For this week's Bonus Episode we're padding through mists on silent paws and peering, with eyes of flame, at the history and folklore of Hellhounds!

With so much to talk about, there's no mucking around: we dive straight into prehistory, discussing how humankind's domestication of the dog set the stage for conceptions of the Hellhound. From our earliest rock art through to the very first toys and statues, dogs were with us.

But what about their dark double - the 'Demon Dog' or 'Hellhound?'

From vengeful Ancient Mesopotamian afterlife creatures like the Shadu and Sharru to the role the Jackal (and Jackal-headed deity Anubis) played in Ancient Egyptian belief, via Classical notions about dogs and Hellhounds like Cerberus, it's startling how consistent beliefs about these 'Not Dog' monsters have remained.

And descriptions of Demon Dogs across time have been wild and absurd. But, from Roman notions of the 'Duties of a Dog' through to Medieval and Renaissance attitudes to the fae and 'Other,' we, as a species, kept it nice and weird, trying to define the paranormal pooch as uncanny and terrifying, even though individual Hellhounds are often quite nice to people!

From England's most famous example in the shape of Black Shuck to monsters with dog bodies and human heads, canine boggarts that grow to the height of houses to talking Hellhounds that just want to snuggle in your pocket, we're embracing it all.

So, join with us beneath the light of the moon, and let our howls float on the breeze, singing of doom and portents.

For in this episode, we look into the dark mirrors of our minds, and see what is reflected there.

Not 'man's best friend' but something else with fur, four legs, a tail, and its own agenda that we simply cannot understand.

Therefore, we howl.

The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the week's episode we're digging into the history and folklore of Lincolnshire, and disturbing a monster in the woods that lives beside a half-forgotten well...

We start off discussing St Dunstan's Day, including Dunstan's life as an English folk hero, and what the historical record tells us he actually did, all before we advance to Lincolnshire.

Once there, we chat about the some county trivia before Eleanor guides us through the counties three 'Parts' - Lindsey, Holland, and Kestevon, from ancient bog bodies to ghost ships, parasitic serpents to a couple of very naughty imps, all before Eleanor slices up some pork shoulder in pretty innovative ways, while also offering up cake and cheese, for this week's County Dish.

After that, we do our best to avoid the sinister 'Shag Foal,' recall some deeply unsettling ghost stories, challenge a corpse to a game of cards, turn a blind eye to Lincolnshire's poachers, and so much more - all enriched by some excerpts from Saturday's upcoming Local Legends interview with Dr Rory Waterman and Dr Anna Milon of the Lincolnshire Folk Tales Project.

Then it's on to the main event: Eleanor's take on the legend of "Nanny Rutt" - a tale of a sinister female predator who might know it's better to catch a fly with honey, yet whose appetites are for somewhat headier fare...

We really hope you enjoy the episode, and will be back on Thursday with a new Three Ravens Bestiary bonus episode about Hellhounds, all before the full interview with Rory and Anna comes out on Saturday!

The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined around the campfire by Emma Heard, the creator of perhaps the country's preeminent folklore blog, Weird Wiltshire!

As Emma and Martin discuss during this conversation, Emma launched Weird Wiltshire during the pandemic. Originally intended as a means for Emma to explore her interests in folklore and paranormal activity, it then took off, with Emma, before long, sitting on a Twitter following of tens of thousands of people.

The blog itself is an incredible resource for people interested in strange and esoteric tales, but Emma’s decision to leave Twitter, or ‘X’ as it has become, and start again over on BlueSky speaks to who she is as a person.

Yes, she’s fun. Yes, she’s a really talented writer, who works really hard on her blog. But, at the same time, she is a really principled person. And all this makes her really likeable, and Weird Wiltshire this wonderful digital space that people use as a bit of an escape hatch when one is necessary.

To learn more Emma and Weird Wiltshire, do check out her website at weird-wiltshire.co.uk, though, for now, gather in close and listen in to a chat which ranges from UFO and Crop Circle activity in Wiltshire to the county's ancient stone circles and barrow tombs. Its creepy little fairies to ghosts that haunt pubs, department stores, and woodlands - including a surprising number of headless ghosts - with a true Local Legend, Emma Heard.

We really hope you enjoy it, and will be back on Monday with our brand new County Episode all about the history and folklore of Lincolnshire!

Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.