There are landscapes where history never seems entirely past — where an ancient track, a ruined church, a lonely cave or a stretch of woodland can feel like a threshold between what we know and something altogether stranger.In this episode, we journey into the old borderlands of Mercia, exploring a Midlands steeped in folklore, witchcraft, ghost stories, strange encounters and centuries of belief. We discover how stories become embedded in the places where they are told, why certain landscapes seem to invite the supernatural, and what can happen when we leave the familiar path behind and begin to look at the countryside through older eyes.From forgotten traditions and the realities behind witchcraft accusations to haunted ruins, liminal places and the enduring power of local legend, this is a conversation about the magic that can still be found in the landscape — and the stories waiting there for those willing to walk into it.My Special Guest Is Hugh Williams: Hugh Williams was born in Worcester at the heart of the Midlands of England. He has spent years exploring, discovering and researching the stranger places of the Midlands and beyond, telling their stories and musing on their magic. With four books and regular appearances on TV and radio under his belt, you can find him at the liminal space where folklore, history and the supernatural converge.If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles Guest LinksWebsite: http://www.mysteriesofmercia.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mysteriesofmercia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysteriesofmercia/
Aug 28
1 hr 30 min
Why do some places suddenly feel unnaturally cold—and could there be more to it than a simple draught?In this episode of Haunted History Chronicles, I welcome back psychical researcher Ciaran Farrell to explore one of the most frequently reported yet least understood features of paranormal encounters: cold spots.Far more than a simple drop in temperature, Ciaran explains why investigators have long associated cold spots with feelings of dread, nausea, unease and even the sensation of an unseen presence. Drawing on decades of research, he discusses how cold spots can be investigated using both scientific methods and eyewitness testimony, and why he believes they may provide important clues in understanding hauntings, shadow figures and apparitions.The conversation also explores whether environments can retain traces of past events, and examines how investigators attempt to distinguish between naturally occurring temperature changes and genuinely anomalous phenomena.Join us as we ask a simple but fascinating question: when the temperature suddenly changes, are you feeling nothing more than the environment… or something that shouldn't be there?My Special Guest Is Ciaran Farrell: Ciaran has served as a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, SPR and the SPR’s Spontaneous Cases committee, SCC for many years.He has had many psychical experiences and adventures when he was a boy. This led him to formulate his own early theories about ghosts, poltergeists and telepathic veridical dreams of the dead gained through direct encounters with ghosts, spirits and poltergeists.He went on to build and design some of his own ghost-hunting equipment and to improve upon his previous theories about Cold Spots building on his own experience of them and his own ghost adventures. He formulated the concept of ‘my body as an instrument’ to monitor and evaluate his perception of the atmospheres of rooms and outdoor places and preternatural Cold Spots within them as well as the perception and detection of poltergeists and ghost encounters. If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles
Aug 21
1 hr 17 min
Why Do So Many Extraordinary Experiences Happen at Night?Last week, TyLean Tuijl challenged many of the assumptions surrounding possession, encouraging us to move beyond Hollywood stereotypes and consider a far more complex psychological, cultural and experiential picture.In this follow-up conversation, we explore another question that naturally emerged from that discussion:Why do so many reports of hauntings, apparitions, possession experiences and other extraordinary encounters seem to occur while we're asleep—or in that strange space between sleeping and waking?Together, we explore why sleep may be one of the most important gateways to extraordinary experiences. From sleep paralysis and shadow figures to vivid dreams and altered states of consciousness, we examine why these experiences have been interpreted so differently across cultures and throughout history. We discuss what the Society for Psychical Research is discovering through Project Sleep, why sleep disturbances so often appear alongside reports of hauntings, possession and other spontaneous paranormal phenomena, and why listening without judgement is essential when people come forward with these deeply personal experiences. My Special Guest Is TyLean Tuijl: TyLean Tuijl is a PhD researcher in psychology investigating possession and altered states of consciousness. She has a background as a solo, avant-garde composer and recording artist with many songs inspired by the paranormal, altered states of consciousness, and human psychology. She has performed on dozens of albums and on tour for various bands, most notably Attrition. She is a method-trained actress who has worked in film, television and on stage as well as voice over. Her experience with The Method became the foundation from which she would later study altered states of consciousness and possession. TyLean is a council member and office holder for the Society for Psychical Research and a case investigator for the Spontaneous Case Committee, where she also serves as the Safeguarding Advisor.If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles Links to the Society for Psychical Research: https://www.spr.ac.uk/report-an-experience
