Épisodes

  • Book Club 03 – The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean (with Brontë Schiltz)

    Book Club 03 – The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean (with Brontë Schiltz)
    Oct 31 2026
    Welcome to the third episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an independent bookshop in Dorchester. To accompany our real-life, face-to-face book club meet-ups, host Ross Cleaver invites a special guest co-host onto the show every two months to discuss our latest reading choice. On this episode, Ross welcomes Brontë Schiltz. Brontë is a journalist, writer, and PhD candidate researching Televisual Gothic at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research and writing explore gothic literature, horror film, and the uncanny, with contributions to collections including Comma Press’s Monster Capital and The Book of Manchester. Together, they discuss Will Maclean’s 2020 debut novel, The Apparition Phase. The Apparition PhaseTwins Tim and Abi have always been different from their peers, spending their evenings in the attic of their parents’ suburban house, poring over reports of the unexplained. Obsessed with photographs of ghostly apparitions, they decide to fake their own and use it to frighten a girl at school.What was supposed to be a harmless prank sets in motion a terrifying chain of events that neither of them could have predicted. Set in the 1970s, Will Maclean’s debut is a chilling, atmospheric tale of disturbed teenagers, malevolent spirits, and the haunting power of belief. How to Get InvolvedWe want to build a community around these books, both locally in Dorset and remotely with our podcast listeners and zine readers.Join us in Dorchester: Ross leads the in-person discussions at the King’s Arms Hotel. Spaces are limited, so sign up at the Teasel & Skylark shop. Local club members get 10% off the featured books, plus 10% off all other books and gifts in-store (excluding original artwork). These discounts are only available in person at the shop.Join us from elsewhere: If you are not local, read along at home and send your thoughts or audio voicemails to generalwitchfinders@gmail.com. Support Independent BookshopsIf you are close enough to Dorchester, please order your copy through Teasel & Skylark and pop in to collect it. If you cannot get to West Dorset, please find your local indie store via Bookshop.org. Links & ResourcesBook Club Info: General Witchfinders Book ClubOur Partner Bookshop: Teasel & SkylarkBuy The Apparition Phase online: Bookshop.orgBuy The General Witchfinders Zine: Ko-fi ShopFind Indie Shops Nationwide: Bookshop.orgSupport the Show: General Witchfinders Patreon Featured Guest Links (Brontë Schiltz)Website: Brontë Schiltz Official SiteLinktree: Brontë Schiltz LinksInstagram: @bronte.schiltzBooks: Monster Capital | The Book of Manchester | Comma Press HomepageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    2 h et 10 min
  • 73: The Quatermass Conclusion (1979) – Euston Films / Thames TV – Dir. Piers Haggard - Witten by. Nigel Kneale

    73: The Quatermass Conclusion (1979) – Euston Films / Thames TV – Dir. Piers Haggard - Witten by. Nigel Kneale
    Oct 3 2026

    In this episode, we conclude our deep dive into screen adaptations of Nigel Kneale’s legendary sci-fi creation, Professor Bernard Quatermass. We take a look at the 1979 Euston Films/Thames Television serial The Quatermass Conclusion (also known as Quatermass IV or Quatermass), starring Oscar-winner John Mills as the titular professor.

    Plus, stick around after the end credits for an exclusive clip preview from Room 5064 and B7 Media’s full-cast audio adaptation of Ramsey Campbell’s iconic folk horror novel, The Hungry Moon – starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Louise Jameson, Mina Anwar, and Jemma Moore.

