Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees

One of the best Christmas traditions is telling creepy ghost stories by candlelight, but unlike the tales of Charles Dickens and M.R. James, what if these spooky yarns were not works of fiction, but real-life tales of terror?
In one tale, a wife heads out into the wilds of Wales one chilly Christmas Eve in search of her missing husband, but finds something far more terrifying.
In another, a family ghost appears every festive season with a warning from beyond the grave. But what does it all mean?
For all the spooky answers join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores these eerie paranormal encounters on  Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Explore Wales’s weird and wonderful Christmastime tradition, the festive "bone horse" that is the Mari Lwyd!
The Mari Lwyd is a curious custom which sees a hobby horse-like like creature challenge people to a battle in verse - what some call a "rap battle" - and, if victorious, enters their home to eat their cakes and ale.
But what began as a good-natured folk tradition soon descended into one of chaotic folk horror, and as we discover on this episode, it got so out of hand that the Mari Lwyd was outlawed.
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores the mysteries of the Mari Lwyd on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Ghosts of the living come in all shapes and sizes, from lost souls minding their own business to stone-hurling poltergeists.
But what does it mean to see a spirit, of somebody who is still alive?
In this creepy collection of "real life" paranormal encounters, they are seen in the middle of the day and the dead of night, some with messages, and some with somewhere to get to, and some who simply vanish into thin air.
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores several such reports on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

There's witchcraft, tormented spirits, curses, the well of evil and even a bit of good old-fashioned Wicker Man style paganism in this episode of watery folklore.
These tales concern the folklore of wells, a source of water for centuries which could be used for good and bad magic.
In some cases, a Pagan tradition could be used to summon rain in times of drought. But in other cases, a lost soul appears to be damned inside and calls for help.
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores the weird wells of Wales on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

A man of God is accused by his fellow reverends of making a pact with the Devil in return for supernatural powers.
According to the tale, he would sneak off into the forest and summon evil spirits in a magic circle, and on one fateful night of conjuring it backfired on him and his co-conspirators. 
Is there any truth to this tale of a holy man turning to the dark side and committing the ultimate sin? And if so, what powers did he receive in return?
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores this diabolical case on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Dare you go on a "live" ghost tour at Wales's "most haunted" National Trust property?
On Halloween, Mark Rees joined Ronnie - Wales' finest spooky tour guide - and a gang of unsuspecting members of the public for a creepy night to remember at Newton House, Dinefwr.
Sitting in the heart of a medieval deer park near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, the property is said to be not only the NT's "most haunted" Welsh location, but their fourth in all the UK, and the grand manor house has a long and colourful history.
During this tour strange sights are seen and strange sounds are recorded, including bangs, scratches and music from closed-off rooms.
Is this evidence of paranormal activity at the property steeped in Welsh folklore and legend, or could there be a more mundane explanation? 
Make up your own mind by joining author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) on a ghost hunt as he spends Nos Calan Gaeaf exploring Newton House's Gothic surrounds on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast... if you dare!
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Newton House in Dinefwr has long been the scene of inexplicable paranormal activity – in fact, the National Trust call it their "most haunted" location in all of Wales, and their fourth "most haunted place" in all the UK.
The estate in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, has a long and colourful history steeped in Welsh folklore, from the castle on the estate to the mythical white cattle which roam its lands.
But the manor house itself has a more Gothic past, with tales of ghostly cigar smoking, tragic white ladies, servants who continue to work after shuffling off this mortal coil, and children who play games from the "other side."
On this episode, join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores Newton House's eerie supernatural history on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi, to dark and Gothic Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf traditions to the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Dare you go on a ghost hunt to one of Wales's "most haunted" places?
Join Mark Rees and Welsh paranormal investigators Cymru Paranormal for a Halloween/ Nos Calan Gaeaf special as they go in search of restless wartime spirits.
In the most ambitious episode yet, the team spend the night at Swansea's 1940s Museum, which is just like stepping back in time - outside there are Second World War air shelters, road blocks and barbed wire, and inside there are recreations of period settings, from trenches to Doctor Who-style police boxes.
But what lurks in the darkness? Does the ghost of an RAF serviceman haunt the operations room? Are the spectres still fighting an endless fight against the Nazis? Do spirits drink spirits (groan - sorry!) in the pub, where spectres have been seen playing cards?
There's only one way to find out!
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) and the gang of "ghostbusters" for this Nos Calan Gaeaf/ Halloween special of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi and the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

A monstrous black pig and the ghost of a headless white lady emerge to hunt the living on Halloween - but what do they want?
When the shades of night fall on Nos Calan Gaeaf, as October 31 is known in Wales, there are two terrifying apparitions which appear to chase people home from the bonfires before the witching hour.
More terrifying than the vampires, werewolves, zombies and demons commonly associated with the holiday, they are the Hwch Ddu Gwta (Tailless Black Sow) and Y Ladi Wen (The White Lady).
Sometimes they even team up - like an extra spooky Halloween tag team - and an encounter with the pair could result in the loss of your soul, so it's important that you listen to this episode to protect yourself! 
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores two of Halloween's creepiest - and often overlooked - apparitions on this Halloween special of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi and the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

Dare you visit these watery beauty spots where ghouls and ghosts appear on the spookiest night of the year?
Explore several "haunted" lakes where the ghosts of spectral white ladies have been reported, or where a lake monster is said to dwell.
In one case, a visit on Halloween - Nos Calan Gaeaf - could result in seeing those destined to die that year appearing before your very eyes.
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores the ghosts and folklore of some of Wales' mysterious lakes on this Halloween special of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
 
 
What is the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
In early 2020, Mark Rees launched the world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends.
By combining his unique research and insights from many books and articles with long-lost tales from dusty old tomes, this weird and wonderful podcast takes a fascinating look at the country's countless curious subjects.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to fantastical beasts from the Mabinogi and the skulled-headed Christmas favourite herself, the Mari Lwyd.
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast