Did People In The Medieval World Believe in Ghosts?| Medieval Afterlife | History Hit

Ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night! Dr Eleanor Janega delves into the medieval phantasmic to find out what their restless dead can tell us about the worries of the living. Because if we want to understand what makes another society tick, it helps to take a look at what makes them scared.
In this show, Eleanor visits the ruins of Byland Abbey to explore some of the most terrifying stories to survive the medieval period. The 12 ghostly tales written by a monk on the blank back pages of a religious manuscript, share traits with our own modern ghost stories but we learn that medieval perceptions of ghosts may be very different to our own.
Then at one of the most important religious sites in medieval England, Canterbury Cathedral, Eleanor investigates how the church uses ghost stories for political gain and reinforcing religious values. Archivist Cressida Williams shows us some of the memento mori tropes implemented by the church, like Cadaver tombs and the ‘Three Living and Three Dead’ Illustrations, which acted as warnings against sin and reminders of the death that awaits us all.
Eleanor comes face to face with the dead at the University of Bradford, which houses one of the UK's largest collection of human skeletal remains, Dr Jo Buckberry, explains why adhering to proper burial practices were crucial for making it into the afterlife and describes some of the gruesome ways they prevented the revenant dead from rising from the grave to haunt their communities.
And to complete her journey, Eleanor braves Chillingham Castle, once used as a border stronghold staving off invasion from Scotland, it’s now home to a gathering of ghosts. First recorded over a hundred years ago by Lady Leonora Tankerville in the “golden age of horror” we discover the Victorian and Edwardian obsession with the supernatural… something that haunts us still….
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#historyhit #medievalhistory #afterlife

[@jamiebryant1524]

Please keep the Eleanor Janega content coming. She’s the perfect combo of super knowledgeable, easy to listen to, and quirky cool. I will watch anything she does!

[@Me-wk3ix]

Agreed!

[@thewhitewolf58]

Quirky, weird women are the best in the world.

[@ColleenLytle-sq8tx]

I agree, Dr. Eleanor Janega is the best woman narrator I've heard, next to Caitlin Doughty...as a matter of fact, I thougtht this WAS her until I looked.😁

[@XlrationMedia]

"Fronce"

[@jolenaroe3001]

Same!!

[@RandyBrickson]

History Hit.. I don't know if you guys will read this, but Please please please have more episodes with Dr. Eleanor Janega! We, the people, demand it. You cannot find a more knowledgeable or just overall fun presenter when it comes to history. Thank you very much.

[@nomadicam]

Yes I've only recently discovered her and I just love her!

[@4dbak]

"we the ppl demand it" I love it!😊

[@k.edwards3138]

I love watching Dr Janega. She makes history interesting and, in some ways, exciting, and her enthusiasm is contagious. I've always loved history, but the demands of life have made me neglect reading and learning. Thanks to Dr Janega, I've started learning again about a subject I love.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

"I'm not dead." "I can't take him like that. It's against regulations." "I don't want to go on the cart."

[@alwilliams5177]

The knights who say knit demand a sacrifice.

[@lynnedelacy2841]

A shrubbery…

[@jenniferstone2975]

😂😂😂

[@Which-Craft]

I got better!

[@antmerritt]

Yes !

[@beepboop204]

it has always fascinated me, that fine line between "wanting to die" and being completely fine with dying, as opposed to "not wanting to die" and not accepting mortality.

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

I suspect that many claims of being fine with dying may fail when the claimant is dying.

[@debbylou5729]

@@MichaelLevine-n6yI think you’re probably right. I do think the manner or circumstances make the difference. I’ve had family dying of old age or chronic illness feel it coming and embrace it. I also don’t believe we’re left alone. I’ve heard one aunt and my grandmother say things like, ‘oh, they’ve come’. My grandmother was almost radiant and called her husband by name

[@beepboop204]

@@MichaelLevine-n6y being alive is the same as dying. thats what being mortal is all about. so no, i dont think so

[@abnurtharn2927]

@@beepboop204 “You will die. You will not live forever. Nor will any man nor any thing. Nothing is immortal. But only to us is it given to know that we must die. And that is a great gift: the gift of selfhood. For we have only what we know we must lose, what we are willing to lose... That selfhood which is our torment, and our treasure, and our humanity, does not endure. It changes; it is gone, a wave on the sea. Would you have the sea grow still and the tides cease, to save one wave, to save yourself?”

