Who would win in a fight between a man and a bed? Find the answer to this question and more in our new episode on The Weird of the Walfords by Louisa Baldwin! Also, if you like emotionally-repressed Victorian husbands, you will not leave disappointed. Show notes:  Louisa Baldwin (1845–1925) (Wikipedia) Louisa was a member of an illustrious family who included Rudyard Kipling and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. ‘The Shadow on the Blind, and Other Stories’ (Google Books) You can read this story and others form the same volume on Google Books. Royal beds in English history (wikipedia) There are a number of stately homes in England with similar legends about royalty spending a night in a specific bed, for example Sawston Hall in Cambridgeshire. Wyrd (wikipedia)  The ‘Weird’ of the Walfords is actually a ‘wyrd’, an old English term meaning fate or destiny.  Thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Don’t forget to check out Debbie’s new Jamesian Wallop t-shirt and others inspired by M.R. James on Redbubble.com.

<a href="https://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/weird-of-the-walfords-illustration.png" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Who would win in a fight between a man and a bed? Find the answer to this question and more in our new episode on <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MVLFOgAACAAJ&amp;pg=PA51#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Weird of the Walfords</a> by Louisa Baldwin! Also, if you like emotionally-repressed Victorian husbands, you will not leave disappointed. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDonald_sisters" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Louisa Baldwin (1845–1925) (Wikipedia)</a> Louisa was a member of an illustrious family who included Rudyard Kipling and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.</li> <li><a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MVLFOgAACAAJ&amp;pg=PA51#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Shadow on the Blind, and Other Stories’ (Google Books)</a> You can read this story and others form the same volume on Google Books.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawston_Hall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Royal beds in English history (wikipedia)</a> There are a number of stately homes in England with similar legends about royalty spending a night in a specific bed, for example <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawston_Hall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sawston Hall in Cambridgeshire</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyrd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wyrd (wikipedia) </a> The ‘Weird’ of the Walfords is actually a ‘wyrd’, an old English term meaning fate or destiny.</li> </ul> Thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Don’t forget to check out Debbie’s new <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Jamesian-Wallop-by-webbiededge/134515619.IJ6L0.XYZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jamesian Wallop t-shirt</a> and <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/No-Diggin-Ere-by-webbiededge/24152892.6ATOD.XYZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">others</a> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Barchestering-by-webbiededge/24152688.FB110" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">inspired</a> by M.R. James on <a href="http://Redbubble.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Redbubble.com</a>.

Episode 95 – The Weird of the Walfords by Louisa Baldwin

This episode we speak with two experts to better understand Eleanor Scott and her story Randall’s Round, Dr Vicky Margree and Prof Dan Orrells. We discuss what’s known about Eleanor Scott, her time at Oxford University in the early 1900s and the role of gender, folklore and imperialism in her writing. Vicky is a specialist in literary fiction and feminist theory. Her book British Women’s Short Supernatural Fiction, 1860-1930: Our Own Ghostliness looks at stories by Margaret Oliphant, Charlotte Riddell, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Edith Nesbit, Alice Perrin, Eleanor Scott and Violet Hunt. Dan focuses on the history of the interpretation of classical literature. He’s interested in the Greeks and Romans in the Victorian imagination, including how these inspired Gothic and ghostly tales at the turn of the 20th century.  He co-edited with Vicky a study of Richard Marsh, a fascinating late-Victorian author who wrote about “shape-shifting monsters, morally dubious heroes, lip-reading female detectives and objects that come to life.” In our conversation we learn more about the folklore revival, Edward B Tylor’s ideas about primitive cultures and notions of “survivals” amd the experience of women at Oxford and Cambridge (Dan recommends the Dorothy L Sayers novel Gaudy Night!). Massive thank you to Vicky and Dan for being such engaging and insightful guests and sharing their expertise with us!  If you want to read ahead, we’ll be back next time with The Weird of the Walfords by Louisa Baldwin.

This episode we speak with two experts to better understand Eleanor Scott and her story Randall’s Round, Dr Vicky Margree and Prof Dan Orrells. We discuss what’s known about Eleanor Scott, her time at Oxford University in the early 1900s and the role of gender, folklore and imperialism in her writing. <a href="https://research.brighton.ac.uk/en/persons/vicky-margree" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vicky</a> is a specialist in literary fiction and feminist theory. Her book <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/british-womens-short-supernatural-fiction-1860-1930/victoria-margree/9783030271442" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">British Women’s Short Supernatural Fiction, 1860-1930: Our Own Ghostliness</a> looks at stories by Margaret Oliphant, Charlotte Riddell, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Edith Nesbit, Alice Perrin, Eleanor Scott and Violet Hunt. <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/daniel-orrells" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dan</a> focuses on the history of the interpretation of classical literature. He’s interested in the Greeks and Romans in the Victorian imagination, including how these inspired Gothic and ghostly tales at the turn of the 20th century.  He co-edited with Vicky <a href="https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526124340/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a study of Richard Marsh</a>, a fascinating late-Victorian author who wrote about “shape-shifting monsters, morally dubious heroes, lip-reading female detectives and objects that come to life.” In our conversation we learn more about the folklore revival, <a href="https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6946625M/Primitive_culture" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Edward B Tylor’s</a> ideas about primitive cultures and notions of “survivals” amd the experience of women at Oxford and Cambridge (Dan recommends the Dorothy L Sayers novel <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/jan/06/gaudy-night-by-dorothy-l-sayers-a-weighty-novel-that-still-thrills" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gaudy Night</a>!). Massive thank you to Vicky and Dan for being such engaging and insightful guests and sharing their expertise with us!  If you want to read ahead, we’ll be back next time with <a href="https://lisamorton.com/blog/the-weird-of-the-walfords-by-louisa-baldwin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Weird of the Walfords</a> by Louisa Baldwin.

Episode 94 – Exploring Eleanor Scott with Vicky Margree and Dan Orrells

 A BBC Ghost Story for Christmas is thankfully as traditional as quaffing eggnog and leaving out a carrot for Rudolph. And what a treat, as this year Count Magnus made the Black Pilgrimage onto our screens.  But has Mark Gatiss been naughty or nice? We give you our verdict. Show notes  A recent interview with Mark Gattis including his ambition to adapt Casting the Runes Our coverage of Count Magnus in episode 6, exactly 11 years before this adaptation aired! A rather splendid reading of the Innkeeper’s story, read by Jacqueline Simpson in episode 53 

A BBC Ghost Story for Christmas is thankfully as traditional as quaffing eggnog and leaving out a carrot for Rudolph. And what a treat, as this year Count Magnus made the Black Pilgrimage onto our screens.  But has Mark Gatiss been naughty or nice? We give you our verdict. Show notes <ul> <li>A recent <a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/mark-gatiss-christmas-horror-mr-james-ghost-stories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with Mark Gattis</a> including his ambition to adapt Casting the Runes</li> <li>Our coverage of Count Magnus in <a href="https://www.mrjamespodcast.com/2011/12/episode-6-count-magnus/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode 6</a>, exactly 11 years before this adaptation aired!</li> <li>A <a href="https://www.mrjamespodcast.com/2016/06/episode-53-jacqueline-simpson-interview/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rather splendid reading</a> of the Innkeeper’s story, read by Jacqueline Simpson in episode 53</li> </ul>

Episode 93 – Count Magnus Awakens

This episode Mike and Will explore freaky folk-dance, village-based villainy and Cotswold chicanery in Eleanor Scott’s awesome Jamesian folk-horror tale Randalls Round! Big thanks to Kirsty Woodfield for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes:   Eleanor Scott (The Haunted Library) This article contains some biographical information as well as plot summaries of the stories that appears in Randalls Round, her only collection of ghost stories. You can also see a photo of her here.   The War Among the Ladies by Eleanor Scott (shinynewbooks.co.uk)  Helen Leys started using the Eleanor Scott pseudonym  when she published this controversial novel that exposed the dire experiences of teachers and girls within the English high school system.   Somerville College, Oxford (www.some.ox.ac.uk)  Eleanor Scott was a student at this ladies college in the days before women were allowed to take degrees. The Somerville website contains some charming photos that give you a sense of what life was like for students at the time.   ‘Merrie England Once More’? The Morris Revival c.1886-1951 (morrisfed.org.uk )  At the start of Randalls Round, Heyling and Mortlake discuss the folk dance revival that was then in full swing. This article describes that revival. Note the reference to the Headington Morris dancers who get a special mention in this story!   The Witch-cult in Western Europe by Margaret Murray (Wikipedia) This 1921 book popularise Murray’s witch-cult hypothesis, the idea that the people persecuted as ‘witches’ in Europe may in fact have been involved in a survival of a pre-Christian pagan religion. Although her ideas were widely dismissed by historians, the ideas of ‘hidden’ folk/religious practices enduring in England, hidden away from the eyes of religious authorities, captured the public imagination and sparked the sort of debate that Heyling and Mortlake are having at the start of this story.   The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer (Wikipedia) Aaron Worth suggests that the ‘volume of a very famous book on folk-lore’ that Heyling reads in this story would be The Golden Bough, Frazer’s influential multi-volume study on comparative religion, first published in 1890.  Morris Dance as Ritual Dance, or, English Folk Dance and the Doctrine of Survivals (open.ac.uk) This article by Chloe Middleton-Metcalfe explores the origins of the idea that folk dance originates in a survival of pre-Christian belief.  The Broad (Wikipedia)  In this episode Mike mentions the Broad, a Cotswold folk custom that bears some similarity to the activities that Heyling witnesses on the village green.   The Wicker Man (Wikipedia) We found it hard to discuss Randalls Round without repeatedly returning to this iconic 1973 British horror film!   Randwick (Wikipedia) The village of Randwick in Gloucestershire is at the top of Will’s list of possible real-world locations that may have inspired the fictional village of Randalls. As well as having a similar name and large mound to the north west, it even has its own curious folk celebration known as the Randwick Wap!   @EndlessMummer (Instagram) This Instagram account celebrates the weirdest (or should that be wyrdest?) elements of folk customs and traditions. This group of Morris men parading a strange, monstrous effigy seems particularly reminiscent of the events of Randalls Round!  

This episode Mike and Will explore freaky folk-dance, village-based villainy and Cotswold chicanery in Eleanor Scott’s awesome Jamesian folk-horror tale Randalls Round! Big thanks to Kirsty Woodfield for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes: <ul> <li> <a href="http://hauntedlibraryblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/randalls-round-eleanor-scott.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eleanor Scott (The Haunted Library)</a> This article contains some biographical information as well as plot summaries of the stories that appears in Randalls Round, her only collection of ghost stories. You can also see a <a href="http://hauntedlibraryblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/randalls-round-eleanor-scott.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">photo of her here</a>. </li> <li> <a href="https://shinynewbooks.co.uk/war-among-ladies-by-eleanor-scott" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The War Among the Ladies by Eleanor Scott (shinynewbooks.co.uk) </a> Helen Leys started using the Eleanor Scott pseudonym  when she published this controversial novel that exposed the dire experiences of teachers and girls within the English high school system. </li> <li> <a href="https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/about/a-brief-history-of-somerville/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Somerville College, Oxford (www.some.ox.ac.uk) </a> Eleanor Scott was a student at this ladies college in the days before women were allowed to take degrees. The Somerville website contains some charming photos that give you a sense of what life was like for students at the time. </li> <li> <a href="https://www.morrisfed.org.uk/2021/04/11/morris-revival-1886-1951/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Merrie England Once More’? The Morris Revival c.1886-1951 (morrisfed.org.uk ) </a> At the start of Randalls Round, Heyling and Mortlake discuss the folk dance revival that was then in full swing. This article describes that revival. Note the reference to the Headington Morris dancers who get a special mention in this story! </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witch-Cult_in_Western_Europe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Witch-cult in Western Europe by Margaret Murray (Wikipedia)</a> This 1921 book popularise Murray’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-cult_hypothesis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">witch-cult hypothesis</a>, the idea that the people persecuted as ‘witches’ in Europe may in fact have been involved in a survival of a pre-Christian pagan religion. Although her ideas were widely dismissed by historians, the ideas of ‘hidden’ folk/religious practices enduring in England, hidden away from the eyes of religious authorities, captured the public imagination and sparked the sort of debate that Heyling and Mortlake are having at the start of this story. </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Bough" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer (Wikipedia)</a> Aaron Worth suggests that the ‘volume of a very famous book on folk-lore’ that Heyling reads in this story would be The Golden Bough, Frazer’s influential multi-volume study on comparative religion, first published in 1890. </li> <li><a href="http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/religious-studies/?p=845" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Morris Dance as Ritual Dance, or, English Folk Dance and the Doctrine of Survivals (open.ac.uk)</a> This article by Chloe Middleton-Metcalfe explores the origins of the idea that folk dance originates in a survival of pre-Christian belief.</li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Broad_(folk_custom)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Broad (Wikipedia) </a> In this episode Mike mentions the Broad, a Cotswold folk custom that bears some similarity to the activities that Heyling witnesses on the village green. </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Wicker Man (Wikipedia)</a> We found it hard to discuss Randalls Round without repeatedly returning to this iconic 1973 British horror film! </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randwick,_Gloucestershire" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Randwick (Wikipedia)</a> The village of Randwick in Gloucestershire is at the top of Will’s list of possible real-world locations that may have inspired the fictional village of Randalls. As well as having a similar name and large mound to the north west, it even has its own curious folk celebration known as the <a href="https://www.cotswolds.com/whats-on/randwick-wap-p2380983" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Randwick Wap</a>! </li> <li> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/endlessmummer/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@EndlessMummer (Instagram)</a> This Instagram account celebrates the weirdest (or should that be wyrdest?) elements of folk customs and traditions. This group of Morris men parading a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVbv0JNE50/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">strange, monstrous effigy</a> seems particularly reminiscent of the events of Randalls Round! </li> </ul>

Episode 92 – Randalls Round by Eleanor Scott

Mary Cholmondeley

In the first episode of Season 4 tm, Mike and Will are delighted by Let Loose by Mary Cholmondeley, a tale of crypts, clergymen and crikey, what is that in the dog’s mouth? Big thanks to Jim Moon for allowing us to use extracts from his excellent reading of the story. You can listen to the whole thing over on the Hypnogoria podcast feed. Show notes:  Mary Cholmondeley (Victorian Fiction Research Guides) You can learn more about Mary’s life and work in this article, or for a briefer summary, try wikipedia. Temple Bar Magazine (Wikipedia) This story first appeared in the April 1890 edition of Temple Bar magazine, a literary periodical that ran for nearly fifty years. ‘The Dead’ by Mathilde Blind (Poetry Nook) The two lines quoted at the start of this story come from this poem by 19th century British author and poet Mathilde Blind. The Dark Triad (Wikipedia) During this episode Mike describes the character of Blake as possessing at least two of the personality traits that make up the Dark Triad, a psychological theory of personality first described by Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002. History of Charnel Chapels (Rothwell Charnel Chapel Project) In this story we discuss the crypt at Wet-Waste-on-the-Wold church as being more of a charnel house. Bartleby the Scrivener (Wikipedia) Blake’s repeated use of the phrase “I’d prefer not to…” put us in mind of Herman Melville’s famously work-shy clerk Bartleby! Asaph (wikipedia) In this story, the vicar is locked in an ongoing arguement with a neighbouring clergyman about the meaning of the word ‘Asaph’. Dry stuff, but if you are interested there is a summary of the different opinions on this matter on Wikipedia. Fists of fear: severed hands in films – ranked! (theguardian.com) Here’s a fun listicle of movies where, like in Let Loose, a severed hand returns to cause havoc. A special mention should go to the our personal favourite, the ‘hand’ scene from Evil Dead 2! Gelert the Faithful Hound (NationalTrust.org.uk) Here’s another famous example from legend of a faithful dog who was killed by his master after a tragic misunderstanding. #RIPBrian Women’s Weird: Strange Stories by Women, 1890-1940 (Handheld Press) We quoted a line from Melissa Edmundson’s introduction to this anthology, ‘[Let Loose] predates James’s stories if haunted churches and crypts, so that it could be legitimately said that James’s stories were in the style of Mary Cholmondeley’. 