Aug 14
1 hr 43 min
What does it really mean to be possessed?For centuries, stories of possession have been shaped by religion, folklore and popular culture. Films have taught us to expect dramatic exorcisms, distorted voices and supernatural battles between good and evil. But what if the reality is far more complex?Can possession be explained by psychology alone, or is there something more? In this episode, PhD researcher and Society for Psychical Research investigator TyLean Tuijl explores possession, altered states of consciousness, dissociation, exorcism, mental illness and the paranormal, challenging many of the myths created by popular culture. My Special Guest Is TyLean Tuijl: TyLean Tuijl is a PhD researcher in psychology investigating possession and altered states of consciousness. She has a background as a solo, avant-garde composer and recording artist with many songs inspired by the paranormal, altered states of consciousness, and human psychology. She has performed on dozens of albums and on tour for various bands, most notably Attrition. She is a method-trained actress who has worked in film, television and on stage as well as voice over. Her experience with The Method became the foundation from which she would later study altered states of consciousness and possession. TyLean is a council member and office holder for the Society for Psychical Research and a case investigator for the Spontaneous Case Committee, where she also serves as the Safeguarding Advisor.If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles Links to the Society for Psychical Research: https://www.spr.ac.uk/report-an-experience
Aug 7
1 hr 30 min
What happens when two of the world's most famous paranormal investigators arrive at the centre of an alleged haunting?Over the previous three episodes, Ciaran Farrell has described a series of extraordinary experiences that, according to his account, began in childhood before following him into boarding school. There, alleged paranormal phenomena became intertwined with psychiatric theories, harsh discipline and increasingly controversial attempts to explain what was happening.In this concluding chapter, the focus shifts to the arrival of Ed and Lorraine Warren.Ciaran reflects on their investigation, the stark differences between their interpretation of events and those of the school, and why they believed the activity was demonic rather than the work of spirits such as Susan, the apparition he says repeatedly protected him. He also recounts disturbing allegations of ritual activity, violent confrontations, physical evidence that he believes challenged official explanations, and the growing divide between theology, psychology and psychical research.As the series reaches its conclusion, broader questions emerge. How should extraordinary experiences be investigated? What happens when belief shapes interpretation? And can two people witness the same event yet arrive at completely different conclusions? This final episode invites you to decide where the evidence leads.My Special Guest Is Ciaran Farrell: Ciaran has served as a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, SPR and the SPR’s Spontaneous Cases committee, SCC for many years.He has had many psychical experiences and adventures when he was a boy. This led him to formulate his own early theories about ghosts, poltergeists and telepathic veridical dreams of the dead gained through direct encounters with ghosts, spirits and poltergeists.He went on to build and design some of his own ghost-hunting equipment and to improve upon his previous theories about Cold Spots building on his own experience of them and his own ghost adventures. He formulated the concept of ‘my body as an instrument’ to monitor and evaluate his perception of the atmospheres of rooms and outdoor places and preternatural Cold Spots within them as well as the perception and detection of poltergeists and ghost encounters. If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles
Jul 31
1 hr 9 min
