🔥 Ghosts of Afan – A Time Between Times Episode 🌙

Tonight, we walk where steel meets sea… where ruined stone remembers… and where the valley does not sleep.

In this deeply atmospheric episode of Time Between Times, Owen returns to the shadows of the Afan Valley to uncover three lingering presences — the restless lord of Aberafan Castle, the silent monk who walks beside the old wall near the steelworks, and the pale woman who waits by the tide beneath the moon.

These are not simply ghost stories.

They are echoes.

Echoes of power, of prayer, of loss… woven into the landscape of Port Talbot and carried on the salt wind from the Bristol Channel.

So settle yourself by the firepit at the heart of the forest. Let the world slow. Let the valley breathe. And step gently into the place where history and haunting overlap.

Because in The Afan Valley … nothing is ever entirely gone.

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the work:

☕ Support on Ko-fi:

www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton

🌙 Join the Patreon community:

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🌲 Explore more stories and events:

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Until we meet again…

Sleep well.

This week on Time Between Times, come with me into a hush of leaves and the long, listening dark…

In the quiet woods of the Gower, when the birds fall silent and the light thins to a bruise of blue, some walkers glimpse a woman standing between the trees. She does not call. She does not chase. She only watches.

Settle by the firepit and let the world loosen its grip as I tell the true-told tale of The Lady in the Woods — a story of old paths, ancient stones, and the soft, unsettling feeling that the forest remembers more than it should. Leave your worries with the embers. Walk the path with me. But don’t step off it.

🔥 Listen now on Time Between Times

☕ Support the stories on Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton

🕯️ Join the circle on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7

🌿 Explore more tales: https://www.welshstoryteller.com

Your support keeps the fire burning and the stories walking.

This Week on Tales from the Time Between Times

Tonight, by the low glow of the firepit at the heart of the forest, Owen Staton invites you to lay down the weight of the day and step softly into the dark. Inspired by the haunting artwork of Katie Marland, this week’s tale carries us over Croydon Hill, where an old road bends, the wind whispers of old sins… and something ancient is said to still walk.

Come closer to the flames. Let the world grow quiet. Breathe deep.

And listen, as Owen tells the terrifying legend of the Devil of Croydon Hill — a story of dread, mercy, and the thin places where our world wears away.

If these tales bring you comfort in the dark, you can find more stories, shows, and whispers from the woods here:

🌒 Owen’s website: www.welshstoryteller.com

🔥 Support the podcast on Ko-fi: www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton

🕯 Become a patron on Patreon: www.patreon.com/owenstaton7

The episode artwork that opened the door to this tale was created by the wonderful Katie Marland:

🎨 Katie Marland’s artwork: www.katiemarland.com

🖤 Episode art by Katie Marland

Take care, my friends…

And I’ll see you… in the time between times.

Some stories refuse to rest.

High above the Severn plain, within the red-stone walls of Powis Castle, a presence once walked the corridors by candlelight — not to terrify, not to threaten… but to finish something left undone.

In this episode of Time Between Times, we step quietly into the shadows of an eighteenth-century Welsh castle, where an old woman, a hidden chest, and a ghost clad in gold lace cross paths in the stillness of night. It is a tale of silence and listening, of trust placed in the dark, and of a spirit bound not by malice — but by duty.

This is a story that lives in the spaces between — between rooms, between centuries, between the living and the dead.

So draw closer.

Lower your voice.

And walk with me…

into the time between times.

🌒 Support the storytelling

If you’d like to help keep these old stories alive, you can support my work here:

Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/owenstaton

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7

🌿 Explore more stories and live performances:

Website: https://welshstoryteller.com

Thank you for listening — and for carrying these stories forward.

Time Between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton

Step with me, if you will, into the gloaming — that soft, half-lit hour where the old stories still breathe and the past leans close enough to whisper.

As St Dwynwen’s Day draws near, it feels only right to open the door to Wales’ most heart-rending tales of doomed love. Tonight, on Time Between Times, we walk a sorrowful, beautiful road. We begin on the shores of Llanddwyn, with the aching legend of Dwynwen, the Welsh saint of lovers — her heart broken, her prayers carried on the tide. From there, we journey inland to Nant Gwrtheyrn, where the wind still knows the names of Rhys and Meinir, childhood sweethearts torn apart on the very morning of their wedding. A story of searching. Of storms. Of love that refuses to lie quietly in the grave.

I’m joined this evening by the wonderful Russ Williams, author of Where the Folk, a lyrical road trip through the living folklore of Wales — a book that reminds us these stories are not relics, but companions, waiting by the roadside for those willing to listen.

So draw closer to the fire. Let the night press in at the windows. This is a time for love stories that end in shadow, but never truly end at all.

🎙 Time Between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton

🌐 Website:

https://www.welshstoryteller.com

☕ Support the stories:

Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/owenstaton

Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton⁠7

📖 Where the Folk by Russ Williams:

https://www.wherethefolk.com

www.russwilliams.org

Buy Where the folk

https://amzn.eu/d/6L23XFY

Between the heartbeats… between the words… welcome to the time between times.

