Weird in the Wade

12. Ghostly Crime Part One: Murder Bridge, Thomas Dun and a Chat with Eerie Edinburgh

In this bumper episode I explore why so many ghost stories and hauntings have a connection with crime or criminals.
I investigate the local legend of Biggleswade's Murder Bridge, a place every school child knows not to approach. 
I tell you the tale of Thomas Dun, reported to be Black Tom's phantom friend or even the real Black Tom. His 800 year old story is full of despicable deeds and more strange and eerie folk tales. 
And finally as a real treat, I talk with Wayne from Eerie Edinburgh about why he thinks so many ghostly stories centre around criminals and victims of crime. Many such stories feature on his wonderful podcast and YouTube videos. 
You can find a full transcript of today's episodes, notes, photographs and further reading on the show blog weirdinthewade.blog 
If you have a suggestion or question please email me at weirdinthewade@gmail.com
You can find the podcast on social media here. 
And if you want to support the podcast you can by the show a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/weirdinthewade
Researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Show Theme by Tess Savigear
All additional music and sound effects Epidemic Sound 

11. Black Tom Phantom Highwayman of Bedford

In this episode we explore one of Bedford's most famous hauntings. A folktale so well known it gave it's name to an area of the town. What is now a rather unassuming roundabout just north of Bedford town centre, known locally as Black Tom's Grave, was once a place of fear. Was a highwayman executed on that site? Does his restless spirit still wander beneath the trees there? Why are there so many paranormal reports in that small area of Bedford? And who is the shadowy figure often reported along side the spectre of Black Tom?
We also look at other myths and legends attached to highwaymen with connections to Bedfordshire including Biggleswade and beyond. Why do so many of us love a highwayman story and footpad phantom?
Visit the Weird in the Wade blog to see photos, sources and show transcript.
Enjoying the show? Buy the podcase a coffee or two at https://ko-fi.com/weirdinthewade
Find Weird in the Wade on social media, links here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade
If you have any comments, suggestions or just want to get in touch please email the show at weirdinthewade@gmail.com
Weird in the Wade is researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme Music by Tess Savigear
All additional music and sound effects Epidemic Sound
 

Bonus Episode: Facing my Demons at the Black Magic Church

Happy New Year! In this bonus episode I visit the ruin of St Mary's Old Church, Clophill. On a chilly December morning, 60 years after the ruin became notorious for black magic rituals, devil worship, vandalism, desecration and hauntings, I spend a few hours recording and photographing the site. An instance of pareidolia (seeing a figure in random mottled wall markings in this case) forces me to confront some childhood demons. 
You don't have to have listened to the previous episodes about Clophill's infamous church to listen to this bonus episode but you might enjoy it more if you have heard episode's 9 and 10 first. 
Photographs accompanying this episode can be found on the show blog: weridinthewade.blog or on my flickr page.
If you have any feedback, suggestions or just want to get in touch with the show email: weirdinthewade@gmail.com
Or find the show on social media by following this link, https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade
You can buy the show a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/weirdinthewade
Weird in the Wade is researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme music by Tess Savigear
All additional music and sound effects are from Epidemic Sound
 

10. The Ghosts of St Mary’s Old Church

In this Christmas bonanza episode chock full of ghosts, I tell you about the many hauntings reported at St Mary's Old Church, Clophill, over the last 60 years. From Spectral beasts scaring news agents at Christmas, to a punk band who felt their haunting encounter at the church brought them bad luck, to more recent mobile phone footage of monk like phantoms. It's all explored in this episode. 
Did the church's sad past of vandalism and desecration disturb spirits who should have been left to rest in peace, or did black magic rituals held at the church, summon something demonic that lingers there still, or has the church's notoriety primed us to expect the unexpected when visiting the site?
I want to extend my thanks to Damien O'Dell for giving me permission to cover one of his exclusive stories from his book Paranormal Bedfordshire - find out more about his books here.
Find out more about the sources used for this episode and discover further reading and photographs on the blog: weirdinthewade.blog
If you'd like to get in touch with the show please email weirdinthewade@gmail.com
Find us on social media: here
On Wednesday 20th December I'll be chatting with Rick Palmer on his fabulous podcast Some Other Sphere, you can listen here: https://someothersphere.podbean.com/
 
Researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme music by Tess Savigear
All additional sound effects and music by Epidemic Sound
  

9. The Black Magic Church

There's an abandoned church on a hill top at Clophill in Bedfordshire, that fuelled my nightmares as a child. In today's episode I explore the history of this notorious church that the tabloid press labelled a "black magic church" back in the 1960s. This ruined church has associations with magic, ghosts, grave robbers, the devil, desecration and death. But are the newspaper stories and the local folklore true? And why was I so scared by the very thought of this church as a child? How do my nightmares link to a very different kind of church in Biggleswade? All is revealed in this episode of Weird in the Wade.
I confront my demons (pun intended) to cover this story for the show.
Find photos, links to further reading and show transcript here: www.weirdinthewade.blog 
If you'd like to support the show you can buy Weird in the Wade a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/weirdinthewade
Social media links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade
Researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme Music by Tess Savigear
All additional sound effects and music from Epidemic Sound

