Series 6 Episode 4: Leicestershire


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Mar 23 2025 107 mins   32

On this week's episode of Three Ravens, we are diving deep into the pink river of Leicestershire's history and folklore - and Eleanor has written a real weepy story, so brace yourself for that one!

We start off discussing the Nothing Day that is the 24th March - a day which used to be something, all before the Julian calendar happened, and the Archangel Michael got a bit big for his boots. After which we lollop into Leicestershire!

We start with some curious aspects of the county's heritage and culture, including its significant and vibrant immigrant populations, the Hallaton Treasure, the gargantuan legacy of Daniel Lambert, the "Fattest Man in England" as he once was, the rather evil 'Leicester Boy', and more, all before Eleanor gets us all in a jumble for this week's County Dish...

Next, we dig into some folklore, including the Birstall Shagdog, the Griffin of Griffydam, some of Leicestershire's strange traditions such as the "Whipping Toms" and Bottle Kicking, all informed by some excerpts from Saturday's full Local Legends interview with Leicestershire local, author and storyteller Tom "The Tale Teller" Phillips.

Then it's on to the main event: Eleanor's story "Route 616," which is sad and beautiful and revolves around post-war bus journey!

We really hope you enjoy it, and will be back on Thursday with both a new Magus bonus episode about Mother Shipton and our Patreon Exclusive Film Club episode for April about The Cry of the Banshee, all before the full interview with Tom comes out on Saturday!

The 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?

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

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