<a href="https://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Let-Loose-image.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>In the first episode of Season 4 tm, Mike and Will are delighted by Let Loose by Mary Cholmondeley, a tale of crypts, clergymen and crikey, what is that in the dog’s mouth? Big thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/Hypnogoria" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jim Moon</a> for allowing us to use extracts from his excellent reading of the story. You can listen to the whole thing over on the <a href="https://hypnogoria.libsyn.com/hypnobobs-49-let-loose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hypnogoria podcast feed</a>. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://victorianfictionresearchguides.org/mary-cholmondeley/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Cholmondeley (Victorian Fiction Research Guides)</a> You can learn more about Mary’s life and work in this article, or for a briefer summary, try <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Cholmondeley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Bar_(magazine)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Temple Bar Magazine (Wikipedia)</a> This story first appeared in the April 1890 edition of Temple Bar magazine, a literary periodical that ran for nearly fifty years.</li> <li><a href="https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/dead-12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Dead’ by Mathilde Blind (Poetry Nook)</a> The two lines quoted at the start of this story come from this poem by 19th century British author and poet Mathilde Blind.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_triad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dark Triad (Wikipedia)</a> During this episode Mike describes the character of Blake as possessing at least two of the personality traits that make up the Dark Triad, a psychological theory of personality first described by Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002.</li> <li><a href="http://www.rothwellcharnelchapel.group.shef.ac.uk/index.php/history-of-charnel-chapels/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History of Charnel Chapels (Rothwell Charnel Chapel Project)</a> In this story we discuss the crypt at Wet-Waste-on-the-Wold church as being more of a charnel house.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartleby,_the_Scrivener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bartleby the Scrivener (Wikipedia)</a> Blake’s repeated use of the phrase “I’d prefer not to…” put us in mind of Herman Melville’s famously work-shy clerk Bartleby!</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms_of_Asaph" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Asaph (wikipedia)</a> In this story, the vicar is locked in an ongoing arguement with a neighbouring clergyman about the meaning of the word ‘Asaph’. Dry stuff, but if you are interested there is a summary of the different opinions on this matter on Wikipedia.</li> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/14/fists-of-fear-severed-hands-in-films-ranked" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fists of fear: severed hands in films – ranked! (theguardian.com)</a> Here’s a fun listicle of movies where, like in Let Loose, a severed hand returns to cause havoc. A special mention should go to the our personal favourite, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV_dgZ7yD-M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the ‘hand’ scene from Evil Dead 2</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/craflwyn-and-beddgelert/features/gelert-the-faithful-hound" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gelert the Faithful Hound (NationalTrust.org.uk)</a> Here’s another famous example from legend of a faithful dog who was killed by his master after a tragic misunderstanding. #RIPBrian</li> <li><a href="https://www.handheldpress.co.uk/shop/fantasy-and-science-fiction/melissa-edmundson-womens-weird-strange-stories-by-women-1890-1940/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Women’s Weird: Strange Stories by Women, 1890-1940 (Handheld Press)</a> We quoted a line from Melissa Edmundson’s introduction to this anthology, ‘[Let Loose] predates James’s stories if haunted churches and crypts, so that it could be legitimately said that James’s stories were in the style of Mary Cholmondeley’.</li> </ul>

Episode 91 – Let Loose by Mary Cholmondeley

Join Will and Mike for haunted cathedrals, lecherous minor canons and hair-based horrors in Noel Boston’s ‘Right Through My Hair’! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes  Noel Boston (The Haunted Library) Biographical information about Noel Boston is a bit hard to find online, but there is an excellent introduction in the Ash Tree Press edition of Yesterday Knocks, available as an ebook. Norwich Cathedral (Norwich Cathedral website) The location of this story is most likely based on Norwich Cathedral, where Noel Boston started his ecclesiastical career as a minor canon in the 1930s. A Google Image search for ‘Norwich triforium’ will also give you a good idea of what to picture when imagining Minor Canon Jogglebury getting menaced in this story! All Hallows by Walter De La Mere (Project Gutenberg) In this episode, Will sings the praises of this Walter de la Mere tale. It explores similar themes of the dangers lurking in a cathedral after dark! Upon Julia’s Clothes by Robert Herrick (Poetry Foundation) On seeing Pamela, Minor Canon Jogglebury’s mind immediately goes to this poem by notoriously randy 17th-century poet Robert Herrick. At least it wasn’t Herrick’s companion poem On Julia’s Breasts! The Heavenly Twins by Sarah Grand (Project Gutenberg) The novel mentioned in this story as The Heavenly Twins by Sally Smalls is actually a reference to a book of the same name by Sarah Grand, which features an anecdote that closely matches the events related in this story about Old Martle. The anecdote can be found in Book III, Chapter I of the novel. 

Join Will and Mike for haunted cathedrals, lecherous minor canons and hair-based horrors in Noel Boston’s ‘Right Through My Hair’! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes <ul> <li><a href="http://hauntedlibraryblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/yesterday-knocks-noel-boston.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noel Boston (The Haunted Library)</a> Biographical information about Noel Boston is a bit hard to find online, but there is an excellent introduction in the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YESTERDAY-KNOCKS-Noel-Boston-ebook/dp/B00870LY82" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ash Tree Press edition of Yesterday Knocks</a>, available as an ebook.</li> <li><a href="http://www.cathedral.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Norwich Cathedral (Norwich Cathedral website)</a> The location of this story is most likely based on Norwich Cathedral, where Noel Boston started his ecclesiastical career as a minor canon in the 1930s. A <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=norwich+triforium&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB914GB914&amp;sxsrf=ALiCzsb7hZgUtcFBo9WW3BXKfZK2UmZTlQ:1663430468733&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjG5smxmZz6AhXcTEEAHTSZA04Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&amp;biw=1920&amp;bih=937&amp;dpr=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Image search for ‘Norwich triforium’</a> will also give you a good idea of what to picture when imagining Minor Canon Jogglebury getting menaced in this story!</li> <li><a href="https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/delamarew-beststories/delamarew-beststories-00-h.html#Page_288" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">All Hallows by Walter De La Mere (Project Gutenberg)</a> In this episode, Will sings the praises of this Walter de la Mere tale. It explores similar themes of the dangers lurking in a cathedral after dark!</li> <li><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47339/upon-julias-clothes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Upon Julia’s Clothes by Robert Herrick (Poetry Foundation)</a> On seeing Pamela, Minor Canon Jogglebury’s mind immediately goes to this poem by notoriously randy 17th-century poet Robert Herrick. At least it wasn’t Herrick’s companion poem <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50683/upon-julias-breasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">On Julia’s Breasts</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8676" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Heavenly Twins by Sarah Grand (Project Gutenberg)</a> The novel mentioned in this story as The Heavenly Twins by Sally Smalls is actually a reference to a book of the same name by Sarah Grand, which features an anecdote that closely matches the events related in this story about Old Martle. The anecdote can be found in Book III, Chapter I of the novel.</li> </ul>

Episode 90 – Right Through My Hair by Noel Boston

Open your hymn books to episode 89, as we’re back in church for Christopher Woodforde’s “Cushi”: a tale of capering cats, sabotaged surplices and vengeful vergers. Don’t lose your head! Show notes:  Christopher Woodforde studied at Peterhouse, Cambridge before becoming an Anglican priest. He was later Fellow and Chaplain at New College, Oxford, and Dean of Wells (as was Richard Maldon of ‘The Sundial’ fame – Episode 80). He was an antiquarian with a love for stained glass, rather like MR James! ‘A Pad in the Straw’ was his only book of stories. It is currently out of print, but previously available from Sundial Press. Richard Dalby wrote that Woodforde based some of his clerical and antiquarian characters on himself, and many of the locations on the parishes in which he served. In his introduction to ‘A Pad in the Straw’, Lord David Cecil said that “A waft of the uncanny blows through these tales, just enough to make the spine agreeably tingle… The general atmosphere is at once eerie and friendly… The intimate apprehension of landscape and the past gives his tales an unexpected weight and depth. Slight and fanciful though their action is, they are the expression of an imagination soaked through and through in the English scene and in English history.” Hymn number 386 ‘The Sower Went Forth Sowing’ was written by William Bourne, a pastor, for a harvest festival in 1874. And very jolly it is, to: “And then the fan of judgment/Shall winnow from His floor/The chaff into the furnace/That flameth evermore.”

Open your hymn books to episode 89, as we’re back in church for Christopher Woodforde’s “Cushi”: a tale of capering cats, sabotaged surplices and vengeful vergers. Don’t lose your head! Show notes: <ul> <li>Christopher Woodforde studied at Peterhouse, Cambridge before becoming an Anglican priest. He was later Fellow and Chaplain at New College, Oxford, and Dean of Wells (as was Richard Maldon of ‘The Sundial’ fame – Episode 80). He was an antiquarian with a love for stained glass, rather like MR James!</li> <li>‘A Pad in the Straw’ was his only book of stories. It is currently out of print, but previously available from <a href="https://www.sundialpress.co.uk/Christopher%20Woodforde%20A%20PAD%20IN%20THE%20STRAW.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sundial Press</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveWoodforde.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Richard Dalby</a> wrote that Woodforde based some of his clerical and antiquarian characters on himself, and many of the locations on the parishes in which he served.</li> <li>In his introduction to ‘A Pad in the Straw’, Lord David Cecil said that “A waft of the uncanny blows through these tales, just enough to make the spine agreeably tingle… The general atmosphere is at once eerie and friendly… The intimate apprehension of landscape and the past gives his tales an unexpected weight and depth. Slight and fanciful though their action is, they are the expression of an imagination soaked through and through in the English scene and in English history.”</li> <li>Hymn number 386 ‘The Sower Went Forth Sowing’ was written by William Bourne, a pastor, for a harvest festival in 1874. And very jolly it is, to: “And then the fan of judgment/Shall winnow from His floor/The chaff into the furnace/That flameth evermore.”</li></ul>

Episode 89 – Cushi

Join Mike and Will for a special 10th anniversary (give or take a few months) special in which your now-aged hosts look back over a decade of M.R. James podcasting and return to the story that started it all, Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook! You can listen to when we originally covered this story all the way back in episode one. Will the quality of our story commentary have improved? Listen and find out! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge who returns once again as the reader for this episode. Notes:  Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (Google Maps) Some lovely 360 degree photography of this story’s real-world locations have been added to Google Maps since the last time we covered this story. You can now explore the town, the cathedral interior and even spot the famous stuffed crocodile!  st’s name f   ro Read about the turbulent life of the read Saint Bertrand. No mention of the crocodile incident sadly. Christopher Plantin (wikipedia) In the story, Dennistoun was singularly unimpressed by the prospect of discovering a book published by this 16th-century Belgian printer and publisher. William Harrison Ainsworth’s Old Saint Paul’s. (Getty Images) Dennistoun compares the scrapbooks illustration of King Solomon and the demon to this scene from the popular novel ‘Old Saint Paul’s’ by William Harrison Ainsworth. You can read the scene in question by going here and searching for ‘THE MOSAICAL RODS 95′. Arthur Shipley (wikipedia) The ‘lecturer on morphology’ mentioned in this story is a reference to M.R. James’s friend Arthur Shipley, who published a textbook called Zoology of the Invertabrata, which mentions ‘gigantic’ South African spiders that live in holes and prey on small birds. Key of Solomon (wikipedia) In the episode, we mention this famous grimoire, which purports to be written by the demon-summoning old testament monarch King Solomon. Codex Gigas (wikipedia) Patrick Murphy suggests that the illustrations in the titular scrapbook could have been inspired in part by this gigantic illuminated manuscript, also known as the ‘devil’s bible’. Check out this huge demon in a furry red loincloth! 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Codex-Gigas-bw.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Join Mike and Will for a special 10th anniversary (give or take a few months) special in which your now-aged hosts look back over a decade of M.R. James podcasting and return to the story that started it all, <a href="https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/james-alberic2/james-alberic2-00-h.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook</a>! You can listen to when we originally covered this story all the way back in <a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/2011/09/episode-1-canon-alberics-scrapbook/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode one</a>. Will the quality of our story commentary have improved? Listen and find out! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge who returns once again as the reader for this episode. Notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/31510+Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges,+France/@43.0268091,0.5709524,243m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a8577c80417145:0x406f69c2f411560!8m2!3d43.026621!4d0.57086" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (Google Maps)</a> Some lovely 360 degree photography of this story’s real-world locations have been added to Google Maps since the last time we covered this story. You can now <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/31510+Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges,+France/@43.0268091,0.5709524,243m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a8577c80417145:0x406f69c2f411560!8m2!3d43.026621!4d0.57086" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">explore the town</a>, the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0267561,0.5710658,3a,75y,4.86h,113.85t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNKOBNjK9gSu1suk0hrXZ7_7KVinaDSvcFtCBFT!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNKOBNjK9gSu1suk0hrXZ7_7KVinaDSvcFtCBFT%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya96.82556-ro-0-fo100!7i5400!8i2700" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cathedral interior</a> and even spot the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0267561,0.5710658,3a,28.9y,263.89h,111.55t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNKOBNjK9gSu1suk0hrXZ7_7KVinaDSvcFtCBFT!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNKOBNjK9gSu1suk0hrXZ7_7KVinaDSvcFtCBFT%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya129.39621-ro-0-fo100!7i5400!8i2700" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">famous stuffed crocodile</a>!  st’s name f   ro</li> <li>Read about the turbulent life of the read Saint Bertrand. No mention of the crocodile incident sadly.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christophe_Plantin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christopher Plantin (wikipedia)</a> In the story, Dennistoun was singularly unimpressed by the prospect of discovering a book published by this 16th-century Belgian printer and publisher.</li> <li><a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/lilly-the-astrologer-and-quatremain-the-minor-canon-digging-news-photo/1265641590" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">William Harrison Ainsworth’s Old Saint Paul’s. (Getty Images)</a> Dennistoun compares the scrapbooks illustration of King Solomon and the demon to this scene from the popular novel ‘Old Saint Paul’s’ by William Harrison Ainsworth. You can read the scene in question by going <a href="https://archive.org/stream/oldstpauls00ainsrich/oldstpauls00ainsrich_djvu.txt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and searching for ‘THE MOSAICAL RODS 95′.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Shipley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arthur Shipley (wikipedia)</a> The ‘lecturer on morphology’ mentioned in this story is a reference to M.R. James’s friend Arthur Shipley, who published a textbook called Zoology of the Invertabrata, which mentions ‘gigantic’ South African spiders that live in holes and prey on small birds.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_of_Solomon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Key of Solomon (wikipedia)</a> In the episode, we mention this famous grimoire, which purports to be written by the demon-summoning old testament monarch <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_of_Solomon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">King Solomon</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Gigas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Codex Gigas (wikipedia)</a> Patrick Murphy suggests that the illustrations in the titular scrapbook could have been inspired in part by this gigantic illuminated manuscript, also known as the ‘devil’s bible’. Check out this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Gigas#/media/File:Codex-Gigas-Devil-enhanced.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">huge demon in a furry red loincloth</a>!</li> </ul>