How far would an institution go to explain the unexplained?In Part One, Ciaran Farrell recounted the childhood experiences that began in a haunted holiday home before, according to his account, following him into his boarding school.In Part Two, we explored how the alleged paranormal activity escalated, affecting pupils and staff alike as the school struggled to maintain order.Now, in Part Three, the story takes its darkest turn.As the disturbances intensified, school authorities sought increasingly extreme ways to understand—and suppress—what they believed was happening. Ciaran reflects on the highly disciplined culture of the residential school, the psychiatric theories used to explain the alleged hauntings, and the controversial medical treatments he says were employed in an attempt to stop the phenomena. This episode examines the complex intersection of psychiatry, discipline and paranormal belief during a very different era, raising important questions about how children were treated and how unusual experiences were interpreted.My Special Guest Is Ciaran Farrell: Ciaran has served as a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, SPR and the SPR’s Spontaneous Cases committee, SCC for many years.He has had many psychical experiences and adventures when he was a boy. This led him to formulate his own early theories about ghosts, poltergeists and telepathic veridical dreams of the dead gained through direct encounters with ghosts, spirits and poltergeists.He went on to build and design some of his own ghost-hunting equipment and to improve upon his previous theories about Cold Spots building on his own experience of them and his own ghost adventures. He formulated the concept of ‘my body as an instrument’ to monitor and evaluate his perception of the atmospheres of rooms and outdoor places and preternatural Cold Spots within them as well as the perception and detection of poltergeists and ghost encounters. If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles
Jul 24
1 hr 28 min
The story continues...In the first episode, Ciaran Farrell shared the extraordinary experiences that began with a family holiday to a reportedly haunted house in Broadstairs. What should have ended when the holiday was over instead followed him home and into his boarding school, where increasingly disturbing events drew the attention of psychical researchers, clergy and even Ed and Lorraine Warren.In Part Two, the mystery deepens.Ciaran describes the different entities he believes surrounded him, the extraordinary incidents that disrupted life throughout the school, and the experiments carried out to determine whether the phenomena originated from him—or from something entirely separate. From shared dreams and automatic writing to violent poltergeist activity witnessed by staff and pupils, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his lifelong search for answers.Whether viewed as genuine paranormal events, misunderstood psychological experiences or something in between, this episode explores one of the most unusual personal accounts you'll hear.My Special Guest Is Ciaran Farrell: Ciaran has served as a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, SPR and the SPR’s Spontaneous Cases committee, SCC for many years.He has had many psychical experiences and adventures when he was a boy. This led him to formulate his own early theories about ghosts, poltergeists and telepathic veridical dreams of the dead gained through direct encounters with ghosts, spirits and poltergeists.He went on to build and design some of his own ghost-hunting equipment and to improve upon his previous theories about Cold Spots building on his own experience of them and his own ghost adventures. He formulated the concept of ‘my body as an instrument’ to monitor and evaluate his perception of the atmospheres of rooms and outdoor places and preternatural Cold Spots within them as well as the perception and detection of poltergeists and ghost encounters. If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles
Jul 17
2 hr 8 min
What happens when a haunted holiday doesn't end when you leave?In this extraordinary first part of a series of conversations, Ciaran Farrell shares the deeply personal story that shaped the rest of his life. What began as a family holiday in a supposedly haunted house in Kent soon became something far stranger, with terrifying experiences that, he says, followed him home—and even into his boarding school.Years before becoming a respected member of the Society for Psychical Research, Ciaran found himself at the centre of a case involving apparitions, poltergeist phenomena, exorcisms, and later, the controversial involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Whether you approach the story as a believer or a sceptic, this is a remarkable account of one man's lifelong search to understand the experiences that defined his childhood.My Special Guest Is Ciaran Farrell: Ciaran has served as a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, SPR and the SPR’s Spontaneous Cases committee, SCC for many years.He has had many psychical experiences and adventures when he was a boy. This led him to formulate his own early theories about ghosts, poltergeists and telepathic veridical dreams of the dead gained through direct encounters with ghosts, spirits and poltergeists.He went on to build and design some of his own ghost-hunting equipment and to improve upon his previous theories about Cold Spots building on his own experience of them and his own ghost adventures. He formulated the concept of ‘my body as an instrument’ to monitor and evaluate his perception of the atmospheres of rooms and outdoor places and preternatural Cold Spots within them as well as the perception and detection of poltergeists and ghost encounters. If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles
Jul 10
1 hr 37 min
