? And what macabre part did it play in the funeral traditions of old? Join MARK REES (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ "Paranormal Wales" etc.) as he goes in search of the often dark and Gothic myths, legends and folklore surrounding the history of beer in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast. Considered to be the "national drink of Wales", this frothy beverage has connections with the fantastical tale of Ceridwen and Taliesin, pla...
Sep 10, 2020•36 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast The world is full of magical tales about fairies, but have you ever wondered where they come from? According to Welsh folklore, the little folk originated in either north Wales or south Wales, and the answer to that question - along with many others - is revealed in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast with Mark Rees (author of " Ghosts of Wales "/ "Paranormal Wales" etc.). In the company of a pioneering Victorian writer who travelled from America to Wales and recorded many a fairy tale...
Sep 03, 2020•32 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Can a murderer return from beyond the grave to haunt their former neighbours? In this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast, join your host MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the facts surrounding the "Wraith of a Murderer", a ghost which was said to be haunting his old home in the late Victorian age. In a tale which combines a real-life long-lost crime with an eerie "most haunted" supernatural story, the events unfolded in 19th century Swanse...
Aug 27, 2020•23 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Ever hear about the ghost of a headless Jesus who was seen by a man of the cloth charging along a dark Welsh road at night at the helm of a carriage pulled by spectral horses? No? What about the pesky poltergeists which were scaring a married couple in their new home nearby, and even "some holy ladies"? In this special bonus episode of Ghosts & Folklore of Wales, join MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ The A-Z of Curious Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he looks back at three curious real-lif...
Aug 21, 2020•26 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Storytellers have the magical ability to whisk us away to distant times and places, and that's exactly what special guest Owen Staton does in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast. In conversation with MARK REES (author Ghosts of Wales/ Curious Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.), they talk about ghost stories and eerie Welsh folk tales from the past and present. Some of these stories have been dusted off and handed down through the centuries, while others are far more recent and, in some case...
Aug 20, 2020•46 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast What can the cast and crew of TV show "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" expect to find when they film inside a haunted Welsh castle? Strange supernatural sights have been reported by a diverse cast of witnesses, from a title-winning boxer to the castle's duty manager, and include an undead butler and even a phantom horse. Join MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he investigates paranormal activity at Gwrych Castle, a wonderful - if occasionally creepy - castle ...
Aug 13, 2020•22 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Did you know that fairies used to ride corgis into battle? And that the name corgi is derived from Welsh folklore? Join MARK REES (Ghosts of Wales) for an uplifting journey in search of positive dog lore from across 'haunted Wales', with tales of the fairy folk rewarding those who show kindness to their pets, a wizard's friendly familiar which helped lonely travellers at night, and ghostly four-legged omens which can predict if a dying person is heading to the good place or the bad.
Aug 06, 2020•33 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Does the ghost of Dylan Thomas visit his old haunts? Has he gone gently in that good night, or does his spirit rage, rage, against the dying of the light? Join MARK REES (Ghosts of Wales) as he investigates reports that the great Welsh poet is still active today, and that during his lifetime he was a believer in an afterlife and claimed to have seen a ghost himself. This is an epic journey which starts in Laugharne, takes in Swansea and Carmarthen, the English capital London, and even New York....
Jul 30, 2020•47 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Have you heard about the "dog of darkness" which stalks the haunted lanes at night? This "hound of hell" has patrolled the Welsh roads of centuries, and bears many similarities with other four-legged paranormal creatures seen across Britain and Ireland. But what exactly is the Gwyllgi, how dangerous is it, and what does it have to do with Dylan Thomas? Join MARK REES (Ghosts of Wales/ Curious Wales) as he reveals its secret supernatural origin, from long-lost folklore to terrifying recent accoun...
Jul 23, 2020•29 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Did you know... a real-life Scooby-Doo dog once caught a ghost in a Welsh village? Join MARK REES (Ghosts of Wales/ Curious Wales) as he explores the crimes of the paranormal hoaxers, the dastardly villains who impersonated ghosts in the Victorian era, and the clever people - and pets - who busted them in three long-lost stories from the archives. For more weird and wonderful tales of the paranormal, supernatural, folklore, myths and legends, follow Mark on Twitter/Facebook/Insta: @reviewwales...
Jul 16, 2020•28 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Is there any truth to Wales' most famous folk tale? Did a dog named Gelert really fight with a gigantic wolf for the life of the Prince of Wales' son and heir? Join MARK REES (Ghosts of Wales/ Curious Wales) as he goes in search of the secret origins of the tragic tale, in which a heroic hound pays the ultimate price for being man's best friend. It's a journey which begins with a piece of folklore, and takes some unexpected twists through Wild Wales, Welsh culture, and even the French Revolution...
Jul 10, 2020•28 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Do some ghosts really swear at people? And do other ghosts dress up in the clothing of the clergy? Join MARK REES as he investigates the supernatural secrets of two eerie real-life tales of a 'woman in white' haunting on both sides of the Severn Bridge. In Wales she left 'superstitious' residents in the Vale of Glamorgan too terrified to walk about after dark, while in England two ghostbusters claim a 'potty-mouthed' spirit was effing and blinding at them at a 'most haunted' beauty spot. What is...
Jul 04, 2020•24 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Did a ghost really help the police discover a buried skull? In this real-life ghost story MARK REES, author of "Ghosts of Wales", investigates the facts surrounding a Victorian spectre which haunted Swansea's 'most haunted' home. Not only did the spook have the whole city talking, but the police paid a visit when things took an unexpected turn. In a real-life scene which sounds like a work of Gothic fiction, there was a full moon in the sky when that ghost revealed its true purpose... which is r...
Jun 24, 2020•22 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 