    In This Episode:
    • The End of Quatermass: How Nigel Kneale brought his flagship character full circle after his groundbreaking BBC serials (The Quatermass Experiment, Quatermass II, Quatermass and the Pit) and iconic Hammer Films adaptations.
    • Remastering the Score: News on Buried Treasure Records' upcoming remaster of the Quatermass Conclusion soundtrack composed by Nic Rowley and Marc Wilkinson – featuring music clips in this episode.
    • Folk Horror Audio Preview: An exclusive clip from Episode 1 of The Hungry Moon, featuring a sinister local folk song and a trip to the dark depths beneath the Peak District village of Moonwell.
    Links
    • Listen to all our Quatermass coverage: General Witchfinder Quatermass Archive
    • Grab a copy of our print zine: General Witchfinder Official Shop
    • Follow Buried Treasure Records on Bandcamp: buriedtreasure.bandcamp.com
    Featured Audio Drama: The Hungry Moon

    Set in 1984 in the Peak District, Ramsey Campbell's Lovecraftian tale of religious superstition pits ancient evil against nuclear dread.

    • Starring: Peter Davison (Doctor Who), Colin Baker (Doctor Who), Louise Jameson (Doctor Who, EastEnders), Mina Anwar (The Sarah Jane Adventures), and Jemma Moore (Host).
    • Run time: 250 minutes (Includes exclusive 90-minute interview with Ramsey Campbell).

    Get The Hungry Moon audio drama:

    • Buy on Room 5064 PayHip
    • Buy on Audioteria

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    2 h et 22 min
  • Department X: The Morning of the Magicians

    Department X: The Morning of the Magicians
    Sep 21 2026

    Last time, the files of General Witchfinders Department X revealed how psychic powers and parapsychology grew to be one of the leading frights of 70s horror culture. Now, we look closer at one of the key texts from the 60s counter-culture milieu that drove the psychic boom: Pauwels and Bergier’s ‘The Morning of the Magicians’.

    Join James and Ross as they take a white-knuckle ride through a book that’s a who’s who of the occult: Charles Fort, H. P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen and the Golden Dawn, generous amounts of alchemy, ancient aliens – and Nazis!

    This version of the episode includes background music. If you prefer a voice-only experience without music, listen to the alternative version here.

    So turn on, tune in and freak out to the second part of the Department X triptych…

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 3 min
  • Book Club 02 - Benighted aka The Old Dark House by J.B. Priestley (with Dylan Rees)

    Book Club 02 - Benighted aka The Old Dark House by J.B. Priestley (with Dylan Rees)
    Sep 9 2026
    Welcome to the second episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an independent bookshop in Dorchester. To accompany our real-life, face-to-face book club meet-ups, host Ross Cleaver invites a special guest co-host onto the show every two months to discuss our latest reading choice. On this episode, Ross welcomes Dylan Rees. Dylan is an Emmy-winning producer and line producer across British television and independent film. Alongside his screen production work, Rees writes about the history of cult television and the "Wilderness Years" of Doctor Who, including Downtime: The Lost Years of Doctor Who and Doctor Who Myths and Legends: The Reeltime Pictures Story. He is also the host of The Too Hot For TV Podcast, which explores the extended universes of your favourite film and TV franchises. Together, they discuss J.B. Priestley’s 1927 novel, Benighted (also known as The Old Dark House). BenightedPhilip and Margaret Waverton and their friend Roger Penderel are driving through the mountains of Wales when a torrential downpour washes away the road and forces them to seek shelter for the night. They take refuge in an ancient, crumbling mansion inhabited by the strange and sinister Femm family and their brutish servant Morgan. Determined to make the best of the circumstances, the benighted travellers drink, talk, and play games to pass the time while the storm rages outside. But as the night progresses and tensions rise, dangerous and unexpected secrets emerge. On the house's top floor are two locked doors; behind one of them lies the mysterious, unseen Sir Roderick Femm, and behind the other lurks an unspeakable terror. Which is more deadly: the apocalyptic storm outside the house or the unknown horrors that await within? And will any of them survive the night? b How to Get InvolvedWe want to build a community around these books, both locally in Dorset and remotely with our podcast listeners and zine readers.Join us in Dorchester: Ross leads the in-person discussions at the King’s Arms Hotel. Spaces are limited, so sign up at the Teasel & Skylark shop. Local club members get 10% off the featured books, plus 10% off all other books and gifts in-store (excluding original artwork). These discounts are only available in person at the shop.Join us from elsewhere: If you are not local, read along at home and send your thoughts or audio voicemails to generalwitchfinders@gmail.com. Support Independent BookshopsIf you are close enough to Dorchester, please order your copy through Teasel & Skylark and pop in to collect it. If you cannot get to West Dorset, please find your local indie store via Bookshop.org. Links & ResourcesBook Club Info: General Witchfinders Book ClubOur Partner Bookshop: Teasel & SkylarkFind Indie Shops Nationwide: Bookshop.orgSupport the Show: General Witchfinders PatreonSocial Media: Instagram | Bluesky. Featured Guest Links (Dylan Rees):Linktree: Dylan Rees Links including podcast links (do go check these out)One of Ross's guest appearances on Too Hot For TV talking about TerminatorBooks: Downtime – The Lost Years of Doctor Who | Doctor Who Myths and Legends: The Reeltime Pictures StorySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 36 min
  • 73: Alternative 3 (1977) – Anglia TV – Dir. Christopher Miles – Tim Brinton, Shane Rimmer & Richard Marner