Episode 88 – Canon Alberic’s Scrap-Book Revisited

Mark Gatiss

In this episode, Mike and Will share their thoughts on Mark Gatiss’s recent TV adaptation of M.R. James’s The Mezzotint. Join us for some monocle-popping, mustache-bristling, spine-chilling fun! Show notes  A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint (BBC iPlayer) Mark Gatiss’s adaptation is available to watch on BBC iPlayer for the next 11 months. Episode 3 – The Mezzotint (this very podcast) We dedicated a whole episode to the original story all the way back in October 2011! Fast forward to 31:30 to hear Will’s alternative ending suggestion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the plot alterations made in the Mark Gatiss adaptation! Interview with Mark Gatiss (Evolution of Horror Podcast) The excellent Evolution of Horror podcast recently featured an interview with Mark Gatiss talking about making The Mezzotint.  The image that accompanied this episode includes elements of ‘Mycroft Holmes post stamp‘ by iMontage (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), ‘Abbey Manor House‘ by David Luther Thomas (CC BY-SA 2.0) and ‘Picture frame‘ by Sailko (CC BY 3.0).

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Mezzotint-web-image.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>In this episode, Mike and Will share their thoughts on Mark Gatiss’s recent TV adaptation of M.R. James’s The Mezzotint. Join us for some monocle-popping, mustache-bristling, spine-chilling fun! Show notes <ul> <li>A <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0012xmb/a-ghost-story-for-christmas-the-mezzotint" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint (BBC iPlayer)</a> Mark Gatiss’s adaptation is available to watch on BBC iPlayer for the next 11 months.</li> <li><a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/2011/10/episode-3-the-mezzotint/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 3 – The Mezzotint (this very podcast)</a> We dedicated a whole episode to the original story all the way back in October 2011! Fast forward to 31:30 to hear Will’s alternative ending suggestion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the plot alterations made in the Mark Gatiss adaptation!</li> <li><a href="https://www.evolutionofhorror.com/the-mezzotint" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Interview with Mark Gatiss (Evolution of Horror Podcast)</a> The excellent Evolution of Horror podcast recently featured an interview with Mark Gatiss talking about making The Mezzotint.</li> </ul> <h4>The image that accompanied this episode includes elements of ‘<a href="https://wordpress.org/openverse/photos/8e2312c2-4d1b-47f0-85a0-ffd23a043c5d" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mycroft Holmes post stamp</a>‘ by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/87189609@N08" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iMontage</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse&amp;atype=rich" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a>), ‘<a href="https://search.openverse.engineering/photos/4bc1a30f-4302-44ad-ab73-584a5cbb6305" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Manor House</a>‘ by <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/6895" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Luther Thomas</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0?ref=openverse&amp;atype=rich" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>) and ‘<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacques-louis_david,_marte_disarmato_da_venere,_1824,_picture_frame.png" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Picture frame</a>‘ by Sailko (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CC BY 3.0</a>).</h4>

Episode 87 – Mark Gatiss’s The Mezzotint

Ho ho, and indeed ho! In this special festive episode, Mike and Will pull on their wellies and wander straight into Lucky’s Grove by H.R. Wakefield. But who’s that hiding behind the Christmas tree? Big thanks to Julia Morgan for allowing us to use extracts from her excellent Youtube reading of this story. Show notes:  The Clock Strikes Twelve (Ash Tree Press) If you want to read this story, your best bet is to pick up the Ash Tree Press ebook of The Clock Strikes Twelve, the H.R. Wakefield collection that contains this story. H.R. Wakefield (Wikipedia) You can read some biographical information about Wakefield himself on Wikipedia. The Edda (Wikipedia) The quote that starts this story is liberally adapted by Wakefield from part of these 11th-century Icelandic works. The Folk Horror of H.R. Wakefield (whenchuchyardsyawn) This excellent article by Jason Lineham analyses both Lucky’s Grove and another Wakefield tale called the The First Sheaf from a modern folk horror perspective. The Disney wolf (Wikipedia) The intimidating wolf that adorns one of the Christmas lights was presumably based on the wolf from the Disney short film Three Little Pigs (1933). He does look a bit intimidating actually! 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/christmas-lights.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Ho ho, and indeed ho! In this special festive episode, Mike and Will pull on their wellies and wander straight into Lucky’s Grove by H.R. Wakefield. But who’s that hiding behind the Christmas tree? Big thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/MorganScorpion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Morgan</a> for allowing us to use extracts from her excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15qlVOhJbe0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Youtube reading of this story</a>. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/CLOCK-STRIKES-TWELVE-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B0074C00PW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=the+clock+strikes+twelve&amp;qid=1640019903&amp;sprefix=clock+strikes+twe%2Caps%2C85&amp;sr=8-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Clock Strikes Twelve (Ash Tree Press)</a> If you want to read this story, your best bet is to pick up the Ash Tree Press ebook of The Clock Strikes Twelve, the H.R. Wakefield collection that contains this story.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._Russell_Wakefield" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">H.R. Wakefield (Wikipedia)</a> You can read some biographical information about Wakefield himself on Wikipedia.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Edda (Wikipedia)</a> The quote that starts this story is liberally adapted by Wakefield from part of these 11th-century Icelandic works.</li> <li><a href="https://whenchurchyardsyawn.com/2017/06/23/the-folk-horror-of-h-russell-wakefield-in-two-stories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Folk Horror of H.R. Wakefield (whenchuchyardsyawn)</a> This excellent article by Jason Lineham analyses both Lucky’s Grove and another Wakefield tale called the The First Sheaf from a modern folk horror perspective.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Little_Pigs_(film)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Disney wolf (Wikipedia)</a> The intimidating wolf that adorns one of the Christmas lights was presumably based on the wolf from the Disney short film Three Little Pigs (1933). He does <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf#Disney_version" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look a bit intimidating</a> actually!</li> </ul>

Episode 86 – Lucky’s Grove by H.R. Wakefield

... dedicated to the Weird Fiction and Ghost Stories of M.R. James.

I love how these two gentlemen breakdown the story, I have heard some stories previously but upon listening to this podcast, became enlightened with their analyses. Very well made, keep up the great works gentlemen.

Spectacular

I started listening to this podcast with basically no knowledge of M.R. James. (I’d seen the 1957 film Night of the Demon but had never read any of James’s stories or seen any of the television adaptations.) I’ve now listened to more than a dozen episodes and read the associated stories. Mike and Will are knowledgeable and passionate hosts. Looking forward to more “Jamesian wallops” in the new year!

Great fun

 A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast

Adrian Ross

Like a prodigal and slightly deranged friend, Will and Mike return to explore another author inspired by MR James.  This week we look at the story By One, By Two and By Three, by Adrian Ross. Show notes  By One, By Two and By Three is widely published in ghost story anthologies, but you can also find it online. Adrian Ross was the pen-name of Arthur Reed Ropes, an accomplished academic and lyricist.  Ropes used the name when he started writing for musical comedies in the late 1880s.  By One… now often appears under this pseudonym. However, the story was originally published anonymously when it appeared in Temple Bar magazine in December 1887. As Richard Dolby has explained, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the story was linked to Ross/Ropes. Most confusingly, it appeared in the US under the pseudonym “Stephen Hall”! By One… was printed before Monty started telling his stories at the Chit Chat Society.  But Ropes, as Adrian Ross, published second ghost story The Hole of the Pit in 1914, just after the start of the First World War.  It was dedicated “To Montague Rhodes James, Provost of King’s and teller of ghost stories.” This was all the excuse we needed to include Ropes/Ross as one of those writers inspired by James! Though Ropes and James were contemporaries at King’s College, a forward to Dolby’s book suggests MR James had no recollection of his colleague writing By One… when asked about it by a friend in the 1930s.  Monty replied: “Best thanks for a very good story. I can’t place the author… though at first I had wondered if it could prove to be Rhoda Broughton who sometimes wrote a tale of this kind, as I don’t doubt you know, and a practiced writer, I judge. But there are no tricks of style that I can pitch upon. No. I must give it up; but I have enjoyed this story very much.”  Did he ever read the story while at Cambridge with Ropes – and did he draw any influences from it? A TV version of By One, By Two and By Three was aired in the US in February 1972, as part of the horror show Rod Serling’s Night Gallery.  It’s a rather fun adaptation – and features a young Mark Hamill as a surly delivery boy!

Like a prodigal and slightly deranged friend, Will and Mike return to explore another author inspired by MR James.  This week we look at the story By One, By Two and By Three, by Adrian Ross. Show notes <ul> <li>By One, By Two and By Three is widely published in ghost story anthologies, but <a href="http://nightgallery.net/wp-content/uploads/There-Arent-Any-More-MacBanes.doc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can also find it online</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/ross_adrian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adrian Ross</a> was the pen-name of Arthur Reed Ropes, an accomplished academic and lyricist.  Ropes used the name when he started writing for musical comedies in the late 1880s.  By One… now often appears under this pseudonym.</li> <li>However, the story was originally published anonymously when it appeared in Temple Bar magazine in December 1887. As <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k5i68QO9hh0C&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=Adrian+Ross+hole+in+the+pit&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjj58CAl8fkAhXKiFwKHamAA6cQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&amp;q=Adrian%20Ross%20hole%20in%20the%20pit&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Richard Dolby</a> has explained, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the story was linked to Ross/Ropes. Most confusingly, it appeared in the US under the pseudonym “Stephen Hall”!</li> <li>By One… was printed before Monty started telling his stories at the Chit Chat Society.  But Ropes, as Adrian Ross, published second ghost story The Hole of the Pit in 1914, just after the start of the First World War.  It was dedicated “To Montague Rhodes James, Provost of King’s and teller of ghost stories.” This was all the excuse we needed to include Ropes/Ross as one of those writers inspired by James!</li> <li>Though Ropes and James were contemporaries at King’s College, <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k5i68QO9hh0C&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=Adrian+Ross+hole+in+the+pit&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjj58CAl8fkAhXKiFwKHamAA6cQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&amp;q=Adrian%20Ross%20hole%20in%20the%20pit&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a forward to Dolby’s book</a> suggests MR James had no recollection of his colleague writing By One… when asked about it by a friend in the 1930s.  Monty replied: “Best thanks for a very good story. I can’t place the author… though at first I had wondered if it could prove to be Rhoda Broughton who sometimes wrote a tale of this kind, as I don’t doubt you know, and a practiced writer, I judge. But there are no tricks of style that I can pitch upon. No. I must give it up; but I have enjoyed this story very much.”  Did he ever read the story while at Cambridge with Ropes – and did he draw any influences from it?</li> <li>A TV version of By One, By Two and By Three was aired in the US in February 1972, as part of the horror show <a href="https://nightgallery.net/night-gallery-episode-guide-season-two/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rod Serling’s Night Gallery</a>.  It’s a rather fun adaptation – and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDNn-DSXcRw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">features a young Mark Hamill</a> as a surly delivery boy!</li></ul>

Episode 72- By One, By Two and By Three by Adrian Ross

What could be more worthy of a Christmas episode than a ghost story? Answer: twelve ghost stories!  This week Mike and Will find plenty of seasonal cheer in the scribblings of a 15th century monk from Yorkshire, whose collected tales of wandering spirits Monty transcribed in 1922.  Expect lashings of purgatorial terrors, a stocking-full of redemption and a whole load of bad wassailing, ghostly and otherwise*, as we explore Twelve Medieval Ghost Stories. Links:  The Byland Abbey Project  has all the stories, plus translation notes and commentary on each story.  Invaluable! Ghosts in Medieval Yorkshire, by Jacqueline Simpson, is a fantastic article, not least for  Jacqueline’s analysis of the different roots of James’ ghost stories and these medieval tales. Mark Gatiss talks about medieval manuscripts with a curator at the Fitzwilliam Museum  in his 2013 documentary Ghostwriter (contains images some listeners will hopefully find disturbing). Death and the Afterlife – a British Library article with examples of medieval Books of Hours and other context for understanding the 15th century view of mortality, purgatory and salvation. Underrated BBC Radio 4 discussion show Beyond Belief (it’s great, even for atheists!) ran an episode on purgatory, which may not be available to listeners outside of the UK.  Happy Christmas and we’ll see  you again in 2016! * no, seriously. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/MR-James.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>What could be more worthy of a Christmas episode than a ghost story? Answer: twelve ghost stories!  This week Mike and Will find plenty of seasonal cheer in the scribblings of a 15th century monk from Yorkshire, whose collected tales of wandering spirits Monty transcribed in 1922.  Expect lashings of purgatorial terrors, a stocking-full of redemption and a whole load of bad wassailing, ghostly and otherwise*, as we explore Twelve Medieval Ghost Stories. Links: <ul> <li>The <a href="http://www.anselm.edu/internet/classics/byland/about.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Byland Abbey Project </a> has all the stories, plus translation notes and commentary on each story.  Invaluable!</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArticleThree.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghosts in Medieval Yorkshire</a>, by Jacqueline Simpson, is a fantastic article, not least for  Jacqueline’s analysis of the different roots of James’ ghost stories and these medieval tales.</li> <li>Mark Gatiss <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&amp;v=JOGZ4WQT2vg#t=1312" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">talks about medieval manuscripts</a> with a curator at the Fitzwilliam Museum  in his 2013 documentary Ghostwriter (contains images some listeners will hopefully find disturbing).</li> <li><a href="http://www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/death-and-the-afterlife-how-dying-affected-the-living" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Death and the Afterlife</a> – a British Library article with examples of medieval Books of Hours and other context for understanding the 15th century view of mortality, purgatory and salvation.</li> <li>Underrated BBC Radio 4 discussion show Beyond Belief (it’s great, even for atheists!) ran an <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0540h01" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode</a> on purgatory, which may not be available to listeners outside of the UK.</li> </ul> Happy Christmas and we’ll see  you again in 2016! * no, seriously. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Episode 49 – Twelve Medieval Ghost Stories

