The Sense of Place Podcast

In this solo episode I explore how architecture and everyday functional objects in public spaces can impact our day to day, without us even realising it! From characterless cars and bland bus stops to nondescript new builds, why does it sometimes feel like modern designs are uninspiring compared to older ones? Is that even true?

In today’s episode I draw on thoughts from designers, architects and previous podcast guests, to try and understand if we've lost something in the way we design our built environment, or whether nostalgia and the passage of time give us rose tinted glasses for the architecture of the past!

We discuss everything from the Victorians love of gothic architecture, new builds, brutalism, shopping centres, trams stops, and the benches at Chatsworth House!

In a nutshell, I’m wondering what is it that makes certain buildings and functional objects memorable, appealing and meaningful enough to give us a sense of place?

Read issue no 4 of the newsletter on Patreon (apologies I realised I said issue 3 during the episode!)

Explore the Adventure Patch Company - use code SENSEOFPLACE for 20% everything!

Podcast Website

(Recorded September 2026)

Social historian of modern places John Grindrod returns to the podcast! John has written a new book Tales of the Suburbs: LGBTQ+ Lives Behind Net Curtains which explores the hidden LGBTQ+ histories of suburbia through personal stories and archive material from the 20th century.

During the episode John and I explore how place shapes LGBTQ+ identity and belonging. We discuss the sometimes performative nature of suburban life, coded spaces, and some places with unexpected thriving queer communities!

John also shares insights from his research and notes the parallels between the suburbs and 20th century queer identity. We also discuss how technology and post-Covid lifestyles are reshaping suburban living, and why it’s so important to record overlooked social histories before they are lost.

For more on John:

Website

Instagram

John’s Podcast

Gays The Word Bookshop

John’s previous episode on the sense of place podcast

(Recorded March 2026)

Adam S. Leslie, author of Lost in the Garden makes his return to the podcast to talk about the lighter (and commercialised!) side of Christmas. We discuss the magic and excitement of Christmas growing up, the joy of tatty decorations and cosy Christmas lights, Christmas music, films, and TV, as well as recurring nostalgia, and the noticeable change in atmosphere between the Christmas and New Year period.

For more on Adam:

Book

Listen to Lost in the Garden: Music for the Book by Berlin Zebra. The track played during the episode (2 mins 6 sec in) was Goodbye Shillings.

Instagram

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Support:

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Kofi

For a lovely Christmas Present:

The Adventure Patch Company

Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases.

Christmas Music Used:

Royalty Free Music from Pixabay

Andy Williams, It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – taken from a Christmas CD.

P.S. Apologies for the few choppy bits of audio in this episode. Adam and I had a few technical issues!

(Recorded end of November 2025)

Lifelines can express many things—from rivers flowing downstream, to the places we call home. They can represent pathways that cross and entwine, and highlight the importance of our co-existence within the wild world.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by writer Julian Hoffman to discuss his latest book, Lifelines: Searching for Home in the Mountains of Greece. The book follows Julian’s move from London, UK, to the mountains above the Prespa Lakes in Greece. While Julian explores his own lifelines the book also highlights the lifelines of other species in our interconnected world.

During our conversation, Julian shares how the move transformed his understanding of home, identity, and connection. We also explore the importance of shelter, and how we can better learn to coexist with wild species. We also touch on the loss of song culture among endangered Australian birds, Julian’s life-changing encounter with a European brown bear, and how humans and animals create culture and a sense of home through movement, memory, and relationships.

For more on Julian:

Website

Instagram

X

The Adventure Patch Company: 

A small independent business run by brothers Chris & Dom. They make retro patches that celebrate the UK’s best loved outdoor places & wildlife. They donate over 1% of their total revenue each year to the UK National Parks Foundation which supports work to improve National Parks & programmes to connect communities with these landscapes. Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases! Link HERE 

(Recorded August 2025)

Have you ever wondered why certain places feel more ‘authentic’ or why you seem to be a more genuine version of yourself in a particular setting? It turns out, there might be a psychological explanation for that!

In today’s episode, I chat with Ashley N. Krause, a doctoral candidate from the University of Florida who is studying the psychology of place and well-being. Ashley takes a socioecological approach to understanding how people find meaning in places, and in turn, how places influence people’s meaning in life. One key area of interest for Ashley is the concept of place authenticity - why certain places feel more authentic to us, and what underpins that experience.

During our conversation, Ashley and I delve into what place authenticity means, how it differs from personal authenticity, and how the two concepts influence one another. We explore the impact of time and nostalgia on how we experience places, the role of rootedness and sensory perceptions in shaping place authenticity, and how we can create more authentic feeling environments in the modern world. Plus, we discuss future research areas Ashley is excited to explore.