    73: Alternative 3 (1977) – Anglia TV – Dir. Christopher Miles – Tim Brinton, Shane Rimmer & Richard Marner
    Aug 21 2026
    Alternative 3 (1977) – Conspiracies, Secret Mars Bases, Brian Eno and 1970s TV Hoaxes


    Our #SummerOfStrange continues. We step away from Hammer, Amicus, vampires, and classic screen monsters to explore British television’s most infamous media hoax: Alternative 3. Produced for Anglia Television’s Science Report and written by David Ambrose, this 1977 mockumentary sparked widespread paranoia regarding climate emergencies, the UK "brain drain", secret space programmes, and covert Mars bases.

    We unpack the production history, cultural legacy, and fringe theories stemming from the broadcast – from its delayed April Fools’ Day airing to its impact on UFO literature, sci-fi audio dramas, and cult cinema.


    Key Links & Upcoming Live Event
    • Live Screening & Podcast Event: Join us on Friday 30th October at 7:30pm at ActOne Cinema in Acton for Hammer’s Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde plus a live podcast recording – Book tickets here
    • Watch Alternative 3 on YouTube: Stream the full television broadcast
    • Read the 1978 Novelisation: Alternative 3 by Leslie Watkins on Archive.org

    Key Discussion Points
    • The Plot & The Hoax: How a fake documentary detailing climate catastrophe and moon-colonisation duped viewers across the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
    • The Aftermath & Pop Culture Legacy: Leslie Watkins’ 1978 tie-in book Alternative 003, Jim Keith’s conspiracy text Casebook on Alternative 3, Richard Linklater’s Slacker, and parallels to the Dimension X radio story "The Man in the Moon".
    • Brian Eno’s Electronic Score: Ambient music tracks featured on Music for Films, Eno’s work with Roxy Music, high-profile production credits for David Bowie, Talking Heads, and U2, and creating the Windows 95 startup sound on a Mac. Plus, secondary score releases from Add N to (X), Stereolab, and Hairy Butter.
    • Writer David Ambrose & Director Christopher Miles: Screenwriting credits behind D.A.R.Y.L., The Final Countdown, Taffin, The Survivor, and Oscar-nominated short The Six Sided Triangle.

    Cast & Trivia Deep Dives
    • Tim Brinton (Presenter): ITN and BBC newsreader and Conservative MP featured in Carry On Emmannuelle, Dixon of Dock Green, and The Avengers.
    • Shane Rimmer (Bob Grodin): Voice of Scott Tracy in Thunderbirds, actor in Dr. Strangelove, Star Wars: A New Hope, Rollerball, Space: 1999, Superman I–III, Batman Begins, and James Bond films You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and The Spy Who Loved Me.
    • Richard Marner (Dr Carl Gerstein): Colonel Von Strohm in 'Allo 'Allo!, with roles in Count Dracula, The African Queen, The Dirty Dozen, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Boys from Brazil, Children of the Damned, and The Sum of All Fears.
    • David Baxt (Harry): Played Thomas Wayne in Tim Burton's Batman, with appearances in Inseminoid, The Shining, and The Tomorrow People.
    • Gregory Munroe (Colin Benson): Appeared in Mixed Blessings, Ace of Wands, and as Fariah in Doctor Who: The Enemy of the World.
    • Ivor Roberts (George Pendlebury): Featured in Penda's Fen, Oh, Doctor Beeching!, You Rang, M'Lord?, and Boon.

