Creepy Classics

A feud between two lords of the manor, a Norman count and an English Abbot, has devastating consequences for the peasants who live and work in the village, which comes under the power of a dark spirit… This short story is inspired by a 12th century saint’s life, the Life of St Modwenna , and is followed by a chat about its historical context, the medieval cult of saints, and the living and working...

Thorstein just needs to do his business late at night, but it’s hard to focus when there’s a demon in the toilet… Inspired by ‘Þáttur Þorsteins skelks,’ Flateyjarbók , this short story is followed by a chat about the origins of Gandalf, and Viking toilets! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/JulietteHarrisson Buy my books! https://books2read.com/ap/nzeerp/Juliette-Harrisson Buy merch...

Young Herdis is disturbed by a terrifying dream of an angry witch, but it is not the first time her grandmother Gudrun has encountered something supernatural in her long and colourful life… Inspired by Laxdaela Saga , especially Chapter 76, this short story is followed by a chat about its historical context, including Roman Catholic Easter services, ancient Norse witches and wizards (and their sta...

King Mongán thinks he has got lucky when the poet Forgoll wanders into his ringfort, but when he dares to question one of Forgoll’s stories, he finds he has made a bitter enemy and only an old friend can save him… Based on Lebor na hUidre , 133, this short story is followed by a chat about Irish myth and legend, Irish archaeology, and the role of poets in medieval Irish society. Support me on Patr...

A greedy and corrupt Pardoner tells an inn full of pilgrims a very moral tale about the different forms Death might take as he stalks the land… Based on The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales , this story is followed by a chat about Canterbury pilgrimages, the medieval legend of the Wandering Jew, and the impact of the Black Death on folklore around Death as a figure....

When William Sutor starts seeing a strange dog lurking near his farm around Christmastime, he has no idea what family secrets are about to be revealed… Adapted from a story reported in the Gentleman’s Magazine in 1731, this is followed by a chat about the Scottish Lowlands, witchcraft and cunning-folk, and the time Scotland banned Christmas! Buy Creepy Classics: Haunting Tales for Winter! https://...

In the wake of the Black Death and the Peasants’ Revolt, a vicious murder and an act of vengeance leave a soul in need of absolution… Inspired by the third of twelve local ghost stories recorded by a monk at Byland Abbey around the year 1400, this story is followed by a chat about its history, the system of serfdom and its end in medieval England, and the medieval practice of conjuring a ghost. Bu...

As a young student, Thelyphron took on what sounded like an easy job to make some money, but it turned out to be a lot more dangerous than he thought… Adapted from the comedic story of Thelyphron in Apuleius’ novel Metamorphoses (also known as The Golden Ass ), this re-telling gives the story a slightly darker tone, leaning into the horror just a little more. It’s followed by a chat about ancient...

A middle-aged Robin Hood is convinced a blood-letting will be the perfect cure for a chronic illness, but a mysterious old woman he meets in the woods suggests he may be about to lose too much blood… This story is based on the ballad Robin Hood’s Death and other Robin Hood ballads, and is followed by a discussion of medieval monks and blood-letting, the debate over the date of Robin Hood’s adventu...

When a little boy isn’t listening to his grown-ups, Nanny decides to tell him a story about what happens if you don’t listen and remember instructions that have been given to you… Inspired by Virgil, Georgics , 4.453-527 and Ovid, Metamorphoses , 10.1-85, this is a re-telling of the classic Greek myth, followed by a discussion of ancient Greek weddings, funerals, and frogs. Buy Creepy Classics: Gh...

Timarchus gets more than he bargained for when he consults a mysterious oracle and finds himself in the afterlife. Inspired by Plutarch, On the Daimonion of Socrates, and followed by a discussion of ancient near death experiences and mystery cults. Buy Creepy Classics: Ghost Stories from Ancient Rome (UK): https://amzn.eu/d/b6Y4JzR Buy Creepy Classics: Ghost Stories from Ancient Rome (US): https:/...

The family ghost makes an appearance in George and Henry's home every Christmas, but one evening she appears unexpectedly with terrible news... Inspired by Mary Lewes, Stranger Than Fiction, this Christmas ghost story is followed by a discussion of crisis apparitions, and 18th century British Christmas traditions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers o...