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

@@beepboop204 I'd say being alive is a rather different condition than dying.

[@richardprescott6322]

Couple of of my favourite paintings as, a kid - Bruegel - The Triumph of Death - lots of 'Skelingtons' running amock. Bosch - and his visions of hell - I think they are awesome. I got the prints recently and had them framed. I think the woman who framed thought I was insane. 😂

[@anissaferringer4965]

My favorites are David's Death of Marat and Millais' Ophelia.

[@BenBebbington]

Its spelled 'Skellingtons' actually

[@elsvaughn7959]

Bosch is so fantastical and crazy

[@ariahaneul]

Personally I think Dr Eleanor Janega would make an amazing dinner party guest or a lunch date, so it's no surprise the ghosts also wanted to hang out with her! Please keep uploading more content with her, she's so much fun to watch and I always learn something new.

[@brettcurtis5710]

Dr Eleanor Janega nails its again - wish I had teachers like her when I was at High School - so informative and with a sense of humour too!

[@debbylou5729]

You probably got what your school could afford

[@rhys1264]

Can't help but laugh a bit at Medieval ghosts being like: HOW DARE YOU IGNORE ME and then if you visit them at their graves they're like 'HOW DARE YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ME'.

[@cheeseburgerbae5272]

Slay Dr. J!!!! I could listen to Dr. J give me the tea about medieval stuff for hours. She’s so great

[@Air-bear]

Gadfly here 🤫. I was in the Vietnam conflict. I had a hard time sleeping in the jungle. Not due to the environment it seems. I mentioned this to a Vietnamese scout who was with us. He said my soul was in distress. That I should sleep facing the east when I arose. Said my spirit would know it faced the light. It worked…still set my bed accordingly 😑

[@hillerymcdonald2303]

This is fascinating. What a cool story! Thank you for your service and sacrifice, truly, thank you.

[@wretchedrider]

Hear hear!! Great story and my genuine thanks for your service 🍻

[@shelbynamels7948]

Poppycock! Nothing to do with facing the light. You need to align the meridians of your body with the magnetic field of the earth. Our bed is set accordingly.

[@Air-bear]

@@shelbynamels7948 gadfly here 👻. You know much about the ancient sun worshipers. 😵

[@briganja]

Placebo effect is pretty amazing! Our brains influence our bodies so much

[@jfurl5900]

Purgatory was a real place to me as a child . The teachers pounded it into us verbally and literally that we would be going there and that we would be there for many thousands of years unless somebody was praying for us (on the outside) or among the living in other words.

[@catlyn777]

Me too and I was very confused by it.

[@jujubean54ify]

Aren’t you glad that you found out that there is no purgatory?

[@BenBebbington]

​@@jujubean54ifyPURGATORY IS REAL I know because I have seen it (a Lincolnshire village on a Sunday)

[@jujubean54ify]

That’s hilarious !!!!!

[@shawnaweesner3759]

It was one of the main things -called “indulgences” by the Roman Catholic Church - that Martin Luther wrote, and spoke against. On an aside, I can’t stress how important Martin Luther was, and is, to Christianity (Protestantism) in the Western World.

[@ricksmith5315]

Love watching all your videos. Especially durning the Medieval period. You make it very interesting and informative. I have always been interested in this period. Thank you for all the content.

[@robotdeer]

I'm fairly certain I could watch Dr. Janega talk aboout anything and I'd be like "slay".

[@oliviasayshi7517]

She has the same intonations as Caitlyn Dougherty! Also amazing host!

[@randibgood]

This video was the first recommended while watching the most recent one Caitlyn released. Then I saw your comment. I guess that's just a coincidence, or not. I've never watched a video from this channel. Things that make you go "hmmm"! LoL! 🤣

[@RudePorker]

Our creepy queens ❤️

[@tremorsfan]

@@randibgood That's the algorithm for you.

[@golden_smaug]

Dr Janega has got me deep in Medieval Litterature and history, she's so contagious

[@katebowers8107]

Divining rods: A method of not finding water that can also be used to not find ghosts.

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

Ah! Now that's the spirit!

[@debbylou5729]

My BIL used a dousing rod to find water for a well on his property. He had hired several ‘experts’ that told him he’d need to make arrangements on adjoining or nearby property owners. This guy was as pragmatic as a person could be. A history teacher who taught in the jr college nearby. Goes to church etc. I watched him do it and it was really interesting to see. It was ‘Y’ shaped and when water was indicated it bent at a 45 degree angle it wasn’t just a quiver or shaking. It was straight out and then it was pointing straight down while the two parts in his hand remained straight

[@katebowers8107]

Cool story, bro.

