The Three Ravens Podcast

Three Ravens

Three Ravens is an English myth and folklore podcast hosted by Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux. In each weekly episode, released on Mondays, we explore a historic county, digging into the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Across our first six series we ventured around England's 39 historic counties twice, taking turns to tell a new version of a legend from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it may have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past. Our Bonus Episodes are then released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Forgotten Melodies about folk song types with original performances from us, and Magus, which is about the lives of the most famous witches and wizards in history). On Saturdays, we then release episodes of our interview series Local Legends, with each episode featuring a chat between us and an acclaimed folklorist, author, podcaster or historian, deepening discussions about that week's county. In between series, since March 2025 we have also launched our Lang Fairy Tale Project, for which we are recording and releasing the 700+ stories collected by English academics and authors Nora and Andrew Lang, published in over a dozen volumes from the end of the 19th century and changing children's literature forever. With entire other Bonus Series to enjoy, including our comic retelling of the legend of Gawain and the Green Knight, original narratives such as our upcoming series Dog Days about the supernatural adventures of young playwright Christopher Marlowe in Elizabethan London, and our annual Haunting Season every October, there's tonnes of fun to be had in our back catalogue of over 300 episodes. In addition to which, we also release a range of exclusive content on Patreon, where supporters also enjoy ad-free listening, including monthly 'One Off' episodes covering a range of folky topics, editions of the Three Ravens Newsletter, and over two-dozen episodes of the Three Ravens Film Club, through which we discuss folk horror films from across the decades, and more. For a guide of where to start, click here - but our advice is to just pick an episode that sounds interesting, then hit 'Play' and join us around the campfire to listen in... Three Ravens Series 7 launched in September 2025, and is all about the heritage and legends of the 13 historic counties of Wales. For press or collaboration inquiries or learn more about our book, published in hardback by The History Press, and the podcast in general, visit our website. Join our Patreon here, and find links to our social media channels and sponsor Three Spirit Drinks here. Use Voucher Code THREERAVENS for a 15% discount. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Magus #11: Merlin

    1d ago

    Magus #11: Merlin

    This month on Magus we're discussing maybe the most influential wizard of all time, and a true original - it's only flippin' Merlin! We track his development through prehistory via the archetype of the "Lord of Ecstasy" - a deific entity who appears in mythologies from all over the world. In addition to exploring his British precedents in the form of the Northern and Scots Lowland wild man of the woods Lailoken and the Welsh version of that same character in the form of Myrddin Wyllt, we also marinade ourselves in the swell of "Arthurian" stories that rose and sloshed about across the Medieval era. After he's given the name 'Merlinus' by Geoffrey of Monmouth though, Merlin becomes central to not just tales of Camelot but the propaganda of a slew of European kings. We track how, across the British Isles, his identity continues to twist and mutate - befitting the Latin title of his forebears, homo silvaticus. Though at the same time, across the English Channel, the French and central European courts thought of Merlin as one of the great masters of 'Natural Magic.' Born of a demon and a virgin princess, to alchemists and occultists from Cornelius Agrippa to the Brotherhood of the Golden Dawn he was the first building block of an extensive and rigorous magical system which offered proponents God-like powers to shape reality. From Thomas Malory to Alfred Lord Tennyson, J.R.R. Tolkien to the Disney corporation, he is a cultural emblem whose meaning has only continued to shapeshift. Which is only appropriate really, when you think about it... Speak with you again on Thursday for another triple-bill of fairy tales and chats about them with The Ratcatcher and The True History of Little Golden Hood and The Three Dwarfs! Thumbnail cover art for this episode features "Volkhv" by Andrey Shishkin. Three Ravens is an English myth and folklore podcast hosted by Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 19m
  2. June Update: Midsummer Madness

