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What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast?
Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) for a journey through the weird and wonderful history of Wales on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast.
Mark has published several books and countless articles about his homeland’s paranormal past, and each episode offers his unique insight and research into a different curious subject.
These range from long-lost real-life Welsh ghost stories such as the discovery of a “smelly” ghost in a supposedly haunted pub to the fantastical myths and legends of dragons fighting tooth and claw in the medieval prose tales of the Mabinogion.
How to listen and subscribe to the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast:
You can listen using the player on this page, or you can tune in and subscribe on your favourite player by following the links below:
Where to find the Ghosts and Folklore Wales podcast online:
• Spotify
• TuneIn
• PodBean
• YouTube
Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast episode list:
Looking for a certain episode, or for more details on a topic discussed?
Each episode has its own page where you can read more and listen to the podcast by following the links:
March 2023
• EP115 Welcome to Haunted Wrexham
• EP114 Crimes of the Changelings: Baby-stealing fairies swap children with their uncanny offspring. Can witchcraft and magic stop them?
• EP113 Funeral Phantoms and Paranormal Portents: Death omens come in many guises, from eerie dark spirits to uncanny psychic visions
February 2023
• EP112 Strange Skies and Shooting Stars: Weird Welsh lore of the cosmos – rainbows, meteors, comets and more
• EP111 Ghosts of Gwent: Haunted houses, castles, trees and wells in the Welsh county – from Newport to Newcastle!
January 2023
• EP110 Frightful Female Fairies of the Fog: The Gwyllion are weird and uncanny fairy apparitions that haunt the Welsh mountains at night
• EP109 Paranormal Mysteries of the Haunted Houses: Three ”real life” Welsh hauntings to baffle the most experienced of ghostbusters
December 2022
• EP108 Christmas special with Chris Carra
• EP107 Welsh Ghost Stories for Christmas: Is it Santa or a spirit? There’s poltergeist activity and uncanny footsteps in paranormal Cardiff
November 2022
• EP106 Dark Folklore of Death Omens: Phantom Funerals – The Welsh “toili”, an uncanny paranormal procession that proceed a burial
• EP105 Paranormal Power of the Sun and Moon: Explore the lore with: death omens, Welsh dragons, witchcraft, druids and more!
October 2022
• EP104 Wales’ ”Most Haunted” Pub?: A Halloween investigation into paranormal activity at the Prince of Wales, Kenfig
• EP103 A Halloween Haunting; or, Whisked Away by a Hideous Apparition: Paranormal activity in the Welsh valleys on Nos Calan Gaeaf
September 2022
• EP102 The Edwardian Ghostbusters; or, How to Get Rid of Spirits, Goblins & Devils: Old-school paranormal investigation tips for Halloween hauntings
• EP101 Animals from Hell: The Devil takes many forms, including demonic pets! Could your cat, dog, or horse be more than they appear?
• EP100 Uncanny Ghost on the Golden Coast: A strange spirit terrorises a Welsh village in this real-life haunting. Who is the Swansea spook?
August 2022
• EP99 The Witch in the Moon: Cosmic adventures in the night sky as good and evil fight in the heavens
• EP98 Spirits of the Séance: Real-life spooky adventures at Victorian séances in which psychic mediums are possessed by phantoms from the past
July 2022
• EP97 Apparitions of the Devil: The ’Evil One’ takes many forms, and sometimes paranormal activity is more demonic than a regular haunting
• EP96 Ghosts in the Water: Tormented spirits, water-ogres, guardian dragons, giant serpents & fairy folk lurk in the haunted Welsh waters
June 2022
• EP95 The Baby-stealing Ghost and Other Mysteries; or, Warnings to the Curious in these accounts of paranormal activity
• EP94 Summer Solstice Folklore; or, A Midsummer Nightmare: Ancient Druids, strange apparitions and Wicker Man-like rituals on Canol Haf
May 2022
• EP93 The Decapitating Ghost; or, Off With Her Head: A spirit threatens to cut off heads in this real-life Victorian tale of paranormal activity
• EP92 Curse of the Corpse Dogs; or, the Ghost-hunting Hounds: Supernatural dogs, paranormal pooches, diabolical hell hounds and death omens
April 2022
• EP91 Terror on the Ghost Ship: When paranormal activity breaks out on a haunted navy vessel the crew must quickly become ghostbusters
• EP90 Supernatural Secrets of the Water: Paranormal activity, sacred fish, magical monsters and love divination in the uncanny Welsh wells
March 2022
• EP89 The Exorcist vs the Shape-shifting Demon: A poltergeist-like evil spirit terrorises a Welsh town in this ”true” Victorian ghost story
• EP88 The Changelings; or, the Baby-stealing Fairies: Devious fairy folk swap their uncanny offspring for mortal children
February 2022
• EP87 Tormented Souls of the Dearly Departed: Spirits return to comfort and terrify their nearest and dearest
• EP86 Crimes of the Cat Witches: A “Welsh wizard” turns detective to seek out magical murderers
• EP85 The Haunted Castle and the Hanged Man: A Gothic ruin in Carmarthen becomes home to a supernatural visitor
January 2022
• EP84 The Wives of Hell: The Gwragedd Annwn are ferocious fighting female fairies that haunt lonely Welsh lakes like mermaids
• EP83 The Ghost of a Death Omen: A harbinger of death takes a man on a strange journey at the witching hour in this “real-life” ghost story
December 2021
• EP82 The Endless Christmas Party: Curious festive customs in Victorian Wales with music, carols, drunken debauchery and the Mari Lwyd
• EP81 Ghost Stories for Christmas: Festive spirits haunt the wilds of Wales in these real-life tales of paranormal activity on Christmas Eve
• EP80 The Mysteries of the Mari Lwyd: The Welsh ”Christmas Horse” goes from folk favourite to folk horror in Victorian Wales
• EP79 Spirits of the Living: Apparitions of people still alive have long been sighted, but why?
November 2021
• EP78 The Well of Evil: Witchcraft, tormented spirits, and creepy horror-film like wraiths lurk in the ”most haunted” lore-filled Welsh wells
• EP77 The Magic Circle and the Spirit from Hell: A Reverend is accused of summoning demons in the Welsh forest
• EP76 Wales‘ ”Most Haunted” National Trust Property: A ghost tour at Newton House, Dinefwr (part 2 of 2)
• EP75 The Haunting of Newton House: Paranormal activity at Dinefwr, the National Trust‘s ”most haunted” Welsh property (part 1 of 2)
October 2021
• EP74 Halloween Ghost Hunt: A ”live” paranormal investigation at Swansea’s 1940s Museum
• EP73 Halloween Horrors: A headless white lady (Y Ladi Wen) and a monstrous black pig (Hwch Ddu Gwta) emerge on Nos Calan Gaeaf!
• EP72 Haunted Halloween Lakes: Spectral women, evil spirits and a deadly lake monster lurk at watery Welsh beauty spots on Nos Calan Gaeaf
• EP71 The First Welsh Jack-o‘-Lantern: A Halloween special exploring the origin of ”Jack y Lantern”
September 2021
• EP70 Trapped Spirits & Hidden Treasure: A trio of ”real-life” ghost stories in which restless souls haunt the living in some of Wales‘s ”most haunted” houses
• EP69 The Poltergeist Fairies; or, the Welsh Hobgoblin: Naughty but nice, the Bwbach is a household fairy (tylwyth teg) that causes paranormal mayhem
• EP68 The White Lady of Oystermouth Castle: Does the ghost of white lady really haunt one of Wales’ “most haunted” castles?
• EP67 A Victorian Séance: There‘s table tipping, corpse candles, and deathlike fingers during a visit to a spirit medium in Swansea
• EP66 The Giant‘s Body: When a fairy-eating giant and wicked witch invade a happy Welsh valley, it quickly become a valley of horror in this traditional folk tale
August 2021
• EP65 Restless Spirits and the Fair Folk: When paranormal activity destroys a Welsh home, is it the work of a poltergeist, a curse, or just local lore?
• EP64 The Evil Spirit Strikes Back: When paranormal activity destroys a Welsh home, is it the work of a poltergeist, a curse, or just local lore?
• EP63 Haunted Rivers: Wailing spirits, monstrous serpents, bottomless pits and the devil in disguise – explore the strange legends of the Welsh waterways
• EP62 The Ghost Police: When the police are causing the paranormal activity, who ya gonna call? Sadly, the Ghostbusters were unavailable in the Swinging Sixties!
July 2021
• EP61 The Haunted Mines: Go deep underground in search of the coblynau (the mine fairies of Wales) and other weird and wonderful creatures, including fire demons and a basilisk – not just for Harry Potter!
• EP60 The Disembodied Hand at the Haunted Mansion: A ghostly hand – a bit like Thing from The Addams Family! – has long haunted a Welsh home. But what does it have to do with smuggling?
• EP59 The Spectral Nun and the Skeleton in the Wall: Why are religious ghosts haunting a Welsh parish? Let’s go on a paranormal investigation!
