If you enjoy the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, or any of Mark’s weird and wonderful work, you can now show your support and appreciation by buying Mark a coffee (or two!) on Ko-fi. Here’s Mark’s welcome message from the Ko-fi site:
Hello and welcome to the Ghost and Folklore fundraising page.
I’m Mark Rees, and I feel like I’m writing the opening lines to one of my podcast episodes here!
As you may or may not know, creating the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast is a one-man job – I research, write, record, produce, upload and share every episode myself, along with maintaining and creating “content” for all of the social media profiles and websites.
When an episode is finished, I then give it away for free on the Internet out of the kindness of my heart – what can I say, I’m just a nice person!
But while the podcast is free to anyone and everyone who wants to listen – which is exactly how it should be – I personally lose money with each episode.
Besides the long hours I spend working on it when I should be earning a living (ha!), there’s also the website hosting costs and podcast hosting costs, as well as plenty of additional extras like artwork and domain names which all add up.
But most importantly of all, I drink a LOT of coffee when working on this podcast – in fact, you could say it’s powered by coffee, and you’ll notice that if I start talking slowly on an episode I’m clearly running low on beans.
As such, if you could spare a donation of any size to help finance my exploration into the weird and wonderful subjects of Wales and the world (and fund my coffee addiction), that would be amazing.
In return, I will continue to upload episodes and share all sorts of nonsense you didn’t realise you needed to known on social media as regularly as possible.
Thank you very much/ diolch yn fawr iawn for joining me on this crazy quest into the unknown,
August was an extra spooky month on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, with four episodes featuring the haunted rivers of Wales, the evil spirit which – apparently – burnt down a home, and how belief in spirits of the dead grew as belief in fairies declined.
EP65 Restless Spirits and Fairy Folk
When people stopped believing in fairies, how could they explain the paranormal activity that continued?
In the early 20th century, belief in the existence of fairies in Wales has almost died out. But the belief in ghosts and spirits had not, and that that belief in death omens in particular, such as the corpse candles and phantom funerals, remained ‘rather popular, even among educated people’.
But if people were no longer believing in fairies, what were these supposed phantoms and poltergeists, and what did they want?
EP64 The Evil Spirit Strikes Back
Can poltergeist activity really destroy a building, or is it just local lore?
When objects started moving of their own accord on a Welsh farm, it was assumed an evil spirit was at work.
But following a botched exorcism there was no stopping its destruction, which including first destroying the contents of a building, followed by the building itself.
Could this all have been the work of a single poltergeist, or was there something else at work? A local folk tale claims the property is cursed and, with the curse seemingly coming true, many assumed that it was more than a coincidence.
EP63 Haunted Rivers
Dare you swim in the spirit-filled waterways of Wales?
They might look calm and serene from land, but the rivers of Wales are steeped in accounts of strange creatures and trapped souls.
There’s the apparition of a wailing woman seen up and down the River Severn, the Taff whirlpool which is said to be the work of a giant serpent, and the unusual case of an image of the Virgin Mary being put on trial near the River Dee.
EP62 The Ghost Police
When the police are the ghosts, who ya gonna call? There were no Ghostbusters to deal with paranormal activity in the Swinging Sixties!
That was the problem facing a Welsh town when late at night the local bobbies were seemingly back on the beat from beyond the grave.
What was happening in Neath that fateful night? Find out more on this “real life” ghost story:
Enjoy these podcasts? Read more about the ghosts and folklore of Wales in The A-Z of Curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
With the summer sun shining, in July the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast took a look at the creatures which lurk in the shadows – the fairy-haunted mines, the spectral nun, a macabre magician and even a disembodied hand, much like Thing from The Addams Family.
EP65 Restless Spirits and EP61 The Fairy-Haunted Mines
What supernatural creatures were scaring the miners of Wales deep underground?
For centuries, those working hard in the dark have reported strange sights and sounds lurking in the mines. From the deadly stare of the basilisk to evil spirits and fire demons, this was not a place for the faint of heart.
And yet the coblynau – the mine fairies of Wales – were said to be helpful souls who could lead the colliers to treasure buried deep in the caves.