    1d ago

    June Update: Midsummer Madness

    In this month's update episode we're chatting all about Midsummer - which is not the same thing as the Summer Solstice... After chewing through some key ideas to do with "Litha" from across different cultures, including the significance of St John's Eve and Day and the hunting of the mythical Fern Flower at the solar maximum, we share a bunch of our news and the opening chunks of May's two Patreon Exclusive episodes. First comes the opening 25 minutes of our special episode about The History and Folklore of Cosmetics, which is followed by the first part of our Film Club episode all about Ben Wheatley's 2013 Civil War-set psychotropic drama A Field in England. We really hope you enjoy this tasting menu and selection of Three Ravens bits and pieces, and lo, your cup floweth over, as today has ended up being a Double Release Day - Magus #11 about the magical life of the wizard Merlin is also out right now, so hope to speak to you on that one, too! Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 15m
  3. Kari Woodengown

    3d ago

    Kari Woodengown

    After our triple bonanza on Thursday, we've got just one fairy tale today: a Norwegian Cinderella fable called Kari Woodengown! With questionable fashion choices, an unappealing prince and the very best animal friend a girl could wish for, we very nearly gave Kari Woodengown three out of three ravens...but not quite. Still, it's an enjoyable adventure - though we should warn you that there's a brief mention of entrails, if you're squeamish! If you need us, we'll be in Bathland... We really hope you enjoy the story and our discussion about it, and we will speak to you again on Monday for a brand new episode of Magus all about the wizard Merlin! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these seminal collections were assembled between 1889 and 1913 by a married couple, folklorists and translators Nora and Andrew Lang, with most of the work done to compile them completed by Nora, also known as Leonora Blanche Alleyne. Assembled and published in 12 colour-coded "Fairy Books," the corpus the Langs put together included 798 fairy tales from across cultures, many of which had never before been translated into English. They were amongst the most influential books of their time, changing the course of children's literature - although they're hardly just for children, and often deal with quite challenging concepts. Today, purchasing a complete set of the Lang Fairy Books in good condition costs over £4,000 ($5,000+). Thankfully, the collections are all out of copyright, meaning that we can now tell these stories, in podcast form, many for the first time, and share them with a global audience, for free. Our plan is to release the stories between main series of Three Ravens, performing them straight (though with plenty of silly voices) letting the tales speak for themselves in all their madcap, sharp-edged, often quite bizarre glory. The only edits we have made are to amend some culturally-insensitive epithets, which typically pertain to ethnicity, with any such edits made by Eleanor Conlon. Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  4. The Voice of Death, The Six Sillies and Drakestail

    5d ago

    The Voice of Death, The Six Sillies and Drakestail

    It's our first triple bill of stories from the Langs' Red Fairy Book today, and boy do we have a smorgasbord of fun little tales for you! Our first selection is The Voice of Death, a Romanian tale collected by Petre Ispirescu. It's a strange little tale which defies classification, even with the entire ATU Index at our backs. A little more philosophical than the usual, but one we both liked. We follow that one up with The Six Sillies, a story which has its origin in Belgium, and possibly one of Eleanor's favourite lines in a fairy tale ever. For the finale, we've got Drakestail, the legend of a brave little duck who roots out corruption with the aid of some odd but loyal friends! We hope you enjoy all three stories and our discussion about them, and we will speak to you again on Saturday with a longer story - the tale of Kari Woodengown! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these seminal collections were assembled between 1889 and 1913 by a married couple, folklorists and translators Nora and Andrew Lang, with most of the work done to compile them completed by Nora, also known as Leonora Blanche Alleyne. Assembled and published in 12 colour-coded "Fairy Books," the corpus the Langs put together included 798 fairy tales from across cultures, many of which had never before been translated into English. They were amongst the most influential books of their time, changing the course of children's literature - although they're hardly just for children, and often deal with quite challenging concepts. Today, purchasing a complete set of the Lang Fairy Books in good condition costs over £4,000 ($5,000+). Thankfully, the collections are all out of copyright, meaning that we can now tell these stories, in podcast form, many for the first time, and share them with a global audience, for free. Our plan is to release the stories between main series of Three Ravens, performing them straight (though with plenty of silly voices) letting the tales speak for themselves in all their madcap, sharp-edged, often quite bizarre glory. The only edits we have made are to amend some culturally-insensitive epithets, which typically pertain to ethnicity, with any such edits made by Eleanor Conlon. Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  5. Forgotten Melodies #11: Soldiers and Sailors

