Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Dark Histories is primarily an audio podcast, available on all your podcast apps, wherever you listen: pod.link/1279731673
The early modern period was a rocky time for religion across Europe, fundamental pinnings of everyday life were being questioned and changing, as the reformation shifted authority away from the church. Thoughts on death and the afterlife were turned upside down, and in villages across England, restless spirits were making a comeback. To confront these supernatural intruders, communities turned to their local clergy to carry out the practice of ghost-laying, an exorcism ritual that sought to bind and banish the dead. At least, that’s what Victorian authors would have liked to believe. Part religion, part folklore, and part fear, the subject of ghost-laying is fairly well complicated, and defining just how much of it is actually true, even more so.
SOURCES
Walsh, Brendan C. (2023) ‘He Could Raise and Lay Ghosts at His Will’: Victorian Folklorists and the Creation of Early Modern Clerical Ghost-Laying. Folklore, 134:3, 281-303, DOI: 10.1080/0015587X.2023.2187157
Bottrell, William (1870) Traditions & Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall. Beare & Son, Penzance, UK.
Hawker, Robert Steven (1870) Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall. James C. Commin, Exeter, UK.
Andrews, William (1898) The Church Treasury of History, Custom, Folk-Lore, etc. London, UK.
Bond, Thomas (1823) Topographical and Historical Sketches of the Boroughs of East and West Looe, in the County of Cornwall. J. Nichols & Son, London, UK.
Hunt, Robert (1865) Popular Romances of the West of England, Or, The Drolls, Traditions and Superstitions of Old Cornwall. John Camden Hotten, London, UK.
Courtney, Margaret Anne (1973) Cornish Feasts & Folklore. EP Publishing Ltd. UK.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Dark Histories is primarily an audio podcast, available on all your podcast apps, wherever you listen: pod.link/1279731673
The early modern period was a rocky time for religion across Europe, fundamental pinnings of everyday life were being questioned and changing, as the reformation shifted authority away from the church. Thoughts on death and the afterlife were turned upside down, and in villages across England, restless spirits were making a comeback. To confront these supernatural intruders, communities turned to their local clergy to carry out the practice of ghost-laying, an exorcism ritual that sought to bind and banish the dead. At least, that’s what Victorian authors would have liked to believe. Part religion, part folklore, and part fear, the subject of ghost-laying is fairly well complicated, and defining just how much of it is actually true, even more so.
SOURCES
Walsh, Brendan C. (2023) ‘He Could Raise and Lay Ghosts at His Will’: Victorian Folklorists and the Creation of Early Modern Clerical Ghost-Laying. Folklore, 134:3, 281-303, DOI: 10.1080/0015587X.2023.2187157
Bottrell, William (1870) Traditions & Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall. Beare & Son, Penzance, UK.
Hawker, Robert Steven (1870) Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall. James C. Commin, Exeter, UK.
Andrews, William (1898) The Church Treasury of History, Custom, Folk-Lore, etc. London, UK.
Bond, Thomas (1823) Topographical and Historical Sketches of the Boroughs of East and West Looe, in the County of Cornwall. J. Nichols & Son, London, UK.
Hunt, Robert (1865) Popular Romances of the West of England, Or, The Drolls, Traditions and Superstitions of Old Cornwall. John Camden Hotten, London, UK.
Courtney, Margaret Anne (1973) Cornish Feasts & Folklore. EP Publishing Ltd. UK.
------
For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
