Podcast Summary: New Books Network – Interview with Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux

Episode Information

• Title: The Three Ravens Folk Tales: New Tellings of Half-forgotten Stories from England's 39 Historic Counties
• Authors/Guests: Eleanor Conlon & Martin Vaux
• Host: Dr. Miranda Melcher
• Publication: The History Press, 2025
• Date: September 18, 2025

Overview of Episode Theme

This episode features an engaging conversation with Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux, authors of The Three Ravens Folk Tales, a book showcasing new retellings of 39 folklore stories, each representing one of England’s historic counties. The episode explores the origins of this project, the process of researching and reimagining old folk stories, the impact of landscape and trauma on folklore, and the ongoing resonance of these tales in modern local communities.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins and Development of The Three Ravens Project (01:35–04:20)

• The idea began as a folk storytelling podcast, covering one story from each of England’s 39 historic counties.
• The History Press invited them to compile these stories into a book after the podcast’s success.
• Both authors reflect on their circuitous journey to publication:
  • “We've both won awards for our writing, but never quite got over the line of having a thing published. So we got there eventually in this very indirect sort of way.” — Eleanor (03:56)

2. Research and Story Selection Process (05:07–08:47)

• Stories selected at random by county; neither author was originally an expert in English geography.
• Key aim: ensure variety in form, style, tone, and era.
  • “Each one was a different challenge to research and hopefully put into an interesting short story format.” — Eleanor (06:51)
• The podcast format allowed for evolving confidence and experimentation across episodes.

3. Balancing Tradition and Creativity; Notable Tales (08:51–14:31)

• The importance of pushing boundaries in retelling (Lantern Men from Huntingtonshire as an example of venturing into the grotesque).
  • “I thought, people are going to absolutely, absolutely hate this.” — Martin (08:32)
• Stories often stitch together multiple sources and traditions, not just a single “canonical” folk tale.

4. Challenges of Research and Iteration (11:17–16:43)

• Tight deadlines shaped the writing and editing process.
• Examples discussed include:
  • Sockburn Worm (County Durham): Combining Dark Ages myth with physical sites and ceremonial traditions.
  • William Doggett the Vampire Ghost (Dorset): Channeling Thomas Hardy’s narrative style into folklore.

5. Overlapping Themes, Folklore Collectors and Regional Variation (16:08–22:17)

• Recurring motifs (black dogs, dragons) are distributed widely, necessitating decisions about which county should represent which tale.
• The role of 18th and 19th-century folklorists in shaping the record; gaps remain due to their biases.

6. Folklore, Place, and Trauma (18:24–21:35)

• Many folktales are deeply tied to specific landscape features and local/national traumas.
  • “Folk tales are almost always linked to some aspect of landscape...often folktales are also linked to traumas, aren’t they?” — Eleanor (18:24)
• Examples include the Blind Fiddler of Anstey (Hertfordshire) and Long Meg and Her Daughters (Cumbria).

7. Ancient and Modern Origins; Adapting Archaic Tales (22:46–32:38)

• Delving into stories rooted in distant history (e.g., Hereward the Wake and resistance to the Norman Conquest; Brutus of Troy and Gogmagog).
  • “The source is Geoffrey of Monmouth in his chronicle...which it's widely agreed now is largely a work of high creativity.” — Martin (26:40)
• Contrasting ancient tales with more recent legends, such as the Black-eyed Children of Cannock Chase (Staffordshire).

8. Living Traditions and Commemoration Today (32:52–36:53)

• Many stories are still celebrated in local festivals; e.g., Black Shuck Festival (East Anglia), Lord Mayor's Show in London (Gog and Magog giants).
  • “There is a vast number of regional fairs and festivals...from a really small village scale and some on a much grander scale.” — Martin (35:41)
• Evolving meanings behind these traditions, often unnoticed by attendees.