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

@@debbylou5729 It seems a surveyor's map would be a sound way to locate water. The fact the douser was a teacher and church goer are not relevant to dousing being effective or not.

[@debbylou5729]

@@MichaelLevine-n6y I was establishing his character. This is not a fanciful, deluded man. In your wisdom you completely missed the fact that he used several experts. These were surveys done by geologists and people with knowledge of water tables and mapping of the geographical area

[@ExUSSailor]

I don't think they were "obsessed" with it, I just think they had to deal with death much more than we, in modern society have to.

[@Yandarval]

Pre the mass production of penicillin in the 1940s. Almost any cut or infection has a fair chance of killing you. So you are correct about death being something everyone had to deal with on a regular basis.

[@ellie698]

Exactly this

[@jimplummer4879]

Yes !

[@PrettyPoppyGirl651]

That is exactly why they were obsessed with death, there were rules, there were steps thats had to be performed & in the correct order, there was no other way to think, only this belief, only this way for a "happy" afterlife, being allowed into heaven. To do anything else was to be damned. So yea, I think obsessed is pretty accurate.

[@422katieleigh]

Eleanor has talked a lot about this and has the degrees and experience to back it up. When she says obsessed, she means obsessed.

[@kayscanningacademy]

Some of these visions that folks had back then makes me feel like taking a too hot bath after having some bad rye bread is such a recipe....

[@d_ruggs]

I find it interesting that ghost stories use to center around improper burial and nowadays they are more often about unnatural death. It's almost like improper burial has drifted from our minds, but fear of an untimely demise has not.

[@mikki3961]

If your life was fraught with danger, a fever or cut could kill you then an obsession with death is rather logical. To top it off, insufferable priests and officials telling you that you were a sinner just because you happened to be poor or lower class. Thanks Dr. Janega as always you present with respect and genuine enthusiasm.

[@ninacurry8799]

Love listening to Eleanor Janega. She's so knowledgeable and explains things in such detail!

[@monicafiore20]

Dr. Janega is the MAIN reason I watch History Hit! She's funny, so knowledgeable and super relatable! Please make more shows with her as the host 🙏

[@myrollingpeach]

Dr Janega is brilliant! I loved her book on women in the Medieval era too!

[@mikecobalt7005]

:) Another excellent informative video. Dr Janega is always great at explaining ancient issues in a way everybody can understand and in an interesting manner.

[@newgabe09]

You feature Canterbury Cathedral..I'm quite sensitive to places and have sometimes 'seen and known' murders/deaths that have happened in a place- as verified by people who know the history of the place. Canterbury Cathedral filled me with chills of horror as soon as I entered, I had to leave straight away.

[@dulciemidwinter1925]

That's such a shame. Canterbury is a beautiful place. I go there quite a lot. Of course, a terrible murder happened there centuries ago, but don't forget that it then became a place of pilgrimage. Many, many pilgrims passed through those doors to visit the shrine of the saint. The monks may have regarded them as a money making commodity but the pilgrims themselves were making that journey because they wanted to be near to the Saint. I think that all that devotion has cancelled out any negative residual emotions. I find it a place of great peace and calm. Its not frightening at all.

[@Amalie.x7fv]

I love Canterbury but I understand what you mean- I get an icky feeling whenever Ive gone to the Tower of London- just knowing the horrible things that happened there

[@Amalie.x7fv]

@@newgabe09 interesting- you must have good intuition!!

[@SkyandMoon909]

Warwick Castle dungeon affects me badly.

[@butkusfan23]

Funny how these types of claims about supernatural abilities always fall apart when tested, though.

[@cameronturner1865]

Clicked on this as soon as I saw Dr. Janega. Love her appearances on The Medieval Podcast

[@bennu547]

Imagine being a ghosty trapped in a public bath house forever unless someone gives prayers to some guy you didn’t support and now they’re big mad at you

[@petetirp9776]

Terrific production and editing. Kudos to the entire team.