The waiting is over, it’s finally time for Mike &amp; Will to tackle what is arguably M.R. James’s masterpiece – A Warning to the Curious! It’s a biggie, so we will split our coverate of this story over two episodes. Our examination of this story will conclude in episode 31. To assist them in their task, Mike and Will are joined by Tom Baynham, whose article ‘A Return to Seaburgh’ sheds much light on the real-world locations which feature in this story. Once again big thanks go out to Alisdair Wood for providing the awesome artwork. You can now purchase a set of eight postcards featuring Alisdair’s great M.R. James illustrations. Snap them up while you can from Alisdair’s online shop. The excellent readings which accompany this episode were provided by Lewis Davies. Show notes:  Story locations In his introduction to ‘Collected Ghost Stories’ M.R. James explained that he based the town of Seaburgh on Aldeburgh in Suffolk. The actual locations featured in this story have been explored in a few articles in Ghosts &amp; Scholars: ‘A Visit to Seaburgh‘ by Darroll Pardoe (G&amp;S 15), ‘Cambridge and Suffolk: A Perambulation of Two Counties’ by Brian J. Showers (G&amp;S Newsletter 14 – not available online) and ‘A Return to Seaburgh’ by Tom Baynham (G&amp;S Newsletter 23 – not available online). See also the White Lion Hotel. To see the locations features in this story on a map, visit Monty’s World, our M.R. James map. Snape Common Anglo-Saxon Cemetary (Wikipedia) The idea of buried Anglo-Saxon treasure was probably inspired by the real archeological finds uncovered at nearby Snape Common during the 19th century. The story also mentions the crown found at Rendlesham, a reference to the real crown found at the famous burial mounds at Sutton Hoo, near Rendlesham. ‘”No Thoroughfare” – The problem of Paxton’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars 32) This fascinating article (sadly not available online) explores the implications of a wartime setting for ‘A Warning to the Curious’. For an entirely different take on the character of Paxton, see Pincombe’s very entertaining essay ‘Homosexual Panic and the English Ghost Story‘ (G&amp;S Newsletter 2)! ‘Lay of a Last Survivor- Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious” ‘ by Patrick J. Murphy and Fred Porcheddhu (not yet published) This article reveals the connection between this story and Beowulf, and elaborates on Mike Pincombe’s suggestions about the importance of WWI to the understanding of this story. ‘”The Rules of Folklore” in the stories of M.R. James’ by Jacqueline Simpson (Warnings to the Curious, Hippocampus Press, 2007) This essay mentions various possible precedents to the myth of the Three Crowns, including the legend of Bran the Blessed and Drake’s Drum. The name ‘Ager’ (Surname Database) It seems that ‘Ager’ is indeed a local name of some pedigree in the Suffolk and Cambridge area.  As if a bumper 2-parter on ‘A Warning to the Curious’ wasn’t enough, we have also produced a short video comprising footage taken on our recent visit to Aldeburgh, and featuring locations from the story such as Aldeburgh Parish Church, the White Lion Hotel (‘the Bear’ from the story), Wyndham House (home of M.R. James’s grandparents), the Martello Tower, Sluice Cottage (the likely site of William Ager’s house) and even a spot which matches James’s description and location of the mound where Paxton finds the crown!

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/warning-900x1695.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>The waiting is over, it’s finally time for Mike &amp; Will to tackle what is arguably M.R. James’s masterpiece – <a href="http://wikilivres.ca/wiki/A_Warning_to_the_Curious" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Warning to the Curious</a>! It’s a biggie, so we will split our coverate of this story over two episodes. Our examination of this story will conclude in episode 31. To assist them in their task, Mike and Will are joined by Tom Baynham, whose article ‘A Return to Seaburgh’ sheds much light on the real-world locations which feature in this story. Once again big thanks go out to <a href="http://woodnart.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alisdair Wood</a> for providing the awesome artwork. You can now purchase a set of eight postcards featuring Alisdair’s great M.R. James illustrations. Snap them up while you can from <a href="http://woody.bigcartel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alisdair’s online shop</a>. The excellent readings which accompany this episode were provided by Lewis Davies. Show notes: <ul> <li>Story locations In his introduction to ‘Collected Ghost Stories’ M.R. James explained that he based the town of Seaburgh on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldeburgh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aldeburgh</a> in Suffolk. The actual locations featured in this story have been explored in a few articles in Ghosts &amp; Scholars: ‘<a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveSeaburgh.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Visit to Seaburgh</a>‘ by Darroll Pardoe (G&amp;S 15), ‘Cambridge and Suffolk: A Perambulation of Two Counties’ by Brian J. Showers (G&amp;S Newsletter 14 – not available online) and ‘A Return to Seaburgh’ by Tom Baynham (G&amp;S Newsletter 23 – not available online). See also the <a href="http://www.whitelion.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">White Lion Hotel</a>. To see the locations features in this story on a map, visit <a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/maps/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monty’s World</a>, our M.R. James map.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snape_Anglo-Saxon_Cemetery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Snape Common Anglo-Saxon Cemetary</a> (Wikipedia) The idea of buried Anglo-Saxon treasure was probably inspired by the real archeological finds uncovered at nearby Snape Common during the 19th century. The story also mentions the crown found at Rendlesham, a reference to the real crown found at the famous burial mounds at <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sutton Hoo</a>, near Rendlesham.</li> <li>‘”No Thoroughfare” – The problem of Paxton’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars 32) This fascinating article (sadly not available online) explores the implications of a wartime setting for ‘A Warning to the Curious’. For an entirely different take on the character of Paxton, see Pincombe’s very entertaining essay ‘<a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GSNews2a.html#anchor5009" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Homosexual Panic and the English Ghost Story</a>‘ (G&amp;S Newsletter 2)!</li> <li>‘Lay of a Last Survivor- Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious” ‘ by Patrick J. Murphy and Fred Porcheddhu (not yet published) This article reveals the connection between this story and Beowulf, and elaborates on Mike Pincombe’s suggestions about the importance of WWI to the understanding of this story.</li> <li>‘”The Rules of Folklore” in the stories of M.R. James’ by Jacqueline Simpson (Warnings to the Curious, Hippocampus Press, 2007) This essay mentions various possible precedents to the myth of the Three Crowns, including the legend of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_the_Blessed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bran the Blessed</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake%27s_Drum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drake’s Drum</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Agar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The name ‘Ager’ </a>(Surname Database) It seems that ‘Ager’ is indeed a local name of some pedigree in the Suffolk and Cambridge area.</li> </ul> As if a bumper 2-parter on ‘A Warning to the Curious’ wasn’t enough, we have also produced a short video comprising footage taken on our recent visit to Aldeburgh, and featuring locations from the story such as Aldeburgh Parish Church, the White Lion Hotel (‘the Bear’ from the story), Wyndham House (home of M.R. James’s grandparents), the Martello Tower, Sluice Cottage (the likely site of William Ager’s house) and even a spot which matches James’s description and location of the mound where Paxton finds the crown!

Episode 30 – A Warning to the Curious – Part 1 of 2

J Sheridan Le Fanu

Illustration by M. Grant Kellermeyer In this bumper episode we examine M.R. James’s favourite story by his favourite author, ‘The Familiar’ by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu! Praise doesn’t get much higher than that, but is it all it is cracked up to be? If you are a fan of owls, diminutive, angry men in fur caps and incredibly long sentences, then you are in for a treat. This episode also features an interview with noted Le Fanu expert Brian J Showers of Swan River Press and readings by Debbie Wedge. This episodes artwork comes curtesy of M. Grant Kellermeyer of Oldstyle Tales Press. Story notes  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Wikipedia) Some biographical information on the man himself. ‘In a glass darkly’ by Le Fanu (Wikipedia) This is the volume of ghost stories in which this story most famously appears, featuring the ‘occult detective’ Dr. Martin Hesselius. M.R. James on J. S. Le Fanu (Ghosts and Scholars) An article based on the presentation on Le Fanu that M.R. James gave to the Royal Institution of Great Britain on March 16th, 1923. Haunted Holidays – The Terrible Occult Detectives (Tor.com) A very amusing essay on the ‘occult detective’ in literature, which singles out Le Fanu’s Dr Hesselius as the first occult detective. Reminiscences of a bachelor by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Swan River Press) We mention this title in our interview with Brian J. Showers. The book features ‘The Watcher’ and other stories, as well as its original companion piece ‘The Fatal Bride’ and notes on both stories.  Also mentioned in this episode  Monsters – Don’t treat them gently! (Pleasing Terror Games) The new M.R. James board game from friend of the show, James Drewitt. ‘No Diggin ‘ere’ and ‘Barchestering’ T-shirts (redbubble.com) Two new MRJ T-shirts from our regular reader Debbie Wedge! Also available as baby-grows, mugs, phone cases etc. 

Illustration by M. Grant Kellermeyer In this bumper episode we examine M.R. James’s favourite story by his favourite author, ‘The Familiar’ by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu! Praise doesn’t get much higher than that, but is it all it is cracked up to be? If you are a fan of owls, diminutive, angry men in fur caps and incredibly long sentences, then you are in for a treat. This episode also features an interview with noted Le Fanu expert <a href="http://www.brianjshowers.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brian J Showers</a> of <a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Swan River Press</a> and readings by Debbie Wedge. This episodes artwork comes curtesy of M. Grant Kellermeyer of <a href="https://www.oldstyletales.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oldstyle Tales Press</a>. Story notes <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheridan_Le_Fanu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Wikipedia)</a> Some biographical information on the man himself.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_Glass_Darkly" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘In a glass darkly’ by Le Fanu (Wikipedia)</a> This is the volume of ghost stories in which this story most famously appears, featuring the ‘occult detective’ Dr. Martin Hesselius.</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveLeFanu.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M.R. James on J. S. Le Fanu (Ghosts and Scholars)</a> An article based on the presentation on Le Fanu that M.R. James gave to the Royal Institution of Great Britain on March 16th, 1923.</li> <li><a href="http://www.tor.com/2013/12/18/haunted-holidays-the-terrible-occult-detectives/comment-page-1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Haunted Holidays – The Terrible Occult Detectives (Tor.com)</a> A very amusing essay on the ‘occult detective’ in literature, which singles out Le Fanu’s Dr Hesselius as the first occult detective.</li> <li><a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/title_reminiscences.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reminiscences of a bachelor by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Swan River Press)</a> We mention this title in our interview with Brian J. Showers. The book features ‘The Watcher’ and other stories, as well as its original companion piece ‘The Fatal Bride’ and notes on both stories.</li> </ul> Also mentioned in this episode <ul> <li><a href="https://pleasingterror.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monsters – Don’t treat them gently! (Pleasing Terror Games)</a> The new M.R. James board game from friend of the show, James Drewitt.</li> <li><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/webbiededge/works/24152892-no-diggin-ere?grid_pos=1&amp;p=t-shirt&amp;style=mens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘No Diggin ‘ere’</a> and <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/webbiededge/works/24152688-barchestering" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Barchestering’</a> T-shirts (<a href="http://redbubble.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">redbubble.com</a>) Two new MRJ T-shirts from our regular reader <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/webbiededge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Debbie Wedge</a>! Also available as baby-grows, mugs, phone cases etc.</li> </ul>