    Listen & Follow

    Catch up on our previous #SummerOfStrange episodes covering Penda's Fen and 1970s parapsychology mania on your podcast app of choice.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 36 min
  • 71: Penda’s Fen (1974) – BBC – Dir. Alan Clarke – Spencer Banks, Georgine Anderson & Ian Hogg

    71: Penda’s Fen (1974) – BBC – Dir. Alan Clarke – Spencer Banks, Georgine Anderson & Ian Hogg
    Jul 14 2026
    The 16th episode of the fourth season of the BBC anthology series Play for Today, Penda’s Fen – originally broadcast on 21 March 1974 – is widely celebrated as a visionary masterpiece of British folk horror and 1970s television drama. Written by David Rudkin and directed by Alan Clarke, Time Out London named it one of the 100 best British films. The Visionary Realism of Alan ClarkeDirector Alan Clarke is renowned for his stark social realism and controversial depictions of institutionalised communities. His 1977 borstal drama Scum was banned by the BBC, later returning as a 1979 feature film, while his television film Made in Britain introduced Tim Roth as a racist skinhead. He tackled corporate corruption in Beloved Enemy, military interrogation in Psy-Warriors, and directed David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal. His final work, The Firm starring Gary Oldman, drew heavy press criticism for its depiction of violent football hooliganism in Thatcher’s Britain.While Penda’s Fen trades Clarke’s urban realism for a mystical landscape of angels and demons, it retains his fierce preoccupation with identity, authority, and systemic oppression.Cult Television & Audio ConnectionsThe surreal atmosphere is driven by an electronic score from Paddy Kingsland of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Kingsland manipulated a Benjamin Britten recording for the play, and went on to score The Changes, the radio and TV versions of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and classic Doctor Who serials.The cast links directly to landmark British cult media:Spencer Banks (Stephen Franklin): The quintessential 1970s television adolescent, Banks also starred as Simon Randall in the children’s sci-fi series Timeslip.Georgine Anderson (Mrs Franklin): A veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company who later played May in the 2007 Doctor Who episode ‘Gridlock’ – representing the show’s first married same-sex couple.Ian Hogg (Arne): Famous as the lead in Rockliffe’s Babies and the villainous Josiah Samuel Smith in the Doctor Who story Ghost Light.Jennie Hesselwood (Mrs Arne): Mother of Toby Jones and wife of Freddie Jones (Dune, The Elephant Man).Graham Leaman (Sir Edward Elgar): Features a massive Doctor Who pedigree including The Macra Terror (tying directly back to the Macra in ‘Gridlock’), The Seeds of Death, and The Three Doctors.Ivor Roberts (Cooke): A familiar face from the ‘Croftiverse’ comedies Oh, Doctor Beeching! and You Rang, M’Lord?, as well as Genesis of the Daleks.Ron Smerczak (Joel): Later transitioned to action cinema in American Ninja 4: The Annihilation and Cyborg Cop.Current Promotions & EventsThe General Witchfinders Book Club: Our debut spin-off episode is out now, run with independent bookshop Teaseland & Skylark in Dorchester. Host Ross welcomes author Ray Newman (The Grave Digger’s Boy) to unpack Andrew Michael Hurley’s folk horror novel, Starve Acre. Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/GW-BC-01Summer Spin-Off – Department X: Join James and Ross as they investigate the 1970s obsession with ESP, telekinesis, and psychic premonitions. Listen to 'Mysterious Powers & Strange Forces' here: https://tinyurl.com/MYSpowerLondon Halloween Live Show: We are taking over ActOne Cinema in Acton on Friday 30th October at 7:30pm for a screening of Hammer’s Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde and a live podcast recording. Tickets are £14: https://tinyurl.com/DRJeky11'Hammer Presents' Blu-ray Giveaway: Win a bundle of restored rarities including The Snake Woman, Dr. Blood’s Coffin, Cry of the Banshee, and Crucible of Horror. Enter before Friday 31st July: https://tinyurl.com/HamPrizeGeneral Witchfinders Issue 4: Grab our 76-page zine of unsettling folk horror fiction, original artwork, and deep-dive features: https://tinyurl.com/gwZINESupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 54 min
  • Department X: Mysterious Powers and Strange Forces