Some stories dominate the history books. Others vanish into the margins, buried beneath time, tragedy, controversy, or simple neglect. In this episode of Haunted History Chronicles, I’m joined by historian, researcher and storyteller Sarah Blake to explore her fascinating new book, Hushed Up History: Volume 1. Together, we uncover the strange, shocking and often unbelievable stories that history has quietly left behind.From the catastrophic final voyage of the SS Morro Castle and the enduring mystery of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse keepers to bizarre true tales involving baboons, murder, maritime disasters and forgotten corners of local history, Sarah reveals how these overlooked accounts continue to speak to us today. We also discuss why certain stories become famous while others disappear from public memory, the challenges of uncovering hidden histories, and what these extraordinary accounts reveal about human nature itself.My Special Guest Is Sarah Blake: Sarah Blake began Hushed Up History in October 2014 as a way to tell the dark, amusing, surprising, and forgotten true tales hidden inside history's discarded pages. She currently lives in New Jersey and when she is not writing about all things weird she works in cemeteries and museums, studies tarot and mediumship, paints nightmares, and devours everything she can about the history of her ancestor's home of Salem, Massachusetts. She also drinks way too much tea and has absolutely no regrets about it. If learning about tarot floats your boat she can be found at Twin Crows Tarot on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles Guest Links Websites: https://husheduphistory.com/ Link To Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hushed-Up-History-Sarah-Blake-ebook/dp/B0F7ZXF6JF
Jun 24
57 min
In this episode of Haunted History Chronicles, I’m joined by authors Andrea Janes and Leanna Renee Hieber, the minds behind America’s Most Gothic, to explore the chilling truth behind Gothic tropes — and the real people whose lives were even darker than fiction.Fog-drenched mansions, oppressive family dynasties, forbidden rooms, madness, obsession and death… we tend to associate these with novels and cinema. But Andrea and Leanna reveal how many of the Gothic’s most enduring themes are rooted in documented history, lived experience, and genuine tragedy. From vampire panics and cursed landscapes to women silenced, punished or driven to the edge, this conversation uncovers the unsettling overlap between reality, folklore and the supernatural and how these are not imagined horrors — they are echoes of lives shaped by fear, power, repression and loss.Brooding, atmospheric and deeply human, this episode asks why the Gothic continues to haunt us — and what it reveals about the darkness woven into history itself. Settle in… some stories are meant to linger.My Special Guests Are Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes: Leanna Renee Hieber is an actress, playwright, artist and the award-winning, bestselling author of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels for adults and teens such as the Strangely Beautiful, Eterna Files, Magic Most Foul and the bestselling Spectral City series. She grew up in rural Ohio inventing ghost stories, graduating with a BFA in Theatre and a focus in the Victorian Era from Miami University. Her books have been translated into many languages and have been selected for multiple book club editions. An enthusiastic public speaker about the history of the Gothic novel, she loves nothing more than a good ghost story and a finely tailored corset, wandering graveyards and adventuring around New York City, where she also works as a ghost tour guide for Boroughs of the Dead.Andrea Janes tells ghost stories for a living. She is the co-author of A Haunted History of Invisible Women and the owner and founder of Boroughs of the Dead, a boutique tour company dedicated to dark and unusual walking tours of New York City. She is currently at work on a Middle Grade historical fantasy novel set in New Amsterdam. Her personal obsessions include weird history, slapstick comediennes, witches, ghosts, all things nautical, and beer. She lives in Brooklyn where she can usually be found by the ocean or near a cemetery.If you value this podcast and want to enjoy more episodes please come and find us on https://www.patreon.com/Haunted_History_Chronicles to support the podcast, gain a wealth of additional exclusive podcasts, writing and other content.Links to all Haunted History Chronicles Social Media Pages, Published Materials and more: https://linktr.ee/hauntedhistorychronicles?fbclid=IwAR15rJF2m9nJ0HTXm27HZ3QQ2Llz46E0UpdWv-zePVn9Oj9Q8rdYaZsR74INEWPodcast Shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/haunted-history-chroniclesBuy Me A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/hauntedhistorychronicles Guest Links Websites: https://www.leannareneehieber.com/ https://boroughsofthedead.com/ Link To Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Americas-Most-Gothic-Haunted-Stranger-ebook/dp/B0DLQYQ8SP?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw&th=1&psc=1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Tfe2CbhauvI79PMeZoax5oJeBLDS6lgWTrfrorAjyYbTnh4LnoaqNYXDS9p3A0D0fSTJq5Xv0AhH5CP8KlAY4NaC5JEfQjb984-V4QxnaFLMNgRzQbjU4YXixVTN7OM7TvNMXpnIYyK6iznTDVCezw.t3aAtxJmgJ0_c4hspGHjj8k3H1dTpO-ERp7y6hiN_eE&dib_tag=AUTHOR
Jan 26
1 hr 19 min
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