Episode 58 – The Familiar by J Sheridan Le Fanu

This episode concludes our coverage of M.R. James’s masterwork ‘A Warning to the Curious‘, and we also speak to James expert Patrick J. Murphy, whose essay ‘Lay of a Last Survivor – Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious”’ impressed us greatly when researching this story. Lewis Davies returns again to lend his voice to the readings for this episode, and an excellent job he does too. Thanks Lewis! Notes on Remembrance Day: When we started our two-parter on Warning to the Curious, we didn’t realise that we’d be releasing the second part on Remembrance Day. For all that M.R. James did to honour the memory of the war dead, it seems likely that his portrayal of the First World War in this story was intended to be  ambiguous, and likely coloured by  his role as mentor to students from Cambridge who were amongst the fallen.  Will and I are conscious that some might feel this as an insensitive topic for Armistice Day, and I am sure that M.R. James would have felt the same way.  But the podcast is ready, and I hope you agree that there is some merit in discussing how heavily the war weighed on James – as we remember those affected by war, in all conflicts. Show notes:  ‘Lay of a Last Survivor – Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious”’ by Patrick J Murphy and Fred Porcheddu (under review) Our intereviewee in this episode is co-author of this excellent essay. Patrick assures us he will let us know when it is published! ‘”No Thoroughfare” – The problem of Paxton’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars 32) This fascinating article (sadly not available online) explores the implications of a wartime setting for ‘A Warning to the Curious’. For an entirely different take on the character of Paxton, see Pincombe’s very entertaining essay ‘Homosexual Panic and the English Ghost Story‘ (G&amp;S Newsletter 2)! The Martello Tower, Aldeburgh (Landmark Trust) Fancy a holiday in a real-life M.R. James location? The Martello Tower at Aldeburgh where Paxton meets his death is now a holiday cottage! If you are not familiar with martello towers, you can learn more about this particular type of coastal defence on wikipedia. Beowulf (wikipedia) Patrick and Fred’s essay (see above) points out the glaring similatiries between this story and the most famous anglo-saxon story, Beowulf. Both stories feature theft from a burial mound with a guardian. A Warning to the Curious directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark (BBC TV 1972) Further details about the 1972 TV version of this story can be found on wikipedia, including differences between the TV version and the original story. A Playmobil Warning to the Curious (youtube) For a different take on the story, watch this playmobil animation of the story created by author and James-scholar Helen Grant and her son. It is both scary and cute in equal measures! A Warning to the Furious (BBC Radio Drama) Another highly entertaining riff on this story can be found in this BBC radio drama from Christmas 2007. A feminist film crew visit Aldeburgh to try and psychoanalyse M.R. James, but find they have bitten off more than they can chew! This drama is not currently available form the BBC but can be tracked down on the dark dingy corners of the internet with a bit of searching. Our visit to Aldeburgh (Flickr) You can see some photos of the visit we made this August to Aldeburgh, Suffolk on our Flickr account. Also see below for a video of out visit. Don’t forget you can view these locations on Monty’s World, our online mapping app. 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/warning2-full.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode concludes our coverage of M.R. James’s masterwork ‘<a href="http://wikilivres.ca/wiki/A_Warning_to_the_Curious" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Warning to the Curious</a>‘, and we also speak to James expert Patrick J. Murphy, whose essay ‘Lay of a Last Survivor – Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious”’ impressed us greatly when researching this story. Lewis Davies returns again to lend his voice to the readings for this episode, and an excellent job he does too. Thanks Lewis! Notes on Remembrance Day: When we started our two-parter on Warning to the Curious, we didn’t realise that we’d be releasing the second part on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Remembrance Day</a>. For all that M.R. James did to honour the memory of the war dead, it seems likely that his portrayal of the First World War in this story was intended to be  ambiguous, and likely coloured by  his role as mentor to students from Cambridge who were amongst the fallen. Will and I are conscious that some might feel this as an insensitive topic for Armistice Day, and I am sure that M.R. James would have felt the same way.  But the podcast is ready, and I hope you agree that there is some merit in discussing how heavily the war weighed on James – as we remember those affected by war, in all conflicts. Show notes: <ul> <li>‘Lay of a Last Survivor – Beowulf, the Great War, and M.R. James’s “A Warning to the Curious”’ by <a href="http://www.units.muohio.edu/english/people/faculty/I_P/MurphyPatrick.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patrick J Murphy</a> and <a href="http://denison.edu/a-to-z/people/faculty/p#porcheddu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fred Porcheddu</a> (under review) Our intereviewee in this episode is co-author of this excellent essay. Patrick assures us he will let us know when it is published!</li> <li>‘”No Thoroughfare” – The problem of Paxton’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars 32) This fascinating article (sadly not available online) explores the implications of a wartime setting for ‘A Warning to the Curious’. For an entirely different take on the character of Paxton, see Pincombe’s very entertaining essay ‘<a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/%7Epardos/GSNews2a.html#anchor5009" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Homosexual Panic and the English Ghost Story</a>‘ (G&amp;S Newsletter 2)!</li> <li><a href="http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/martello-tower-9317" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Martello Tower, Aldeburgh</a> (Landmark Trust) Fancy a holiday in a real-life M.R. James location? The Martello Tower at Aldeburgh where Paxton meets his death is now a holiday cottage! If you are not familiar with martello towers, you can learn more about this particular type of coastal defence on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martello_tower" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beowulf</a> (wikipedia) Patrick and Fred’s essay (see above) points out the glaring similatiries between this story and the most famous anglo-saxon story, Beowulf. Both stories feature theft from a burial mound with a guardian.</li> <li>A Warning to the Curious directed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Gordon_Clark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lawrence Gordon Clark</a> (BBC TV 1972) Further details about the 1972 TV version of this story can be found on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Warning_to_the_Curious" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>, including differences between the TV version and the original story.</li> <li><a href="http://youtu.be/9r4M2TDAeag" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Playmobil Warning to the Curious</a> (youtube) For a different take on the story, watch this playmobil animation of the story created by author and James-scholar <a href="http://www.helengrantbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Helen Grant</a> and her son. It is both scary and cute in equal measures!</li> <li><a href="http://www.radiodramareviews.com/id261.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Warning to the Furious</a> (BBC Radio Drama) Another highly entertaining riff on this story can be found in this BBC radio drama from Christmas 2007. A feminist film crew visit Aldeburgh to try and psychoanalyse M.R. James, but find they have bitten off more than they can chew! This drama is not currently available form the BBC but can be tracked down on the dark dingy corners of the internet with a bit of searching.</li> <li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjamespodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our visit to Aldeburgh</a> (Flickr) You can see some photos of the visit we made this August to Aldeburgh, Suffolk on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjamespodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Flickr account</a>. Also see below for a video of out visit. Don’t forget you can view these locations on <a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/maps/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monty’s World</a>, our online mapping app.</li> </ul>

Episode 31 – A Warning to the Curious – Part 2 of 2

In this episode Mike and Will batten down the hatches and prepare for the onslaught of ‘The Malice of Inanimate Objects‘ by M.R. James. Readings for this episode are taken from Curious Creatures, Robert Lloyd Parry’s excellent audiobook which features a selection of lesser-heard M.R. James stories. Many thanks to Robert for giving us permission to use them! The full CD can (and should) be purchased from nunkie.co.uk Thanks to Alisdair Wood who provided the awesome artwork that accompanies this episode. Head over to woodi.co.uk for more M.R. James inspired artwork for sale. Links  The Malice of Inanimate Objects by M.R. James (Ghosts and Scholars) This story can be read in full online at the Ghosts and Scholars website. See the notes at the bottom for links to the various translations of the Brothers Grimm’s story about the unfortunate, or very wicked, Squire Korbes. Resistentialism and Animism (wikipedia) Think that objects are out to get you? You’re not alone, as Paul Jennings discussed in his humorous 1948 Spectator article on what he coined ‘Resistentialism‘. But attributing human attribute to non-human entities is nothing new, see this wikipedia article on Animism in religion. The Malice of Inanimate Objects short film (Youtube) Want to see a man crack an egg on his own face, and worse? This M.R. James short by Youtuber Alan OW Barnes takes it’s inspiration from M.R. James and the tale of Squire Korbes mentioned in this story. Death Bed: The Bed that Eats (Youtube) Cited as ‘a strong contender for worst movie ever made’, this 70’s horror movie caught Mike’s eye as example of the inanimate object idea being taken to places it probably shouldn’t. Warning: contains bad acting. 

In this episode Mike and Will batten down the hatches and prepare for the onslaught of ‘<a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveMalice.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Malice of Inanimate Objects</a>‘ by M.R. James. Readings for this episode are taken from <a href="http://nunkie.co.uk/audio.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Curious Creatures</a>, Robert Lloyd Parry’s excellent audiobook which features a selection of lesser-heard M.R. James stories. Many thanks to Robert for giving us permission to use them! The full CD can (and should) be purchased from <a href="http://nunkie.co.uk/audio.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nunkie.co.uk</a> Thanks to Alisdair Wood who provided the awesome artwork that accompanies this episode. Head over to <a href="http://www.woodi.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">woodi.co.uk</a> for more M.R. James inspired artwork for sale. Links <ul> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveMalice.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Malice of Inanimate Objects</a> by M.R. James (Ghosts and Scholars) This story can be read in full online at the Ghosts and Scholars website. See the notes at the bottom for links to the <a href="http://www.belinus.co.uk/fairytales/GrimmAdventuresChanticleer.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">various</a> <a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/160.txt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">translations</a> of the Brothers Grimm’s story about the unfortunate, or very wicked, Squire Korbes.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistentialism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Resistentialism</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Animism</a> (wikipedia) Think that objects are out to get you? You’re not alone, as Paul Jennings discussed in his humorous 1948 Spectator article on what he coined ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistentialism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Resistentialism</a>‘. But attributing human attribute to non-human entities is nothing new, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this wikipedia article on Animism in religion</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ntsBlhxpI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Malice of Inanimate Objects short film</a> (Youtube) Want to see a man crack an egg on his own face, and worse? This M.R. James short by Youtuber Alan OW Barnes takes it’s inspiration from M.R. James and the tale of Squire Korbes mentioned in this story.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE45groHd6Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Death Bed: The Bed that Eats</a> (Youtube) Cited as ‘a strong contender for worst movie ever made’, this 70’s horror movie caught Mike’s eye as example of the inanimate object idea being taken to places it probably shouldn’t. Warning: contains bad acting.</li> </ul>

Episode 43 – The Malice of Inanimate Objects

This week Mike and Will attempt some foul necromancy with MR James’ little-known tale ‘The Experiment’.  Ghosts and Scholars described it as “weak and difficult” story: can your hosts revive it from the dead? Story notes  Rosemary and Daroll Pardoe’s invaluable notes, from Ghosts and Scholars Bishop Moore: a hardcore bibliophile after James’ own heart, his manuscript collection doubled the size of the Cambridge University Library when it was purchased in 1714. Was the murder of the rector of Rockland St Peter on Twelth Night in 1608 one of James’ inspirations for this story? Will and Mike also investigated some spooky goings on at Mill Hill Surgery: do check out the Halloween special of BBC soap Doctors before it disappears from iPlayer.

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/John-Moore.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This week Mike and Will attempt some foul necromancy with MR James’ little-known tale <a href="http://www.thin-ghost.org/items/show/140" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Experiment’</a>.  Ghosts and Scholars described it as “weak and difficult” story: can your hosts revive it from the dead? Story notes <ul> <li>Rosemary and Daroll Pardoe’s <a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/%7Epardos/GSNews3.html#anchor141546" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">invaluable notes</a>, from Ghosts and Scholars</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moore_%28bishop_of_Ely%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bishop Moore</a>: a hardcore bibliophile after James’ own heart, his manuscript collection doubled the size of the Cambridge University Library when it was purchased in 1714.</li> <li>Was <a href="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UUMJAAAAIAAJ&amp;pg=PA490&amp;lpg=PA490&amp;dq=rockland+st+peter+murder+1608&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=AS9a2NtOD6&amp;sig=eR148Vkt4S5nRRIvxG2U_VVxWfg&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=UpBwVPzFIc_kaP_NgegB&amp;ved=0CD8Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&amp;q=rockland%20st%20peter%20murder%201608&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the murder of the rector of Rockland St Peter</a> on Twelth Night in 1608 one of James’ inspirations for this story?</li> <li>Will and Mike also investigated some spooky goings on at Mill Hill Surgery: do check out the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n5z0n" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Halloween special</a> of BBC soap Doctors before it disappears from iPlayer.</li></ul>

Episode 40 – The Experiment

Mike and Will take a cruise across the pond in the good ship Kamchatka – but who’s hiding in The Upper Berth?  Joining us to narrate F. Marion Crawford’s classic tale is reader Rupert Simons, who tells us that he’s found a cheap cabin for his trip from The Hook to Harwich next week… Show notes:  F. Marion Crawford was a very successful writer who penned comparatively few ghost stories and as chiefly known for his historical novels. The Upper Berth was originally published in “The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean”, an anthology of tales told by passengers on a stranded ocean liner.  Friend of the show Dewi Evans (whom we interviewed at JamesCon in Episode 51) has written an excellent post about this collection on his blog. Ruthanna Emrys and Anne Pillsworth have written an excellent essay on this story, mentioned in our show.  Anne suggests that “Bertie” is the ghost of a man who justs wants the bed for which he paid! There is a short film adaptation of ‘The Upper Berth’ by Mansfield Dark. You can watch it online but it’s also available as an extra on the DVD ‘The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance’. Our fabulous cover art came from illustrator and designer Mike Godwin, whose website is full of wonderful things and links to his Etsy shop.

Mike and Will take a cruise across the pond in the good ship Kamchatka – but who’s hiding in The Upper Berth?  Joining us to narrate F. Marion Crawford’s classic tale is reader Rupert Simons, who tells us that he’s found a cheap cabin for his trip from The Hook to Harwich next week… Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Marion_Crawford" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">F. Marion Crawford</a> was a very successful writer who penned comparatively few ghost stories and as chiefly known for his historical novels.</li> <li>The Upper Berth was originally published in “The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean”, an anthology of tales told by passengers on a stranded ocean liner.  Friend of the show <a href="https://twitter.com/wonderwelsh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dewi Evans</a> (whom we interviewed at JamesCon in Episode 51) has written an excellent post about this collection on his <a href="https://gothictexts.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/the-broken-shaft-tales-in-mid-ocean-1886-edited-by-henry-norman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blog</a>.</li> <li>Ruthanna Emrys and Anne Pillsworth have written an <a href="https://www.tor.com/2017/02/01/the-horror-of-cocktail-parties-f-marion-crawfords-the-upper-berth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">excellent essay</a> on this story, mentioned in our show.  Anne suggests that “Bertie” is the ghost of a man who justs wants the bed for which he paid!</li> <li>There is a short film adaptation of ‘The Upper Berth’ by Mansfield Dark. You can <a href="http://(https://vimeo.com/ondemand/apleasingterror/122513634)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">watch it online</a> but it’s also available as an extra on the <a href="http://www.mansfielddark.com/Mansfield_Dark/A_Pleasing_Terror.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DVD</a> ‘The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance’.</li> <li>Our fabulous cover art came from illustrator and designer Mike Godwin, whose <a href="http://mikegodwin.net/illustration/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> is full of wonderful things and links to his Etsy shop.</li></ul>

