A seventeenth century document held by the Norfolk Record Office details the high drama of a spectacular clash of egos that took place more than three hundred years ago. The broiling emotions of the challenger to the duel, the last to be fought on Norfolk soil, can be read between the lines of his opponent’s... Continue Reading →

Language, we are told is a constantly evolving creature. Whilst this is undeniable, in certain rural areas this evolution can be somewhat slow. We have, for example in the Norfolk vernacular today the phrase ‘to put the toad on someone.’ Admittedly this is not an everyday comment, but this curious phrase that seems to date... Continue Reading →

As we cosy up around the fireside on long winter evenings, thoughts turn towards telling stories of ghosts, spirits and the old ways. Popular Victorian winter past times may arise, such as the retelling of classic gothic ghost stories, seances and tarot reading. But how much do we really know about tarot, the cartomancy cloaked... Continue Reading →

It would seem that Dr. Augustus Jessopp’s reported sighting of a ghost in the library of Mannington Hall caused quite a stir amongst friends and family – so much so that he published a version of it in two contemporary literary papers three months after the sighting, in January 1880. This version appears somewhat ‘curated’... Continue Reading →

With the nights drawing in and a distinct chill in the autumnal air, our thoughts naturally turn towards all things ghoulish, ghostly and spectral. If you’re looking for a spine-chilling tale to tell by the fireside on a dark winter’s evening, look no further… Our story begins in Victorian England, in a society that was... Continue Reading →

I will be brave and make the assumption that if you’re reading this you are a fan of all things strange (and possibly somewhat strange yourself) - therefore you have heard tell of the art of scrying. If, like me scrying has struck you as a somewhat mystical art that has piqued your curiosity, I... Continue Reading →