[@NorahSweetheart87]

I'd love to see this topic discussed more

[@Absurdistpath]

Some KZbin creators just sit in front of a wall with some nice lighting, but this video takes place on the set of Winterfell from the looks of it haha, that's fantastic dedication ❤

[@zackhalter9571]

Dr. Janega is the best!🎉

[@Sauvium1]

I cannot get over how much Dr. Janega sounds like Caitlyn Doughty (Ask a Mortician). From voice to diction, it’s uncanny. The topic is pretty on point for that channel too and the way my brain was confused every time it wasn’t Caitlyn on the screen made my brain a bit itchy.

[@hooraayy]

I was thinking the same! It feels like Caitlyn if she talked about ghost

[@mjrchapin]

Amazing video! History, ghost stories, religion, life, death--it's got everything and is extremely well written and produced! More, please!

[@lukestratford]

Eleanor is great! Love her documentaries ❤

[@Aspen7780]

I grew up with a mix of Native American and Catholic beliefs. As a result, my understanding from the Catholic side was to welcome death, embrace it, even look forward to it. That it’s unfortunate that we have to live a life because it interferes with our whole goal, which is to dwell with god in the afterworld. The life in the here and now really means little. This life only exists to prepare us for the next one and our actions in life will determine that. Because you don’t want to go to the Other Place. Our Native teachings (I’ll only say it’s from the Southwest) on the other hand taught that, you don’t think about those things unless you want them to actually happen. That to dwell so much on death and suffering was to invite it to happen because thoughts can induce action. So don’t worry so much about the afterlife because 1)it exists, and 2) we really don’t know what form it will take so 3) It will take care of itself, and 4) there really isn’t a punishment of sorts there except for the absolute worst of beings. Live for now. That doesn’t give you permission to go all crazy, but enjoy your life right now and all the blessings in it and don’t worry so much about what tomorrow brings. Death will come eventually so don’t hasten it. If anyone was obsessing or focused on death, they were sick in the heart. A sickness of the soul so to speak. Maybe akin to depression. Literally killing themselves with their own thoughts. I had a couple of devout Catholic relatives who would say “I don’t know why god hasn’t taken me yet” feeling like being left alive in old age was a form of punishment. Even praying for god to take them. I respect that, but I could never understand it. But then, I have never ascribed to the whole preparing for the afterlife is the whole point of living. A sort of purgatory in life. I have always preferred every day is a gift to be enjoyed. You can see the missionaries had a lot of work to do to make us good Catholics and focus on death.

[@gnostic268]

I'm also Native (Northern Great Plains) and was raised in a Christian liturgical tradition since the Freedom of Religion Act didn't happen until 1978. Our traditional cultural beliefs are that there is no difference between this world and the next other than if you weren't a good member of your people/tribe then you would have to go back and try again in the next world. However, there was no punishment such as hell, there would simply be another chance to get it right.

[@Aspen7780]

@@gnostic268 The same for us too. Our traditions for down here is that the next place is a mirror image of this world. The only actual punishment being reserved for those being, the popular pan Native term “two hearted”, if you believe in those things. But for everyone else it’s a birth into another world, like our current one. I really don’t know if our concept of that “punishment” is really indigenous either or is it Christianity seeping into the Native religion. Anyways, lots in common!

[@cynhiacations9879]

​@@gnostic268this is the belief I have. To get it right to then move to the next level to get that level right.

[@MFLimited]

I really enjoyed reading your comment. I disagree that being raised as a Catholic is to be, basically a goth, focused on death 😂 perhaps that’s true of some older depressed people in certain Roman Catholic traditions? Definitely not the charismatic ones!I’m Anglican Catholic, Church of England. I’m currently living at a friary (a place with Franciscan Friars/monks), and life is very joyful here. There is zero obsession about death. There is a lot of spirituality and prayer. A lot of joy. Praying on the roof, playing music, having bonfires, planting crops and flowers, brewing beer, doing things with nearby communities, family camps, guests on retreat. So, I have no idea what you’re talking about. But I did find it interesting. Personally, I think about life and death. Death is inevitable, I may as well look forward to it. Why live in fear of it? But it does not mean I can’t revel in every moment here. Life is a gift. Old and very sick people I have known, who have prayed for death, have often been in terrible pain. I cannot judge them for not living in the moment, when they are suffering. I am happy they believe that their suffering will end and they will go somewhere better. From life to Afterlife. If I lived in Medieval Europe and there was plague and infant mortality at massive rates. Where 36% of women died in childbirth and childbirth related illnesses and somebody could have 20 children and lose them all to childhood illnesses easily. where small crimes could see you publicly executed in the most hideous ways. Can you imagine the depression you would be in? Life expectancy was 33. You’d have to be crazy not to think about death in that situation.

