Tales From Antiquaria: 19th Century Folklore & Legends

Eli Lewis-Lycett
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Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. Curated by folklorist Eli Lewis-Lycett, each each episode presents a series of highlights from a given title in their original form; revealing a world full of witchcraft, superstition, curious local beliefs and lost traditions, as recorded first hand by collectors and enthusiasts during the 1800s. Episodes are published via all major podcast platforms.

  1. Sep 8

    British Goblins

    Vanishing islands, the glass ship of Merlin and the castle of the Fairy King! Tonight, its all about William Wirt Sikes' 1880 collection, British Goblins. 'The sovereign of the fairies, and their special guardian and protector, was one Gwyn ap Nudd. He was also ruler over the goblin tribe in general. His name often occurs in ancient Welsh poetry. An old bard of the fourteenth century, who, led away by the fairies, rode into a turf bog on a mountain one dark night, called it the fish-pond of Gwyn ap Nudd, a palace for goblins and their tribe.' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  2. Sep 1

    Yorkshire Legends and Traditions

    Crocks of gold, spectral river horses and the giantess of Mulgrave! Tonight we're in Yorkshire, with Reverend Thomas Parkinson's 1888 collection, Yorkshire Legends and Traditions.  'At the village of Upsall resided many years ago, a man who dreamed, on three nights successively, that if he went to London Bridge he would hear of something greatly to his advantage. He went, travelling the whole distance from Upsall to London on foot. Having arrived there, he took up his station on the bridge, where he waited until his patience was nearly exhausted, and the idea that he had acted a very foolish part began to rise in his mind. At length he was accosted by a Quaker, who kindly inquired what he was waiting there so long for. After some hesitation he told of his dreams. The Quaker laughed at his simplicity, and told him that he had had that night a very curious dream himself, which was, that if he went and dug under a certain bush in Upsall Castle Yard, in Yorkshire, he would find a pot of gold. Seeing some advantage in secrecy, the Yorkshireman pleaded ignorance of the locality, and then, thinking his business in London was completed, returned immediately home, dug beneath the bush, and there found a pot filled with gold.' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  3. Aug 25

    Myths and Legends of Our Own Land (Part Two)

    Phantom fiddlers, haunted treasure and the Devil on long island! Its the second part of our journey through Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, the American folklore collection of Charles M Skinner from 1896. 'It was twelve o'clock, and here he was playing a dance tune on a Sunday. However, the sin of playing for one second on the Sabbath was as great as that of playing all day; so, as long as he was in for it, he resolved to carry the tune to the end, and he fiddled away with a reckless vehemence. Presently he became aware that the music was both wilder and sweeter than before, and that there was more of it. Not until then did he observe that a tall, thin stranger stood beside him, and that he was fiddling too, composing a second to Joost's air - as if he could read his thoughts before he put it into execution on the strings.' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  4. Aug 18

    Myths and Legends of Our Own Land (Part One)

    Witches in the Catskills and the infamous galloping Hessian of Tarry Town! Welcome to America, as we explore part one of Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, Charles M Skinner's collection of American folklore from 1896. 'Had he not halted horses at the plow so that neither blows nor commands could move them for two hours? Had he not set farmer Raught's pigs to walking on their hind legs and trying to talk? And was he not the chief of thirteen night-riders, whose faces no man had seen, nor wanted to see, and whom he sent about the country on errands of mischief every night when the moon was growing old...' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  5. Aug 11

    The Norfolk Garland

    Black Shuck, witchcraft and the galloping ghost of Sir Thomas Boleyn! Its The Norfolk Garland, John Glyde's 1872 collection of Norfolk folklore. 'The spectre of this gentle­man is believed by the vulgar to be doomed on a certain night in every year for a period of 1000 years, to drive a coach drawn by four headless horses, over a circuit of twelve bridges. Sir Thomas carries his head under his arm, and flames issue from his mouth. Few rustics are hardy enough to be found loitering on or near these bridges on that night, and the man who spoke of this belief says that he was on one occasion hailed by this fiendish apparition, and asked to open a gate, but "he warn't such a fool as to turn his head, and well a' didn't, for Sir Thomas passed me at full gallop.' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  6. Aug 4

    My Summer Holiday (Being a Tourists Jottings About Tenby)

    The legend of Dunraven, ship wrecks and sermons in the stones! My Summer Holiday - Being a Tourists Jottings About Tenby is an 1863 publication from William Freeman of London and the work of an unknown author; and seemingly, deliberately so.  Part Victorian travelogue, part collection of local lore - it makes for a unique and particularly charming collection regrading Tenby and its surrounding landscape in South West Wales. 'The North Sands have many interesting features. The rocks here are varied and picturesque. At one point they are clothed with waving ferns; whilst at another they are bare and rugged; then they are marked with gigantic fissures; and then, again, attired in green. At their base lay ponderous stones covered with rare weeds and shelly parasites. About two miles from the town the rocks are separated by a picturesque little valley called Waterwinch, and further on is Monkstone Point, a series of rugged, shapeless rocks, which, in their ponderous confusion, look as though they had been tumbled about by the Titans.' Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  7. Jun 23

    Summer Listener Special

    A little while ago I mentioned that I was receiving emails with questions and comments about the show and that if I got enough, I could pull them all together and produce an episode around them. Well, this is that episode, our Summer Listener Special! Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

  8. Jun 9

    The Real Folklore of Cheshire - Live from The Grange School

    Medieval miracles, Cheshire dragons and the strange tale of a haunted farm house!  This time we're live from The Grange School in Hartford, Cheshire with a recording of Eli's lecture for Northwich and Distrcit Heritage Society from the 21st May, 2026 - The Real Folklore of Cheshire (Decoding Cheshire's Historic Ballads). The stories featured in the lecture are taken from his new book, The Folklore of Cheshire's Historic Ballads, which is a folktale transposition of Ballads and Legends of Cheshire by Egerton Leigh, published in 1867. The Folklore of Cheshire's Historic Ballads is available via Amazon here! Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. For show notes and links, visit the episodes page at thelocalmythstorian.com Episode written, produced and presented by Eli Lewis-Lycett. All source material taken directly from the stated publication. Main theme music by Humanoid Media. Incidental music from Restum-Anoush.  Find Eli Lewis-Lycett Folklore and History on Facebook and Bluesky

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About

Tales From Antiquaria is a podcast dedicated to exploring the legacy of work published regarding folklore and local history during the golden age of antiquarian writing in the nineteenth century. Curated by folklorist Eli Lewis-Lycett, each each episode presents a series of highlights from a given title in their original form; revealing a world full of witchcraft, superstition, curious local beliefs and lost traditions, as recorded first hand by collectors and enthusiasts during the 1800s. Episodes are published via all major podcast platforms.

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