Loremen Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Loremen S6Ep29 - The Cholsey Poltergeists Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Polterguys are back! As are Alasdair and James! After a wee August break, the Loreboys return with some noisy sprits from a disputed corner of Oxfordshire. Listen carefully and you might just learn something about early British Christians. Not how to pronounce their names, though. Apologies in advance for that.

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

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@loremenpod

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Loremen - Summer Bonus 2025 Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

The boys are on holiday, so this episode is pure "bants". Enjoy a selection of bonus bits from our recent episodes and take care out there, kids.

If you like this and want more of it, go to patreon.com/loremenpod

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Loremen S6Ep28 - Edward Mordake and Herne the Hunter Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Join Alasdair and James in a not-at-all dank Oxford cellar, as part of the Oxford Comedy Festival. The boys meet a hornéd hunter and a two-faced Edward: legends who left the pages of literature and entered the realm of lore. Like a pair of old-school Slendermen.

Thanks to Matthew Chadourne and the Oxford Comedy Festival for having us!

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/IMykate4t9s

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

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@loremenpod

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Loremen S6Ep27 - Banbury! Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

James takes Alasdair back to the Croydon of the Cotswolds™ - Banbury! - for a deep-dive into the origins, variations and possible meanings of the town's "famous" nursery rhyme. You know, the one with the rude horse and the lady with peculiarly positioned bells? Plus, James shares the tragic tale of a horse whose sat-nav led to a vicar's downfall.

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

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@loremenpod

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Loremen S6Ep26 - The King Hare Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

James is joined by Dave Warneke of the podcasts Do Go On and Book Cheat to hear about one of the UK's breaking (and bounciest) cryptids.

Check Dave's upcoming stand-up special here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIuGey7qQ50

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

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@loremenpod

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/loremenpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Loremen S6Ep25 - The Cauldknockle Haunting Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Looking for a tale to warm your knockles? If so, you've come to the wrong place! Alasdair's North Country legend will make your knockles chillier than ever. You're gonna wish you'd invested in 8 tiny beanies to keep 'em warm*.

This is the sanguinary story of Stephen Hollin's ghost from Manfield (near Darlington). Stephen is a spectral prankster who will either kill you with a plough coulter or steal all your cheese. Stroll through his field and you'll be lucky to make it out with both your shoes...

* Delightful image and business idea © James Shakeshaft, 2025. Mistake Warning: Alasdair says the River Tees goes through Sunderland, when it actually goes through Middlesbrough. Shocking bad mistake.

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@loremenpod

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/loremenpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Loremen S6Ep24 - The Figure on the Stairs Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to Sydenham, but be warned — this ain't your grandma's Sydenham. It's more likely to be your great-great grandma's Sydenham.

James takes Alasdair to a tumbledown cottage on a moonlit night, where an unwary rambler had a terrific fright. At least, according to the ghosthunter Elliot O'Donnell. From dreamland visions to the horrors of the London rental market, this episode should give you a shiver, even in the midst of a heatwave.

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@loremenpod

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Loremen S6Ep23 - Stone Watch 2025 Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

James takes Alasdair on a whistle-stop tour of Britain's mobile stones, as catalogued in Janet and Colin Bord's The Secret Country. These standing stones were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do. Except when they're spinning around on the spot. Or not moving at all.

Plus, we answer the questions no other podcast would dare ask:

Do stones grow? (No)
Should you go in a Piper's Hole? (No)
Do stones respect / understand Daylight Savings? (We don't know)

Catch James on the Stone Watch 2025 livestream on ⁠YouTube⁠.

Check out the Quantum Mechanics Podcast's episode on Stone Watch 2025.

Join... Us... at The Oxford Comedy ⁠Festival⁠ on the 10th July 2025 (2025).

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@loremenpod

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Loremen S6Ep22 - The Ghosts of 50 Berkeley Square, London Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

In the midst of a heatwave, James brings the temperature down with the chilling tale of a ghost named Bloody Bones. The loreboys visit the most notorious haunted house in London. It's the Victorian equivalent of the Cat Bin Lady (but with ghosts in a house rather than a cat in a... well, you know).

Prepare yourself for tales of hubris and horror, plus a typewritten message from the beyond!

Join... Us... at The Oxford Comedy Festival on the 10th July 2025 (2025).

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@loremenpod

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Loremen S6Ep21 - Prince Edward, Island Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Do you struggle to tell the difference between Prince Edward Island, the Canadian province, and Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh (15th in line to the throne AT TIME OF RECORDING)? If nothing else, this episode will teach you which of the two produces 25% of Canada's potatoes.

Plus, you can expect a bunch of cryptids sprung from the pages of Chasing North American Monsters by Jason Offutt (and thanks to the publisher, Llewellyn, for sending us a copy).

P.S. Keep listening after the music for a clip from this week's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreons.

This episode was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check the sweet, sweet merch here...

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@loremenpod

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/loremenpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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