Tales From the Otherwood

This month’s episode brings two folk horror tales written by local Nottingham storyteller and writer Mel Bhavsar.  ‘Maria’ explores the feeling we have about wanting to take a walk in the woods and leaving our everyday modern life behind, but what if you don’t want to leave the forest? And more to the point, what if the forest doesn’t want you to leave either?  ‘In the Dark of Wellbeck’ follows th...

This Derbyshire tale brings us a more spooky kind of story for Christmas.... A new parson moves to the village of Derwent. He gets on with the locals, is surrounded by beautiful views all around and all his sermons are fully attended, everything is as it should be.... until local parishioners ask him to comply with a local tradition involving his sermon on the first Sunday after Christmas.... Send...

Although Halloween has passed, the dark nights are here and although the sunlight is low and blinding, the shadows are long! Tales From the Dark is a collection of three tales that were amongst those told in the run up to Halloween for the Nottingham Pagan Network on Wednesday 22nd October 2025. For although the spooky season has given way to the build up to Christmas, the dark nights are still pr...

A dedication episode for Ni Claydon who sadly died just before Halloween.  Listening to my Podcast, Ni told me that I hadn't '... covered Old Sarah'. It was always on the back burner, and I unfortunately never told it until now. 'The Witch and the Buttermilk' is a Nottinghamshire folk tale about a young farmer's wife who refuses to give buttermilk to the local witch,...

For this Halloween episode, I chatted with Robert Valentine, storyteller and author from Northampton about his children's novel 'The Ghost of Kingshill School'.  His book was inspired by an actual school said to have been haunted by one its students who met a very grisly end! We also discuss actual ghostly occurrences we ourselves have encountered, ghost hunting and the power of sug...

Leicestershire children were always told that if they weren't in bed before 9PM the Nine O' Clock Horses would get them!.... something that was even told to people my age when they were children!  Some said the horses would take any wayward children away, others said that they were kidnapped and forced to work in local farms.... but what did happen? This story follows one brave young gir...

It’s 1642, the Civil War has just kicked off! Queen Henrietta Maria, exhausted, weakened, dispirited and physically ill; has taken refuge, in a family residence in Nevers, Brittany. Jeffrey Hudson is now 25 years old and is not taking any more of being an object of ridicule from the remnants of the Queen's Court. As the adult Jeffrey tries to assert his worth as a man, he finds his eighteen i...

Ryan Gilmartin, award winning actor and writer joins Dylan in the first 'Proper Chat' episode of Tales From The Otherwood. Ryan talks about his theatrical show 'Henry VIII Used to Hate Us' a performance all about Lincolnshire history, music, food and folklore! Both Dylan and Ryan discuss the magic of storytelling and theatre, how the folklore of your hometown can explain a lot...

Dylan takes a slightly different approach with this month's story. Firstly, he recorded this unscripted and secondly, rather than a chat regarding the folklore around the Wise Men of Gotham, he incorporates the folklore into the story.  In the time of King John, two envoymen ride ahead to explore the Nottinghamshire village of Gotham (It's said "Go-tum" around here!) to make su...

Due to technical issues, this episode is out late- better late than never! In this month’s episode Dylan reads the two poems inspired by the events of the Gamesters. That’s right, this is a sequel episode!  Thomas Hardwicke Rawnsley’s ‘The Three Revellers; or Impiety Punished- A Legend of Holbech- A True Story’ (Written around 1800): https://tellinghistory.co.uk/content/three-revellers-or-impiety-...

It’s an old classic- three men walk into a bar and decide to give their dead friend’s corpse one last card game- oh, wait! You mean you HAVEN’T heard that one?  This Lincolnshire story was based on something that really happened! Despite being kept from the 18th Century press, it seems local gossip about the event not only inspired different versions but even two poems by classical writers in the...

We're back in Nottingham!  And a poor little girl is taken in by a witch.... what could  possibly go wrong? This month's chat discusses East Midland folklore on cress, gooseberry bushes and apple trees;  what has the apple got to do with with both Halloween AND Christmas in Nottinghamshire?  You'll have to listen and find out! Also, I shall be looking into the hypothesis of whether...