[@Aspen7780]

@@MFLimited the Catholicism I was exposed to growing up was much more fire and brimstone than your experience. And filled with “you have to do this or you have to do that…or else…” And the 2nd commandment condemned our traditions, our history, our ancestors, our ways and couldn’t be tolerated by the Church. We still live in the shadow of Spanish/Catholic colonialism. Submit to the king at the point of a sword and kneel or be hit over the head with the cross. We have stories of the first church being built by forced labor with laborers falling dead from exhaustion. Of traditional healers being executed or flogged at the insistence of priests attempting to stamp out all vestiges of our traditions. Of young girls being separated from their families and sent against their will to Mexico to become nuns so as to not learn our traditional ways, to be “saved”, and never to be heard from ever again. It’s hard to separate the actions of conquistadors from that of the church. It was all done in the name of a king and a pope. But it all led to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. It might be ancient history for many people, but we here still live in its shadows over here. I do have respect for people of faith. I myself had too many questions and the way I thought about things and my own personal philosophies had no place in the Church. I couldn’t forsake our traditional culture heroes for saints. Our history and our religion are entwined. To become a true good catholic would mean to forsake our grandparents and their grandparents and our history. So confirming to strict Catholic doctrine wasn’t my thing. At best I was a cafeteria Catholic. There are still some Catholic teachings and traditions that I cherish though. And I do have greater respect for the Catholic Church over other Christian religions.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

As a kid in the Southern and Southwest US in the 50s and 60s I heard soooo many ghost stories…including a family ghost from the Civil War. According to the story a female ancestor whose husband was away fighting for the Confederacy came upon a Union soldier trying to steal her cow, whose milk was a big part of what little they had to eat. Being one of my female ancestors she shot him dead…lots of tough women. Supposedly, were any descendants to visit where she lived…location unknown…the man’s ghost would appear, demanding “where’s MY milk!!!” Other stories were far more scary, especially La Llorana, the Crying Woman.

[@oldmanjenkins38]

In a time when life expectancy was not long (especially for children). It is no surprise you would think about death. From black plagues, civil wars. Heck even a staff infection would kill you! Another great video Dr Janega!

[@jiwik731]

There is nothing like ghosts.... i have been visiting that castle for more than 300 years and i have never seen a single one.

[@debbylou5729]

Maybe they just don’t like you. That’s a long time to be shunned

[@theaxe6198]

Nice one 😂

[@ankhpom9296]

Uh huh.

[@ankhpom9296]

The dowsing rods…I don’t believe.

[@debbylou5729]

@@ankhpom9296 I don’t care. Guarantee you’ll try it if you’ve been without water for a few days

[@Ag5585swampdonkeyAG]

Dr Eleanor Janega is not only informative but also very beautiful .

[@Steadyeddie3]

These ghost stories are awesome, I'd like to see more if possible

[@ankhpom9296]

Even in death there is still politics.

[@natwooding9394]

This is coming from southside Virginia in the USA. Throughout the area since colonization, farms have often had burial plots and many, such as the one belonging to my family, are still in use. I have no idea whether any of these were ever consecrated. Many years ago, my father went looking for the grave of a family member who was buried in an isolated spot. There were two stories: one, that she loved the horses so much that she wanted to be buried in the stable lot while in the other, she was the black sheep of the family and was exiled there. My father found a guy who lived in the general area and who had found a slab type grave stone while hunting and we went with him and there it was in woods that were probably close to a hundred years old. I should add that the adventure was a little more than we anticipated since on the way out while walking on an overgrown road through the woods, he was bitten by a copperhead, one of our venomous snakes but, fortunately, had no permanent damage.

[@hollythomas5444]

PLEASE MAKE MORE VIDEOS WITH DR JANEGA! I think I’ve seen all the history hit videos with her, I need more lol

[@commiebiogirl]

I'm a simple girl : I see Dr Eleanor, I click the video

[@monicafiore20]

Same!!!!

[@Shubang101]

Same

[@b4d69]

A thoroughly absorbing subject and documentary, brilliantly conveyed by Dr Janega. Thank you.

[@paulstleger9319]

The green, white and orange keffiyeh 💚

[@keouine]

wow. I am not finished with vid yet but just had to remark how much the intervention theme works in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Big differences of course in that it seems Dickens' stresses sharing and caring. The soul's salvation shares priority with generosity.