Episode 62 – The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford

This episode Mike &amp; Will pack their tents, pull up their socks and strap on their woggles (woggles are a scout thing, right?) as they explore M.R. James’s ‘Wailing Well’! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes:  Worbarrow Bay This story was read to the Eton boy scout troop during a camping trip to Worbarrow Bay in Dorset. Today Worbarrow Bay is owned by the Ministry of Defense and is notable for being the location of the ghost village of Tyneham. Characters This story features a veritable who’s-who of Eton staff members from the period, including Headmaster Cyril Alington, Vice-Project Hugh V. Macnaghten, James himself and most prominently Eton’s Maths teacher and Scout Master William Hope Jones, who is most famous for writing the humorous song ‘National Anthem of the Ancient Britons‘ aka ‘The Woad Song’. The Scouts Will thinks that the antics of Stanley Judkins resemble those of Just William, but they remind Mike more of the scout troop in Moonrise Kingdom. Three women and a man Who are the mysterious haunters of the wailing well field? It is never revealed, but if the location is Worbarrow Bay in Dorset, then it is possible that the local gaol records suggests they may have been smugglers. The Wailing Well (short film) Film-makers Stephen Gray and David Lilley have committed this story to celluloid. You can watch it on Youtube in it’s entirety. Check out their other work at www.loonatikanddrinks.com Wayland Wood, Norfolk In his ‘Suffolk and Norfolk’ M.R. James mentions in passing that Wayland Wood near Thetford was known locally as ‘Wailing Wood’ on account of it’s supposedly dark past as the setting for the crimes which inspired ‘Babes in a Wood’. Of Three Girls and of their Talk by Derek John This story, a highly enjoyable Wailing Well prequel, appears in the sadly hard-to-find Ghosts &amp; Scholars Book of Shadows. Dutch Oven The sort of ‘dutch oven’ referred to in the story is this and definitely not this. 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Scouting-manual-full.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode Mike &amp; Will pack their tents, pull up their socks and strap on their woggles (woggles are a scout thing, right?) as they explore M.R. James’s ‘Wailing Well’! Big thanks to Debbie Wedge for providing the readings for this episode. Show notes: <ul> <li>Worbarrow Bay This story was read to the Eton boy scout troop during a camping trip to <a href="http://mrjamespodcast.com/maps/?mapid=50.619573" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Worbarrow Bay</a> in Dorset. Today Worbarrow Bay is owned by the Ministry of Defense and is notable for being the location of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worbarrow_Bay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ghost village of Tyneham</a>.</li> <li>Characters This story features a veritable who’s-who of Eton staff members from the period, including Headmaster <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qFQIpqlFnk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cyril Alington</a>, Vice-Project Hugh V. Macnaghten, James himself and most prominently Eton’s Maths teacher and Scout Master William Hope Jones, who is most famous for writing the humorous song ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anthem_of_the_Ancient_Britons" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Anthem of the Ancient Britons</a>‘ aka ‘The Woad Song’.</li> <li>The Scouts Will thinks that the antics of Stanley Judkins resemble those of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_William" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Just William</a>, but they remind Mike more of the scout troop in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eOI3AamSm8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moonrise Kingdom</a>.</li> <li>Three women and a man Who are the mysterious haunters of the wailing well field? It is never revealed, but if the location is Worbarrow Bay in Dorset, then it is possible that the local <a href="http://www.tynehamopc.org.uk/gaol_registers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaol records</a> suggests they may have been <a href="http://www.tynehamopc.org.uk/tyneham_smuggling.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">smugglers</a>.</li> <li>The Wailing Well (short film) Film-makers Stephen Gray and David Lilley have committed this story to celluloid. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZMKlrYy6nM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">watch it on Youtube</a> in it’s entirety. Check out their other work at <a href="http://www.loonatikanddrinks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.loonatikanddrinks.com</a></li> <li>Wayland Wood, Norfolk In his ‘Suffolk and Norfolk’ M.R. James mentions in passing that <a href="http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/wayland-wood" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wayland Wood</a> near Thetford was known locally as ‘Wailing Wood’ on account of it’s supposedly dark past as the setting for the crimes which inspired ‘Babes in a Wood’.</li> <li>Of Three Girls and of their Talk by Derek John This story, a highly enjoyable Wailing Well prequel, appears in the sadly hard-to-find <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16100170-the-ghosts-and-scholars-book-of-shadows" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghosts &amp; Scholars Book of Shadows</a>.</li> <li>Dutch Oven The sort of ‘dutch oven’ referred to in the story is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_oven" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this</a> and definitely not <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjCCk-ewLYw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this</a>.</li> </ul>

Episode 37 – Wailing Well

This episode explores some ecclesiastical terrors in R.H. Benson’s ‘The Traveller’. It was ‘too ecclesiastical’ for M.R. James, but will Mike and Will find something to enjoy in this tale of perturbed priests, creepy confessionals and historical haunting? Thanks to our reader for this episode Debbie Wedge! Show notes:  Robert Hugh Benson (catholiceducation.org) Benson was ordained a priest by his Archbishop father in 1895 before sending shockwaves through the church by converting to Catholicism in 1904, the year after this story was published. The Light Invisible by R.H. Benson (Gutenberg) The volume that this story appears in can be read in full online at Project Gutenberg. Frederick Rolfe (wikipedia) Benson’s close friendship and literary collaboration with the eccentric Frederick Rolfe (the self-styled ‘Baron Corvo’) threatened to derail Benson’s religious career. Thomas Becket (wikipedia) Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. During his life he quarreled with King Henry II over the rights of the church, and was made a saint after his death. 

This episode explores some ecclesiastical terrors in R.H. Benson’s ‘The Traveller’. It was ‘too ecclesiastical’ for M.R. James, but will Mike and Will find something to enjoy in this tale of perturbed priests, creepy confessionals and historical haunting? Thanks to our reader for this episode Debbie Wedge! Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/literature/robert-hugh-benson-remembering-a-forgotten-giant.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robert Hugh Benson</a> (<a href="http://catholiceducation.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">catholiceducation.org</a>) Benson was ordained a priest by his Archbishop father in 1895 before sending shockwaves through the church by converting to Catholicism in 1904, the year after this story was published.</li> <li><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58433" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Light Invisible by R.H. Benson</a> (Gutenberg) The volume that this story appears in can be read in full online at Project Gutenberg.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Rolfe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frederick Rolfe</a> (wikipedia) Benson’s close friendship and literary collaboration with the eccentric Frederick Rolfe (the self-styled ‘Baron Corvo’) threatened to derail Benson’s religious career.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas Becket</a> (wikipedia) Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. During his life he quarreled with King Henry II over the rights of the church, and was made a saint after his death.</li> </ul>

Episode 75 – The Traveller by R.H. Benson

This episode Mike and Will indulge in murder, moralising and supernatural goat-based mayhem in A.C. Benson’s ‘Out of the Sea’. Big thanks to our reader for this episode Debbie Wedge, and don’t forget to check out her M.R. James-themed t-shirt designs, ‘No diggin’ ere‘ and ‘Barchestering‘! Notes:  A.C. Benson (Wikipedia) A.C. Benson was one of MRJ’s closest friends throughout his life. They attended prep school, Eton and King’s College together, worked together in later life and remained regular correspondents right up until Benson’s death in 1925. ‘Out of the sea’ (full story – Project Gutenberg) You can read this story online, or download as a free ebook at Project Gutenberg. The story features in Benson’s 1904 collection ‘The Isles of Sunset’. Wreckers (wikipedia) In this episode we speculated that Mister Grimston might have been involved in ‘Wrecking’, the act of luring passing ships into dangerous waters to sink them so their cargo could be stolen. A.C. Benson and Cambridge (Ged Martin) An extended essay about A.C. Benson that touches on his whole life at Cambridge, as well as his relationship with his father and his mental health. Why is the Devil also a goat? (Refinery29.com) This article explores why goats became associated with evil in both religious symbolism and popular culture.   @media screen and (max-width:480px) {    .entry img  {        width: 100%    }}

This episode Mike and Will indulge in murder, moralising and supernatural goat-based mayhem in A.C. Benson’s ‘Out of the Sea’. Big thanks to our reader for this episode Debbie Wedge, and don’t forget to check out her M.R. James-themed t-shirt designs, ‘<a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/webbiededge/works/24152892-no-diggin-ere?body_color=charcoal_heather&amp;p=t-shirt&amp;print_location=front&amp;size=medium&amp;style=mens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">No diggin’ ere</a>‘ and ‘<a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/webbiededge/works/24152688-barchestering?p=t-shirt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barchestering</a>‘! Notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._C._Benson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A.C. Benson (Wikipedia)</a> A.C. Benson was one of MRJ’s closest friends throughout his life. They attended prep school, Eton and King’s College together, worked together in later life and remained regular correspondents right up until Benson’s death in 1925.</li> <li><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18882" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Out of the sea’ (full story – Project Gutenberg)</a> You can read this story online, or download as a free ebook at Project Gutenberg. The story features in Benson’s 1904 collection ‘The Isles of Sunset’.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_(shipwreck)#Britain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wreckers (wikipedia)</a> In this episode we speculated that Mister Grimston might have been involved in ‘Wrecking’, the act of luring passing ships into dangerous waters to sink them so their cargo could be stolen.</li> <li><a href="https://www.gedmartin.net/martinalia-mainmenu-3/284-benson1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A.C. Benson and Cambridge (Ged Martin)</a> An extended essay about A.C. Benson that touches on his whole life at Cambridge, as well as his relationship with his father and his mental health.</li> <li><a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/baphomet-sabbatic-goat-satanic-symbol-meaning" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why is the Devil also a goat? (Refinery29.com)</a> This article explores why goats became associated with evil in both religious symbolism and popular culture.</li> </ul> @media screen and (max-width:480px) { .entry img { width: 100% } }

Episode 73 – Out of the sea by A.C. Benson

In this Christmas Special* Will and Mike get stuck into Count Magnus by M.R. James, and explore some startling questions:  What is the connection between Count Magnus and Ghostbusters 2? Will sewing your corpse into the carcass of a deer save your soul from the devil? Would Mr Wraxall prefer to have been shot in the balls by Robocop?  Answers to these questions and much, much more can be found in this bumber festive edition of the greatest and only M.R. James podcast! This episode features readings by Chris Savory. Show notes:  About the real Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie (Wikipedia) An image and map of the real manor at Råbäck Varnham Abbey, the site of the mausoleum of Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie (Wikipedia) ‘The Familiar’ by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Full text at Gaslight) The Black Pilgrimage to Chorazin by Rosemary Pardoe and Jane Nicholls (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) Dark Devotions – M.R. James and the Magical Tradition by Ron Weighell (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) About Chorazin (Wikipedia) The Tale of the Witch of Berkeley by Rob Hardy (twistedtree.org.uk)  * This edition may or may not feature Mike and Will singing an exclusive acapella rendition of ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’, accompanied by the choir of King’s College, Cambridge (spoiler alert: it doesn’t).

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Count-Magnus.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>In this Christmas Special* Will and Mike get stuck into <a href="http://www.thin-ghost.org/items/show/135" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Count Magnus by M.R. James</a>, and explore some startling questions: <ul> <li>What is the connection between Count Magnus and Ghostbusters 2?</li> <li>Will sewing your corpse into the carcass of a deer save your soul from the devil?</li> <li>Would Mr Wraxall prefer to have been shot in the balls by Robocop?</li> </ul> Answers to these questions and much, much more can be found in this bumber festive edition of the greatest and only M.R. James podcast! This episode features readings by Chris Savory. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Gabriel_De_la_Gardie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">About the real Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie</a> (Wikipedia)</li> <li><a href="http://www.vastsverige.com/en/Lacko---Kinnekulle/products/62316/Rabacks-Slott/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An image and map of the real manor at Råbäck</a></li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnhem_Abbey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Varnham Abbey, the site of the mausoleum of Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie</a> (Wikipedia)</li> <li><a href="http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/familiar.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Familiar’ by J. Sheridan Le Fanu</a> (Full text at Gaslight)</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArticleTwo.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Black Pilgrimage to Chorazin by Rosemary Pardoe and Jane Nicholls</a> (Ghosts &amp; Scholars)</li> <li><a href="http://www.pardoes.info/roanddarroll/ArchiveDark.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dark Devotions – M.R. James and the Magical Tradition by Ron Weighell</a> (Ghosts &amp; Scholars)</li> <li><a href="http://www.twistedtree.org.uk/witchofberkeley.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">About Chorazin</a> (Wikipedia)</li> <li><a href="http://www.twistedtree.org.uk/witchofberkeley.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tale of the Witch of Berkeley by Rob Hardy</a> (<a href="http://twistedtree.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twistedtree.org.uk</a>)</li> </ul> * This edition may or may not feature Mike and Will singing an exclusive acapella rendition of ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’, accompanied by the choir of King’s College, Cambridge (spoiler alert: it doesn’t).

Episode 6 – Count Magnus

This episode Mike &amp; Will put on their golden pince-nez and crack the spine of ‘The Uncommon Prayer-book’ by M.R. James! Big thanks go to our reader for this episode, Debbie Wedge. Questions answered during this episode:  Is M.R. James an anti-semite? Is Mr Poschwitz the Germanic Lovejoy? How much snakebite is too much snakebite?  Show notes:  Michael Cox / Pleasing Terror story notes (amazon) M.R. James’ biographer Michael Cox has written some very useful notes for this story which can be found in the Oxford Classics edition of ‘Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories’. Another set of notes can be found in the ‘Pleasing Terror’ M.R. James anthology. ‘The Books, Manuscripts and Literary Patronage of Lady Anne Sadleir (1585-1670)’ by Arnold Hunt (Google Books) This essay features in the volume ‘Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Writing: Selected Papers from the Trinity/Trent Colloquium’ contains a wealth of information on the real life individual on who provided M.R. James with the inspiration of this story. Info on this story, Lady Sadleir and Anti-Cromwellian editions of the book of common prayer (Two Nerdy History Girls) Information often turns up in unexpected places, like here in the comments section of a competely unrelated article about Guy Fawkes! Scroll down to the thread of comments starting with Chris Woodyard for some interesting speculation on the inspiration for this story. Stereotypes of Jews in Literature (Wikipedia) Anti-Semitism has been rearing it’s ugly head in literature for centuries. Was M.R. James jumping on the Hebrew-bashing bandwagon? We think not but this info on how Jews have been portrayed in literature over the years is certainly eye-opening. “M.R. James, Antiquarian Sleuth: William of Norwich, Thomas of Monmouth and the Blood Libel” by Steve Duffy (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) This excellent article goes a long way to debunk the suggestion that M.R. James was harbouring anti-semitic tendencies by discussing James’ work to debunk the ‘Blood libel’ myth through close examination of the truth behind the martyrdom of William of Norwich. Paul Lowe’s illustration of this story (Trashotron.com) Perennial M.R. James illustrator Paul Lowe produced a horrifying conception of what the flannel creature from this story may have looked like (scroll to the bottom of the page to find it). The Book of Common Prayer (wikipedia) Here you can read about the troubled history of the Book of Common Prayer, the first book to publish the forms of common Christian worship in English. Psalm 109 (rmjs.co.uk) Here you can read the full Book of Common Prayer version of Psalm 109, in all it’s doom-laden glory! 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/book-of-common-prayer2.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode Mike &amp; Will put on their golden pince-nez and crack the spine of <a href="http://www.gutenberg.ca/ebooks/james-uncommon/james-uncommon-00-h.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Uncommon Prayer-book’</a> by M.R. James! Big thanks go to our reader for this episode, Debbie Wedge. Questions answered during this episode: <ul> <li>Is M.R. James an anti-semite?</li> <li>Is Mr Poschwitz the Germanic Lovejoy?</li> <li>How much snakebite is too much snakebite?</li> </ul> Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0199538573/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&amp;pf_rd_s=center-2&amp;pf_rd_r=1JFZVRXRD2DZH1FHPF6H&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=358549767&amp;pf_rd_i=468294" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Cox</a> / <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/PLEASING-TERROR-Complete-Supernatural-ebook/dp/B00710XTPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1367077144&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pleasing+terror" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pleasing Terror</a> story notes (amazon) M.R. James’ biographer Michael Cox has written some very useful notes for this story which can be found in the Oxford Classics edition of ‘Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories’. Another set of notes can be found in the ‘Pleasing Terror’ M.R. James anthology.</li> <li><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FFbxmxdMP_MC&amp;pg=PA205&amp;lpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Books, Manuscripts and Literary Patronage of Lady Anne Sadleir (1585-1670)’</a> by Arnold Hunt (Google Books) This essay features in the volume ‘Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Writing: Selected Papers from the Trinity/Trent Colloquium’ contains a wealth of information on the real life individual on who provided M.R. James with the inspiration of this story.</li> <li><a href="http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/guy-fawkes-night-1678-bonfires-fear.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Info on this story, Lady Sadleir and Anti-Cromwellian editions of the book of common prayer</a> (Two Nerdy History Girls) Information often turns up in unexpected places, like here in the comments section of a competely unrelated article about Guy Fawkes! Scroll down to the thread of comments starting with Chris Woodyard for some interesting speculation on the inspiration for this story.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotypes_of_Jews_in_literature" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stereotypes of Jews in Literature</a> (Wikipedia) Anti-Semitism has been rearing it’s ugly head in literature for centuries. Was M.R. James jumping on the Hebrew-bashing bandwagon? We think not but this info on how Jews have been portrayed in literature over the years is certainly eye-opening.</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GSNews3.html#anchor138422" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“M.R. James, Antiquarian Sleuth: William of Norwich, Thomas of Monmouth and the Blood Libel”</a> by Steve Duffy (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) This excellent article goes a long way to debunk the suggestion that M.R. James was harbouring anti-semitic tendencies by discussing James’ work to debunk the ‘Blood libel’ myth through close examination of the truth behind the martyrdom of William of Norwich.</li> <li><a href="http://trashotron.com/agony/reviews/james-a_pleasing_terror.htm " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul Lowe’s illustration of this story</a> (<a href="http://Trashotron.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trashotron.com</a>) Perennial M.R. James illustrator Paul Lowe produced a horrifying conception of what the flannel creature from this story may have looked like (scroll to the bottom of the page to find it).</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Book of Common Prayer</a> (wikipedia) Here you can read about the troubled history of the Book of Common Prayer, the first book to publish the forms of common Christian worship in English.</li> <li><a href="http://www.rmjs.co.uk/psalter/psalms.php?p=109" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Psalm 109</a> (<a href="http://rmjs.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rmjs.co.uk</a>) Here you can read the full Book of Common Prayer version of Psalm 109, in all it’s doom-laden glory!</li> </ul>

