Recorded live at the Bigg Theatre in Biggleswade, this is a special Christmas episode of Weird in the Wade! Nat with special guest Owen Staton explore tales of demon dogs, creepy canines and haunted hounds. Avoiding the most famous of them all Old Shuck, this episode considers lesser-known tales including those shared by listeners, as well as folktales from Bedfordshire and across the UK. From Luton’s fiery hound of Galley Hill to a tragic Welsh folktale, as well as tales of kindred canines who seem to guide human companions out of danger.

Nat will be hosting a Winterval Ghost Stories and Folktales online event on the evening of Monday 29th December. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1966782724072?aff=oddtdtcreator

On Friday 9th January, Nat is hosting an evening of Biggleswade's Dark History at the Bigg Theatre in Biggleswade find out more here: https://www.thebiggtheatre.co.uk/natalie-doig/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Nat on a brief trip away from the wade to the seaside and Brighton’s hidden gem, Preston Manor. This ancient manor house is possibly England’s most haunted. There

Dan Cox Head Guide for Brighton Museums and Preston Manor takes us on a tour of the house sharing ghost stories old and new, including his own creepy encounter.

Nat also delves into the history behind Preston’s most famous phantom “The White Lady” and discovers more about the late Victorian medium Ada Goodrich Freer who held a séance at the manor in 1896.

There are many photos and links to further reading on the show blog weirdinthewade.blog

Contact weird in the wade at: [email protected]

Special thanks to Dan Cox for his expertise and storytelling

A huge thank you to Emily Elle Watts for playing the roles of Lily MacDonald and Ada Goodrich Freer in this episode.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig.

Theme music and the Brighton theme composed and performed by Tess Savigear

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Nick, tells Nat about a strange and ghostly experience he had at Coopers Hill in Ampthill, Bedfordshrie back in the early 1980s.

Did Nick witness a ghost, a time slip or is there a more rational but equally intriguing explanation for his sighting?

With the help of Bryan Bland from Ampthill Ghost Walks, Nat uncovers the strange history of Coopers Hill, or the Firs as locals call it. That history includes, Victorian poachers, Canadian lumberjacks in World War One, and a secret cold war bunker.

Musicain Olie Campbell inspired by the stories of Coopers HIll has composed two short songs for this episode as well.

Listen until the end to catch a sneak preview of the next episode as well.

Thanks to Nick, Bryan and Olie for their wonderful contributions to this episode.

Check out photographs and links to further reading at weirdinthewade.blog

Have a suggestion or comment then email Nat at [email protected]

Follow the show here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade

Support weird in the wade on Patreon or Ko-fi

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music by Tess Savigear

Additional music and soundeffects from Epidemic Sound

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can an historic poltergeist haunting cast light on the current phenomena affecting Andy’s house? We visited Andy’s house in the last episode. Nat uncovers the poltergeist story behind the 1994 newspaper headlines. She considers the historical context of the haunting, including the broadcast in 1992 of Ghostwatch.

Nat also chats with Bethan Briggs-Miller of Eerie Essex podcast and co-founder of the East Anglian Folklore Centre about haunted houses and attending paranormal investigations.

Nat also returns to Andy’s house, where what she hoped would be a simple update from Andy after the last show, turned into something slightly spookier. Make sure

You can find more information, show notes and photographs on the show blog:

If you have a question or idea, please get in touch with Nat on [email protected] or on social media: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade

Thank you again to Andy for his time and for sharing his experiences.

A huge thank you to Bethan Briggs-Miller for her time, expertise and experience.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Haunted House and weird in the wade theme are composed and performed by Tess Savigear

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weird in the Wade is back! In this episode Nat investigates haunting phenomena happening in a house right now in Biggleswade. Andy and his little dog Dolly are troubled by bangs, footsteps, and other strange sounds and sights in their cottage.

Do former occupants hold the answers?

Does the recent and ancient history of the land hide clues?

Is Andy's house the only home experiencing ghostly activity in that area of Biggleswade?

Over this episode and the next Nat explores what could be haunting Andy's house, and others in the area, through her usual research into history and beyond.

Remember new episodes of Weird in the Wade will now be released every two weeks!

Find show notes and photographs on the weird in the wade blog: weirdinthewade.blog

If you want ad free episodes why not join weird in the wade on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WeirdintheWade

If you want to get in touch with weird in the wade then either follow the show on social media, links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade

or email [email protected]

Thank you to Andy and Dolly for their time, and Carol for telling me her story.

Thank you to Tess for reading Carol's words and remixing a new sparkly version of the weird in the wade theme tune.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music and this episode's haunted house theme by Tess Savigear

All additional music and sound effects by Epidemic Sound.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quick trailer for the Return of Weird in the Wade, featuring a teaser of what to expect from the first new episode: What's Haunting Andy's House?

