After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

In 1944, Helen Duncan, better known as ‘Hellish Nell’, found herself on trial under a centuries-old witchcraft law. But who was she, what had she done, and how did a medium who claimed to speak to the dead end up in the dock at the Old Bailey? View the image described in this episode here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helen_Duncan_fake_ectoplasm_B.jpg#/media/File:Helen_Duncan_fake_ectoplasm.jpg Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on…

'Remember, remember the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot...' Every year across Britain, people come together to burn bonfires in commemoration of the failed plot to blow up Parliament and the King. It's often portrayed as a simple story, but in today’s episode Anthony and Maddy delve into the details of this audacious plan and ask the question: where did it all go wrong? View the painting described by Maddy & Anthony in the episode here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guy_fawkes_henry_perronet_briggs.jpg Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at…

How long could you stand living in a house haunted by a vengeful poltergeist? That's the situation a Scottish family found themselves in in the late 17th century. As members of the local community gathered to try investigate, a terrifying mystery unfolded... What was the cause behind the haunting? And why was it so determined to torment its inhabitants? Our guest today is Dr. Martha McGill, historian of supernatural beliefs in early modern Britain. Martha is the author of ‘Ghosts in Enlightenment Scotland’. Edited by Aliza Dams. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast…

What’s better than a witch story on Halloween? Today, we’ve got a special episode from Cautionary Tales’ Tim Harford to share. Back in 1612 Lancashire, a chance roadside argument between a peddler and a teenage girl spirals into England's most notorious witch trial, after the peddler is struck down by a mysterious force. Hundreds of years later, there’s now a campaign to posthumously pardon the people condemned as the Pendle Witches. If you’re looking for more spooky listens, check out Cautionary Tales, where they’ve spent the month telling stories about vampires, crop circles, ghosts and more. Find Cautionary Tales wherever you list to podcasts. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're celebrating Maddy's new documentary all about London's most famous ghost - the ghost of Cock Lane! It's out today on History Hit - https://www.historyhit.com/ This is a rerun of our episode from earlier this year promoting Maddy's new book 'Hoax: Truth & Lies In The Age Of Enlightenment' where the Cock Lane ghost story is covered in great depth. The haunting of Cock Lane is the most iconic ghost story in London's long history, taking place in the year 1762. Was it a hoax? Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile…

This is a shocking story that saw families digging up their dead relatives, believing them to be vampires. What makes it all the more shocking, is that it was as recent as 1892. Join Anthony and Maddy to find out what was really going on in this sleepy town in New England, where the fear of what the dead might do caused local people to do barbaric things to their own family. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Built in 1862, Borley Rectory became known as England's most haunted house. From ghostly nuns and unexplained disturbances to paranormal investigator Harry Price's controversial investigations, discover the history behind one of Britain's most famous haunting legends. Was Borley Rectory truly haunted, or was its reputation shaped by folklore, sensationalist journalism and questionable evidence? Join After Dark as we separate historical fact from supernatural fiction. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. Edited by Anna Brant. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

In the sixteenth-century, down the winding cobbled streets of Prague, there once lived a towering supernatural being: the Golem. Legend has it that it was conjured to life through mystic rituals, and acted as the protector of the city’s Jewish inhabitants. But what are the origins of this myth? And how has its legend shaped Prague in the centuries since? To help take us through this story is History Hit's very own Eleanor Janega! Listeners can catch her along with co-host Matt Lewis on our sister podcast, Gone Medieval. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

The story goes that in 1895 Bridget Cleary was burned to death by her husband who believed she was a 'changeling' fairy. In today's episode, Anthony and Maddy interrogate the stories we've been told about this murder in rural Ireland and if an interesting story of supernatural belief has gotten in the way of the brutal truth. Was there a genuine belief in fairies by Bridget Cleary's husband? Is this ultimately a story of domestic abuse? And how much of this is a colonialist projection by the British? Edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

