This week we're headed over one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world to explore the history and folklore of Anglesey!

Perhaps most famous for being the place where the Romans slaughtered the last of the Druids, we start with St Dwynwen, the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers, along with Love Spoons and the Anglesey-born fathers of the "Welsh Renaissance."

Enriched by extracts from this Saturday's up-and-coming Local Legends interview with Internet super-witch Mhara Starling, we dig into prehistory and sites like Bryn Celli Ddu, the island's castles, and its links to the Tudor dynasty.

When it comes time for folklore, the island has plenty to offer, including ghosts, more maniacal toads, helpful ghosts and spectral highwaywomen - but how much of Anglesey's lore is really its own, and are some of these stories really from elsewhere, brought by generations of passers-through?

Then we have Martin's story for this week, "A Boat Full of Witches" which recounts the legend of the Llanddona Witches in a manner at once quite silly and also quite disturbing...

We hope that you enjoy the episode, and will speak to you again on Thursday with our new Magus bonus episode all about the magical life and legacy of Doctor Dee and our Patreon Exclusive Film Club episode all about 2002's Dog Soldiers!

Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our final Three Ravens Live Show release of 2026 we have a Live Q&A hosted by the one and only Treadwells Books!

In case you're unfamiliar, Treadwell's is an esoteric bookshop in London specializing in occult and spiritual topics like magic, witchcraft, and world religions.

It offers a curated selection of new and secondhand books along with unique items like tarot cards and incense.

Beyond its retail function, Treadwell's serves as a community hub by hosting a variety of events, such as classes, lectures, and tarot readings, and by providing knowledgeable staff to guide customers. 

We have both loved Treadwell's books since we were students, and our journeys to become the witches we are would not have taken the paths they have without what Christina Oakley Harrington has built with her shop.

Furthermore, when it came to thinking of the one bookshop where we would most like to celebrate our book being released, there was no doubt in our minds that it had to be Treadwells.

We really hope you enjoy this recording of our conversation, which spans topics from ghosts on the London Underground to the Cult of Mithras to Black Annis and beyond, including wonderful Q&A contributions from audience members.

We are also happy to announce that we will be returning to Treadwell's for another live recording like this in 2026, so keep your eyes peeled and directed towards the Treadwell's Events page for more news on that one!

Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor talks to the wonderful storyteller Deborah Winter about her home county of Pembrokeshire, a land of mermaids, pirates and the cry of the raven...

Deborah has gained a widespread reputation as an oral storyteller, and performs at festivals and arts events across the UK, including Aberystwyth Storytelling Festival, End of the Road Festival, On Land’s Edge, Swansea Fringe, Llangwm Literary Festival and many more. 

In 2021, Deborah was joint winner of the Esyllt Harker Prize for women storytellers in Wales, with musician Ailsa Mair Fox. The prize celebrates the talent and contributions of female storytellers in Wales, and as part of it Deborah received a commission to support the creation of her show Secrets and Silences, which was performed at Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival in 2023 to a standing ovation.

It’s a great chat, which spans Deborah’s life and career, and her deep love of her home county of Pembrokeshire, its history, folklore and stories.

So let’s gather in close around the Three Ravens campfire and listen in to a conversation with a true Local Legend – Deborah Winter. 

You can find out more about Deborah and her work via her website at www.deborahwinter.co.uk.

Otherwise, we we will speak to you again on Monday for Series 7 Episode 6, all about the the history and folklore of the historic Welsh county of Anglesey!

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this month's Forgotten Melodies bonus episode we're singing and talking about Witch Songs!

As ever, the episode features new arrangements of three traditional folk songs: Witches Reel, Broomfield Hill and Hare Spell, and Martin, Ben and Eleanor chat about the history and context of each.

With Witch Trials continuing in Scotland long after they had ended in England and Wales, it's perhaps unsurprising that so many Witch Songs have Scottish versions.

Following our Gunpowder Plot Patreon Exclusive episode we're therefore continuing to talk quite a lot about James VI of Scotland, I of England here, including about the North Berwick Witch Trials.

Then again, there's also the hill in Somerset where witches offer handy advice to maidens!

We've done our best to do the genre justice and sing songs that aren't all doom and gloom, and really hope you enjoy the episode.

Although we are hoping to have some musical offerings coming up on the week of Christmas, Forgotten Melodies will now be on a small hiatus until 2026, so we'll look forward to singing and playing more music for you then!

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the good ship Three Ravens is pulling into port in the south-westerly Welsh county of Pembrokeshire!

Populated in days of yore by 'The Demetae' - the Mead Drinkers - Pembrokeshire was, for a time, known as 'Little England Beyond The Border' as once it was claimed by the Normans, it stayed under their control.

With a long legacy in naval trade, piracy and smuggling, the county is hardly short of folklore - and its castles also remain standing! Mostly...