From friendly to deadly, were these creatures mere superstitions, or is there more to these tale of haunted mines?
EP60 The Disembodied Hand at the Haunted Mansion
Why is a disembodied hand haunting a secluded mansion on the wind-swept coast of Wales?
Staff working at the house have long reported seeing the severed hand in one of the bedrooms, as well as other spirits besides, but what does it all mean – and does it have anything to do with the smugglers caves nearby?
EP59 The Spectral Nun and the Skeleton in the Wall
Multiple reports of paranormal activity in a Welsh parish lead to the residents calling in the ghost hunters and exorcists.
From a spectral nun to an oyster-eating monk, the activity – including bangs in the dead of night and a ghost circling the bed – continue to mount, and lead to some “gruesome” and “macabre” discoveries.
But what does it all have to do with the skeletons discovered in a nearby wall? And how does Saint Nicholas – jolly Saint Nick – fit in with it all?
EP58 The Mystery of the Macabre Magician
Can you really solve a mystery by digging up skulls in a graveyard?
That seemed to be the case when notorious Welsh wizard Robin Ddu (Black Robin) was hired to solve a riddle using his psychic powers.
But appearances and reputations can be deceiving, and not all is as it seems with this master of witchcraft.
Enjoy these podcasts? Read more about the ghosts and folklore of Wales in The A-Z of Curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
The Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast went global with five episodes featuring the long-distanced haunting of the Phantom from Pennsylvania, a haunted cemetery and white mist in Wrexham, a witch’s curse, the magic of water, and even a phantom werewolf (yes, a phantom werewolf).
EP57 The Phantom Werewolf
Do werewolves really roam the wilds of Wales?
That certainly seemed to be the case for one Oxford professor who encountered a strange creature while on a fishing trip in the Welsh mountains.
Far from an idyllic holiday, it soon began to resemble a horror film when a dog-like creature with hellish red eyes laid siege to the cottage one night. The professor, however, did discovered a way to send the wolf packing with its tail between its legs… or did he?
EP56 The Witch’s Curse
Can a witch really curse somebody who refuses to assist them?
That certainly seems to be the case in this old Welsh folk tale in which Bethan Jones – the accused witch – is blamed with striking down a woman.
But is it really evil witchcraft, or is it all in the victim’s mind? And if it a real curse, how can it be broken?
EP55 The Phantom from Pennsylvania
Can a ghost really carry a person across the world in the blink of an eye?
That seemed to be the case in Wales in the 18th century when a man was seemingly whisked away across the Atlantic from his home in Ystradgynlais to a secret location in the USA.
In this “real life” ghost story, the American apparition – a “well-dressed” woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – tasked him with completing a task for her is he wished to return home once more.
EP54 The Magic of Water
Water has many uses in Welsh folklore, from repelling evil to bringing good luck.
Some of these traditions are practical, such as not spilling this most valuable of commodities, while others are more gothic in nature, and concern vampires, spirits, and witches.
Do any of these old customs still work today?
Wash with vampires, fight evil spirits, turn water into wine and protect coffee from witches – it’s all on this fascinating Welsh on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP53 The Haunted Cemetery and the White Mist
If there’s something strange in the graveyard, who ya gonna call?
In the Victorian age, two tales of paranormal activity in the grounds of churches spooked the locals in the north of Wales.
In Wrexham cemetery, the police paid a visit to try and solve the mystery of floating flaming heads. Just outside the town, there was an eerie white mist spooking the unsuspected.
But are these tales paranormal fact, or paranormal fiction? Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the secrets on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
Enjoy these podcasts? Read more about the ghosts and folklore of Wales in The A-Z of Curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
In May 2021 the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast celebrated the 50 (yes, 50!) episodes milestone with a party with the fairy folk. There was also a look at some eerie Gothic funeral traditions, the golden ghost of Mold, and some dangerous fairy lights which lead travellers astray.
EP52 Beware the Fairy Lights!
Does elf fire – so-called fairy lights – really lure weary travellers to their doom at night?
For centuries, strange glowing lights have been reported in the wilds of Wales and around the world.