With Halloween just around the corner, it's the perfect time to really get to know the familiar figure of Dracula. What vampires came before him? What fears were the Victorians projecting onto him? And perhaps most importantly, who played the best version of him? Joining Anthony and Maddy today is Dr Kaja Franck of the University of Hertfordshire, who is a master of all things Gothic. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa…

You've heard of the witch trials, but have you heard of the werewolf trials?! This fascinating history takes us to back to the 16th and 17th centuries, when panic spread through villages in mainland Europe leading to a number of people being tried and executed as werewolves. What evidence did they have? How did they believe you turned into a werewolf? And why did one man in 1691 claim to be a werewolf fighting evil? This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify…

When the studious, unassuming brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm left home for university, little did they know their fairy-tale collections would take Europe by storm. We've all heard of Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Rapunzel. But how well do we really know them? From severed limbs, blinded lovers, and some good old-fashioned cannibalism, these deliciously dark tales continue to entrance and horrify audiences today. Join Anthony and Maddy for a very After Dark-coded story time, as they explore and dissect the origins of these disturbing 'children's' stories. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Hannah Feodorov. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified…

In 1845 two Royal Navy ships, HMS Terror & HMS Erebus, departed Britain on an expedition into the Arctic. Along their ill-fated icy expedition, they disappeared almost completely, becoming one of history's greatest maritime mysteries… In this episode, Anthony and Maddy follow the trail of clues left behind by the crew of this doomed voyage and uncover what really happened to them... Edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a story that's been around for a good 800 years, but is there any evidence that Robin Hood actually existed? Find out what really went on inside Sherwood Forest, how medieval outlaws lived, and why the Sheriff of Nottingham was a hated figure in the time. Delving into the historical records with us is medieval expert and co-host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis. This episode was edited by Hanna Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app:…

When the Romans left Britain in the 5th century, what happened next? The following centuries saw a messy and bloody struggle for power that left us with some gruesome royal murders. Taking us through the bloody details is medieval expert and co-host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're revisiting an episode which explores one of the most infamous trials in American history. Lizzie Borden's story is breathtaking even today. In 1893 she was accused of using an axe to murder her father and step-mother. The case obsessed America and despite evidence against her, Lizzie was let off. Was that justice? Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the story today. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See…

We've spent a lot of time in of Victorian London on this podcast- a world of cobbled streets, grimy buildings and crowded homes. But how accurate is this- what was it really like to live in the slums of Victorian London? Our guest today is Dr. Jackie Riding! Jackie is a specialist in the history of the 18th and 19th centuries, and her most recent book, ‘Hard Streets: Working-Class Lives in Charlie Chaplin’s London’ was published earlier this year. Jackie, welcome to After Dark! This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

In 1675, a planned uprising by the enslaved people of Barbados was crushed before it had a chance to come to fruition. For three years, the conspirators' lives revolved around secrecy. But the discovery of their plan resulted in brutal reprisals by the British, and the deaths of over forty people. In this episode, Anthony and Maddy are joined by Dr Misha Ewen from the University of Sussex to discuss the uprising and how the violence of Barbados' became the blueprint for across Britain's plantation colonies in Jamaica and the American South. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Hannah Feodorov and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified…

In 1381, thousands of ordinary people rose up against the Crown, marched on London, and came close to bringing England’s political establishment to its knees... In this episode, Anthony and Maddy are joined by our very own Matt Lewis to discuss the Peasants’ Revolt: why it happened, who led it, and what this extraordinary uprising tells us about life in medieval England. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a…

What is it about a ‘bad boy’ that we love? That’s as true today as it was in the 18th century. In this episode of After Dark, Anthony and Maddy unravel the extraordinary rise, daring escapes, and final end of Jack Sheppard- the thief who became history's first celebrity criminal... This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast…

Benedict Arnold was celebrated as a war hero of the American Revolution before he betrayed George Washington and the Continental Army by joining the British. In today's episode Anthony and Maddy take you through his rise and infamous plot to hand over West Point, cementing his name as history's ultimate symbol of treachery. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the…

