Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees

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? Find out more on the magical Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

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?
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) who goes in search of clues 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 Mabinogion 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

EP55 The Phantom from Pennsylvania; or, An American Ghost in Wales: Why is an apparition from Philadelphia haunting the Swansea Valley? Let's go hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!

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.
What does it all mean? Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) for a globe-spanning paranormal investigation 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 Mabinogion 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

EP54 The Magic of Water: 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!

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? Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the watery secrets 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 Mabinogion 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

EP53 The Haunted Cemetery and the White Mist: Paranormal activity is reported in Victorian Wrexham - but is it really supernatural? Let's go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!

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.
 
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 Mabinogion 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

EP52 Beware the Fairy Lights!: Discover the secrets of the Ellylldan, the dangerous Welsh elf-fire which haunt the forests much like the English Will-o’-wisp, on Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!

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.
 
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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

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 on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!

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?
On this episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast, join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the secret history of the golden ghost and the Mold cape.
 
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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

EP50 Party with the Fairy Folk: Warning- 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.
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!
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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

EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls: A Gothic funeral tradition that keeps away evil spirits, plague, fairies and the Devil! Explore the mysteries of church bells on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast

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!
 
 
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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

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.
What does it all mean?
Join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he goes in search of the strange "soul lights" on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
 
 
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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

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 fairy women, 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... 
To discover all the secrets, join author Mark Rees (Ghosts of Wales) as he explores this fascinating old folk-horror fairy tale on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast.
And remember - don't mess with fairy women or fairy cows!
 
 
What is the Ghosts & 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 Mabinogion 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