Make sure you're subscribed to Weird in the Wade wherever you listen, so you don't miss an episode. Remember new episodes of Weird in the Wade will be released every two weeks from Monday 27th October 2025

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a summer wander away from the wade, Nat visits a South Lincolnshire hillside which has attached to it an intriguing medieval tale of a phantom army. In a strange coincidence, Nat learns that her brother who runs there regularly has a tale to tell about that hillside as well. Sempringham was the site of an abbey and a monastic order founded by an Englishman, St Gilbert. The site holds a holy well and a link to a Welsh princess, as well as possibly Vikings. Join Nat, her brother Chris and Dr Francis Young as they uncover the secrets of Sempringham.

Nat also announces some important news about the podcast towards the end of the episode along with an update on this year's Burryman procession.

Want to catch Weird in the Wade live, at The Bigg Theatre in Biggleswade for a live podcast recording and more?

It's happening on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 3pm

Grab your tickets here: https://wegottickets.com/event/673203/

There's still time to vote for Weird in the Wade on the listeners choice award at the British Podcast Awards! Just visit this link: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting

Weird in the Wade will be taking a short break but will return in October, in time for Halloween and will then become a fortnightly podcast! Episodes will be released every two weeks between October and July. Make sure you're subscribed on BBC Sounds so you don't miss an episode.

Today's episode features Emily Elle Watts as Edith

Thank you to:

Check out the show blog weirdinthewade.blog for more information about everyone above and the episode in general

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a summer wander away from Biggleswade, Nat investigates one of the UK's strangest seasonal folk customs, the Burryman of Queensferry. For centuries a man covered from head to ankle in spiky burdock seedheads has walked along the banks of the Firth of Forth, bringing luck and banishing evil from the town. Uniquely Scottish, looking like a man covered in bees or a bear walking on his hind legs, scaring young children, but fascinating them all the same, the Burryman is a striking vision indeed.

But as Nat joined the Burryman procession in 2024 she became intrigued by the origins of this custom, and what it means now to the community of Queensferry and beyond.

With insights from the Burryman himself, his attendants and the team behind the procession and Queensferry's Ferry Fair, Nat pieces together the history of the Burryman and how he is inspiring folk from all around the world.

Special thanks to Andrew (the Burryman,) his attendants Andrew and Duncan, and team, Claire, Erin, Doc and Paul for their time and expertise in this episode.

Thank you to Wayne Gilbert of Eerie Edinburgh for reading the article form the Dunfermline Press.

Thank you to the Blue Moon Pickers for their live folk music which is included in this episode.

And a huge thank you to Daniel Patrick Quinn for allowing me to use his wonderful track The Burryman (featuring Duncan Grahl,)

Find out more about the Burryman and this episode on the show blog weridinthewade.blog

Email Nat: [email protected]

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music by Tess Savigear

All additional music and sound effects from Epidemic Sound

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The medieval chronicles are peppered with odd tales amongst the mundane, when folklorist and historian Dr Francis Young came across one of these peculiar stories he shared it with Nat, because it happened at Biggleswade. In this episode Francis and Nat ask, and hopefully answer the questions: what was this strange sight? What did it mean to the witnesses? How have our interpretations of the uncanny and otherworldly changed over the centuries? They also explore how landscape shapes and holds secrets about our past beliefs and activities.

Who were these "monstrous fighting men," and do they have a link to Viking and Saxon history? Find out in this episode of Weird in the Wade.

Read more on the show blog at weirdinthewade.blog

Find out more about Dr Francis Young at: https://drfrancisyoung.com/about/

Find out more about Weird in the Wade Ghost Walks here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/weird-in-the-wade-79765637113

Vote for Weird in the Wade in the listeners choice award for the British Podcast Awards here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting

Join Weird in the Wade's Patreon to support the show and get extra content: patreon.com/WeirdintheWade

Social Media links and more can be found here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig.

Special thanks for the contributions of Dr Francis Young in this episode.

Theme music by Tess Savigear

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beneath the pretty market town of Royston in Hertfordshire, lies a cave that was carved out of the chalk by hand, in the distant past. After being dramatically rediscovered in the mid 18th century, Royston cave has spawned competing theories about its use and meaning and has been a tourist attraction ever since. Smothered in medieval carvings which in turn have been covered by more recent etched graffiti, this cave is unique in many ways. Linked to the Knights Templar by some, an important spiritual site to many, and an historical curiosity from the moment a small boy climbed down into the cave in 1742, to describe what he saw to the town’s folk eager for treasure.

Nat is joined by Emma the current custodian of the cave, and Matt Champion an archaeologist who specialises in medieval graffiti, who has studied the cave extensively. Together they try to unravel the mystery that swirls around the site.

Nat also speaks with Emma Butler of the RUE Papers podcast, about why we’re drawn to caves, and her experiences working at a very different cave in Yorkshire, that of Mother Shipton.

Check out images and video of the cave at weirdinthewade.blog

If you would like to get in touch with Nat, you can find her on social media @weirdinthewade or email at [email protected]

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices