The Local Mythstorian

Had cause to spend a bit of time around Stoke recently and grabbed some photos to refresh the website. The famed 'Templar' graves at St. Lawrences in Biddulph, and of course, the table tomb of Molly Leigh. Never noticed that medieval coffin at St. John's before - believe it came from Hulton Abbey.

Not a historical post, but thought a few folks might appreciate it: a sun halo I caught on camera on my holiday break. No wonder the ancients were so enchanted with natural phenomena!

Hi Folks. My new podcast project is now in production, so expect a bit of 'radio silence' on my pages until it's ready for launch. If you would like to be included on the mailing list for the new show, please pop a blank email to: talesfrompod@gmail.com.

Enjoy summer - catch up later in the year!

As a history nerd, to find this chap being my direct ancestor has been a real trip! Looks like my Staffordshire roots are truly inbedded!

Great sights walking Chester walls this morning; makes a nice change to see an English Civil War history being respected and promoted! #chester #civilwar #chesterwalls

Continuing the recent witchy theme - I cover the history behind the tale of the Bakewell Witches in the new issue of Haunted Magazine. Available across the UK and US from May 30th! www.haunteddigitalmagazine.com/2025/05/haun...

Morning folks! Got this out much quicker than I thought I would - It will be the final episode of the podcast series, as I really need to get stuck into a new project: The History of Witchcraft In Cheshire, Live from The Grange Theatre: thelocalmythstorian.com/podcast #WITCHES #THELOCALMYTHSTORIAN

Great night at The Grange Theatre last night, so good to see so many people turn out for the witches! Podcast ETA is mid-tune. And thanks to Northwich & District Heritage Society for inviting me over. I've now sold out of books too! Better re-stock! #witchcraft #Cheshire #thelocalmythstorian

Just over a week until we go full on witchy at The Grange Theatre! Talk at 8pm - from the Roman roots of the 'witch' stereotype to the Cheshire trials, with all manner of devils, imps & magical motives. Mythstoric Journeys hardback just £10 on the night! #grangetheatre #cheshirehistory #witchcraze

Absolute find whilst walking the streets of Knutsford today!

VE DAY SPECIAL - ahead of next weeks 80th anniversary, I am releasing my grandfathers memoir in PDF. A Sgt in the Royal Engineers I had long assumed the document lost following his passing 20 years ago, but found it earlier this year! You can download it here: thelocalmythstorian.com/albert-s-war

The Saxon crosses of Sandbach fuse pagan and Christian symbols in stone. Nearly lost to Civil War zealotry, they were restored in 1816. A timeless reminder: cultures can clash, yet still create something enduring and beautiful! #sandbach #anglosaxon #celticchristianity

Hugh Raven led the infamous Meg Lane Farm Gang across 18C Cheshire. As Macclesfield's industrial boom reshaped the land, he turned to highway robbery striking fear across the countryside. Charismatic, ruthless, and cunning, he evaded capture until, legend says, he met a bloody end near Buxton.

Chester’s amphitheatre, the largest in Roman Britain, once echoed with chants for Mirex, a local gladiator whose name reached Rome itself. Artefacts from Ostia featuring his image label him 'Champion of Deva' - the Roman name for Chester. Maybe Mirex was Cheshire's earliest sports star?

Happy Saint George's Day! One of those fantastically confused historical reassignments. Synonymous with English pride, he was actually a Roman soldier born in modern-day Turkey in the 3rd century. A devout Christian, he refused to renounce his faith and was executed around 303 AD. #saintgeorge

SCHOLAR OF MAGIC - the latest in the podcast re-run, and one that got a bit missed first time around because of some crazy timings. It's still one of my favourites. Thought I'd pop a link up here in case you never heard it last year.
#chestercathedral #ranulfhigden
thelocalmythstorian.com/podcast

After the Harrying of the North (1069), Hugh d'Avranches founded the Barony of Shipbrook in Cheshire. Ralph de Vernon, 7th Baron, survived plague, reshaped the family crest, and reportedly lived to 150 - earning the nickname “The Long Liver.” Legend or truth, it was a life for the ages!

Actually loling

I take it all back about AI - this has blown my mind!!! Only joking, I find AI quite a scary concept overall. But it’s not half a laugh for this kind of stuff!

Stunning place! Remember being there, looking back at the mountains and thinking surely this is middle earth?

The amphitheatre in Side, Turkey, has its roots in the conquest of Alexander the Great in 333 BC. The whole town is packed with history - this will be the first year since 2018 that ive not visited. Cant recommend highly enough if you're planning your beach holiday and want a splash of history!

When you visit St Mary & All Saints in the village of Great Budworth, there are moments when you would be forgiven of thinking you really have stepped back in time. A 14th Century masterpiece and once home to Thomas Cooper, the infamous 'Vicar of Witches'. #greatbudworth #vicarofwitches #cheshire

The ‘castle’ in Macclesfield, Cheshire, was actually a fortified manor house, built 1398 by John de Macclesfield & marked out by his application to crenellate the building. In 1496 it would play host to Henry VII and his travelling court whilst visiting the Earls of Derby at Macclesfield Forrest.

Mythstoric Journeys, the hardback anthology collection is available should anyone want a real deep dive into the folklore and lost history of Cheshire/Staffs/Derbs. It's everything published by the project since inception in 2020! Available on Amazon amzn.eu/d/2hixPat #mythstoricjourneys

The Headless Lady of Tarvin. A Cheshire legend from the 17C of a young woman beheaded during a violent dispute and buried in an unmarked grave near St. Andrew’s Church. The figure has been reported to police (walking along the nearby bypass) no less than 8 times in the last 30 years!

This is fantastic stuff, will take a good look later!

Alderley Edge in Cheshire is shrouded in history and with the Alderley axes, we have a very tangible mystery. Discovered by detectorists, reports were made to the British Museum but they couldn’t attest to which period of history they belonged. Most likely they are prehistoric votive offerings.

St. Werburgh, the daughter of King Wulfhere of Mercia rose to fame courtesy of her ability to resurrect birds from the dead! Her body being moved to Chester in 975 to keep it safe from Viking raids (the thought being she would protect Chester in return) she became the patron saint of the city.

‘You shall not pass!’ Gandalf, the river Heron taking on all comers in Vale Royal this morning!

Thanks Cat!