[@stevenperkins-p5x]

back in the 70's my gran told me several scary ghost stories that still creep me out now

[@bethclifford4314]

Please share.

[@nicolekessler1674]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! The supernatural and places rich in history have always fascinated me so this was really enjoyable to watch. Subscribed.

[@joyavanessen3704]

Oh her last words about society expectations...drop Mike gurl! Bam nicely put! Loved this whole video.

[@victoriamartin9872]

Wow! Fascinating and informative. First time hearing so much of this content. Loved it!

[@ByrRaven]

That was good! I’d like to see more shows like this.

[@devinshirekineally3721]

what a delightful program! well presented, entertaining and informative; just an all around wonderful job... thank you!

[@Voodoomaria]

With lifespans less than half the current and medical care that could double as the Spanish Inquisition [didn't expect that, did you?], when something as small as a bug bite, as innocuous as drinking a cup of water, or as universally common as giving birth could lead to a horrible demise, it's not at all surprising that death was ever present on their minds. If you live in a house full of scorpions, then scorpions are going to occupy an inordinate amount of your thoughts.

[@maryanneslater9675]

One has to remember that short lifespan is the average lifespan. While a lot of people died of hard work, injury, illness or other hardships before age 60, quite a few lucky people did live long lives. Infant and child mortality lower the average considerably.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

Considering that half of all children born died before they reached the age of 1 year old, that does have a rather big impact on the "average lifespan."

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

Take my "like" just for the Inquisition! It was, indeed, totally unexpected

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

​@@maryanneslater9675Yes, statistics have a lot of responsibility for misunderstandings and over-simplifications. It's quite annoying that the false "information" is so stubbornly entrenched that you cannot convince those spouting it, because they "read a book once"...Now, of course, it's "I saw a TikTok once"

[@Voodoomaria]

I'm well aware that Stats lie, Numbers can be made to say pretty much anything you want to say, HOWEVER the mortality in that era WAS far higher than it is today What does it matter that it was infant mortality, OR the mother dying in child birth? The KEY point is, "HIGHER MORTALITY". You think saying "Oh it was just babies driving the numbers up" makes it any BETTER? So what's the infant mortality rate in MODERN hospitals? What's the mortality rate of modern mothers on the delivery table/chair? LOWER. Today people CAN treat what seem to be simple ailments with a round of pills and one and done, it's gone. Those SAME minor ailments in the absence of modern medical care CAN become lethal very quickly. In my work, I and a workmate scraped our skin, I on my knee, they on their arm. Just a scrape, a shallow surface abrasion, the kind EVERY kid gets growing up. I got treated, he didn't. Staph infection later, he was within HOURS of losing his arm [My leg had ballooned, but I got antibiotics as soon as the swelling started]. Untreated, it COULD have killed him [or me]. From a minor skin abrasion [AND in a modern environment, WITH modern first aid AND sanitary conditions]. Now we HAD access to modern treatments. In the era we are discussing they did not. Diabetes was still a thing back then, How many diabetics made it out of childhood? Asthma, also a thing, aggravated by heating your home with poorly ventilated wood fired, How many of those survived? Allergies anyone? Or Influenza? Here's a fun one, Ergot Fungus. In damper weather it grew on their grain crops and LOOKED like the grain it was growing on. Not in and of it's self immediately lethal, BUT contains the principle chemicals of LSD. Imagine the mortality resulting from entire villages tripping out after eating their rye bread. The judicial murders that occurred due to THAT are well documented. People THESE days watch too many movies and think the ONLY difference between us and that era was the fashions, Poor cell phone reception, and horses instead of cars.

[@doctorlolchicken7478]

I think Dr Eleanor Janega is great. I'm going through all the videos I can find of her. Good presenter and very humorous. Found this channel through Metatron reacting to one of her videos.

[@iammyriad71]

Abbney Park cemetery on Church Street, Hackney N16❤❤❤ 8 minute walk from my house when I was growing up

[@TheBunzinator]

I found it interesting that the "three living and three dead" plates seemed (to me, at least) to be in the book in the wrong order. The living should have been on the left, since that's the first page we'd see if we were reading the book.

[@robhunt-watts8908]

My very favourite historian. I'm a retired archaeologist living near Stonehenge.

[@amywebb4586]

Absolutely loved this. I am in mortuary school & I love history so the history of death & burial was really interesting. Also, you give Jamie Lee Curtis vibes, I mean that in a good way.