A terrible crime weighs on Orestes and he is pursued across the world by ghosts both literal and metaphorical - how can he lay these ghosts to rest? Inspired by Aeschylus, Eumenides, and Eurpides, Iphigenia in Tauris, this modernised re-telling of a classic Greek myth is followed by a discussion of a Taurian goddess, the Oracle at Delphi, and the Furies of Greek mythology. This is a public episode...

WE'RE BACK! In this episode, Mrs Jones is getting really fed up of being pestered by evil spirits... Inspired by Edmund Jones, A Relation of Apparitions of Spirits in Wales and an anonymous story from The Athenaeum reproduced in Gillian Bennett's 100 Best British Ghost Stories, this re-telling is followed by a discussion of Protestant ghost belief and the history of bedrooms! This is a public epis...

An Icelandic farmer gets a new shepherd in to his haunted farm, but the cure may turn out to be worse than the disease... This story is adapted from Grettir's Saga, 32-35, and is followed by a discussion of revenants riding the roof, Yule and Christmas, and ancient Norse Hel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit j...

A Serbian village is plagued by an epidemic of vampires; medical doctor Flückinger wants to be skeptical, but can't deny the evidence of his own eyes... Based on Johannes Flückinger's 1732 report 'Visum et Repertum', this story is followed by a discussion of early modern Eastern European vampires and how their folklore made its way into Western Europe. Content warning: Contains detailed discussion...

Olaf's new homestead is plagued by an angry ghost, and his father seems to know something about it... From Laxdaela Saga, 10-24, this story is followed by a discussion of the medieval Icelandic undead, Viking and Christian burial practices, and cultural memory. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit julietteharrisso...

Euthymus the boxer comes across a weird ritual of human sacrifice at the coastal town of Temesa - why do the locals sacrifice a maiden to a monster every year? Based on Pausanias, Description of Greece, 6.6.7-11, this story is followed by a discussion of Greek history and folklore including human sacrifice in ancient Greece, the ancient Olympic Games, and the Delphic Oracle. Content warning: brief...

The Athenian army fight and win a famous victory at Marathon, but Tolmis finds himself living the battle over again and again in an endless loop... This story is inspired by Pausanias, 1.32.3-5 and based partly on Herodotus, 6.112-117. It's followed by a discussion of the Battle of Marathon, battlefield ghosts, and the history of the site itself. This is a public episode. If you would like to disc...

Rome is at war, and strange ships accompanied by men in shining white are seen in the sky... This story is inspired by Livy, History of Rome, 21.62.5 and 24.10.10, and is followed by a discussion including ancient UFOs, dream interpreters, and dream books. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit julietteharrisson.sub...

On New Year's Eve, a mysterious Green Knight rides into King Arthur's Christmastide feast and challenges Arthur and his knights to a deadly game... Adapted from the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, this story is followed by a discussion including medieval Christmas, Green Men, and the history of Father Christmas - and exactly what colour robes he "traditionally" wore! This is a publi...

The night before battle, a nervous young officer consults a witch, who promises to raise the dead to prophesy for him... Adapted from Lucan, Civil War, 6.413-830, followed by a discussion of Roman witches, zombies, and a lengthy digression on horse rearing! Content warning: The story is a lot gorier than usual, and there are references to suicide and to abortion and birth trauma in the commentary....

A young girl has a strange dream about a conversation between famous historical women, including her own mother, which takes a turn into the macabre towards the end... Based on the 1798 unpublished manuscript 'Ithuriel, the Angel of Truth, Thus Restateth an Event of the Heavens' by Jane Porter and an unknown co-author. Followed by a discussion about the history behind the text and the women featur...

A group of strangers tell stories about the mysterious White Island (now called Snake Island, Ukraine) where the spirit of Achilles lives eternally, but they can't quite agree on the details... This story is based on Pausanias, Description of Greece, 3.19.11-13, Arrian, Periplus of the Euxine Sea, 32-34, and Philostratus, On Heroes, 54.1-56.4. Followed by a discussion including Trojan War stories,...

Brutus and Cassius lead a conspiracy to murder Julius Caesar to save Rome from a tyrannical king, but Brutus finds himself confronted by a mysterious spirit that may or may not represent his Fate... This story is adapted from Plutarch, Life of Brutus 36 and 48, and Life of Caesar 69. It's followed by a discussion of the death of Julius Caesar and his relationship with Brutus, the ways in which Sha...