

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
History Hit
This is After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal. The podcast that takes you to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.Join historians Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling, every Monday and Thursday to take a look at the darker side of history. From haunted pubs and Houdini, to witch trials and weird UFO sightings.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.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 6, 2025 • 39min
Death at the Savoy Mansions: Post-War London's Drug Underworld
During the victory celebrations of World War One, a rising star is found dead in her bed after a suspected overdose.22-year-old Billie Carlton’s death caused shockwaves across the nation, adding fuel to a growing moral panic about sex, scandal and drugs.Anthony and Maddy are joined by Virginia Berridge, Professor of History and Health Policy at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, to explore the path to drug criminalisation in postwar London following the death of Billie Carlton. Together, they uncover the extraordinary history of drugs in Soho - London’s most notorious neighbourhood in the 1920s.Historic Soho has been brought to life in the new BBC show Dope Girls, which tells the story of Soho when female gangs ran the nightclubs after the First World War. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer now. All music from Epidemic Sounds.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
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Mar 3, 2025 • 52min
The Servants' Revenge: Arsenic & a Poisoned Pint of Beer
Dr. Blessin Adams, an author and former police constable, dives into the chilling tale of two servants in 1675 Plymouth who poisoned their entire household with arsenic. She explores the roles of women in domestic poisoning and the complex dynamics of betrayal and manipulation at play. The conversation reveals how societal fears surrounding women and crime have evolved, and the historical injustices faced by female killers. Insightful and macabre, this discussion sheds light on a haunting chapter in the annals of crime.

Feb 26, 2025 • 57min
The Curse of King Tutankhamun's Tomb
In this captivating discussion, Egyptologist Campbell Price illuminates the mysteries surrounding King Tutankhamun's tomb and the infamous curse alleged to plague those who disturbed it. Price shares insights on the challenges faced by Howard Carter during the tomb's excavation in 1922, debunking myths while unraveling the fascinating interplay of colonialism and archaeology. He delves into the tales of untimely deaths, including Lord Carnarvon's, and explores the ethical dilemmas of artifact ownership. This dialogue is a journey through ancient beliefs and modern interpretations.

Feb 24, 2025 • 53min
Final Days of Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell's dramatic execution epitomizes the brutal realities of Tudor England. His rise from mercenary to power broker reveals a master of adaptation amidst political chaos. The fallout from Henry VIII's ill-fated marriage to Anne of Cleves marked Cromwell's downfall, highlighting the precarious nature of power. Literary explorations illustrate how Cromwell's legacy has evolved, influenced by works that delve into his complex character and the intricate dynamics of his time. History is filled with tales of ambition, betrayal, and moral ambiguity.

7 snips
Feb 20, 2025 • 39min
Glencoe Massacre: Haunted Highlands
(Part 2/2) On the 13 February 1692, Scottish government troops slaughtered between 30-40 members of Clan MacDonald in their home in Glencoe, in the Scottish Highlands. Who was behind the killings? How has this atrocity been remembered? Is Glencoe haunted by its past?Maddy and Anthony's guests today are Dr Allan Kennedy whose new book 'Serious Crime in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland' is out now and Lucy Doogan from the Nation Trust for Scotland's Visitor Centre in Glencoe.Edited and produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
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Feb 17, 2025 • 42min
Peasants' Revolt: Murder in the Tower of London
(2/2) A boy King, a rebel army, and the first ever execution at Tower Hill. Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the days in the summer of 1381 when rebels took control of London and King Richard II, only fourteen, restored a world turned upside down.Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 snips
Feb 13, 2025 • 35min
Glencoe Massacre: Hell in the Scottish Highlands
Dr. Allan Kennedy, a historian specializing in 17th-century Scotland, and Lucy Doogan of the National Trust for Scotland discuss the harrowing Glencoe Massacre of 1692. They delve into the complex political tensions that led to the slaughter of Clan MacDonald, exploring Alistair MacDonald's ill-fated oath of allegiance and the broader cultural implications of this atrocity. Vivid descriptions of the landscape and personal reflections from descendants enhance this tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the profound scars it left on Scottish identity.

Feb 10, 2025 • 35min
Peasants' Revolt: Medieval Rebellion
1381, England, the world turned upside down as the commoners rise up and dismantle the mechanisms of power. They're angry about taxes, serfdom, about being forcibly kept in their place by corrupt lords...about a lot of stuff. But will they prevail? Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney about how the uprising began.Edited by Tomos Delargy, produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 6, 2025 • 35min
Final Days of the Romanovs (Part 2)
(2/2) We join the captive Romanovs as they are moved from The Alexander Palace to Siberia and then to Ekaterinburg, where their dreadful murder awaits them. It's a story that still has the power to shock us. Guiding us through is returning guest Helen Rappaport, author of "Ekaterinburg: The Last Days of the Romanovs".Edited by Freddy Chick. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 3, 2025 • 41min
Sweating Sickness: Deadly Tudor Plague
It's a medical-history-mystery: the Sweating Sickness. Things get clammy as Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling ask what was this deadly disease? What happened when Anne Boleyn got it? And why were sufferers sewn into their bedsheets?Edited by Nick Thomson. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.