Loremen Podcast

The Loremen are on the hunt for British werewolves, but it turns out the scariest thing of all… is the truth. James and Alasdair uncover grisly stories of cannibalism, Sunny Delight and the world’s deadliest Bean. This episode features some of the least accurate animal facts in podcast history. You’ll never look at a weasel’s ear the same way again. Loreboys nether say die! Support the Loremen her...

Alasdair leads us off the beaten track and across the sea to the northernmost part of the UK: the Shetland Islands. Prepare yourself for a veritable ‘Who’s Who‘ of sea monsters, a ‘Where’s That‘ of obscure place-names and a ‘Why’s This‘ of supposedly Scottish accents. Watch out for an unexpected number of bees, and learn how intimidating Norwegian applause can get… Loreboys nether say die! Support...

This episode comes from the much derided and profoundly strange city of Milton Keynes. The Lorepokes are joined by comedy maverick, steampunk pioneer and practising ritual magician Andrew O’Neill. MK’s ultra-modernist architecture conceals a cursed elm tree, a diabolical neighbour and a time-travelling windmill. Learn the secret of invisibility from Aleister Crowley, try to avoid the Illuminati an...

Alasdair and James return to the borough where the Loremen first saddled up. It may sound like a fairy tale, but South London was once home to a great palace of cast iron and glass. Crystal Palace may have burned down*, but many mysteries remain… Plummet! Into a ghost train full of Victorian skeletons. Dine! Inside an historically inaccurate dinosaur. Marvel! As a vengeful TV psychic comes a cropp...

A thrilling Kentish episode this week! James recounts the legend of 14th century kick-machine Sir Robert de Shurland. He kicked cattle. He kicked commoners. He kicked clergymen. NO ONE was safe from his pied-à-terror! This ep features a B-plot concerning a sailor's corpse with a wicked grin, who wreaked havoc on Kent's coastal churchyards. James pushes the boundaries of podcast storytelling* and g...

The Loremen came together for a special Halloween livestream, and here is the audio thereof! Featuring the much-anticipated reveal of great-grandaddy Shakeshaft's name! (It is not a human name.) James brings you a clock-hating poltergeist, a classic haunted inn and a bunch of skeletons that are believed... to be dead. The stories all connect, but how?  Gather your red string and thumbtacks now, fo...

Alasdair takes us on a journey to the Otherworld. The tale begins at the Peak District's rudest tourist attraction, stops off at Yorkshire's sauciest Neolithic mound and then emerges from the "ancient cavities" of Suffolk. The Green Children of Woolpit raise more questions than they answer. Do aliens exist? Do fairies? What about Australians? What are they all about? Accent warning - the Lorebloke...

Comedian and genuine Canadian Dana Alexander takes us 'neath the waves of the legendary Pacific Northwest (or Pacific Southwest from Canada's point of view). The Nootka Sound was once home to an orphaned Killer Whale called Luna who just wanted attention from sailors. Hey, we've all been there. This episode also features some dodgy Canadian accent work from James and Alasdair, you betcha.   Lorebo...

We figured that every man and his podcast would be doing a spooky special in honour of Halloween month, so we've gone entirely ghost-free. James tells the tale of a kooky doctor trying to dispose of a dead body. The twist? It's a whale's body. The other twist? He's really bad at it. (Feat. Gary Barlow)   Loreboys nether say die! ko-fi.com/loremen @loremenpod www.twitch.tv/loremenpod www.instagram....

Alasdair wows James with England's self-proclaimed "most haunted castle." That description is technically accurate, in that it is a castle that's been on the TV show "Most Haunted".    Alasdair tells a tale of skeletons, charlatans and circus clowns, and James nearly derails the episode with an anecdote about crisps. Crisps... and lies.   Loreboys nether say die! ko-fi.com/loremen @loremenpod www....

The Loremen travel through time and space (which is literally the only way to travel) to visit the dark and delightful Midnight Library Podcast. Yes, this is a crossover episode! We meet the mysterious Miranda Merrick, who regales us with tales of the Great Lake Monsters. Are the monsters great? Or the lakes? The answer is yes. This time, your humble Loreboys are more than out of their depth. Pull...

We've all heard of Wookey Hole, haven't we? HAVEN'T WE? Oh, we haven't? Huh. Then let Deputy Loreperson Rosie Holt introduce you to Somerset's 2nd best subterranean tourist attraction. James chips in with a bunch of West Country witch tales that all have something familiar about them. (That's a pun.) Plus a timeless lesson on the dangers of pig sarcasm, and a hot tip for getting rid of unwanted to...