Episode 25 – The Uncommon Prayer-book

This episode Mike and Will pack their sleeping bags and bed down for ‘A Night in King’s College Chapel’ by M.R. James. The episode also features an exclusive interview with James Drewett and Richard Svensson, creators of ‘Monsters and Miscreants’ a new M.R. James-themed card game available to order now. You can also watch an unboxing video of the same game featuring your humble hosts, Will and Mike, recorded live in Will’s kitchen. The glamour! About Monsters and Miscreants:  Order your copy at pleasingterror.wordpress.com, or find out more at their Facebook page View more of Richard’s artwork at his website loneanimator.com, where you can also find some of his awesome M.R. James animated short films. Also check out Richard on DeviantArt. Props also go to Ivory Graphics, the company responsible for printing the card game. If you are curious about James’s other still-in-development M.R. James card game ‘Cards for the Curious’, watch this Youtube video to find out more.   Show notes:  A Night in Kings College Chapel by M.R. James (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) You can read the full text of this story at the ever-useful Ghosts &amp; Scholars website. A Guide to the Windows of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge by M.R. James (Cambridge University Press) After writing this story M.R. James went on to write this book on the King’s College Chapel glass. It was published in 1899. The Medieval Stained Glass Photographic Archive (therosewindow.com) This website contains images of nearly all the stained glass mentioned in this story, including their locations within the chapel. More detailed text about the windows can also be found at vidimus.org, and this video from The Guardian explores the chapel. The Univeristy Pitt Club The final fragment of this story was found written on Pitt Club note paper, hinting at where James may have been sitting when he wrote it. ‘Dare to be a Daniel’ (Youtube) It is likely that this is the sort of thing James was afraid of when he makes his sniffy comments about ‘congregational singing’! Reuben and the well (Biblehub.com) Genesis 37:29 – the scene from the bible that Reuben is supposed to be representing in his window when ‘on duty’. Moses and the Manna from heaven (biblegateway.com) Exodus 16 – where the Manna comes from which the naughty children of Israel are throwing at Reuben in the story. Biblical typology (theopedia.com) When Reuben says “I may only be a type…” he is referring to this. The most misunderstood woman in the bible (todayschristianwoman.com) In this story Job’s wife is portrayed as an unsympathetic nagging tyrant, a traditional interpretation of her character. However, more modern minds have reassessed her character and come to a different conclusion. Window of opportunity (spectator.co.uk) During the episode Mike mentions the surprising story of how King’s College Chapel got it’s famous west window. This is it!  The windows themselves (mostly at therosewindow.com):  Reuben Gathering the manna (or throwing the bread rolls) Naomi, she of the deceased and hen-pecked husband Job, tormented by demons (and his wife) Jonah and one crazy-ass looking whale Tobias and his mother And here’s the vicious dog 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Mouth-of-Hell-2.png" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode Mike and Will pack their sleeping bags and bed down for ‘A Night in King’s College Chapel’ by M.R. James. The episode also features an exclusive interview with James Drewett and Richard Svensson, creators of ‘Monsters and Miscreants’ a new M.R. James-themed card game available to order now. You can also watch an unboxing video of the same game featuring your humble hosts, Will and Mike, recorded live in Will’s kitchen. The glamour! About Monsters and Miscreants: <ul> <li>Order your copy at <a href="http://pleasingterror.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pleasingterror.wordpress.com</a>, or find out more at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/M-R-James-Card-Game-Monsters-Miscreants-1496413474000274/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">their Facebook page</a></li> <li>View more of Richard’s artwork at his website <a href="http://loneanimator.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">loneanimator.com</a>, where you can also find some of his awesome <a href="http://loneanimator.com/films/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M.R. James animated short films</a>. Also check out Richard on <a href="http://loneanimator.deviantart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DeviantArt</a>.</li> <li>Props also go to <a href="http://www.ivorygraphics.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ivory Graphics</a>, the company responsible for printing the card game.</li> <li>If you are curious about James’s other still-in-development M.R. James card game ‘Cards for the Curious’, watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zztjZP-qhMo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this Youtube video</a> to find out more.</li> </ul> Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveKings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Night in Kings College Chapel</a> by M.R. James (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) You can read the full text of this story at the ever-useful Ghosts &amp; Scholars website.</li> <li><a href="http://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/history/british-history-after-1450/guide-windows-kings-college-chapel-cambridge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Guide to the Windows of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge</a><a href="http://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/history/british-history-after-1450/guide-windows-kings-college-chapel-cambridge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> by M.R. James (Cambridge University Press) </a>After writing this story M.R. James went on to write this book on the King’s College Chapel glass. It was published in 1899.</li> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/table.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Medieval Stained Glass Photographic Archive</a> (<a href="http://therosewindow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">therosewindow.com</a>) This website contains images of nearly all the stained glass mentioned in this story, including their locations within the chapel. More detailed text about the windows can also be found at <a href="http://vidimus.org/issues/issue-05/panel-of-the-month/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vidimus.org</a>, and this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isP3lspL644" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video from The Guardian</a> explores the chapel.</li> <li><a href="http://universitypittclub.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Univeristy Pitt Club</a> The final fragment of this story was found written on Pitt Club note paper, hinting at where James may have been sitting when he wrote it.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjAkGX1ab80" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Dare to be a Daniel’</a> (Youtube) It is likely that this is the sort of thing James was afraid of when he makes his sniffy comments about ‘congregational singing’!</li> <li><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/37-29.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reuben and the well</a> (<a href="http://Biblehub.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Biblehub.com</a>) Genesis 37:29 – the scene from the bible that Reuben is supposed to be representing in his window when ‘on duty’.</li> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+16" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moses and the Manna from heaven</a> (<a href="http://biblegateway.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">biblegateway.com</a>) Exodus 16 – where the Manna comes from which the naughty children of Israel are throwing at Reuben in the story.</li> <li><a href="http://www.theopedia.com/biblical-typology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Biblical typology</a> (<a href="http://theopedia.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">theopedia.com</a>) When Reuben says “I may only be a type…” he is referring to this.</li> <li><a href="http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2011/may/mostmisunderstood.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The most misunderstood woman in the bible</a> (<a href="http://todayschristianwoman.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">todayschristianwoman.com</a>) In this story Job’s wife is portrayed as an unsympathetic nagging tyrant, a traditional interpretation of her character. However, more modern minds have reassessed her character and come to a different conclusion.</li> <li><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/2003/12/window-of-opportunity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Window of opportunity</a> (<a href="http://spectator.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spectator.co.uk</a>) During the episode Mike mentions the surprising story of how King’s College Chapel got it’s famous west window. This is it!</li> </ul> The windows themselves (mostly at <a href="http://therosewindow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">therosewindow.com</a>): <ul> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/w17-Frame.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reuben</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/w9-Frame.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gathering the manna (or throwing the bread rolls)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/images/w14-A-det2-IMG_8997.JPG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Naomi, she of the deceased and hen-pecked husband</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/images/w12-C-det-IMG_9003.JPG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Job, tormented by demons (and his wife)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.therosewindow.com/pilot/Cambridge-Kings/w16-1-det-whole.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jonah and one crazy-ass looking whale</a></li> <li><a href="https://dlib.york.ac.uk/yodl/app/image/detail?id=york%3A835944&amp;ref=browse" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tobias and his mother</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publications/pubid-1307/images/fig622.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">And here’s the vicious dog</a></li> </ul>

Episode 50 – A Night in King’s College Chapel

Join Mike &amp; Will as they delve into Brian Blessed’s beard, the truth of alchemy, diabolical magic lantern shows and class war in the first of our two-part extravaganza on M.R. James’s chilling story ‘Casting the Runes’! Our reader for this episode is Mr Torion Bowles. Show notes:  Magic Lanterns (Wikipedia) Mr Karswell was not the first to use a magic lantern to scare the crap out of his audience, it’s been going on since the 15th century! Aleister Crowley (Wikipedia)  Many have commented on the similarities between the fictional Mr Karswell and the English occultist, poet and mountaineer Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). ‘Class War in Casting the Runes’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) Mike Pincombe’s exploration of class conflict in Casting the Runes is a must-read. Night/Curse of the Demon (1957) (Trailer – Youtube) The first and best screen adaptation of ‘Casting the Runes’ was filmed in 1957 as ‘Night of the Demon’ (released as ‘Curse of the Demon’ in the U.S.). Superbly atmospheric and worth watching for Niall MacGuiness’s exemplary performance as Mr Karswell. It is available on DVD. Casting the Runes (1979) (Amazon) Casting the Runes was brought forward to the seventies in this 50 minute UK tv version. It is clearly very low budget and not very good to be honest, but still worth purchasing on DVD as it is cheap and comes with two decent extras, a short tv version of ‘Mr Humphreys and his Interitance’ and a very enjoyable documentary about the author. Drag me to Hell (2009) (Trailer – Youtube) Sam Raimi’s 2009 splatter-fest ‘Drag me to Hell’ is a loose (and unacknowledged) adaptation of ‘Casting the Runes’. James would have hated it but fans of OTT gorefests will love it! Lamplough’s Pyretic Saline (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) This is the ‘highly convincing’ advert that Dunning examins in the tram shortly before spotting the strange message about John Harrington. The British Library (bl.co.uk) The real-world location of Dunning’s first encounter with Karswell. London United Tramways (Wikipedia) In ‘Casting the Runes’ Dunning travels to work and back on the then-new London tram network operating in the west and south of London. A Podcast to the Curious Merchandise Store That’s right, you can now grab yourself an Official APTTC t-shirt in a wide range of exciting colours! It’s what all the cool kids are wearing nowadays! 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/casting-the-runes-250x250.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Join Mike &amp; Will as they delve into Brian Blessed’s beard, the truth of alchemy, diabolical magic lantern shows and class war in the first of our two-part extravaganza on M.R. James’s chilling story <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Casting_the_Runes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Casting the Runes’</a>! Our reader for this episode is Mr Torion Bowles. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_lantern" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Magic Lanterns (Wikipedia)</a> Mr Karswell was not the first to use a magic lantern to scare the crap out of his audience, it’s been going on since the 15th century!</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aleister Crowley (Wikipedia) </a> Many have commented on the similarities between the fictional Mr Karswell and the English occultist, poet and mountaineer Aleister Crowley (1875-1947).</li> <li><a href="http://www.pardoes.info/roanddarroll/GSNews9.html#anchor86222" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Class War in Casting the Runes’ by Mike Pincombe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars)</a> Mike Pincombe’s exploration of class conflict in Casting the Runes is a must-read.</li> <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCp-c_buFlw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Night/Curse of the Demon (1957) (Trailer – Youtube)</a> The first and best screen adaptation of ‘Casting the Runes’ was filmed in 1957 as ‘Night of the Demon’ (released as ‘Curse of the Demon’ in the U.S.). Superbly atmospheric and worth watching for Niall MacGuiness’s exemplary performance as Mr Karswell. It is <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Demon-DVD-Dana-Andrews/dp/B003WL825Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1335469050&amp;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available on DVD</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casting-Runes-DVD-Edward-Petherbridge/dp/B000TP4FT8/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1335469096&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Casting the Runes (1979) (Amazon)</a> Casting the Runes was brought forward to the seventies in this 50 minute UK tv version. It is clearly very low budget and not very good to be honest, but still worth purchasing on DVD as it is cheap and comes with two decent extras, a short tv version of ‘Mr Humphreys and his Interitance’ and a very enjoyable documentary about the author.</li> <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUZTybLlWKI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drag me to Hell (2009) (Trailer – Youtube)</a> Sam Raimi’s 2009 splatter-fest ‘Drag me to Hell’ is a loose (and unacknowledged) adaptation of ‘Casting the Runes’. James would have hated it but fans of OTT gorefests will love it!</li> <li><a href="http://www.pardoes.info/roanddarroll/Resources/Lamplough2.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lamplough’s Pyretic Saline (Ghosts &amp; Scholars)</a> This is the ‘highly convincing’ advert that Dunning examins in the tram shortly before spotting the strange message about John Harrington.</li> <li><a href="http://www.bl.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The British Library (bl.co.uk)</a> The real-world location of Dunning’s first encounter with Karswell.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_United_Tramways" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">London United Tramways (Wikipedia)</a> In ‘Casting the Runes’ Dunning travels to work and back on the then-new London tram network operating in the west and south of London.</li> <li><a href="http://www.cafepress.co.uk/mrjamespodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Podcast to the Curious Merchandise Store</a> That’s right, you can now grab yourself an Official APTTC t-shirt in a wide range of exciting colours! It’s what all the cool kids are wearing nowadays!</li> </ul>