    May 25

    Forgotten Melodies #11: Soldiers and Sailors

    Keep watch for that Captain trying to slip you the King's Shilling, as on this month's episode of Forgotten Melodies we're talking all about Soldiers and Sailors! We're discussing two different kinds of broadside at once today - both ballads and rows of cannon, with explorations of the contexts of three old folk songs we've recorded. The first, William Taylor, sees us folding together two folk classics to have another bite at a familiar enough theme. The second, Stand By Your Guns, gives Eleanor cover to tell us all about canon management during the Napoleonic era. The third, The Soldier's Prayer, then skewers the grand irony of many songs sung by soldiers and sailors - they're often about peace! We - Ben, Eleanor and Martin - dig into each, and, around moistening our cannon holes and trying not to get shot, very much hope you enjoy the episode. Speak to you again on Thursday for our Lang Fairy Tale triple-bill featuring The Voice of the Devil, The Six Sillies, and Drakestail! The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 4m
  6. LIVE @ Ditchling Bookshop - May 2026

    May 23

    LIVE @ Ditchling Bookshop - May 2026

    A lovely, intimate Three Ravens Live event at Ditchling Bookshop. Opened by Amanda Smith on Valentine's Day in 2026, Ditchling Bookshop is an magical independent haven - and it has its own fairy museum! We discussed Sussex history and folklore, with particular reference to Ditchling, Westmeston and Plumpton. Our conversation ranges from the skyborne wisht hounds to cart-stopping witches and snake oil peddling cunning men, and there's a whole lot of puddings. Then, Eleanor reads her story 'Cuthman of Steyning and the Devil'...with the Devil voiced by Martin! We really hope you enjoy it, and we'll speak to you again on Monday, when we've got a new episode of Forgotten Melodies coming out, all about the songs of Soldiers and Sailors! Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  7. Graciosa and Percinet

    May 21

    Graciosa and Percinet

    We're back at the mercy of Madam d'Aulnoy again today with a story of witch-foiled love between a naive princess and a fairy prince, Graciosa and Percinet. Rooted in 17th century French theatricality, this one has been made into pantomimes, plays, works of art from across the centuries, and it's also slightly tamer in the Lang version than the original. Ultimately though, does it all just boil down to being sooo pretty that men even come out of the past to solve all your problems for you? And isn't it true that being ugly just inherently makes you the worst?!? We really hope that you enjoy the story and our discussion round it, and we will speak to you again on Saturday with our show from last weekend recorded Live @ Ditchling Bookshop all about the folklore of East Sussex! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these seminal collections were assembled between 1889 and 1913 by a married couple, folklorists and translators Nora and Andrew Lang, with most of the work done to compile them completed by Nora, also known as Leonora Blanche Alleyne. Assembled and published in 12 colour-coded "Fairy Books," the corpus the Langs put together included 798 fairy tales from across cultures, many of which had never before been translated into English. They were amongst the most influential books of their time, changing the course of children's literature - although they're hardly just for children, and often deal with quite challenging concepts. Today, purchasing a complete set of the Lang Fairy Books in good condition costs over £4,000 ($5,000+). Thankfully, the collections are all out of copyright, meaning that we can now tell these stories, in podcast form, many for the first time, and share them with a global audience, for free. Our plan is to release the stories between main series of Three Ravens, performing them straight (though with plenty of silly voices) letting the tales speak for themselves in all their madcap, sharp-edged, often quite bizarre glory. The only edits we have made are to amend some culturally-insensitive epithets, which typically pertain to ethnicity, with any such edits made by Eleanor Conlon. Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m
  8. Three Ravens Bestiary #24: Imps