This week we're revisiting a favourite episode set in New York at the end of the 20th century. The year is 1897, and this murder case has it all: a villain, an incredibly useless police force, and a duck who saves the day. The incredible Dr Cat Byers (@heymorguegirl) joins Maddy and Anthony to tell this story. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Magdalene Laundries existed throughout Ireland up until the late 20th century. Women and young girls were sent to these institutions that were run by orders of nuns. They were told they could not leave, and were forced to work - all because they were perceived to be ‘fallen’ and in need of salvation, fixing. It is a truly dark and complex history we are only now beginning to really peel back the layers on. To guide us today we have Dr. Louise Brangan of the LSE on the show. Her newest work is titled “The Fallen: The Lost Girls of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and a Legacy of Silence.” This episode was edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Tomos Delargy and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free…

Today we're delving back into the After Dark vaults to revisit our classic episode on the death of the short-lived Tudor queen. In 1540 Henry VIII was getting old, and his eyes turned to teenager Catherine Howard. He fell hard and fast for Catherine - his "rose without a thorn" - but when he found out about her past, all hell broke loose. Amidst all the panic and confusion, who was this young woman who rose to be queen? Why did Henry VIII want her killed? And how should we remember her? Joining Anthony and Maddy is author and historian Gareth Russell, to help us get to know this woman. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at…

The Chevalier d’Éon was one of France’s most daring spies... until they began making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Armed with explosive state secrets and at the centre of a very public scandal over their identity, d’Éon went from trusted agent to international sensation. Join Anthony and Maddy as they explore this story of espionage, blackmail and disguise. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners: voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark is a History Hit podcast. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a…

She was the only person during World War Two to parachute from Britain behind enemy lines into Nazi-occupied Poland, all while wearing a dress. Who was Agent Zo? And what were the incredible missions she was involved in as part of the Polish resistance? Joining Anthony and Maddy to tell her story today is author and historian Clare Mulley, who wrote the book Agent Zo: The Untold Story of a Fearless World War II Resistance Fighter. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. UK listeners only: Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the…

Ruth Ellis made history in 1955 when she was the last woman hanged in Britain. She shot and killed her abusive lover, the racing driver David Blakely, at point blank range on a spring evening outside a pub. What events led up to this seemingly cold-blooded moment? And is it right that Ellis was recently granted a pardon for this murder? Trigger warning: this episode contains themes of abuse which some may find upsetting. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

Look closely at the Bayeux Tapestry and you will see a medieval spy. But far from the world of James Bond gadgetry, what was medieval spycraft like? Why were they referred to as 'little birds'? And why were women often used in medieval espionage? Joining Anthony and Maddy today is Professor of Medieval History at Cardiff University and expert in all things medieval spycraft, Jenny Benham. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place…

The world of Viking death rituals and their beliefs surrounding the afterlife is truly fascinating... What happened when a Viking died? What ceremonies and practices did they partake in? And what awaited the spirits of the dead when they departed the world of the living? Today we welcome our returning guest and go-to expert on all things Viking Eleanor Baraclough! Eleanor is a historian and author of books including Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast.…

When a whaling ship sank in 1820, her crew were cast adrift thousands of miles from land, and faced starvation, madness, and death. Their ordeal would become one of the most extraordinary survival stories in maritime history… and would become immortalised by Herman Melville's novel, Moby-Dick. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX74ZgzrlyH29 Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted…

The captain of the HMS Hermione was a sadist even by the not-very-high standards of the British Royal Navy in the 1700's. He was a prolific flogger, subjecting his crew to the cat-of-nine-tails. It was hardly a surprise when his crew rose up and mutinied. Even if the British Navy couldn't for one second let them get away unpunished. This is the brutal and bloody story of Britain's most horrific mutiny, told by the one and only Dan Snow! This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX74ZgzrlyH29 Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the…

