Gone Medieval – Medieval Hallowe’en (October 31, 2025)

Podcast: Gone Medieval (History Hit)
Host: Matt Lewis
Guests: Dr. Amy Boucher & Alex Chidliyotly (of the Shropshire Witches Podcast)

Episode Overview

On this special All Hallows’ Eve episode of Gone Medieval, host Matt Lewis is joined by Amy Boucher and Alex Chidliyotly (the “Shropshire Witches”) to explore the medieval origins of Halloween, its rich folklore, and the role ghost stories and spooky superstitions played in the lives of medieval Europeans. The conversation ranges from Norse sagas packed with the undead, to the ominous Wild Hunt, corpse roads, death omens, and the enduring cultural significance of storytelling around the darker half of the year.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Tale: The Wild Hunt of King Herla

[03:00–12:25]

• Matt opens with a dramatic reading of the legend of King Herla and the Wild Hunt—a spectral army doomed to wander, tied to the thinning veil between the living and the dead at Halloween.
• The tale underpins the show’s theme: how medieval folklore and beliefs fused with religious traditions at this liminal time of year.

Favourite Medieval Spooky Stories

[13:00–17:36]

• Amy’s pick: The Eyrbyggja Saga (Iceland).
  • Features “draugrs”—restless undead akin to zombies. Thorolf’s spirit causes terror after death, driving animals and people mad.
  • Quote: “He is absolutely relentless. He haunts the area, he gets bored of haunting his old farm, so he starts haunting the whole valley.” – Amy [13:32]
• Alex’s pick: The motif of “The Three Living and the Three Dead” (Très Riches Heures/13th century).
  • Three nobles encounter three skeletons who warn them, “What you are, that we were. What we are, that you will be.” A vivid memento mori.
  • Quote: “It’s really eerie. And that idea of encountering something like that in a woodland is marvellous and wonderfully medieval.” – Alex [15:54]

Why is October 31st So Spooky? Origins of Halloween

[17:36–21:20]

• Amy outlines how late October/early November—before and after the Christianization of Britain—was always a season for commemorating the dead (Celtic Samhain to Allhallowtide).
• It became a period for prayer, fasting, honouring saints, and remembrance of personal dead.
• Religious and folkloric rituals overlapped: leaving out food for spirits, special prayers, cemetery visits.
• Quote: “Even if some of the stories we now tell aren’t, and they aren’t medieval, the practice of storytelling round a fire in this time is very medieval in origin.” – Amy [21:03]

Folklore, Religion, and Social Order

[21:23–25:25]

• Alex discusses the interplay between folk customs and Christian practice.
  • Christianity “recruited” popular traditions (e.g., soul cakes, guising/trick-or-treating, rowan branches, bell ringing)
  • Agricultural/rural society drew on both the comforting and scary aspects of the landscape through lore.
  • Folklore explains, but also manages behaviour—sometimes scare stories keep children and communities safe.
  • Quote: “With fear, they can manage situations better... With nature, you’re explaining away things probably from a practical point of view... but also explaining away things that, maybe, you know, the human proclivity for habit and for explaining things is not new.” – Alex [25:08]

Atmospheric Storytelling and the Purpose of Fear

[25:25–27:17]

• Folklore both connects people to their landscape and creates a healthy fear—of the dark, the woods, or spiritual retribution.
• Storytelling around the fire in winter is highlighted as a deep-rooted practice for imparting caution and communal bonds.

The Wild Hunt: Omen, Terror, and Social Commentary

[29:35–33:59]

• Amy details the legend of the Wild Hunt—an otherworldly cavalcade seen during winter nights across Britain and Europe, led by figures as varied as Odin, Gwyn ap Nudd, or King Herla.
• First recorded as an omen of misfortune in local chronicles, such as Peterborough Chronicle (1127)—often seen as foreboding change, disaster, or social criticism (“opinion poll” folklore).
  • Quote: "So much of folklore is…an opinion poll... A lot of medieval stories that are rooted in the medieval period, which are like phantom monks, are a criticism of the clergy." – Amy [33:24]
• The terror is less about a problem that can be “solved,” and more about facing the inevitable forces of nature and fate.
  • Quote: “How do you solve it? Because it’s just passing by... a problem you can’t solve.” – Matt [33:59]

Wild Edric and Other Haunted Heroes

[34:54–39:52]

• The legend of Wild Edric, a post-Conquest figure said to ride in times of English crisis, combines folk-hero and ghostly motifs (akin to King Arthur).
• Edric stories blend hope for supernatural aid with warnings and unease—showing folklore as both uplifting and uncanny.

