When we left Sherlock Holmes he was just about to explain

This has been Hallowed Histories with me, Richard Sheppard,

Hello and welcome back to the Hallowed Histories strand of

Arthur Conan Doyle was a frequent visitor to East Anglia, and as we covered in our episode on Black Shuck, he drew inspiration from Norfolk’s demon dog to create one of his most iconic creations – the Hound of the Baskervilles.

During another visit to Happisburgh in 1903, Conan Doyle noticed the sketches of the landlord’s son in the hotel he was staying. These dancing stick figure men became the inspiration for the macabre code that is at the heart of this story.

Conan Doyle was a man with many interests – golf, folklore,

Breathing life into the story is our reader, the actor David

It was a pleasure to share a dressing room with him as well, because he is one of the most well-read men I have had the pleasure to meet,  and that’s always a quality to treasure.

But for right now, imagine yourself in the study of the

We present the 1992 adaptation of Robert Westall's classic, Norfolk-set novella, Yaxley's Cat. Set in Cley-Next-The Sea, it combines folk horror, pagan magic and the usual warnings about city folk going to the country. Robert Westall's work can be found here

Director: Nigel Bryant

Rose: Kathryn Hurlbutt

Jane: Susan Mann

Tim: Richard Pearce

Vicar: Jonathan Wyatt

Miss Yaxley: Patience Tomlinson

Nathan Gotobed: Peter Tuddenham

Jack Sydenham: Graham Howes

Shopkeeper & Doctor: Jo Kendall

We're back with our strand of ghost stories for Christmas, this time expanded all the way through January and encompassing ghost stories, horror stories, detective stories and anything else with a local connection that tickles us.

This time Kathryn Leigh returns to haunt us with One Candle, an itchy and scratchy tale of moths, mothers and monsters. Kathryn recently collaborated on the Slow Burn horror anthology we have been banging the drum for, more details here.

It's read by John Davis, most recently seen as Van Helsing in the Maddermarket Theatre's revival of Dracula, who brings all his formidable talent to this eerie tale that will have you turning the bedside lights off for a change.

When we left our last episode, the storm had hit East Anglia with full force. Lives were lost, communities shattered and thousands were left without electric, light, heat and hope. Today we are going to focus on the community of Sea Palling, and how one of the worst hit villages survived the night, and how the lessons of the storm led to investment in infrastructure that would ensure it never happened again.

With the Summer behind us and Autumn breathing softly on our shoulder, we notice the weather more. A subtle change in leaves, and a slight drop in temperature - all subtle, temperate beautiful things. Today we are going to look at weather that couldn't be ignored - the flood of 1953 which affected the landscape, the way we saw our relationship with the sea, and the lives of thousands.

Please leave a review, subscribe and recommend this podcast to anyone you know with an interest in East Anglia, history, folklore and the macabre. Contact us at [email protected] if the spirit moves you, or check out our website at hallowed-histories.org. This episode was hosted by me, Richard Sheppard, with research by Dr Linda Sheppard and tech wizardry by Stephen L Parkes.

Thank you for bearing with us the past few months whilst we have been relocating. Going through all of our books unearthed a few stories about a quiet, tranquil holiday spot with beautiful scenery, placid lakes, great fishing, aliens, monsters and the neolithic dead. Why not book your cabin now?

Nowhere on the Suffolk Coast holds as much allure for the lover of the strange than the ruins that were Old Dunwich. Once a thriving seaport, and vital to the nation's wellbeing, it tumbled into the sea through bad weather and bad planning. Rumours sprang up that Dunwich did not lie easily though, and some said the bells of the churches under the water still pealed out. It was until recently that science showed the extent of what remained, and came to a shocking conclusion.

Roundabouts are strange things - often baffling to tourists, often decorated with flowers in the midst of pollutions, often eerily quiet and empty surrounded by noise and bustle. One man made a difference to a local roundabout in a most eccentric way. Listen to the tale of the Chicken Man of Bungay, and get involved in his memorial here: -

https://mbasic.facebook.com/BungayUKSupportChickenRoundabout/photos/a.435360316528610/435360329861942/?type=3&p=30

Please leave a review, subscribe and recommend this podcast to anyone you know with an interest in East Anglia, history, folklore and the macabre. Contact us at [email protected] if the spirit moves you, or check out our website at hallowed-histories.org. This episode was hosted by me, Richard Sheppard, with research by Dr Linda Sheppard and tech wizardry by Stephen L Parkes.

Norwich Anglican Cathedral is a fine place to spend some time. It was used as a location in the BBC's adaptation of MR James's The Stalls at Barchester, and boasts one of the largest cloisters in Europe. The Cathedral close is picturesque as one could wish for. However, in a dark corner of the Cathedral is a truly frightening image, with a truly bizarre story that we cover in this episode. Thomas Gooding's resting place is an Easter Egg to be discovered in this beautiful building, and we urge you to seek it out.

Please leave a review, subscribe and recommend this podcast to anyone you know with an interest in East Anglia, history, folklore and the macabre. Contact us at [email protected] if the spirit moves you, or check out our website at hallowed-histories.org. This episode was hosted by me, Richard Sheppard, with research by Dr Linda Sheppard and tech wizardry by Stephen L Parkes.