• EP58 The Mystery of the Macabre Magician: When an infamous Welsh wizard is hired to solve a crime things get a little bit gothic
June 2021
• EP57 The Phantom Werewolf: A “real-life” horror story in which a strange wolf-like creature with hellish eyes terrorises holidaymakers in the Welsh mountains
• EP56 The Witch’s Curse: A dark and tragic folk tale in which a Welsh woman is struck down by witchcraft – or is it all in her mind?
• EP55 The Phantom from Pennsylvania: Why does the spirit of a well-dressed woman from Philadelphia haunt a man in the Swansea Valley?
• EP54 The Magic of Water: Wash with vampires, fight evil spirits, turn water into wine and even protect your coffee from witches
• EP53 The Haunted Cemetery and the White Mist: Paranormal activity is reported in Victorian Wrexham – but is it really supernatural?
May 2021
• EP52 Beware the Fairy Lights!: Discover the secrets of the Ellylldan, the dangerous Welsh elf-fire which haunt the forests much like Will-o’-wisp
• EP51 The Golden Ghost: When an ancient burial site is disturbed, eerie secrets are revealed. Let’s go ghost hunting in search of a centuries-old spirit…
• EP50 Party with the Fairy Folk: Warning – the fairies of Wales (y tylwyth teg) have been known to prank those who disturb their revelries!
• EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls: How an eerie old Gothic funeral tradition can keep away evil spirits, the plague, trolls, fairies, and the Devil himself
April 2021
• EP48 Soul Lights, Astral Bodies and Strange Omens: Can the soul really leave the body and return at will? And is there a link between this travelling lights and the dreaded corpse candle?
• EP47 The Welsh Elf Ladies and the Stray Fairy Cow: Magical farm animals emerge from a dark and ominous lake in this cautionary folk tale
• EP46 Ghost of the Hanged Lady: The tragic tale of a spirit with a message for a heart-broken traveller. It’s time to go on a paranormal investigation…
• EP45 Folklore of the Sea: Spooky spirit candles, soul-stealing Devils, clairvoyant cats and Davy Jones’ Locker – explore the weird and wonderful Welsh coast on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
• EP44 A Cardiff Ghost Story; or, The Haunted Mansion: A lady in grey is one of the many paranormal guests haunting a Victorian house. Let’s go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
March 2021
• EP43 Nasty Little Elves: The secret origin of the ellyllon, Wales’ mischievous fairy folk, and a folk tale from Cardiff. These are not your Lord of the Rings elves!
• EP42 The Ghost Ship Mystery: Invisible boats dock at the harbour, while phantom funerals are seen in the graveyard at night. What does it all mean?
• EP41 Devil Goats: A cautionary folk horror fairy tale, in which a Welsh farmer finds out the hard way not to mess with a goat
• EP40 The Haunted Highway: A phantom coach and ice-cold apparitions have been haunting a lonely Welsh road for centuries
February 2021
• EP39 The Magic Power of Leeks: Fight evil spirits with Wales’ national vegetable and explore the darker side of St David’s Day history and traditions
• EP38 Vampires of the Valley and Other Strange Creatures: Witches, dog demons, the Devil and a real-life “Dracula” are lurking in the shadows
• EP37 Pesky Poltergeists in Wild Wales: Evil spirits from the “invisible world” attack unsuspecting victims in Wales’ oldest “real-life” ghost stories
• EP36 Ghosts, Devils and Death Omens; or, A Wild Night by the Romantic Lakes: A haunting (and unromantic!) real-life ghost story for Valentine’s Day
January 2021
• EP35 The Dark Fairy Tale of Rhys and Llewellyn: Have you heard fairy music playing in the woods at night? What would happen if you followed it?