9. Underappreciated and Favoured Tales (37:24–44:05)

• Rediscovering obscure legends (Tidyman of Anchom Vale, Lincolnshire) tied to marginalised folklorists like Marie Balfour.
• Transformative impact of landscape change and ecological crisis on folk narratives (Fenland drainage).
  • “It's sometimes called the greatest ecological crisis that this country's ever had, because it completely changed whole ways of life.” — Eleanor (40:07)
• Creating complex, layered stories, such as the fairy-themed “A Cuckoo in Winter” (Wiltshire), which incorporates time-slip motifs and queer love stories.

10. Folklore Objects: The Witch Bottle (44:21–46:17)

• Explanation and history of witch bottles as tools of folk magic.
  • “You can create a witch bottle with various bits and bobs. Urine's a popular ingredient. Toenail and hair clippings. Bent pins are very good...” — Martin (44:40)
• Audience engagement: listeners inspired to make modern witch bottles for protection.

11. Universal Themes and Interconnected Identities (46:31–49:42)

• Emphasising the universality and fluidity of folktale motifs across cultures.
  • “We are all so interconnected and our ideas as cultures are so interconnected. The things that scare us, that excite us, the things that we want, those prime drivers are really important.” — Eleanor (47:47)
• Commitment to multidimensional characters, moving beyond the “flat” archetypes of older tales.

12. What’s Next for the Three Ravens Authors and Podcast (50:25–51:39)

• Upcoming podcast series on Welsh folktales, then American (original 13 states).
• Touring live storytelling shows in all 39 historic English counties.
• Annual “haunting season” featuring original ghost stories; plans for new collections.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On evolving as writers:
  “Some of the Earliest stories, I think, are a little more spare...some of the later ones, particularly when we sort of found our groove and felt a bit more confident, we took more chances, didn't we?” — Eleanor (07:48)

• On the nature of folk tales:
  “Often folktales are also linked to traumas, aren’t they?” — Eleanor (18:24)
  “Because when I read or listen to a story, and I think this is true of any reader or listener, I am looking to find myself...I am looking for a point of identification so I can enter the story too.” — Martin (49:42)

• On the interconnectedness of stories:
  “Pretty much any story you can find in this book, it will be in Arabic at least four centuries before.” — Martin (47:47)

• On the Lord Mayor’s Show:
  “Every year in the Lord Mayor's show, they carry these huge effigies...of Gog and Magog, two giants, apparently, that are basically the protectors of London...so it's funny how a lot of the kind of characters or ideas in these stories do echo and recur.” — Eleanor (36:24)

• On making the tales relevant and inclusive:
  “We wanted to try and take these perhaps tropey folkloric characters and give them a bit more of a life, give them a bit more context...human scale of problems, emotional lives, things you're afraid of.” — Eleanor (48:58)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:35 — Episode introduction, how the book and podcast came about
• 05:07 — Process of researching and selecting stories
• 08:51 — Balancing authenticity and creativity in retelling tales
• 11:17 — Managing deadlines and difficult stories
• 16:08 — Deciding which county gets which recurring legend
• 18:24 — Linking folklore to landscape and collective trauma
• 23:19 — Folk narratives around the Norman Conquest and ancient myths
• 31:23 — Incorporating contemporary ghost stories (e.g., Cannock Chase)
• 33:13 — How stories are still celebrated or used in local traditions
• 37:24 — Authors' favorite lesser-known tales and creative approaches
• 44:21 — Explanation and modern engagement with witch bottles
• 46:31 — The universality and adaptability of tribal folklore
• 50:25 — Upcoming projects and expansion of the podcast focus

Conclusion

This episode is both a primer and a celebration of English folk narratives, their deep ties to place, and their continued evolution through creative retelling. Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux’s approach—grounded in research yet playfully inventive—makes the folklore accessible, nuanced, and resonant for new generations of readers and listeners.

"The Three Ravens Folk Tales: New Tellings of Half-forgotten Stories from England's 39 Historic Counties" is available now, and the Three Ravens podcast continues to expand its storytelling journey across borders and genres.

For more: Visit 3ravenspodcast.com