Along the way we discuss the significance of Preseli Bluestone, avoid the monstrous, water-dwelling Afanc, tell the tale of a sleepy giant who had to intervene when two fish got into a protracted argument, explore some unsettling ghost stories, and plenty else besides, interspersed with some extracts from this Saturday's upcoming interview with Pembrokeshire storyteller Deborah Winter.

All of which leads up to Eleanor's story for this week, "The Toads of Nevern" which sees an English curate encountering some sinister enemies of the church.

Including ones that hop about, and pay no heed to scripture!

We hope that you enjoy the episode, and will speak to you again on Thursday with our new Forgotten Melodies bonus episode all about Witch Songs!

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our 50th Local Legends interview episode, we've rustled up author and award-winning storyteller Michael Harvey, and made him talk about the extremely dreamy Welsh county of Radnorshire. 

Michael is a Welsh storyteller and author with more than 25 years of experience. Gongs include a Major Creative Wales Award and a British Award for Storytelling Excellence.

He is known for telling traditional stories from Celtic and Welsh oral traditions, and, for a time, worked at the Bleddfa Centre in Radnorshire - the historic Welsh county that has been our focus on Three Ravens this week.

To learn all about Michael's work and find out where to see him next, check his website here.

Speaking with Michael for this episode was a genuine pleasure, and it’s a conversation which ranges, including discussions of stories from and about Radnorshire to a lot more besides, encompassing Welsh history and folk customs to life at the Bleddfa Week of Storytelling.

Maybe this conversation will prompt the universe to conspire to bring it back.

Otherwise, we we will speak to you again on Monday for Series 7 Episode 4, about the the history and folklore of the historic Welsh county of Pembrokeshire!

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month's episode of the Three Ravens Bestiary is all about one of our favourite topics - Wargs and Werewolves!

We start with J.R.R. Tolkien, exploring how the species of intelligent wolf he invented - the Warg - combined Old English and Old Norse words and ideas, bringing different traditions of werewolf belief crashing into the public consciousness.

It is this, brought into monster movies over time, that really created the 'Modern' werewolf.

Though where does the werewolf's story begin?

We're throwing a broad net on this one, including discussions of Skinwalkers and Wendigos, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the first-ever "man beast" in the form of Enkidu; we touch on the Classical myth of King Lycaon of Arcadia, transformed into a wolf due to his inhuman transgressions, and discuss how the Great European Werewolf Panic, which lasted for over 300 years, changed folk belief about the links between Black Magic and werewolves forever.

It's a grand and sweeping story, and goes to explain a few things about why werewolves are pretty much always scary, why Wargs matter so much, and how modern cinema-goers are maybe a bit more like Odin than they probably realise.

So, pull up your Wolf Pants, leave the silver bullets at home, and let's get lupine! Aroooo!

Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode we're off to the least populated historic county of Wales, Radnorshire on the Welsh Marches!

As for why Radnorshire has been so depopulated and wild for quite so long, it has a lot to do with war, and plenty to do with the Black Death. We discuss how these traumas, combined with the destruction of castles, have left the county speckled with desolate empty hillforts and ghost villages - a landscape filled with tales of murder and tragedy, as well as lots of fascinating superstitions...

These include the ways in which 'Spirit Nights' were organised, how 'Sin Eaters' were employed to absorb the errors of the dead, and plenty else, from the donation of graveside 'Shovel Money' to 'Rag Knife Men' and the vigilante groups known as Rebecca and her Daughters.

All this aside, we chat about the Cat Man of Radnor Forest, the drowned Giant's Graves now sunk within a reservoir, the Llandrindod Wells Sheela Na Gig, the county's link to the Elizabethan magus Doctor Dee, and plenty else besides, interspersed with some extracts from this Saturday's upcoming interview with award-winning Welsh storyteller and author Michael Harvey.

All of which leads up to Martin's story for this week, "Davies and the Devil" through which a lowly orphan turns the tables on the Dark One across a hundred years of mischief.

We hope that you enjoy the episode, and will speak to you again on Thursday with a new Three Ravens Bestiary episode all about Wargs and Werewolves and - if you're a Patreon supporter - our November Exclusive episode about the history and folklore of the Gunpowder Plot!

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor is joined around the campfire by storyteller priestess Christine Watkins to talk all about her home county of Monmouthshire.

Christine was born in Monmouthshire, where her family has deep roots. She has been crafting words for speaking live or in broadcast since 1980 - stories of belonging and apartness, discovery and creation. 

She's the author of Gwent Folk Tales and the host of the podcast Around Goes The Rambler, in which she walks Monmouthshire over the course of a year and a day.

You can learn more about Christine and her work, and listen to the podcast, on her website at christinewatkins.co.uk.

For now, though, let's gather round the campfire in the shadow of the Sugarloaf and talk about all things Monmouthshire with a true Local Legend, Christine Watkins.

Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Proud members of the Dark Cast Network.

Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.