After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

In 1727, Janet Horne of the Highland community of Dornoch became the last person in Britain to be tried and executed for witchcraft.As the poet Edwin Morgan put it; They tarred her and feathered her, bound her and barrelled her burning in the peat-smoke, while the good folk of Dornoch paused briefly for a look.But maybe the events aren’t quite as black and white as they seem?Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the story this week.Written by Maddy Pelling.Edited by Freddy Chick. Produced by Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AFTERDARK. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.

Today Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling for the story of the Banshee. In Irish folklore the Banshee heralds the death of a family member, usually by shrieking, or keening. Anthony tells us a story about one dying man - Charles Bunworth d.1772 - who was called to his death by a Banshee's wailing cries.Written by Anthony Delaney.Edited by Tom Delargy.Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Written by Anthony Delaney.Edited by Tom Delargy.Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AFTERDARK. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.

Was ever a ship more aptly named? In 1845, HMS Terror (and its forgettably named sister ship HMS Erebus) set off from Victorian Britain. Their quest was to discover the fabled Northwest passage through the Arctic ice. The crew were heroes in waiting. Yet by the end the rules that govern life on board Royal Navy vessels collapsed into chaos and cannibalism.Maddy tells Anthony this story about life in the Royal Navy, Arctic winters, badly written poetry, and the thin line that separates us from horror.Written by Maddy Pelling. Mixed by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AFTERDARK. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.

They’re the most famous grave-robbers in the world…except they never actually robbed any graves. Discover the true story of Burke and Hare’s murderous rampage through the streets of Edinburgh, all to serve the needs of the city’s scientific minds.Anthony tells Maddy the unnerving details about the infamous 19th century serial-killing duo.Written by Anthony Delaney. Edited by Tom Delargy. Producer is Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte LongDiscover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AFTERDARK. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.

Emma Southon, author of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling to discuss the gory and inventive ways the Romans killed people. Topics include flesh-eating fish, humiliating deaths inside sacks, deadly re-enactments of the Icarus myth, and gruesome gladiator fights. Check out Emma Southon's new book, A History of Rome in 21 Women.

In this discussion, Professor Ronald Hutton, a renowned expert in British folklore and pre-Christian religion, delves into the rich history of Halloween. He explains its evolution from an ancient pagan festival to a Catholic holy day, and now a playful celebration filled with costumes. Hutton highlights the blend of cultural traditions throughout history and the complex emotions of confronting mortality that Halloween evokes. Listeners are treated to insights on communal gatherings and the impact of medieval Christianity, all wrapped in a compelling tapestry of myth and memory.

In 1733, Sarah Malcolm, a laundress, shocked Georgian London when accused of murdering three women as they slept. Her sensational trial highlighted class tensions and media sensationalism, portraying her as both a criminal and a victim of societal norms. The fascination surrounding her case peaked with her portrait by Hogarth while she awaited execution. The chilling atmosphere of hanging day and the emotional turmoil faced by condemned individuals reveal the darker side of 18th-century justice and the public's obsession with crime.

Introducing After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal, the podcast that takes you to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.Meet your hosts, historians Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling, who will be taking a look at the darker side of history. From haunted pubs and Houdini, to witch trials and weird UFO sightings.New episodes every Monday and Thursday, from Monday 16th October.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal - a podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.