Wyrd Wessex

In this episode of AfterWyrd, Andy and Craig catch up after a brief hiatus filled with hammock mishaps, bruised ribs, and an unexpected plunge into the waters of Glastonbury’s White Spring.

The Wyrdos dive deep into the latest strange stories, local mysteries, and fringe news breaking across the globe:

Bigfoot Hoax Busting: Following up on the "Snake" Whiteley decaying carcass claims and the university that issued a swift denial.

Loch Ness Monster Surge: Loch Ness hits a record spike in sightings for 2026, complete with new video footage of a "swishing tail" near Urquhart Castle.

Lunar Anomalies: Ukrainian astronomers report 20-mile-wide "continental discs" orbiting the moon, while Avi Loeb weighs in with some needed skepticism.

The New Forest Vampire: Addressing a troubling local mystery sent in by a listener involving churchyard animal remains and a man detained under the Mental Health Act.

Whistleblower Alien Claims: Dr. Eric Davis calls for legal immunity to detail four distinct species of extraterrestrials alleged to be in government possession.

Olfactory Hauntings: Examining claims of paranormal scents on ghost hunts and a nod to Joshua Cutchin’s books on otherworldly odors and entity offerings.

Sawney Bean's Cave: Craig attempts a pilgrimage to the infamous Scottish cannibal lair in Galloway.

Don't blame the Owls!

Website: www.wyrdwessex.co.uk
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Hosted by: Craig Brooks & Andy Stevens
Edited by: Craig Brooks
Intro music by: Universfield Dark 80s Sci-Fi Atmosphere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Ed and Lorraine Warren, there was Harry Price. He was the most famous ghost hunter of the 20th century... so why was he using bat blood to turn a live goat into a handsome prince?

In 1932, at midnight on a foggy German mountain peak, 42 photographers, 73 journalists, and a full sound crew gathered to watch a young woman in a white dress recite Latin incantations over a bowl of bat blood. The goal? To test ancient magic under the light of a full moon.

Join Wyrdo's Craig and Andy as they dive into the chaotic, brilliant, and highly controversial career of Harry Price—the man who blurred the line between serious science and absolute circus. We follow his wild trajectory from a heavily debated teenage ghost hunt in a rural Shropshire manor (which inspired his famous schoolboy play, "The Skeptic") to the founding of his high-tech National Laboratory of Psychical Research.

Along the way, we investigate the Austrian medium Rudy Schneider caught out by a fast camera, decipher the medical mystery behind a young Romanian girl's violent "skin writing," and watch as serious ghost-hunting collides with theatrical publicity stunts.

Was Price a rigorous pioneer trying to force the supernatural into the light with flashbulbs and electrometers? Was he a brilliant stage magician who never stopped putting on a show? Or was he a charlatan who fabricated his own origin story?

Stick around until the end to hear us debate the logistics of mountain-top goat rituals and set the stage for Price's ultimate obsession: Borley Rectory.

Stay Wyrd!

Support the Show:
Join our Discord: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex

Shop our merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u

Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks

Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1931, deep in the isolated windswept hills of Doarlish Cashen on the Isle of Man, the Irving family found themselves sharing their farmhouse with something completely unexplainable. It wasn't a standard ghostly whisper—it was a screeching, high-pitched voice two octaves above human range reading the daily news from inside the wall panelling, hunting over 200 rabbits for dinner, and casually dropping threats like "I could kill you all, but I won't!"

Join Wyrdo's Craig and Andy as they dive into the utterly bizarre, hilarious, and deeply unsettling tale of Gef, the self-proclaimed "extra, extra clever mongoose" and earthbound spirit. We follow the paper trail from Captain McDonald's chaotic psychical investigations to celebrity ghost hunter Harry Price, and the bizarre 1930s high-court slander trial that nearly bankrupted a high-society figure over a talking fairy spook.