Bonus Episode: More Big Cats of Bedfordshire and Beyond

In this bonus episode we hear from a new witness who saw a large black cat in Bedfordshire in the 1990s. His sighting was near to the famous encounters with the beast of Silsoe which I also explore.
We also catch up with Owen Staton, completing the interview started in episode 7, The Big Cat of Biggleswade and Phantom Felines.
Find out more about Owen and his podcasts by following him on Twitter / X here. 
Read the show notes and links on the blog at weirdinthewade.blog 
Contact the podcast at weirdinthewade@gmail.com 
Find us on social media at this link here
Weird in the Wade is researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme music is by Tess Savigear
Additional music by Epidemic Sounds
 

8. The Most Haunted Pub in Biggleswade

The Golden Pheasant in Biggleswade is not the town's oldest or even grandest pub, but this real ale beer house is reported to be Biggleswade's most haunted. Over the years strange phenomena and mysterious stories have built up around the establishment.
I visited the pub and chatted with regulars and staff to try and get to the bottom of the haunting. What I discovered made my blood run cold on at least three occasions as I uncovered two tragic deaths from the Victorian age, which seem to provide answers to the ghost sightings and sounds experienced at the  pub. Whether it's ghosts, a time slip or a folk memory of these tragedies being remembered you can decide. 
Happy Halloween everyone!
Show transcript and notes are at our blog: www.weirdinthewade.blog 
Contact the podcast at weirdinthewade@gmail.com 
Find us on social media via our linktree
Researched, written and presented by Natalie Doig
Theme music by Tess Savigear
All additional sound effects and music by Epidemic Sound

7. The Big Cat of Biggleswade and Phantom Felines

There have been several sightings of a big cat stalking the water meadows, heaths, and back gardens of Biggleswade in the last twenty years. And they're not your usual black panther type sightings; they're more intriguing. Of course, I just had to investigate.
In this episode I speak with an eye witness about the large and unusual cat they saw whilst walking their dog. We have another witness statement sent into the show, and I look at old newspaper stories. All in an attempt to work out what the Beast of Biggleswade really is.
And I share with you my theory...
I also speak with Owen Staton, of the Time Between Times podcast, about his brushes with big cats in Wales, from school lockdowns, to one incident he attended in his role as a police officer. We also discuss what makes these big cat sightings so compelling.
I finish the show with a couple of ghost stories which feature phantom felines. 
Special guest this week is Owen Staton of the Time between Times and Spectre of the Sea podcasts.
If you have a suggestion, feedback or question please email the show at weirdinthewade@gmail.com 
Find us on social media: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade 
Researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme music by Tess Savigear
Cat meows and purrs by the pod-cat Kasumi
All additional sound effects and music from Epidemic Sound.

6. The Potton Poisoner: Part 3

In this final part of the story of Sarah Dazley, the Victorian poisoner, we follow the evidence shared at William Dazley's inquest and murder trial. We unpick tricky testimony and tangled timelines in an attempt to decide if Sarah really did it. There's gossip, pills and powders, a dead pig, and a teenage pregnancy all to uncover. 
We hear a new ghost story shared by a listener this time centred around the Chequers Inn at Wrestlingworth where the inquest was held. Does Sarah's restless spirit still haunt the pub?
And keep listening for a sneak preview of our next episode about big cats and phantom felines.
Have a suggestion, question or want to share a story? Please get in touch with Weird in the Wade at weirdinthewade@gmail.com 
Find the podcast on social media through the links on: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade
If you enjoy the show and are able to support us by buying Weird In the Wade a coffee you can do at: https://ko-fi.com/weirdinthewade
Weird in the Wade is researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Crowd voices by Savigear and McOwen
Theme music and the Potton Poisoner theme by Tess Savigear
All other music and additional sound effects by Epidemic Sound 

5. The Potton Poisoner: Part Two

This is the second part of a three part story about Sarah Dazley the Potton Poisoner. 
This episode opens with Sarah's arrest on the banks of the Thames in London and her appearance in front of the Lord Mayor. We'll hear a late night conversation between Sarah and the women guarding over her in a Biggleswade tavern. Find out why arsenic poisoning was such a problem in Victorian Britain. As well as exploring the details of the inquests into the deaths of her first husband and baby. It's an episode with twists and turns, delving into Victorian attitudes towards domestic abuse and violence, and their preoccupation with the nature of women. It sets up a final episode at the dramatic murder trial in Part Three.
This episode deals with murder, domestic violence, and the death of an infant. Please choose carefully where and how you listen. 
If you have any thoughts or suggestions please email the show at: weirdinthewade@gmail.com 
Find links to the podcast socials and website here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade
Weird in the Wade is researched, written and presented by Nat Doig
Theme music and the Potton Poisoner theme is by Tess Savigear
Additional crowd voices by Savigear and McOwen
All other music and sound effects are by Epidemic Sound