Show Notes
Is Chester Castle truly haunted, or is there a historical explanation behind its eerie encounters? Join host Amy Matthews as she uncovers nearly a thousand years of spooky stories and real history from behind its walls perched high above the River Dee.
In this special Halloween episode, Amy is joined by Chester Castle Site Manager Gary Ashby, who shares firsthand chilling encounters - from mysterious phantom figures captured on camera to spectral voices whispering in Norman French. Weighing in with historical scepticism is Will Wyeth, English Heritage Curator of History, who reveals the human stories behind the haunting lore, including medieval miracles, royal prisoners, and 17th-century witch trials.
Whether you’re a die-hard believer or a sceptic, discover how ghost stories help us connect with the past.
Join English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/
Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*
Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/
The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.
*Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from The English Heritage Podcast
In the fourth episode of our special 1066 series, host Amy Matthews takes a step back from the battlefield to look up at the skies. Did a cosmic sign destabilise an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, or was it medieval political spin? Dr Will Wyeth (English Heritage Curator of History) and Dr Jo Edge (historian and writer) join Amy to examine how celestial phenomena were deployed to reshape history. They explore interpretations attributed to the Bayeux Tapestry’s famous "long-haired star" - Halley’s Comet – and the ominous “ghost ships” that pre-empted William of Normandy’s invasion. Also, how numerology shaped medieval worldviews and why comets became linked to fratricide and the fall of monarchs. Find out more about Jo's work here https://joanneedge.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 1911, when Cecila Payne was eleven, she was so musically gifted that none other than the great composer Gustav Holst encouraged her to take up music as a career.
The day that changed English history forever has dawned.
Following our look at the Bayeux Tapestry in Episode 1, host Amy Matthews explores the dramatic events leading up to the Battle of Hastings. Joining her are regular guest Roy Porter (Senior Curator of Properties at English Heritage) and Dr Rebecca Tyson (expert in 11th-century maritime history at the University of Bristol).
From Long Meg and her Daughters to the Devil’s Arrows to Hetty Pegler’s Tump, the British Isles is dotted with ancient places with curious names. But who came up with those titles and what inspired them?