Love conquers all..... or does it?  How can a simple and honest thing such as love destroy a whole town in Wales? A whole episode as requested by regular listener, Nik. This month's tale involves love, murder and, of course, a curse.  This month's chat discusses the folklore associated with Kenfig and Kenfig Pool.  If you'd like to learn more about the rich history of Kenfig, you ca...

In this tale from the Ojibwe First Nation we encounter something that strikes fear even into the bravest of hearts. When a warrior and his family are trying to survive a harsh winter, the warrior goes in search of food but encounters instead his worst fear: The Wendigo!  Which will kill him first: The oncoming snow storm or the man-eating spirit before him? This story was selected by my good frien...

In this Derbyshire set tale, a minister from Ashbourne makes his journey to carry on the Lord's Work despite the setbacks that have already presented themselves.   Seeking shelter in a dilapidated house, the minister finds not all the residents are of this world.... This month's chat discusses not only fairy lore in Derbyshire, but as the story takes place on the last day of October, we...

This Northamptonshire tale is in regards of a very curious building called the Triangular Lodge.  On the grounds of Rushton Hall, it is in fact, younger than the hall itself. However, this also means that because of its unusual shape, it has inspired many tales all of its own! Towards the end of the 18th Century, the 6th Viscount Cullen is showing off his inherited home to a friend of his.... unti...

I've always wanted to cover a vampire story..... and here it is! Set in Hungary, 1725, the villagers of Medveða are being haunted by one of their own who died a sudden death!  Keeping one of the undead down is hard enough, what happens when others start being attacked? The Chat section discusses the two government investigations that brought the "Vampire" to European infamy, it also...

Now 10 years old, young Jeffery is sent as part of an envoy for Queen Henrietta Maria to her home country of France. Jeffrey will learn what it is to be loved and adored and yet..... events beyond his control will teach him a stark reminder of what the outside world away from the royal courts is truly like.  If this is the first time you have found this podcast (Greetings and welcome!), scroll unt...

In the depths of Lincolnshire, time was that the coming of Spring was hurried with certain rituals to the spirits of the land.  People looked for the Green Mist, for only on its arrival was Winter truly over.  The Green Mist is a tale that warns about things unseen that are always listening.... The Chat section discusses Boggarts, bogles and ancient field rites from Anglo-Saxon times.  There is al...

Yuletide greetings and cheer!   Back home in Nottinghamshire,  this month's tale sees King Henry II getting himself lost whilst hunting in Sherwood Forest.... until he meets a very strange individual indeed.  December's chat includes a talk about wassailing.  So grab yourself a mulled wine, put your feet up and enjoy this winter tale of hospitality, generosity and friendship. Wassail! Se...

In her home village of Birstall, Leicestershire,  Katie learns to her horror that the stories surrounding the haunting of Black Lane by a black ghostly hound might not just simply be a ghost story..... The Chat section of this month's episode examines the differences between a Black Dog and a Barguest in folklore as well as what the two share in their characteristics.  Send us Fan Mail You ca...

The people of Wantley in South Yorkshire have a problem.  A BIG problem!  There's a dragon eating everything and everyone and the local knight to protect them is a foul mouthed drunk.   This is a reading of the bawdy tale as recorded by Bishop Percy's 1767 book  Reliques of Ancient English Poetry and contains the rude language from the time. Sensitive listeners or those with children mig...

WARNING!  This episode contains Dylan singing and therefore contains a Government health warning...... You have been warned, therefore all side effects are your own responsibility. The Derby Ram is a favourite English folk song, but what has it got to do with people dressing up as animals, Christmas, and links to a Scandinavian creation myth? The Chat discusses the song and 'The Old Tup'...

In this Northamptonshire tale, a poor farmer starts working on his small plot of land only to find it is haunted by a menacing and ugly boggart.... will the farmer be driven away? Or does he have what it takes to deal with the supernatural forces that have presented themselves? This episode's chat talks about the difference between brownies, bogles and boggarts as well as some ancient harvest...

Richard III comes to Leicester to stay at the reputable White Boar Inn before going to war.  Only for him to be approached by a mysterious woman with strange news indeed.... This month's chat involves talking about "Cunning Folk" and who these mysterious people were.  Send us Fan Mail You can contact Dylan by email on: talesfromtheotherwood@gmail.com And Instagram: @tales_from_the_o...