Sharing similarities with fellow elf-like creatures, from the English Will-o’-wisp to the Breton sprite, they are blamed for leading people off the beaten track and into dangerous marshy lands where they might come to a sticky end.
They also have a connection with one of William Shakespeare’s more famous creatures, the mischievous puck in the fairy-filled masterpiece A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and these pwca or pooka once roamed all over Britain causing all manner of chaos.
To discover the secrets of these “luring elf-fire”, join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the secrets of the Ellylldan on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
EP51 The Golden Ghost
Is there really a haunted artefact in London’s British Museum? And what connection does it have with an ancient Welsh burial site?
The so-called “Golden Ghost” has been sighted in Mold, Flintshire for centuries. But where did it come from, and what does it want?
Believed to be a soldier wearing golden armour, some say it haunts the area after road-building works disturbed its remains. Others say it has been luring people off the beaten track for centuries. Maybe they are all right?
EP50 Party with the Fairy Folk
Warning: don’t disturb the fairy folk as they party by night!
The fairy folk of Wales (y tylwyth teg) don’t take kindly to being interrupted by nosy humans.
In these cautionary tales, find out exactly how they react when curious people get a little too close to their merrymaking for comfort.
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he celebrates 50 episodes of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast with a party with the fairy folk, and explores some of the pranks they play on unsuspecting victims.
Get the wine and cake, and iechyd da!
EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls
Can church bells really protect your soul from evil spirits, fairies, trolls, plague, and the Devil himself?
Bells have long been a familiar sight and sound at funerals.
From the passing bell at the head of the procession to the church bells reverberating throughout the graveyard, we’ve come to expect their incessant ringing on such sombre occasions.
But far from just being a means of breaking the silence at such sad times, there are also countless superstitions attached to these age-old traditions which could prove to be highly beneficial.
Did you know, for example, that they could keep away such supernatural creatures as fairies, trolls, evil spirits and the Devil himself?
For some answers – and a few more questions – join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores the folklore surrounding church bells on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
He even sneaks in some folklore about stones, and how the “devil stone” was made by a bell-stealing demon!
Enjoy these podcasts? Read more about the ghosts and folklore of Wales in The A-Z of Curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
EP50 Party with the Fairy Folk: The fairies of Wales (y tylwyth teg) have been known to prank those who disturb their revelries. Find out more on episode 50 of the Ghosts and Folklore podcast!
Warning: don’t disturb the fairy folk as they party by night!
The fairy folk of Wales (y tylwyth teg) don’t take kindly to being interrupted by nosy humans.
In these cautionary tales, find out exactly how they react when curious people get a little too close to their merrymaking for comfort.
Did you catch last week’s episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast?
Did you miss last week’s episode? Catch up now: EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls: A Gothic funeral tradition that keeps away evil spirits, plague, fairies and the Devil.
For a full list of every episode, from the Mari Lwyd to the Mabinogion, and to subscribe, visit the Ghosts of Wales podcast page.
Enjoy this fairy-filled podcast? Read more about y tylwyth teg in The A-Z of Curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls: How an eerie old Gothic funeral tradition can keep away evil spirits, the plague and the Devil himself – explore the mysteries of church bells on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Can church bells really protect your soul from evil spirits, fairies, trolls, plague, and the Devil himself?
Bells have long been a familiar sight and sound at funerals.
From the passing bell at the head of the procession to the church bells reverberating throughout the graveyard, we’ve come to expect their incessant ringing on such sombre occasions.
But far from just being a means of breaking the silence at such sad times, there are also countless superstitions attached to these age-old traditions which could prove to be highly beneficial.
Did you know, for example, that they could keep away such supernatural creatures as fairies, trolls, evil spirits and the Devil himself?
For a full list of every episode, from the Mari Lwyd to the Mabinogion, and to subscribe, visit the Ghosts of Wales podcast page.
Enjoy this eerie podcast of Welsh superstition? Read lots more tales in The A-Z of curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
EP48 Soul Lights, Astral Bodies and Strange Omens: Can the soul really leave the body at will? Is there a link to the corpse candles/ death omens? Find out on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
Not all strange glowing balls are corpse candles or death omens – some are the wandering souls of those with scores to settle.
