Did the dead ironworkers return to work after dark? Can an ironworks itself be haunted? And what would you make of the sound of machinery coming to life when the works should have been silent? In this episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, we travel back to Victorian Merthyr Tydfil and one…
Do you believe in ghosts? What about ghouls, goblins, and things that go bump in the night? It’s a question I’ve been asked countless times. In fact, I was asked it just the day before I recorded this video (which you can watch below, or over on my lovely YouTube channel) in the Q&A session…
Most people know the old stories about fairies stealing babies. But do you know about the “Fairy Body Snatchers” fairies who stole the dead? Tales of changelings tell how the fairy folk could take a healthy child and leave behind one of their own in its place. One piece of Welsh folklore speaks of a…
I love Pennard Castle – and the spooky stories associated with it – and was very happy when the Paranormal Unpacked team decided to go and film our latest episode there. I also took the opportunity to film a little behind the scenes video focusing on one of my favourite figures from Welsh folklore, the…
Halloween is always a busy time for me — I’ve long joked that spooky season is busy season — but Halloween 2026 is going to be the craziest yet… and 2027 will be even crazier. As usual, I’ll be travelling the land to give talks and lectures, but there’s something extra special happening this year…
During my recent cruise gig to France, I was lucky enough to go on a cultural adventure in Saint-Émilion, a medieval town I’ve talked about in lectures for years but had never actually visited. Famous for its wine – like everywhere in the Bordeaux region – it’s a rabbit warren of winding streets and steep…
Hot off the press – my shiny new book Quirky Swansea is available from all good bookshops… now! Published by the fine folk at Amberley Press – so you know that means lots of great images – it explores dozens of “quirky” places from across Abertawe and Gŵyr, including personal favourites like the good old…
I kicked off 2026 with an exciting new sideline: travelling the world as a cruise ship speaker. To say it’s been an adventure – a cultural adventure, even – would be an understatement. I’ve been lucky enough to set foot in Africa for the first time, hang out with the free-roaming monkeys on the British…
A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the very first Paranormal Unpacked Live! in Swansea on Easter Saturday – wow! 👻 And a huge apology to those who couldn’t get in or had to stand. We hoped it would be busy, but didn’t expect it to be overflowing. The response to the…
