One of the hosts of the Eerie Essex podcast (with Ailsa Clarke), all about paranormal happenings and traditional stories of mysteries and the unexplained in Essex. Is the Loch Ness Monster a ghost dinosaur? Old Roughy the poltergeist in Great Waltham. Ghost cats in pubs. How do Bethan and Ailsa research their podcast? Start with the paranormal database, books, British newspaper archive. Weird Norfolk podcast from the Norfolk Folklore Society inspired them to start their Essex podcast. Black Shuck the East Anglian dog is a brilliant regional myth. Part cryptid, part entity, a black dog with blazing red eyes that arrives in storm and lightning, can be bad or good. Shuck was a protector for travellers, like a scary Lassie. Adelle tells a creepy story about a hotel, is she imagining things? What can Bethan tell us about it? 3am is a common time for ghosts and weird things happening! Stories bring us together, so does it matter if they are true or not? Explanations for sleep paralysis. Your brain puts your body into neutral mode and turns off motor functions at night. Nightmares are named after mythical horses with glowing eyes in your room at night. Plague pits, burials and plague doctor ghosts in Colchester. Never move a witch’s stone! Matthew Hopkins is a nob. Bethan tells us loads of old rude names for roads she found in her research. How to start a podcast and find out what kit you need? Ask other podcasters! Write bullet points, not a script. Waiting for things to be released into public records - exorcism! Bethan also has a podcast called The Spectre of the Sea, which is more storytelling. Doing a live podcast for the first time. Bethan also runs the East Anglian Folklore Centre at The Minories in Colchester - there is a reference library, things from an apothecary, lectures, a museum. There will be a folk goblin rave in Colchester Castle to raise funds for the centre. Has Bethan seen a ghost? OF COURSE! And a demonic presence. The Smiler!

Eerie Essex on Insta
East Anglian Folklore Centre
Bethan on Insta

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam from Lawker Media at Lawker Media Studio
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

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Thanks to NGDA for their support

Recorded in Chelmsford, Essex, UK