    Department X: Mysterious Powers and Strange Forces
    Jul 1 2026

    Summer is the season of the spin-off at General Witchfinders. We have a few episodes beyond our usual format to share, starting with James’s exploration of parapsychology in the 1970s.

    Why did that decade see such a dramatic rise in the cultural obsession with ESP, telekinesis, and psychic premonitions? James has been digging into the archives and thinks he has the answer.

    Join James and Ross for an intriguing journey into the seventies counterculture in our new spin-off: ‘General Witchfinders – Department X: Mysterious Powers & Strange Forces’.


    For people who struggle with background music behind speech, here is a voice-only version – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1am2tJWJtB_wIqxax3E11S-7eZQVLzyAw/view?usp=sharing


    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders.

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    1 h
  • Book Club 01 - Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley (with Ray Newman)

    Book Club 01 - Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley (with Ray Newman)
    Jul 8 2026
    Welcome to the very first episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a new spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an independent bookshop in Dorchester.To accompany our real-life, face-to-face book club meet-ups, host Ross Cleaver invites a special guest co-host onto the show every two months to discuss our latest reading choice.On this inaugural episode, Ross welcomes author Ray Newman. Ray is the author of the novel The Grave Digger’s Boy, as well as three exceptional collections of short stories: Municipal Gothic, Intervals of Darkness, and Thin Places in Hard Concrete. Together, they delve into Andrew Michael Hurley’s acclaimed 2019 novel, Starve Acre.Starve Acre ‘An impeccable work of folk horror’ – The Irish Times The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby's son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Convinced that the boy still lives on in some form, and desperate to make contact, Juliette seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, an art historian, tries to blot out the pain of his grief by turning his attention to the field opposite their house, Starve Acre. Patiently he digs in the barren soil looking for the roots of a legendary oak tree, but unearths something which ought to have remained buried. ‘I will confidently predict that no reader will guess where it's heading . . . Hurley's ability to create a world that's like ours in many ways and really not in many others is again on full display’ – The Times How to Get InvolvedWe want to build a community around these books, both locally in Dorset and remotely with our podcast listeners and zine readers.Join us in Dorchester: Ross leads the in-person discussions at the King’s Arms Hotel. Spaces are limited, so sign up at the Teasel & Skylark shop. Local club members get 10% off the featured books, plus 10% off all other books and gifts in-store (excluding original artwork). These discounts are only available in person at the shop.Join us from elsewhere: If you are not local, read along at home and send your thoughts or audio voicemails to generalwitchfinders@gmail.com. Support Independent BookshopsIf you are close enough to Dorchester, please order your copy through Teasel & Skylark and pop in to collect it. If you cannot get to West Dorset, please find your local indie store via Bookshop.org.Links & ResourcesBook Club Info: General Witchfinders Book ClubOur Partner Bookshop: Teasel & SkylarkFind Indie Shops Nationwide: Bookshop.orgSupport the Show: General Witchfinders PatreonSocial Media: Instagram | Bluesky Featured Guest Links (Ray Newman):Blog: Precast ReinforcedBluesky: Ray Newman on BlueskyBooks: The Grave Digger’s Boy | Thin Places in Hard Concrete | Intervals of Darkness | Municipal GothicSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 13 min