Puritanical, god-fearing zealot or manipulative, money-grabbing hypocritic? Who cares, we hate him either way! The time has come to hear about the rotter Matthew Hopkins, self-styled ‘Witchfinder General’ and all round total bastard.
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On a grassy hillside near the village of Bures on the Suffolk/Essex border you will find a mighty beast - the white dragon of Bures! While this one is made from chalk, behind it lies the story of a fearsome creature that terrorised the land many centuries ago.
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Today we are concerned again with bodies. Most particularly, the body of an Egyptian mummy in an old casket, secreted away in a Yarmouth school. But with the onset of an unusual stench, what horrors are about to unfold?
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The year is 1838 and all around Britain people are preparing to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria. In Cambridge, this meant an enormous dinner on Parker’s Piece in the centre of the town, followed by what else but Rustic Sports!
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The second part of our exploration of the Panacea Society! It’s time to hear all about the lives of the Panaceans in their community in Albany Road, Bedford, which they believed to be the location of the original Garden of Eden. And the cry goes up - open the box!
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Have you heard about the Panacea Society? No? Well, now’s your chance. Part 1 introduces two rather unusual women: Mabel Barltrop, middle class and middle aged, with a life marred by tragedy, and Joanna Southcott, stout visionary and proud owner of a fine bonnet. How did the unorthodox beliefs of these two formidable women give birth to the Panaceans and their Bedford community?
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This time we’re tackling one of the big boys of East Anglian lore - perhaps the biggest boy there is! It’s the story of legendary giant, Tom Hickathrift. Known for his amazing feats of strength and bravery (and possibly his drinking ability), Tom has stomped his way through the oral history and folklore of the region for many a year.
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This episode introduces us to mysterious Victorian writer M.H. James, author of Bogie Tales of East Anglia. A bit of background about this early tome of folklore is followed by one of it’s most unusual stories - that of Mary Chegriff, witch’s daughter.
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The town of Dunwich on the Suffolk coast is predominantly known for going in the sea. The sad and inexorable fate of this lost city of England has inspired cultural icons from H.P. Lovecraft to Brian Eno; W.G. Sebald to Lovejoy. Ruth and Chris explore how Dunwich went from a thriving and prosperous harbour town to a mournful collection of masonry beneath the cold waves of the North Sea.
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What a story we have for you! Our new episode recounts the life of Margaret Catchpole - farmgirl, heroine, criminal, and pioneer. Margaret’s life was a rollercoaster of dramatic events, encompassing daring rescues, even more daring escapes, and an ill fated love affair. Her story offers a rare insight into the life of an unorthodox woman living in the late 18th/early 19th century.
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Wrestingworth, Bedfordshire. 1841. Something is amiss in the Dazley household! Join us for the tale of Sarah and William Dazley, and some mysterious goings on involving past husbands and a dead pig.
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Tune in for a special Mini Stranger exploring some of the May Day traditions of Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. Join Ruth and Chris to learn about the old customs of Waterbeach, the May Ladies and Jack in the Green, and strange old children’s game Honey Pots.
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The county of Norfolk has its fair share of glacial erratics. These stones now stand, aliens to the landscape around them, and magnets for mysterious legends and strange folklore. In this mini episode, we hear about three such boulders and their sometimes surprising stories: the great stone of Lyng (St Edmund!), the Stockton standing stone (cursed!), and the Merton stone (orgies! Armageddon!).
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We’re going to Essex! It’s time for a visit to Boote House in Felsted to see the rather unusual carving that adorns its walls - it’s the Felsted hag! But who or what does this grotesque figure represent? In our quest to find out, we come across shipyards and witch trials, and cast aspersions on the acting skills of both Jude Law and Sean Pertwee.
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It’s 27th July, 1921, and King Street in the centre of Cambridge is bustling with the crowds of the Wednesday market. But something terrible is about to unfold at Alice Lawn’s general store… join Ruth and Chris for the story of one of the most violent and shocking murders in the history of the city.
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For this mini episode we delve into the murky world of grindylows - bogeymen, or more accurately, bogeywomen from folklore that serve to warn children away from the watery danger of rivers, lakes, wells, and resevoirs.
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In the local history books of Suffolk, one name is particularly associated with witchcraft and wizardry - that of old Winter. According to tales handed down from generation to generation, Winter the cunning man used his skills for good, helping the people of rural Suffolk to deter criminals and fight back against malevolent curses and bedevilment.
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The esteemed M.R. James is our companion tonight. Renowned scholar, one time director of The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and perhaps most importantly, finest purveyor of the festive tradition of stories of the supernatural.
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We investigate the most peculiar tale of the green children of Woolpit, Suffolk. The sudden and unexplained appearance of two mysterious and verdant siblings in the 12th century has subsequently given rise to folklore and speculation, with theories spanning from fairy folk to, gasp, ALIENS! Join us for a brief romp through the history and theories behind the story.
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Ruth is Stranger than Fiction makes a rare foray into the 20th century with the bizarre story of Harold Davidson, the rector of the Norfolk parish of Stiffkey from 1906 - 1932. We explore the unusual escapades of this unlikely figure, from a career on the London stage to his self-proclaimed role as ‘the prostitute’s padre.’
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