This week I am joined by the wonderful folklorist Amy Boucher, and together we wander into the shadowed lanes and hedgerows of Shropshire to speak of one of its most intriguing figures — the cunning man Thomas Light. A man whispered about rather than written down. A man of charms, counter-spells, and uneasy knowledge. We explore his life, his reputation, and the strange power such figures once held over their communities — half feared, half needed, and never entirely trusted.

And as the embers glow, I also share a famous and unsettling tale of the Welsh seer Huw Llwyd, a story carried on the breath of generations, heavy with prophecy, second sight, and the terrible cost of knowing too much.

So draw your chair closer to the fire. Let the dark stay where it belongs. And step with us, just for a while, into the Time Between Times

Find Amy Boucher here:

Amy Boucher – https://nearlyknowledgeablehistory.blogspot.com

Amy Boucher – Blue sky - @g0blinegg.bsky.social

More of my work:

Welshstoryteller.com

If you’d like to support the show:

Ko-fi.com/owenstaton

Patreon.com/owenstaton7

Read my Substack:

Owen Staton – owenstaton.substack.com

Take care, my friends… and I’ll see you, once again, by the fire.

Nos Da

Owen

In this special episode of Time between Times, I’m joined by the wonderful artist Katie Marland — a creator whose work feels as though it has stepped straight out of the old stories and into the present moment. Together we wander that twilight space where art meets folklore, where imagination is rooted deep in the soil of myth, memory, and the half-heard whispers of the past.

Katie speaks about her creative process, her love of folklore, and the quiet power of stories that refuse to be forgotten. We talk about the pull of old tales, why certain images return to us again and again, and how art can act as a doorway — a way of slipping, just for a moment, into the time between times.

And, of course, no gathering like this would be complete without a story.

As the embers glow, I share one of Katie’s favourite traditional tales — a story shaped by shadow and wonder, told as it was meant to be told: aloud, slowly, and with heart. It’s a tale that lingers, the kind that stays with you long after the final words have been spoken.

So settle in, listen close, and let yourself drift a while.

Katie Marland

Website:www.katiemarland.com

Instagram:@kmarlandart

Owen Staton

Website: www.welshstoryteller.com

Ko-fi: www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton

Patreon: www.patreon.com/owenstaton7

Substack:https://open.substack.com/pub/owenstaton/p/time-between-times-storytelling-with-98d?r=56bicy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

My heartfelt, thanks to Katie for her time, her generosity, and her art — and to you, dear listener, for keeping the old stories alive by listening.

Until next time,

Nos Da

Owen x

Marland

Welcome to the firepit at the heart of the forest, and a very happy New Year to you all.

As the year turns, I invite you to draw a little closer to the flames, for tonight’s tale drifts in on a cold wind from the very heart of London. On Garlick Hill stands St James Church, old stones steeped in shadow and memory. Within its walls lies the corpse of old Jimmy Garlic… and his story is not done yet. Join me, Owen Staton, for his tale, and step with me into that strange hour where past and present blur, and the dead are never quite silent.

If you’d like to help keep the fire burning and support Time Between Times, you can find me here:
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/owenstaton
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7
Substack: https://owenstaton.substack.com

And as the show approaches its fifth anniversary, I’d love to hear your voice by the fire. You’re warmly invited to send a short voice note—your thoughts, memories, or a simple greeting—to [email protected], and you may find yourself woven into the celebration.

Now… settle in, listen close, and let the story begin.

Nos Da

Owen x

There is something about Christmas that invites old stories back into the light.

The nights grow longer. The wind finds its voice in the bare branches. And somewhere, just beyond the glow of the firepit, the past waits patiently to be heard once more.

In this special festive episode, I invite you to join me by the fire for a winter tale steeped in honour, mystery, and the old magic of Britain. Together, we step into the medieval world of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight — a story born of Christmas feasting and New Year challenges, where courage is tested not by sword alone, but by truth, humility, and the keeping of one’s word.

From King Arthur’s candlelit hall to a snow-laden forest and a chapel of uncanny green stone, this is a tale that carries the chill of winter and the warmth of human frailty in equal measure. It is a story about bravery, yes — but also about temptation, fear, and the quiet strength it takes to face judgement when the games are done.

As the embers crackle and the dark presses close, I’ll guide you through this ancient legend in my own voice, as it might once have been told: slowly, deliberately, and with room for the listener to wander its shadows.

If you enjoy this tale and would like to explore more stories, folklore, and fireside tellings, you can find me at

www.welshstoryteller.com

You can also support my work through:

Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/owenstaton

Patreon: patreon.com/owenstaton7

Substack: owenstaton.substack.com

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-signalman-by-charles-dickens-read-on-christmas-eve-by-owen-staton-tickets-1975348008067?aff=oddtdtcreator

So draw closer to the fire, let the winter night settle around you, and listen — for Christmas is the perfect time for a challenge, and every story demands its answer.

Take care my friends and Nadolig Llawen

Owen x

As a special bonus episode I give you the christmas story as told In the New Testament. I hope you enjoy this Christmas period and know there is always a gathering at the firepit if you need company over the next few weeks.

Nadolig Llawen Pawb x

Merry christmas All.

www.welshstoryteller.com

my ko-fi page

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Owen