Yuriko Kontani joins the Loreboys to talk about the Kappa - a quirky Japanese river-monster with some nasty appetites. Webbed hands and a bowl on its head are the least of your worries. In spite of our best efforts, this episode contains much talk of bottoms, bumholes and farts. So if you're listening with kids, be warned that they're going to love it. Loreboys nether say die! ko-fi.com/loremen @l...

Edinburgh's roll-call of villains is long, crooked and rotten. Like the worst banana. And Major Weir is one of the nastiest. Thomas Weir aka "Angelic Thomas" did not live up to that nickname, as you will soon discover. Eleanor Morton, Edinburgh native, comedian and mystery enthusiast, joined the Loremen livestream to get to the bottom of this devil of a fellow. Stay tuned after the credits to hear...

The Garrick's Head pub is home to many Bath-based legends, so we called up our Bath area Deputy Loreperson - Sunil Patel (BBC Asian Network). The Loreboys cover a fair amount of genuine history in this one, from pneumatic wigs to the MC of Bath's extravagant balls. And before you ask - YES! We do describe several 1970s photos of 1970s men pointing towards places ghosts were once seen. Loreboys net...

Faringdon in Oxfordshire is a peculiar town. The folly comes with a health warning and the doves are painted neon colours. The most unsurprising thing about the place is that the graveyard has a ghost: the headless spectre of poor Hampden Pye. James spills the beans on how Hampden lost his head, when all about were keeping theirs. Also, it was very, very hot when we recorded and we are very, very...

This tale has it all; Romans, bikers, buried treasure, UFOs, the devil, a woman, trees. You name it! If anything, Chanctonbury Ring in the South Downs has too much folklore. This ep also features two of Alasdair's 'best' voices and will leave you questioning whether James understands how hills work... Loreboys nether say die! ko-fi.com/loremen @loremenpod www.twitch.tv/loremenpod www.instagram.com...

It's only the most haunted house in the bloomin' Midlands!  James tells us about Stratford-upon-Avon's star-crossed Clopton Family, who met some truly tragic fates - in one case a LITERALLY sticky end. But their untimely deaths may have inspired Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe. So that's... good? Maybe? We also reveal which historic building Alasdair has been kicked out of and (as a post-credits b...

Ah, the fae folk, they seem so carefree and jolly. But theirs is a society full of arbitrary rules and harsh punishments even for the most unintentional infractions. Also they're very small and get upset when you look directly at them. Sounds like working with Tom Cruise. In this episode, Alasdair takes us into the realm of the faeries (Northumberland) as your bold Loremen face a second wave of Lo...

The award winning Ross Brierley (of The Not So Late Show) takes the Loremen on a (virtual) tour of the village of Eyam. Fans of nominative determinism will be both pleased and annoyed by this tale, like someone whose name was Jolly Upset. This Derbyshire tragedy features ghosts, noble sacrifices and 1 (one) magical pudding-boy. No explanation needed or given. (To the listeners writing in about our...

The 50th episode sees the Lorefolks tackle the Rollright Stones in a special livestream edition! The past and the future collide, as predicted by the film Stargate and to a lesser extent the TV series of the same name. Discover standing stones, a witch's curse and the dreaded Dix Pit. You can also watch the full livestream here: www.loremenpodcast.com/episode-29-s3   Thanks to all our loyal listen...

Alasdair invites you into his 'psychomanteum' to hear a triptych of ghostly tales. You want a ghost to get bullied by schoolboys? You got it!  You want a ghost who steals hats? No problem! You want a ghost on skates chatting to a hip vicar? Weirdly specific. But yes, we have that too. Do we need to mention we've come up with a new detective series concept? Because we blooming well have. ko-fi.com/...

Ah, Chipping Norton! A town that sounds like a minced oath from the 19th century, like "Flaming Nora!" Or "Odds Bodkins!" Also the town that produced a podcast presenter utterly determined to get to the bottom of local legends, obscure curiosities and whatnot. (It's James. We're talking about James.) Please enjoy this love letter to the market town of "Chippy" that could have been James' debut Edi...

"Get in the sea" has been in common parlance since 2015 but it is by no means a modern concept. Towns, cities and fabled islands have been doing just that for thousands of years. Alasdair takes us on a deep dive (PUN) into Yorkshire's own submerged towns, one of which was populated exclusively by pirates. Well, they must have had non-pirates to do the normal stuff like take the bins out, but you g...

Joined by Rachel Fairburn (off of the All Killa No Filla podcast), the Loremen return to the Wild West Country for a poke around a magical and mysterious area known as 'The Gump'. With hooting stones, partying pixies and wrestling demons, this tale has something for everyone. Giants? Yes, mate. Plu,s Alasdair remembers an encounter with the ghost of Yorkshire's Gary Coleman.  Wap us a few pennies...