Can a soul really leave the body to complete a task, and then return to the body afterwards when finished?
In these four eerie accounts from Wales and the border with England, strange lights are said to enter homes, attract the attention of ghostly characters, and even fight other lights under the shadow of darkness.
Did you catch last week’s episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast?
Did you miss last week’s episode? Catch up now: EP47 The Elf Ladies’ Stray Fairy Cow: Magical farm animals emerge from a dark and ominous lake in this cautionary folk tale on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
For a full list of every episode, from the Mari Lwyd to the Mabinogion, and to subscribe, visit the Ghosts of Wales podcast page.
Enjoy this episode? Read more Victorian spine-chilling stories in Ghosts of Wales!
“Do you believe in ghosts? Then attend to my story! Laugh as we may at the idea of ghosts, people do believe in ghosts, and fear them.”
This book – Ghosts of Wales: Accounts from the Victorian Archives – reveals for the first time more than 50 hair-raising – and in some cases, comical – real life accounts from Wales dating from 1837 to 1901.
Unearthed from the newspaper archives, they include chilling prophecies from beyond the grave, poltergeists who terrorised the industrial communities, and more than a few ingenious hoaxes along the way.
EP47 The Elf Ladies’ Stray Fairy Cow: Magical farm animals emerge from a dark and ominous lake in this cautionary folk tale on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
Warning: don’t mess with elf ladies, and don’t mess with fairy cows!
In this cautionary Welsh folk tale, a greedy farmer finds out the hard way that you shouldn’t look a gift horse – or, in this case, a gift cow – in the mouth.
When the dark waters of Llyn Barfog provide him with a cash cow he can’t believe his luck. But when madness takes over, and darkness descends…
And remember – don’t mess with fairy women or fairy cows!
Did you catch last week’s episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast?
Did you miss last week’s episode? Catch up now: EP46 Ghost of the Hanged Lady: The tragic tale of a spirit with a message for a heart-broken traveller.
For a full list of every episode, from the Mari Lwyd to the Mabinogion, and to subscribe, visit the Ghosts of Wales podcast page.
Enjoy this folk tale podcast? Read lots more tales in The A-Z of curious Wales!
The A-Z of curious Wales by Mark Rees – as well as Mark’s other weird and wonderful books – is available now from all good bookshops, and online from the books page.
Wales’ history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter.
Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse’s skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town.
From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on the flag, to the evolution of the song ‘Sosban Fach’, this compendium of weird and wonderful facts will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable resident or visitor.
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 on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast…
Why does the apparition of a woman return to haunt a love-sick traveller?
In this “real-life” ghost story from 18th century Wales, a man’s ill-fated visit to his sweetheart’ ends with a “terrifying” encounter with the so-called hanged lady.
But this was no isolated incident – why did she return to haunt him again and again? And how did he end his ordeal?
One person who attempted to uncover the truth was a man of the cloth, but far from solving the case, the mystery only deepened when the church man went exploring…
In this extra eerie episode the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he delves into the case of the “hanged lady”, which was recorded by first-hand accounts centuries ago and has an unexpected twist at the end.
Did you catch last week’s episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast?
Did you miss last week’s episode? Catch up now: 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.
For a full list of every episode, from the Mari Lwyd to the Mabinogion, and to subscribe, visit the Ghosts of Wales podcast page.
Enjoy this episode? Read more Victorian spine-chilling stories in Ghosts of Wales!
“Do you believe in ghosts? Then attend to my story! Laugh as we may at the idea of ghosts, people do believe in ghosts, and fear them.”
This book – Ghosts of Wales: Accounts from the Victorian Archives – reveals for the first time more than 50 hair-raising – and in some cases, comical – real life accounts from Wales dating from 1837 to 1901.
Unearthed from the newspaper archives, they include chilling prophecies from beyond the grave, poltergeists who terrorised the industrial communities, and more than a few ingenious hoaxes along the way.