In Medici Florence there were two ways of maintaining power - one was money and the other was murder. Isabella de’ Medici was the believed daughter of the Medici patriarch, a patron of the arts and a sparkling wit. But that meant nothing to her own husband, who murdered her, or her own brother, who turned a blind eye. Maddy and Anthony are joined by Estelle Paranque author of numerous books, including most recently Thorns, Lust and Glory: the Betrayal of Anne Boleyn. This episode was edited by Amy Haddow. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See…

It's hard to wrap your head around all the disasters that befell Captain Anson's Royal Navy voyage around the world in the 1740s. Rampant scurvy, horrendous storms, marooning and mutiny to name but a few. 90% of the original crew never returned. Those who made it back to Britain were hailed as heroes for surviving! The one and only Dan Snow joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling for this unbelievable tale of naval adventure and endurance. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…

"It's like the Titanic, except you've never heard of it. And in a way, it's even weirder." So says today's guest, Cautionary Tales' host, Tim Harford, about the disastrous story he's taking Anthony and Maddy through. Airships were the ocean liners of the skies, and in the 1920s, Britain had ambitions to connect the Empire in this way. Until it all went tragically wrong. Listen to more of Tim's Cautionary Tales here: https://timharford.com/etc/more-or-less/ Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click here to place your vote for After Dark! Thank you! https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's…

Sound the trumpets! The day has finally arrived: Maddy Pelling is back on After Dark! To welcome her back into the coven, we're playing a game of historical 'Would You Rather?'. Listen on to hear Anthony and Maddy decide between the many awful scenarios in history they would rather find themselves in. If you've also asked yourself, 'Would you rather be a 17th century plague doctor or an 19th century body snatcher?', then you've come to the right place. This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Born John Cooper, "Princess Seraphina" was one of the first English Drag Queens. Princess Seraphina was an 18th-century gentleman’s servant who openly embraced her feminine drag persona. But in May 1732, a man named Thomas Gordon robbed her of her clothes and money. The court case that followed was astounding. Today Anthony Delaney takes Kate Lister back to the riotous streets of 18th century London. Anthony's book Queer Georgians is out now in paperback. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ida Craddock is a name that should be much, much better known. She was a maverick sex educator who fought violent censorship in turn of the century America. She also loudly announced to the world that she was married to a ghost and that their sex life was great, thank you very much. Dr Kate Lister tells this story taken from her new book Flick: The Story of Female Pleasure, available everywhere. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1856, Martha Brown was led to the scaffold and hanged for the murder of her abusive husband. Her execution was clearly an injustice, even at the time. While Martha was condemned, multiple other female killers were spared the noose. In this episode, Anthony talks with Dr Rose Wallis from the University of West England Bristol about the societal implications of Martha's fate. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we think of the great witch trials of history, we usually picture innocent women accused of impossible crimes... but that wasn't always the case. In the frozen, windswept landscapes of 17th-century Iceland, a wave of witch trials led to the persecution and execution of men accused of practising dark magic. Why were male witches feared more than female ones? And what happens when ancient Norse magic, strict Lutheran beliefs, and one of Europe's most isolated landscapes collide? Edited by Anna Brant. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See…

16th century Scotland was a hard time to be a woman, far harder if you happened to be a woman who loved women. Yet from this dark time a dazzling lightness has survived - the secret lesbian love poetry of Marie Maitland. Marie's story is groundbreaking, uplifting and heartbreaking and is being shared with the world for the first time by our guest today Ashley Douglas whose new book With My Own Hand will be out on July 16th. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 17th century France, Louis XIV's court sparkled with luxury. It also teemed with poison, occult rituals and aristocrats trying to murder their way up the social ladder. What started with one poisoned Easter pie uncovered a criminal network stretching from the backstreets of Paris to the bedchamber of the Sun King himself. Joining Anthony to uncover this criminal underworld is special guest co-host, and host of our sister podcast Betwixt the Sheets, Dr. Kate Lister! Thanks so much to https://www.shanscreepycreations.ca/ for the amazing new doll. Head to the website to check out more :) Edited by Anna Brant. Researched by Phoebe Joyce. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this…