Episode 12a – Casting the Runes

This episode Mike &amp; Will false-start their way through the unfinished M.R. James manuscript ‘Merfield Hall’ (or should that be ‘Merfield House’?). Big thanks to our reader this episode Debbie Wedge. Show notes:  ‘Merfield Hall’ manuscript (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) What exists of the manuscript(s) for this story can be read online at the Ghosts &amp; Scholars website. Potton, Bedfordshire (Wikipedia) Potton, mentioned in this story, is a real town in North East Bedfordshire. Fishing temple at Southill Park, Bedfordshire (bedfordshire.gov.uk) Could the fishing temple at Southill Park, Bedfordshire be an inspiration for the one mentioned in this story? Charles Cotton’s fishing temple (derbyshireuk.net) The most famous of all fishing temples, that made famous by Izaak Walton, author or ‘The Compleat Angler’. James Essex (Wikipedia) Architect of the gothic revival James Essex gets a mention in this story as having designed part of the titular house/hall. The Roxburghe Club (Roxburgheclub.org.uk) William Stedman in the story is said to have been a member of this most exclusive of clubs. 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/fishing-temple.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode Mike &amp; Will false-start their way through the unfinished M.R. James manuscript ‘Merfield Hall’ (or should that be ‘Merfield House’?). Big thanks to our reader this episode Debbie Wedge. Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveDrafts.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Merfield Hall’ manuscript (Ghosts &amp; Scholars)</a> What exists of the manuscript(s) for this story can be read online at the Ghosts &amp; Scholars website.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Potton, Bedfordshire (Wikipedia)</a> Potton, mentioned in this story, is a real town in North East Bedfordshire.</li> <li><a href="http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Southill/FishingTemple.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fishing temple at Southill Park, Bedfordshire (bedfordshire.gov.uk) </a>Could the fishing temple at Southill Park, Bedfordshire be an inspiration for the one mentioned in this story?</li> <li><a href="http://www.derbyshireuk.net/izaak_walton.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charles Cotton’s fishing temple (derbyshireuk.net)</a> The most famous of all fishing temples, that made famous by Izaak Walton, author or ‘The Compleat Angler’.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Essex" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James Essex (Wikipedia)</a> Architect of the gothic revival James Essex gets a mention in this story as having designed part of the titular house/hall.</li> <li><a href="http://www.roxburgheclub.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Roxburghe Club (Roxburgheclub.org.uk)</a> William Stedman in the story is said to have been a member of this most exclusive of clubs.</li> </ul>

Episode 39 – Merfield Hall

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

This episode Mike and Will cover ‘The Haunted and the Haunters‘ by Charles Dickens’s BFF, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. M.R. James considered this story essential reading, saying “Nobody is permitted to write about ghost stories without  mentioning ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’.” (Some Remarks on Ghost Stories). Will it live up to our expectations? Our reader for this episode is talented artist and family member, Peter Ross! We also mention the new book from friend-of-the-podcast Patrick J. Murphy, Medieval Studies and the Ghost Stories of M. R. James, check it out! Show notes:  Edward Bulwer-Lytton (Wikipedia) Some basic biographical details about EBL’s life. A more detailed biography can be found at www.victorianweb.org. Edward Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (www.bulwer-lytton.com) Inspired by EBL’s famous clunker “It was a dark and stormy night…”, this competition challenges would-be writers to come up with the worst possible opening line to a novel! 50 Berkeley Square, London (Wikipedia) Often touted as ‘the most haunted house in England’, this place gained a fearsome reputation for ghostliness in the latter half of the 19th century. It’s description and locations are tantilisingly close to the house described in this story, although the story pre-dated the house’s notoriety. The Haunted House (Wikipedia) The ‘haunted house’ as a concept goes back for at least 2000 years, and has inspired writers for just as long. ‘The Haunted House’ by Charles Dickens et al (Wikipedia) Could the publication of this story be connected in any way to the publications of ‘The Haunted House’, the portmaneau story that was ‘conducted’ and published by EBL’s friend Charles Dickens in the same year that EBL’s story was published? Essay by Ellis Jordan (www.cherylblakeprice.com) This essay on ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’ sheds some more light onto the story and EBL’s aims in writing it. It also compared the two differing versions of the story that were published. 

This episode Mike and Will cover ‘The Haunted and the Haunters‘ by Charles Dickens’s BFF, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. M.R. James considered this story essential reading, saying “Nobody is permitted to write about ghost stories without mentioning ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’.” (Some Remarks on Ghost Stories). Will it live up to our expectations? Our reader for this episode is talented artist and family member, <a href="http://www.peterrossart.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Ross</a>! We also mention the new book from friend-of-the-podcast Patrick J. Murphy, <a href="http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-07771-0.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Medieval Studies and the Ghost Stories of M. R. James</a>, check it out! Show notes: <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bulwer-Lytton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Edward Bulwer-Lytton (Wikipedia)</a> Some basic biographical details about EBL’s life. A more detailed biography can be found at <a href="http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bulwer/bio.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.victorianweb.org</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.bulwer-lytton.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Edward Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (www.bulwer-lytton.com)</a> Inspired by EBL’s famous clunker “It was a dark and stormy night…”, this competition challenges would-be writers to come up with the worst possible opening line to a novel!</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Berkeley_Square" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">50 Berkeley Square, London (Wikipedia)</a> Often touted as ‘the most haunted house in England’, this place gained a fearsome reputation for ghostliness in the latter half of the 19th century. It’s description and locations are tantilisingly close to the house described in this story, although the story pre-dated the house’s notoriety.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haunted_house" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Haunted House (Wikipedia)</a> The ‘haunted house’ as a concept goes back for at least 2000 years, and has inspired writers for just as long.</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haunted_House_(story)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Haunted House’ by Charles Dickens et al (Wikipedia)</a> Could the publication of this story be connected in any way to the publications of ‘The Haunted House’, the portmaneau story that was ‘conducted’ and published by EBL’s friend Charles Dickens in the same year that EBL’s story was published?</li> <li><a href="http://www.cherylblakeprice.com/2016/09/22/guest-post-ellis-jordan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Essay by Ellis Jordan (www.cherylblakeprice.com)</a> This essay on ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’ sheds some more light onto the story and EBL’s aims in writing it. It also compared the two differing versions of the story that were published.</li> </ul>

Episode 59 – The Haunted and the Haunters by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

This episode Mike and Will whip out their podcasting binoculars and peer through them at ‘A View from a Hill by M.R. James. This episode we are very lucky to have actor Scott Wichman (@scottwichmann) as our reader! Scott is starring as comedian George Burns in “Say Goodnight, Gracie” at the Virginia Rep later this month: do check that out if you can!  His co-producer Ryan Corbett – who wrote all the music and edited Scott’s readings – runs ‘Songwire‘ studios, in Richmond, VA. Big thanks once again to Alisdair Wood for providing the great illustration to the right. Check out his new set of MR James postcards, which will soon be available on his store. Do check out our photos of the very spooky Coombe Gibbet on flickr. Snow notes:  Story notes by Rosemary Pardoe (Ghost &amp; Scholars) Where would we be without Rosemary Pardoe’s excellent story notes? The Herefordshire of ‘A View from a Hill’ by Rosemary and Darroll Pardoe (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) If you are interested in knowing exactly where the titular hill is (and Gallows Hill of course!) then this excellent Ghosts &amp; Scholars article has some answers. ‘A View from a Hill’ – 2005 BBC adaptation (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) Ghosts &amp; Scholars also has a review of the 2005 TV adaptation of this story. If you haven’t seen it you can find it in the BFI’s excellent ‘Ghost Stories for Christmas: The Definitive Collection‘ DVD box set. Fredrick Bligh Bond (Wikipedia) Some have speculated that the character of Baxter could be inspired by Fredrick Bligh Bond (1864 – 1945), and antiquary who made some impressive archaeological finds which he claimed were revealed to him by supernatural means! Dead Men’s Eyes blog (www.dead-mens-eyes.org) Taking inspiration from Baxter, this doctoral research project aims to mix augmented reality with heritage with the aim of allowing people to virtually ‘see into the past’. Interesting stuff! 

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/View-from-a-Hill2-626x1200.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This episode Mike and Will whip out their podcasting binoculars and peer through them at ‘A View from a Hill by M.R. James. This episode we are very lucky to have actor Scott Wichman (<a href="http://twitter.com/scottwichmann" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@scottwichmann</a>) as our reader! Scott is starring as comedian George Burns in <a href="https://va-rep.org/show_say_goodnight.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Say Goodnight, Gracie”</a> at the Virginia Rep later this month: do check that out if you can!  His co-producer Ryan Corbett – who wrote all the music and edited Scott’s readings – runs ‘<a href="http://songwire.straightaheadsamples.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Songwire</a>‘ studios, in Richmond, VA. Big thanks once again to <a href="http://woodnart.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alisdair Wood</a> for providing the great illustration to the right. Check out his new set of MR James postcards, which will soon be available on his <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/woodyworks/gifts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">store</a>. Do check out our photos of the very spooky <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjamespodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coombe Gibbet on flickr</a>. Snow notes: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveHill.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Story notes by Rosemary Pardoe</a> (Ghost &amp; Scholars) Where would we be without Rosemary Pardoe’s excellent story notes?</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GSNews6.html#anchor4733" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Herefordshire of ‘A View from a Hill’ by Rosemary and Darroll Pardoe</a> (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) If you are interested in knowing exactly where the titular hill is (and Gallows Hill of course!) then this excellent Ghosts &amp; Scholars article has some answers.</li> <li><a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GSNews10.html#anchor116988" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘A View from a Hill’ – 2005 BBC adaptation</a> (Ghosts &amp; Scholars) Ghosts &amp; Scholars also has a review of the 2005 TV adaptation of this story. If you haven’t seen it you can find it in the BFI’s excellent ‘<a href="http://www.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/ghost-stories-christmas-definitive-collection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghost Stories for Christmas: The Definitive Collection</a>‘ DVD box set.</li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Bligh_Bond" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fredrick Bligh Bond</a> (Wikipedia) Some have speculated that the character of Baxter could be inspired by Fredrick Bligh Bond (1864 – 1945), and antiquary who made some impressive archaeological finds which he claimed were revealed to him by supernatural means!</li> <li><a href="http://www.dead-mens-eyes.org/tag/mr-james/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dead Men’s Eyes blog</a> (<a href="http://www.dead-mens-eyes.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.dead-mens-eyes.org</a>) Taking inspiration from Baxter, this doctoral research project aims to mix augmented reality with heritage with the aim of allowing people to virtually ‘see into the past’. Interesting stuff!</li> </ul>

Episode 29 – A View from a Hill

This week Will and Mike explore the borders between psychedelia and twee when they crack open The Five Jars, Monty’s only novel.  Prepare yourself for enigmatic springs, helpful trees and cantankerous cats – and two very confused podcasters. Show notes: Parents beware – Will drops his guard and utters a foul-mouthed profanity at 12:48.  Chapter one was a real struggle at times. The full text of the Five Jars, courtesy of Thin Ghost. We used Peter Yearsley’s Libravox recording of Five Jars for our readings this week, with sound editing by Will. Alisdair Wood’s excellent illustration for The Five Jars also appears on this month’s Ghosts and Scholars Newsletter (subscribe!).  Why not check out Alisdair’s store? If you’d like to see one of Robert Lloyd Parry’s performances in Oxford, Manchester, Newcastle, Cambridge or Hemmingford Grey Manor, do contact him directly. And finally, did anyone else think of this when they heard about the bat?

<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/Five_Jars_A_Wood1.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>This week Will and Mike explore the borders between psychedelia and twee when they crack open The Five Jars, Monty’s only novel.  Prepare yourself for enigmatic springs, helpful trees and cantankerous cats – and two very confused podcasters. Show notes: Parents beware – Will drops his guard and utters a foul-mouthed profanity at 12:48.  Chapter one was a real struggle at times. The <a href="http://www.thin-ghost.org/items/show/79" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">full text of the Five Jars</a>, courtesy of Thin Ghost. We used Peter Yearsley’s <a href=" https://librivox.org/the-five-jars-by-mr-james/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Libravox recording</a> of Five Jars for our readings this week, with sound editing by Will. Alisdair Wood’s excellent illustration for The Five Jars also appears on this month’s <a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GS.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghosts and Scholars Newsletter</a> (subscribe!).  Why not check out Alisdair’s <a href="http://woody.bigcartel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">store</a>? If you’d like to see one of Robert Lloyd Parry’s performances in Oxford, Manchester, Newcastle, Cambridge or Hemmingford Grey Manor, do <a href="http://www.nunkie.co.uk/contact.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contact him directly</a>. And finally, did anyone else think of <a href="http://worldleaderproposal.com/images/farside1.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this</a> when they heard about the bat?

Episode 44 – The Five Jars, Part 1

An episode of two parts this week.  In part one, Will and Mike open their box of James ephemera to play the “dreadful Game of Bear”.  We only have the opening pages of this unfinished tale, but fortunately three leading Jamesians have tried to finish the story. Big thanks to Kirsty Woodfield who returns to read for us this week. In part two, we speak with Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne of theatre company Box Tale Soup  about their brilliant new production of Casting the Runes.  They have just finished their run at the Edinburgh Fringe and will be in Cheltenham from 8-11 October. Show notes:  The Ghost and Scholars text of Game of Bear and Rosemary Pardoe’s notes can be found here. The stories written by Helen Grant, Jacqueline Simpson and Clive Wright were published in G&amp;S Newsletter #15.  It’s now unavailable, but Rosemary has very kindly offered to send listeners a electronic copy if they get in touch by email. We didn’t get chance to talk about the amazing music in Box Tale Soup’s Casting the Runes, by musician Dan Melrose. Finally, picture credit. Not sure why the US military stores pictures of bears, but there you go.

An episode of two parts this week.  In part one, Will and Mike open their box of James ephemera to play the “dreadful Game of Bear”.  We only have the opening pages of this unfinished tale, but fortunately three leading Jamesians have tried to finish the story. Big thanks to Kirsty Woodfield who returns to read for us this week.<a href="http://www.mrjamespodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/image.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> In part two, we speak with Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne of theatre company <a href="http://www.boxtalesoup.co.uk/Productions_Runes.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Box Tale Soup</a>  about their brilliant new production of Casting the Runes.  They have just finished their run at the Edinburgh Fringe and will be in Cheltenham from 8-11 October. Show notes: <ul> <li>The Ghost and Scholars text of Game of Bear and Rosemary Pardoe’s notes can be found <a href="http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveDrafts.html#anchor62265 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</li> <li>The stories written by Helen Grant, Jacqueline Simpson and Clive Wright were published in G&amp;S Newsletter #15.  It’s now unavailable, but Rosemary has very kindly offered to send listeners a electronic copy if they get in touch by <a href=" http://www.pardoes.info/roanddarroll/GS.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">email</a>.</li> <li>We didn’t get chance to talk about the amazing music in Box Tale Soup’s Casting the Runes, by musician <a href="http://www.danmelrose.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dan Melrose</a>.</li> <li>Finally, <a href="http://www.jber.af.mil" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">picture credit</a>. Not sure why the US military stores pictures of bears, but there you go.</li></ul>

Episode 38 – The Game of Bear

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