Hello, Wyrdo's!
On this episode of Wyrd Wessex, Craig and Andy head out into the ancient and beautiful Savernake Forest. But this isn't just a peaceful stroll; it's a dive into a place steeped in dark history, folklore, and some truly bizarre modern-day encounters. A quick warning: this episode covers some very disturbing true crime and violent material, so listener discretion is advised.
A Dark History and a Separate Episode
The hosts start their trek by acknowledging the heavy history of the forest. They mention two notorious cases that are tied to Savernake: the beginning of the Hungerford Massacre in 1987 and the murder of Sharno Callaghan in 2011. While these grizzly events are important to the area, Craig and Andy decide to cover them in a separate, more true-crime-focused episode, promising to keep this one focused on the folklore.
Ancient Oaks and Devilish Dancing
Savernake is home to some of the oldest trees in the country, and the hosts visit a few. They stand before the Cathedral Oak, a magnificent tree over a thousand years old, and discuss the forest's history as a royal hunting ground for Henry VIII. They also mention the Duke's Vaunt Oak, which once had a choir singing inside, but the most intriguing story belongs to the Big Belly Oak. Legend says if you dance around it seven or twelve times naked at midnight, you'll summon the Devil.
Witches, Ghost Houses, and Headless Horsewomen
As the sun sets, the supernatural tales begin. Craig shares a story from an old book about a witch who disguised herself as a piece of straw, causing a horse to drop dead. Andy counters with a unique "ghost house" story from a letter, where a young boy could perfectly describe the blueprint of a building that had burned down fifty years before he was born. Then, on the Grand Avenue, they talk about a headless horsewoman who is said to charge through the forest on a white steed.
Black Dogs and a Modern-Day Fright
No spooky episode is complete without black dogs, and Savernake doesn't disappoint. The hosts discuss an old legend about a huge black dog with glowing eyes that was either the devil or a murderer. They also share a new, very in-depth story from a Mumsnet forum about a woman who, while pet-sitting, heard a malicious voice in the dark forest and was chased back to her cottage by an unseen force. She got back to find that the puppy she thought she was chasing had been inside all along.
Wyrd News
The episode wraps up with the hosts' take on wyrd news. Andy brings the first story: a "doomsday fish" caught in Thailand that, according to folklore, is a sign of an impending natural disaster. Craig then shares a celebrity tale: Andrew Lloyd Webber claims to have had a poltergeist in his London home that, oddly enough, would neatly stack his theatre scripts in unusual places.
To hear all the spooky details and the hosts' final thoughts on Savernake's creepiness factor, be sure to listen to the full episode of Wyrd Wessex!