Was Gef a deliberate hoax, a teenage poltergeist manifestation, a local Fae, or—as some modern remote viewers suggest—a million-year-old artificial intelligence breaking out of a Bronze Age tomb?

Stick around until the very end to hear us completely lose our minds (and our voices) trying to recreate Gef in the studio.

Stay Wyrd!

Support the Show:
Join our Discord: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex

Shop our merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u

Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks

Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For centuries, the old ways of these islands weren’t written down—they were carried in song, poetry, and myth. Today, that tradition is alive and well. In this episode, we sit down with David Smith, better known as Damh the Bard (and yes, we explain how to pronounce it!). From his 15 years as Pendragon of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) to weaving Welsh myth into acoustic folk, Damh has been a defining voice of modern nature spirituality for decades.

We trace his journey from teenage tarot reader and heavy metal drummer to finding his spiritual home among the Druids. Along the way, we uncover the fascinating shared history of modern Wicca and OBOD, how a naturist resort in St. Albans became ground zero for the modern Wheel of the Year, and why Damh traded his career running a woodland bushcraft school to follow the flow of Awen.

Plus, we cover everything from the hilarious origin of his festival inflatable bananas to the Loch Ness Monster, cryptids, and a deep philosophical chat about digital footprints and what podcasting leaves behind.

In this episode:

What's in a Name: How a Gaelic pronunciation guide and Robin of Sherwood's Herne the Hunter inspired the moniker "Damh the Bard" (Stag the Bard).

The Three Schools of OBOD: Breaking down the distinct paths of Druidry. Bards handle creativity and this world, Druids focus on teaching and community (the sky), and Ovates—the Druid shamans/witches—work with the underworld, the moon, and healing.

The River of Awen: Damh’s philosophy on songwriting, magic, and Wyrd—treating divine inspiration as a river that flows through us, and why "if you do magic, don't be surprised when it works."

Punk Rock Podcasting: A look back at the wild west of early podcasting in 2007 when Damh pitched Druidcast to OBOD, and why preserving the digital voices of pagan elders like Maxine Sanders and Margot Adler is so vital.

The Banana Phenomenon: How a series of pandemic-era Facebook Live shows turned into fans asking Damh to autograph foam bananas at live festivals across the globe!

New Music Announcement: Damh shares details on his compilation album, Songs from the Mabinogi.

Stay Wyrd!

Support the Show:
Join our Discord: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex

Shop our merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop?asc=u

Written and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks

Intro music by Antipodean Writer: Full of Soul - Neon Waves Extended - Remix
Outro music by Colt Fingaz: Ding Ding Dong
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it safe to spend the night in England’s most haunted churches? And more importantly... why didn't they include any in Wiltshire? 👇 Expand for the full book review!

Before we launch into our massive Harry Price series, it's time to settle in with a pot of tea and some Jaffa cakes for the Weirdo Book Club! This month, Craig is joined by Discord community member Rosie to review Shadows in the Nave: A Guide to the Haunted Churches of England by Eddie Brazil, Paul Adams, and legendary ghost hunter Peter Underwood.

Did this guide to the country's spookiest chapels deliver the chills, or was it a bit too dry? We discuss the strange legends of spectral horses, the drowned coastal village of Dunwich where phantom church bells still ring beneath the waves, and the bizarre Thetford ghost sightings captured by original 90s ghost hunters.

Plus, we hand out our official "Green Men" rating and reveal our incredibly dark, death-focused reading choice for our upcoming summer-ween book club!

Sometimes Wyrd is Better...

Join the Conversation:
Did you read along with us? Let us know your thoughts on the book in the comments below! If you want to jump into our next recording or share your "ideal reading spot," head over to our Discord.

Support the Show:
Buy Us A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/wyrdwessex

Grab Official Merch: redbubble.com/people/saxonforageruk/shop

Hosted and edited by Craig Brooks
Intro & Outro Music: Medieval Celtic violin by Music_for_Creators
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.