Corpse Roads and Death Omens

[39:52–50:37]

• Alex passionately explains corpse roads—ancient funeral processional routes from home to churchyard, loaded with custom and superstition (crossing water, lych stones, straight paths, confusing bends to fool spirits).
• Haunted and atmospheric, these routes often attract local ghost stories long after losing practical use.
  • Quote: “There’s a reason why it was remembered, there’s a reason why that narrative has continued… ghosts as a conduit for the concerns of a wider community.” – Amy [61:05]
• Death omens: Birds (owls, magpies, ravens), horses, and livestock all feature as harbingers of death or disaster, with the natural world being both a comfort and a warning.

Yew Trees and Graveyards

[51:55–54:13]

• Yew trees: Their pagan, ancient association with death and immortality, their toxicity, longevity, and “liminal” symbolism made them perfect for graveyards.
  • Quote: “Yews are very often... found in churchyards... said to be sort of the original tree of holding the souls of the dead.” – Alex [52:05]

Why Ghost Stories? Purpose & Morality

[54:13–61:05]

• Medieval ghost stories served as more than entertainment—they supported moral lessons (sin & consequence), ensured proper religious observance (prayers for the dead), reinforced social cohesion, and reflected health and resource anxieties.
• Ghosts often appear due to unfinished business, dishonoured debts—even missing “spoons” can doom a soul to restless wandering, emphasizing the importance of living well and upholding social bonds.
  • Quote: “The ghost stories of the medieval period are there to frighten you into submission rather than... entertainment.” – Amy [57:13]
• The enduring relevance of local heritage and folklore for understanding community identity and history is discussed.
  • Quote: “A ghost is never just a ghost... There’s always something far more pertinent to that story.” – Amy [61:05]

Memorable Quotes

• On the thrill of storytelling:
  “I think everyone, as long as there has been humans, we have probably been telling these types of stories.” – Amy [54:33]
• The duality of Halloween:
  “We fear it and enjoy it.” – Alex [50:56]
• On the Wild Hunt:
  “It is, in short, a terrifying spectacle... a hunt that thunders across the skies at night.” – Amy [29:53]
• On local folklore:
  “Local stories are fascinating, intriguing, interesting and really are valid.” – Amy [62:33]

Recommendations for Spooky Storytelling Locales

[62:52–65:15]

• Alex: Ludlow Castle (for gothic ruins and ghost stories), with mentions to Tanners on Wildcock and Powis Castle as atmospheric venues.
• Amy: Lilleshall Abbey—“the only place I’ve ever been that I am convinced is definitely haunted.”
  • Quote: “The whole atmosphere in the building is just really creepy. You feel like you’re being watched. You feel like you are being followed.” – Amy [64:13]

Timestamps for Core Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------|---------------| | Opening tale: The Wild Hunt | 03:00–12:25 | | Favourite medieval ghost stories | 13:00–17:36 | | The origins of Halloween | 17:36–21:20 | | Folklore and religion interplay | 21:23–27:17 | | The Wild Hunt myth | 29:35–33:59 | | Wild Edric legend | 34:54–39:52 | | Corpse roads & funeral folklore | 39:52–50:37 | | Death omens and natural warnings | 47:02–51:55 | | Yew trees in graveyards | 51:55–54:13 | | Purpose of ghost stories | 54:13–61:05 | | Importance of local folklore | 61:05–62:33 | | Spookiest local story locations | 62:52–65:15 |

Final Thoughts

This Halloween episode paints a vivid, atmospheric picture of how medieval societies faced the darkness of winter—blending practical ritual, religious devotion, and a rich tapestry of folklore. The tales and analysis provided by Amy and Alex illuminate the origins of many “spooky season” customs and urge us to maintain our connection to local traditions. Whether for comfort, caution, community, or control, stories of the supernatural are a timeless part of the human experience.

Want more spookiness?
Check out the Shropshire Witches Podcast for further dives into folklore from Britain’s shadowy past.