• EP34 Witchcraft by the Sea; or, A Tragic Prophesy: An eerie “real life” ghost story of death omens, clairvoyance, and a witch’s dire prophesy
• EP33 St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers: The dark history of Wales’ patron saint of lovers and Ynys Llanddwyn, her “Island of Love”
• EP32 The Murdered Knight: A chilling real-life “Ghosts of Wales” tale in which the spectre of a slain warrior returns to a secluded Welsh farm house
December 2020 Christmas Specials
• EP31 New Year’s Eve and Day Folklore of Wales: From the Mari Lwyd to Calennig, it’s out with the old and in with the new
• EP30 Curious Christmas Folklore of Wales: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day traditions and customs, from Plygain services to Sion Corn
• EP29 The Magical Christmas Tree… and a few ghosts!: The curious tale of a tree that burst into life in a west Wales garden every Christmas Eve
• EP28 A Ghost Story for Christmas Eve; or, Festive Spirits at the Inn: A real-life tale of paranormal activity at a Welsh town’s “most haunted” pub
• EP27 The Mari Lwyd, the Welsh Christmas “Ghost Horse”: The secret history and folklore of the “bone horse” of Wales
November 2020
• EP26 Ghost Hunting in Wales’ “Most Haunted” Places: Paranormal investigators Cymru Paranormal join Mark on the show
• EP25 The Secret Islands of the Faeries: How the fairies of Wales are connected to King Arthur, and why they are called y Tylwyth Teg
• EP24 The Cursed Room at Wales’ National Stadium: How a jinx caused rugby and football teams to lose games at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium
• EP23 Guy Fawkes Night: The folklore, traditions, history and ghosts of Bonfire Night, and how Noson Guto Ffowc was celebrated in Wales
October 2020 Halloween Specials
• EP22 Halloween Special – Ghosts of Wales Live!: Ghost hunting in Wales’ “most haunted” places at the Paranormal Wales book launch
• EP21 Spooky Halloween Folklore and Traditions of Wales: How to celebrate Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween
• EP20 Halloween in Wales: The secret history and strange traditions of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh All Hallows’ Eve
• EP19 The Jack-O’-Lantern of Wales: A Halloween special exploring the “dreaded ghost” which haunted the dark Welsh forests on Nos Calan Gaeaf
• EP18 The History of Halloween: From ancient Celtic festival to American holiday and the origin of the Welsh Nos Calan Gaeaf
September 2020
• EP17 The Devil’s Bridge: The famous folk tale of how a wise old Welsh woman beat Satan at his own game
• EP16 The Ghost Train from the Future: The real-life story of a paranormal locomotive which terrified a Welsh farmer
• EP15: The Dark History of Beer: How a Welsh witch invented mead and the Gothic folklore surrounding drinking at funerals
• EP14: The Realm of Faerie: The secret origin of the fairy folk of Wales, and old Welsh beliefs in fairies and folklore
August 2020
• EP13: The Wraith of a Murderer Stalks Abroad: A real-life ghost story from Victorian Swansea in which a murderer – it is claimed – returns to haunt his former neighbours
• EP12: The Phantom Carriage and other real-life ghost stories from Wales: A special bonus episode for Haunted Happening featuring three short ghost stories from the archives
• EP11: The art of storytelling with Owen Staton; or, the eerie Welsh folk tale of Rhys and Meinir and other ghost stories from Mr Owen Staton
• EP10: I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Haunted Wales!; or, Creepy Welsh Castles: Gwrych Castle: TV show “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” will be filmed in a haunted Welsh castle in 2020. But what ghosts can they expect to find lurking inside?
• EP09: Fairy dogs, dog folklore and the origin of the Welsh Corgi: Did you know that fairies used to ride corgis into battle, and that the name corgi is derived from Welsh folklore?
• EP08: The Ghosts of Dylan Thomas: Did the Welsh poet go gently into that good night, or does he rage, rage, against the dying of the light?
• EP07: The Dog of Darkness; or, Gwyllgi, the Welsh Hound of Hell: The “hound of hell” which has haunted Welsh roads and lanes of centuries
July 2020
• EP06: The Real-life Ghost-hunting Scooby-Doo Dog and the paranormal hoaxers: The dastardly villains who impersonated ghosts in the Victorian era, and the clever people – and pets – who busted them
• EP05: The Legend of Gelert, the Heroic Hound of Beddgelert: Did a dog named Gelert really fight with a gigantic wolf for the life of the prince’s son and heir?
• EP04: The Women in White haunting either side of the Severn Bridge: Ghosts that swear at people and dress up in the clothing of the clergy
June 2020
• EP03: A Ghost to Rival Hamlet’s Father; or, how a spook helped the police discover a buried skull in Swansea
• EP02: The Curse of the Swansea Devil; or, how a satanic work of art burnt down a church
• EP01: The Two-Headed Phantom of Wales; or, the grisly tale of the ghost with an extra head
We want your feedback!
This podcast is very much a work in progress, and we would love to know what you think.
The idea is to strike a balance between episodes about ghosts and episodes about folklore (hence the title!), along with the odd myth, legend and fairy tale. But is there anything in particular you’d like to hear more about?
If you have a suggestion for a topic, or just a comment or observation to make, get in touch!
Do you want Mark to appear on your podcast?
To check Mark’s availability, please get in touch via the contact page.