    May 18

    Three Ravens Bestiary #24: Imps

    It's time to uncork the bottle of mythology and folklore to talk about a true English original - Imps! Beginning their lives as horticultural metaphors, the Anglo Saxon 'ympe' appears in all sorts of moralizing, overtly Christian texts, including those written by Alfred the Great - only by the 17th century if you had an imp of your own you could be hanged for the crime. How did this all come about? Well, it's a combination of several factors, including Bronze Age beliefs about Middle Eastern supernatural entities that haunted toilets, bed chambers, and windowsills, the stinking bogs and fens of Ireland and the British Isles, and Medieval explanations for the hierarchies of demons following Lucifer's rebellion against God. We track the imp's evolution from House Spirits made of dough, fed with milk and flour, through to the Witch Hunts of the English Republic, and the 19th century 'Imp Revival' as prompted by Romantic and Gothic literature, fairy stories, and Victorian satire. With a disgraceful number of puns (even more than last month!) and some really weird beliefs, as well as Eleanor reading some Old English, they may be tiny but we've gone in on Imps in a big way. Just don't tell the Witch Hunter General, who for some reason thinks we're keeping our mischievous familiars stashed in our armpits... We also hope you increasingly pleased by our new Bestiary episode art, as drawn by our good friend Tom Peteuil of Creature Castle - check out brand new Imp, Mermaid and Leprechaun merch here and visit the Creature Castle shop for prints and other wonderful things here. Speak to you again on Thursday for this week's Lang Fairy Tale, Graciosa and Percinet, and some no doubt spirited chat about it, before Saturday's Three Ravens Live episode, packed with Sussex folklore, as recorded at Ditchling Bookshop on 16th May! Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, we take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in? REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOUR Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 21m
4.9
out of 5
92 Ratings

About

Three Ravens is an English myth and folklore podcast hosted by Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux. In each weekly episode, released on Mondays, we explore a historic county, digging into the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Across our first six series we ventured around England's 39 historic counties twice, taking turns to tell a new version of a legend from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it may have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past. Our Bonus Episodes are then released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Forgotten Melodies about folk song types with original performances from us, and Magus, which is about the lives of the most famous witches and wizards in history). On Saturdays, we then release episodes of our interview series Local Legends, with each episode featuring a chat between us and an acclaimed folklorist, author, podcaster or historian, deepening discussions about that week's county. In between series, since March 2025 we have also launched our Lang Fairy Tale Project, for which we are recording and releasing the 700+ stories collected by English academics and authors Nora and Andrew Lang, published in over a dozen volumes from the end of the 19th century and changing children's literature forever. With entire other Bonus Series to enjoy, including our comic retelling of the legend of Gawain and the Green Knight, original narratives such as our upcoming series Dog Days about the supernatural adventures of young playwright Christopher Marlowe in Elizabethan London, and our annual Haunting Season every October, there's tonnes of fun to be had in our back catalogue of over 300 episodes. In addition to which, we also release a range of exclusive content on Patreon, where supporters also enjoy ad-free listening, including monthly 'One Off' episodes covering a range of folky topics, editions of the Three Ravens Newsletter, and over two-dozen episodes of the Three Ravens Film Club, through which we discuss folk horror films from across the decades, and more. For a guide of where to start, click here - but our advice is to just pick an episode that sounds interesting, then hit 'Play' and join us around the campfire to listen in... Three Ravens Series 7 launched in September 2025, and is all about the heritage and legends of the 13 historic counties of Wales. For press or collaboration inquiries or learn more about our book, published in hardback by The History Press, and the podcast in general, visit our website. Join our Patreon here, and find links to our social media channels and sponsor Three Spirit Drinks here. Use Voucher Code THREERAVENS for a 15% discount. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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