In this special episode of After Dark. Anthony and Uncanny’s Danny Robins delve into historical ghost stories and explore why our obsession with death and the paranormal remains an integral part of the human experience. Danny will be at the Crossed Wires podcast festival, which takes place between 2nd-5th July in Sheffield. All tickets, including Danny’s headline show of Uncanny Cold Cases and his free Uncanny Uncovered show, are available at CrossedWires.Live. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…

Millenia ago, a plot was hatched within the highest echelons of Egyptian society which ended with royal blood being spilt. This assassination, known as the Harem Conspiracy, and the following trial would fascinate historians for the next three thousand years... Who was behind the plot? How close did they come to seizing the throne? And what can archaeology tell us about Egyptian society as a whole? Our guest today is Dr. Campbell Price, Curator of Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum and honorary research fellow at University of Liverpool. He’s our go-to Ancient Egypt expert and the author of his newest book ‘Brief Histories: Ancient Egypt.’ Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tom Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the…

17th century England was a world turned upside down. A civil war resulted in King Charles I being executed, and from this moment a religious movement called the Quakers grew rapidly. Far from the pacifists we think of them as today, Quaker leaders shocked the country with their radical approach, including attempts to resurrect the dead. Taking us back to the 17th century today is Dr Erica Canela, historian and author of Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…

*Warning: this episode contains discussions of child death* Deep beneath the sunny streets of Palermo Sicily, the Capuchin Catacombs are home to over a thousand people, most of them still standing in their Sunday best. Why did the residents of the catacombs want to be buried standing up? And how have their remains survived centuries? Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this fascinating history. Edited by Anna Brant and Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app:…

Ancient Britain was occupied by the Romans, and tension was building with local tribes. Their brutal occupation reached a breaking point. So what happened when Queen Boudica stood up to the might of the Roman Empire? Bloody battles followed and Roman occupation in Britain changed forever. Her incredible life and story will shock and surprise you. Taking you back to Iron Age Britain is the incredible historian and author Kate Williams, who joins Anthony to immerse us in Boudica's world. Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See…

*Warning: this episode contains discussions of puss* Gonorrhea and syphilis are no laughing matter, especially in a time before antibiotics. How were symptoms first recorded and what were the disturbing treatments people endured? Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this gruesome history. Edited by Anna Brant and Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queen Victorian was an icon of Britain at the zenith of its power... but that didn't mean she was invulnerable to attack. In today’s episode, we’ll be exploring some of the many assassination attempts on Victoria's life. We’ll be discussing the massive changes Britain was experiencing during this time and how this might have motivated these attackers… Some of them are pretty wild. Our guest today is Professor Kate Williams, historian and author whose new book ‘Regina: A New History of Women and Power’ is out in June! She’s also the cohost of the podcast ‘Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things’ Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. For tickets to see Anthony and Maddy talking about her new book, Hoax, click here: https://www.conwayhall.org.uk/whats-on/event/hoax/ Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener…

What did Ancient Egyptians discover while dissecting bodies? What did the first medieval dissecting manual say? Who were the serial killers who supplied 19th century surgeons with bodies in Edinburgh? Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this bloody history. Edited by Anna Brant and Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're delving back to an early episode of After Dark, where Anthony and Maddy explore the goriest murders of Ancient Rome. From flesh-eating fish and humiliating deaths inside sacks, to a deadly re-enactment of the Icarus myth. For a culture that is seen as an emblem of civilisation (whatever that means), the Romans expended a lot of creative energy on inventing new ways to kill people. And our guest today knows them all! Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling are joined by the one and only Emma Southon author of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Her new book is A History of Rome in 21 Women. Mixed by Tom Delargy. Producer is Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast…