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PODCAST

The Folklore Podcast

Folklore: Beliefs, traditions & culture of the people. Traditional folklore themes from around the world. One episode each month features a special guest from the field of folklore. Recalling our forgotten history, recording the new. The Folklore Podcast

history

All Episodes

40:50

Episode 182 - GATHERINGS

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/11/12

The British ritual year is full of fascinating public events, sports, games, processions and festivals. Whether long-running or modern, revival or continuous, there is something for everyone and a rich background of folklore and tradition behind them all.A new 6-part documentary series, "Gatherings", shines a light on some of these, but in an unusual way. No presenter. No celebrity. No narrative. Gatherings presents the events as the onlookers would see them, along with interviews with organisers,

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71:38

Episode 181 - THE TRAITORS: WHIMSY OR WITCH-HUNT?

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/10/31

I gather together a gaggle of witchcraft historians to discuss the cult TV gameshow 'The Traitors'. To what extent do the machinations of the contestants in the show, whichever version that might be, draw parallels with the witch-hunts of the Early Modern Period?Joining me to debate this are:Professor Marion GibsonDr Tabitha StanmoreTracey NormanAll of whom are returning guests to the show.Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for extra content at http://www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

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35:02

Episode 180 - EDITH NESBIT'S GHOST STORIES

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/10/21

While there are many famous names associated with the ghost story, some are less commonly linked, and even fewer are women. In the episode of the podcast we focus on one of those in particular, Edith Nesbit.Best known as a children's writer under the name E. Nesbit, Edith wrote some effective spooky tales for adults. Many of these have not seen much light of day.A new one-woman theatre show - HAUNTED SHADOWS - performed by Claire Louise Amias and directed by Jonathan Rigby shines a light on Edith

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66:43

Episode 179 - WITCHCRAFT: A HISTORY IN 13 TRIALS

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/10/14

Returning guest to the podcast, witchcraft historian Professor Marion Gibson, discusses her book 'Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials'. The book, and this interview, explores the history of witchcraft accusation and persecution through a number of key trials at different points in history - some well known and some more obscure.You can visit Marion's website at https://mariongibson.co.uk/Support the work of The Folklore Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast where you can

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39:23

Episode 178 - HETTIE NETTLE'S HANDBOOK FOR HEDGEWITCHES

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/09/16

Folklore Podcast creator Mark Norman once again meets up with children's author Claire Barker, this time to discuss the final version of her new book 'Hettie Nettle's Handbook for Hedgewitches'.Described in the episode as a groundbreaking book, and not without good reason, Hettie Nettle introduces children to the subjects of solitary witchcraft, seasonal workings, our relationship with nature and much more in a safe and meticulously researched way.In this episode, we chat about the ethos of the

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71:37

Episode 177 - LORE OF THE LAND: BRITISH ACADEMY

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/09/02

In May of 2025, I was honoured to be asked by the British Academy to chair the final panel in their 'Folklore Reimagined' series, 'Lore of the Land'. This panel was titled 'Stories of wetlands, woods and weather'.How have landscapes been represented and perceived throughout time? What do the stories we tell about our environments reveal about ourselves? And how can our historical relationship with the land help us reconsider our connection to the natural world today? The panelists for this

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23:08

Episode 176 - THE WHITE WITCH OF EXETER

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/08/26

In this episode of the podcast, host Mark Norman takes an in-depth look at the White Witch of Exeter. Most times, when we speak of 'white witches' we are talking about a particular person, but in the case of the Devon city of Exeter, the White Witch was something a little different.Mark discusses the history of this character from the mid-nineteenth century onwards, and looks and some of their practices and cures.The content of this episode is drawn from the book DEVON'S FORGOTTEN WITCHES, 1860-1910

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43:57

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.6 - ARCHIVE HIGHLIGHTS

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/08/19

The Seven County Witch Hunt Project podcast mini-series collaboration comes to a close. In this final episode, Professor Marion Gibson and Dr Tabitha Stanmore once again join folklorist and author Mark Norman to discuss some of their favourite stories from the three years of research they have undertaken, before reflecting on the podcast as a whole and where it will go next.The Seven County Witch Hunt blog will continue to be updated with new articles even though the primary research stage is

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32:37

Folklore in the Field - MEDICAL HERBALISM

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/08/11

Mark Norman is in conversation with medical herbalist Jenny Carden, who practices as The Dartmoor Herbalist.In an interview recorded live in Jenny's workshop in the courtyard of the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton, Devon, Jenny discusses her work and the differences between a medical herbalist legally dispensing herbal blends and other forms of herbalism, both current and historic.Find out all about Jenny and her work on her website at https://thedartmoorherbalist.wordpress.com/Support the

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33:06

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.5 - ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE...

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/08/04

Our six part mini-series examining the seventeenth-century witch hunts across the eastern counties of England continues with a discussion looking at a topic not generally explored in this context: the environment.Professor Marion Gibson and Dr Tabitha Stanmore of the Leverhulme Foundation funded Seven County Witch Hunt Project join folklorist and host Mark Norman once again. Topics include the influence of the weather, farming and crops and the coastal fishing trade and how all of these have a

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36:27

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.4 - WITCH FAMILIES AND...

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/07/21

In this episode, Professor Marion Gibson and Dr Tabitha Stanmore turn their attention to the families involved in the witch hunts. Were all family members tarred with the same brush? How did dynamics work when families were accusing each other of witchcraft?Moving on from this, we also look at the role of familiars - not necessarily the animal familiars which are more well recognized, but ghostly assistance provided from within the family and beyond, and the role of spectral evidence that emerges

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17:32

Folklore in the Field - FOLK HORROR with Prof Bob Edgar

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/07/14

In this mini-episode of The Folklore Podcast, recorded live at the UK Ghost Story Festival 2025 in Derby, UK, I chat with Professor Bob Edgar about the theme of Folk Horror.With specialisms in scriptwriting, adaptation, music memoir and genre fiction, Bob has notably published widely on folk horror and hauntology. He is one of the editors of the Bloomsbury Academic series 'Spectres, Hauntings and Horrors'.To support the work of The Folklore Podcast and access extra content, please visit our Patreon

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38:33

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.3 - GENDER AND WITCHCRAFT

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/07/08

The third episode of our mini-series looking at the witch hunts headed up by Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne looks at the most stereotypical of subjects - that of gender. Just how many of the accused were women and how did gender figure in the hunts and the ways in which they were carried out?The Seven County Witch Hunt Project podcast series is produced by The Folklore Podcast, and host Mark Norman is in conversation with Professor Marion Gibson and Dr Tabitha Stanmore.The Seven County Witch Hunt

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39:09

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.2 - WHAT WERE 'WITCHES'...

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/06/23

In the second episode of the Seven County Witch Hunt Project podcast mini-series, we look at the accusations that were being levelled against people accused of witchcraft in the English witch hunts of the 17th century. Were these people in league with the Devil, or did the accusations reflect other tensions within the community? We also dispel some myths about the witch hunters themselves, particularly Matthew Hopkins.The Seven County Witch Hunt Project podcast series is produced by The Folklore

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50:08

Episode 175 - SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/06/18

Scotland has a broad mix of folklore. Some is found elsewhere, or has variations in other areas, and some is unique to the country. Some is well-known and some is much more obscure.In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman is in conversation with Scottish writer Lyndsey Croal about the subject. Lyndsey often works with elements of Scottish lore, most recently that connected with the sea which she uses to good effect in a collection of short stories recently published under the title

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38:13

Seven County Witch Hunts Ep.1 - METHODS AND STORIES

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/06/09

In the years 1645–1647, when England was embroiled in a traumatic and bloody Civil War, roughly three hundred people in the South East were accused of witchcraft. Received wisdom — and some shameless self-promotion on the part of the chief investigators — has dictated that the largest witch-hunt in English history was driven by the obsessive enthusiasm of two men: John Stearne and Matthew Hopkins, the self-appointed Witchfinder General. Much of the scholarship surrounding the so-called “Hopkins

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72:00

Episode 174 - FOLKLORE AND HERBALISM

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/06/03

This episode of The Folklore Podcast is an interview of two halves, as host Mark Norman sits down to chat with herbalist and writer Su Bristow.In an interview recorded live at Su's dining table, the first half of the show explores her work as a herbalist. We chat about the history of using plants in folk medicine, the approaches used and how valuable or otherwise volumes such as Culpeper's Herbal are in the modern world. Su discusses her techniques and dispels some of the myths about herbal

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38:26

A History of Paganism: Folklore Podcast Rewind with...

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/05/11

Award winning author, historian and occultist Liz Williams discusses her book 'Miracles of our own Making: A History of Paganism', published by Reaktion Books.The interview takes in the history of paganism and Liz's work in Druidry as well as her writing.Read the review of the book on the Folklore Podcast website at https://www.thefolklorepodcast.com/miracles-of-our-own-making.htmlSupport the Folklore Podcast on Patreon to access extra content (free and paid tiers are available) at

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63:33

Episode 173 - BROKEN FOLK

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/04/26

Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman delves into the topic of folk music and performance with special guests Lunatraktors. The duo, formed in 2017 and made up of Carli Jefferson and Dr Clair Le Couteur aim to strip folk back to the bare essentials of rhythm and voice, and use in-depth research methods to investigate Anglo-Celtic music, to which they then apply a modern twist.Carli and Clair also discuss their latest release Wassail, which you can also hear in the episode.To support the work

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53:58

Meet the Author: Kailey Tedesco

The Folklore Podcast ·

2025/04/16

In this 'Meet the Author' bonus episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman introduces a conversation between literary correspondent Hilary Wilson and university lecturer and poet Kailey Tedesco.Kailey discusses her poetry collection 'Motherdevil' which takes the story of the Jersey Devil and the Pine Barrens as its inspiration for an exploration of folklore and motherhood.Kailey Tedesco is a university lecturer delivering courses in horror writing and gothic literature. This

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135 results

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