Weird in the Wade

Do you like your spooky stories with some historical context? Do you like your history with a pinch of the paranormal? Then Weird in the Wade is the podcast for you. Weird in the Wade is about all that’s weird, wonderful and a little off kilter in a small English town called Biggleswade and its surrounding area. Each episode we explore a story that will make you pause and ponder, whether its a haunting, flying saucers, witches, poisoners or body snatchers. Social history meets the unexplained in Weird in the Wade.

History
Society & Culture
1
Halloween Special: Sounds that Scare Us
Nat and special guests explore the sounds which frighten weird in the wade’s listeners
73 min
2
53 Aviation Mysteries
The disappearances of the Flying Duchess of Bedford, Glenn Miller and Amelia Earhart are explored.
70 min
3
52 Haunted Hospitals (abandoned and repurposed ...
When hospitals are abandoned or repurposed, do the ghosts of their past linger?
59 min
4
51 Modern Haunted and Abandoned Places
Examining the ghosts of our more recent rural, urban and railway past
64 min
5
50 Black Death in Bedfordshire
69 min
6
Haunted Houghton House (And Some Creepy Castles)
How a Bedfordshire ruin sparked ghost stories and legends.
52 min
7
48 Fierce Fen Folklore For LGBTQ+ Pride
This episode explores LGBTQ+ history through folklore and the otherworldly
48 min
8
Top Secret Tempsford: WW2 and 21st Century ghosts
A visit to a WW2 memorial barn leads Nat to the secret history of RAF Tempsford
64 min
9
46 A Haunting At Tempsford Hall
A real life Victorian haunted house mystery.
62 min
10
45 My Paranormal Sleepover
Nat spends the night in the most haunted pub in Biggleswade
71 min
11
44 Pub Ghosts
Exploring haunted pubs from Biggleswade to Japan via North America
70 min
12
Road Ghosts
Nat examines two road ghost encounters, and a miraculous incident with a ghost, all linked by fog
52 min
13
42 The Legend of Black Humphrey
A tale of smugglers, wreckers, ghost ships and witchcraft on the north Cornwall coast
55 min
14
Paranormal Women: An International Women's Day ...
An exploration of women who haunt, are haunted and investigate hauntings.
65 min
15
40 A Haunting at the Higgins Bedford
Nat Investigates historic hauntings at the Higgins Bedford
57 min
16
39 The Prestonville Horror
Was a unicorn haunting Edwardian Brighton?
49 min
17
38 Demon Dogs and Creepy Canines (Live)
A festive special about haunted hounds, recorded live at the Bigg Theatre
57 min
18
37 The Ghosts of Preston Manor
Nat visits one of England’s most haunted houses, Preston Manor in Brighton
50 min
19
36 The Ghosts of Coopers Hill
55 min
20
35 The Potton Road Poltergeist
A poltergeist haunting rattles 1990s Biggleswade.
63 min
21
34. What's Haunting Andy's House?
Delving deep for answers!
55 min
22
Weird in the Wade Returns: Trailer
It's back on Monday 27th October!
0 min
23
33. A Spectral Army at Sempringham
On a summer wander away from the wade, Nat visits a South Lincolnshire hillside which has attached to it an intriguing medieval tale of a phantom army. In a strange coincidence, Nat learns that her brother who runs there regularly has a tale to tell about that hillside as well. Sempringham was the site of an abbey and a monastic order founded by an Englishman, St Gilbert. The site holds a holy well and a link to a Welsh princess, as well as possibly Vikings. Join Nat, her brother Chris and Dr Francis Young as they uncover the secrets of Sempringham. Nat also announces some important news about the podcast towards the end of the episode along with an update on this year's Burryman procession. Weird in the Wade Live! Want to catch Weird in the Wade live, at The Bigg Theatre in Biggleswade for a live podcast recording and more? It's happening on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 3pm Grab your tickets here: https://wegottickets.com/event/673203/ British Podcast Awards There's still time to vote for Weird in the Wade on the listeners choice award at the British Podcast Awards! Just visit this link: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Important news: Weird in the Wade will be taking a short break but will return in October, in time for Halloween and will then become a fortnightly podcast! Episodes will be released every two weeks between October and July. Make sure you're subscribed on BBC Sounds so you don't miss an episode. Credits: Today's episode features Emily Elle Watts as Edith Thank you to:Dr Francis Young for his expertiseChris Salmon for sharing his storyOllie Campbell for letting me share his song Mon The Burryman Check out the show blog weirdinthewade.blog for more information about everyone above and the episode in general Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat DoigTheme music is by Tess Savigear
54 min
24
The Burryman
On a summer wander away from Biggleswade, Nat investigates one of the UK's strangest seasonal folk customs, the Burryman of Queensferry. For centuries a man covered from head to ankle in spiky burdock seedheads has walked along the banks of the Firth of Forth, bringing luck and banishing evil from the town. Uniquely Scottish, looking like a man covered in bees or a bear walking on his hind legs, scaring young children, but fascinating them all the same, the Burryman is a striking vision indeed. But as Nat joined the Burryman procession in 2024 she became intrigued by the origins of this custom, and what it means now to the community of Queensferry and beyond. With insights from the Burryman himself, his attendants and the team behind the procession and Queensferry's Ferry Fair, Nat pieces together the history of the Burryman and how he is inspiring folk from all around the world.   Special thanks to Andrew (the Burryman,) his attendants Andrew and Duncan, and team, Claire, Erin, Doc and Paul for their time and expertise in this episode. Thank you to Wayne Gilbert of Eerie Edinburgh for reading the article form the Dunfermline Press. Thank you to the Blue Moon Pickers for their live folk music which is included in this episode. And a huge thank you to Daniel Patrick Quinn for allowing me to use his wonderful track The Burryman (featuring Duncan Grahl,)   Find out more about the Burryman and this episode on the show blog weridinthewade.blog Email Nat: weirdinthewade@gmail.com   Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig Theme music by Tess Savigear All additional music and sound effects from Epidemic Sound
67 min
25
31. Biggleswade's Phantom Army
The medieval chronicles are peppered with odd tales amongst the mundane, when folklorist and historian Dr Francis Young came across one of these peculiar stories he shared it with Nat, because it happened at Biggleswade. In this episode Francis and Nat ask, and hopefully answer the questions: what was this strange sight? What did it mean to the witnesses? How have our interpretations of the uncanny and otherworldly changed over the centuries? They also explore how landscape shapes and holds secrets about our past beliefs and activities.   Who were these "monstrous fighting men," and do they have a link to Viking and Saxon history? Find out in this episode of Weird in the Wade.   Read more on the show blog at weirdinthewade.blog Find out more about Dr Francis Young at: https://drfrancisyoung.com/about/ Find out more about Weird in the Wade Ghost Walks here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/weird-in-the-wade-79765637113 Vote for Weird in the Wade in the listeners choice award for the British Podcast Awards here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Join Weird in the Wade's Patreon to support the show and get extra content: patreon.com/WeirdintheWade Social Media links and more can be found here: https://linktr.ee/weirdinthewade   Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig. Special thanks for the contributions of Dr Francis Young in this episode. Theme music by Tess Savigear
62 min