For more on Ashley: 

Academic papers on Google Scholar

Article in Psyche Magazine

A small independent business run by brothers Chris & Dom. They make retro patches that celebrate the UK’s best loved outdoor places & wildlife. They donate over 1% of their total revenue each year to the UK National Parks Foundation which supports work to improve National Parks & programmes to connect communities with these landscapes. Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases! Link HERE 

(Recorded March 2025)

‘Like an old wives’ tale, like a piece of wisdom passed down through generations which no one questioned or even thought about too hard. Like folklore. It was just something everyone knew, a rule to be followed. 

Don’t go to Almanby’.

In today’s episode I chat to author and screenwriter Adam S. Leslie about his debut novel, Lost in the Garden which follows three friends as they journey to the village of Almanby during a never-ending summer.

Lost in the Garden has been described as a folk horror novel, although Adam has coined the term ‘Nostalgia Horror’ to describe his book. Together, we have a wide-ranging discussion drawing on themes of folk horror, hauntology and childhood nostalgia which are central to the book. 

Adam also shares his creative influences, his passion for film, and the inspirations behind Lost in the Garden.

For more on Adam:

Book - https://deadinkbooks.com/product/lost-in-the-garden/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AdamLeslie1974 

Here is a link to episode 14 featuring Bob Fischer, which is referenced during this episode: https://www.senseofplacepod.com/podcast/episode/4a2e6cab/ep-14-hauntology-nostalgia-disquiet-and-lost-futures-ft-bob-fischer 

The Adventure Patch Company: Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases! Link here - https://adventurepatch.co.uk?sca_ref=5712306.rLjIvt6JQb  

(Recorded September 2024)

I’m pleased to welcome back writer Gareth E. Rees for round two on the podcast! This time, we explore his latest book Sunken Lands: A Journey Through Flooded Kingdoms and Lost Worlds.

Drawing on the book's central themes, Gareth and I discuss the history of flood myths and their continued relevance in the face of the climate crisis. We also chat about the often-overlooked capabilities of the past civilizations, and why modern folklore, oral storytelling, and music are so integral to keeping ancient flood mythology and folklore alive.

For more on Gareth visit:

https://twitter.com/hackneymarshman

https://bsky.app/profile/garetherees.bsky.social 

http://www.unofficialbritain.com/

Gareth’s first appearance on the podcast:

https://www.senseofplacepod.com/podcast/episode/499fc9f8/ep-16-unofficial-britain-everyday-myth-magic-and-folklore-ft-gareth-e-rees

The Adventure Patch Company:

 A small independent business run by brothers Chris & Dom. They make retro patches that celebrate the UK’s best loved outdoor places and wildlife. Sustainability is key to Chris and Dom, and they support the rewilding project ‘Trees for life’ in Scotland. They also donate over 1% of their total revenue each year to the UK National Parks Foundation which supports work that improves, protects, and enhances National Parks and programmes that connect communities with these landscapes.

Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases!

Link here: https://adventurepatch.co.uk/?sca_ref=5712306.rLjIvt6JQb

The music played during our discussion and at the end of the episode is a track from Gareth’s album ‘Songs from the Sunken Lands’ that accompanies the book. The track is called ‘The Great Serpent’.

(Recorded April 2024)

While graffiti might have modern connotations, it’s existed for thousands of years. The act of creative expression on walls and other surfaces is observable in many different forms - and there’s always been plenty of conflicting opinions about it!

In today’s episode, I chat with Chris Pensa, a street art expert and former art auctioneer at Sotheby's.

Chris is the founder of The House of Graffiti, an interior design agency working with some of the world's best street artists to create bespoke murals for private and commercial clients. He is also the founder of PENSA Events where he carries out his street art walks and tours.

Chris and I discuss the variety of contemporary street art styles that exist today, as well as their historical origins. We also explore Chris’ route into the world of street art, the different motivations behind creating graffiti, and some of Chris’ favourite artists.

For more on Chris, visit:

https://www.instagram.com/houseofgraffiti

https://www.thehouseofgraffiti.co.uk/

https://www.pensaevents.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/PensaEvents

For all of you who love hiking and nice mementos, why not check out the Adventure Patch Company?! Founded by brothers Chris & Dom, they make retro hiking patches that celebrate the UK’s best loved parks, peaks, trails, and outdoor challenges. Use discount code SENSEOFPLACE at checkout for 20% all purchases! Link here: https://adventurepatch.co.uk?sca_ref=5712306.rLjIvt6JQb  

Episode Extra's: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-extras-99921775

(Recorded February 2024)

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Tereza Stehlíková, a Czech artist, researcher and lecturer currently serving as the head of the Visual Arts Department at the University of Creative Communication, Prague.

Tom Chivers is a writer, publisher and Mudlark (someone who searches for objects on the banks of the River Thames).

In 2021, Tom wrote ‘London Clay: Journeys in the Deep City’, which was described by Becky Wragg Sykes as “an intoxicating voyage into urban time and place, revealing the city’s geological skeleton...”. During the episode, Tom and I discuss ‘London Clay,' his passion for Mudlarking, and the significant role it plays in his life, and the lives of others.

For more on Tom, visit: https://thisisyogic.com/

(Recorded June 2023)