[@ophelias4172]

I’ve been to Chillingham castle and the stories are epic. If you get the chance you have to visit!!

[@bluestarfish95]

I Love Dr Janega Videos ❤

[@nikanikasavina]

What an incredible episode! Just wish it was a bit longer 😊 ❤

[@bringmethatcoffee5235]

you have a very.. calming(?) voice. i really enjoyed listening to you. will definitely check out more from this channel.

[@TechMan1900]

The lighting at the beginning of the video reminds me of those 90s and early 2000s paranormal shows in the best way!

[@edwardpatrick8442]

This is why i am a fan of Horrible Histories and History in General because of the afterlife to know the people that lived in those centuries to learn their own lives it gives you a feeling about the horrible side of History to learn about or prepare our own deaths to learn about those people who died in history...HORRIBLE HISTORY FOR THE WIN.

[@nikbear]

I see Dr Eleanor Janega, I click 👍her knowledge and enthusiasm is absolutely infectious ❤ I have such a crush on her 😍

[@user-gq3ip8kr5r]

Who does she look like? I keep thinking it's an actress 🤔 It's bugging me, lol. I like all of her shows, too. They are so interesting!!

[@sadman5038]

​@@user-gq3ip8kr5reverytime i see her i think she looks like Olivia Colman (one of my favourite actresses)

[@mikeveis6393]

I've heard that in England, there are areas where victims of the Great Plague were buried. I've also heard that their ghosts haunt the area.

[@vila4480]

Amazing how dowsing rods can be used for anything...

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was interesting and thrilled watching introduced about that matter of cathedral enlightenment & clergy influenced on people's outlooks towards death, spiritual stories.. how those stories served churches inside and outside churches ⛪️ walls in medieval terms.

[@theaxe6198]

I love Janega!

[@jyotivig3666]

A great talk Dr. Janega, would love to visit the Chillingham Castle.

[@Danmark35]

What an amazing documentary, and way to short.👻❤️

[@pamelatarajcak5634]

One thing that I'm noticing in all these tales is an underlying vein of hope. There's hope in each of them and a slighly happy ending. So unlike our ghost stories which always ends more negatively than not. Tolkien's eucatastrophe at work here.

[@barryallenflash1]

I watched a LOT of "ghost" videos, but none were as GREAT as this one! Thank you for all the knowledge that you shared and I and others now have!

[@DenaInWyo]

This was so nicely done, thank you%!

[@robertweeks4240]

i make it a point to visit cemeteries when i'm on a roadtrip.... very interesting local history wherever you are travelling!

[@sarafrikinbeara]

Anyone ever tell you you kind of sound like Caitlin doughty when I'm just listening it does indeed bring her to mind.

[@greenwave819]

I like this host, she's knowledgeable and presents well.

[@Frank_Nemo]

History shows that Medieval people were right to be so obsessed with death, especially when you consider that indeed they are now all dead. So, they were right on the money on that one.

[@zgburnett]

The paranormal investigation show sound affects, brings me back 👻

[@JaynaeMarieXIV]

I love it! This was an awesome documentary. I have to get this channel because I am obsessed with history and would probably binge-watch everything on it.

[@sirdanielsmalley9657]

Hello! Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) practitioner here. Cuts upward with a sword were a common attack. The head was always a desired target. Glancing blows on the skull in various orientations are something you see on a lot of violently ended individuals from the period. It's possible that those wounds are premortum from a previous altercation. I'm not the expert though. Just wanted to point that out. I love these videos!

[@Amalie.x7fv]

So cool!

[@ytharper66]

That first ghost story sounds more like the Church extorting money from the people.

[@mike3f0]

That's the root of "Ghost" stories, yup.

[@Jumpoable]

Totally LOL

[@aaroncall2035]

That's what church is for.

[@MoviesNybou]

This channel is great and provides interesting and good content

[@persephonequeenoftheunderw84]

I’m obsessed with Eleanor like OBSESSED

[@dwhitt567]

I love Dr. Jenega. In this video I wanted to see more cleavage and legs. Dr Janega is sexy beautiful very interesting to listen to and is perfect blending historical facts with her own sense of humor. Wonderful lady!

[@plastikmaiden]

​@@dwhitt567 Don't be a creep.

[@Ragerian]

@@plastikmaiden Don't kink shame me.

[@maevemaiden]

This was superb. I didn’t want it to end. 🌟🌟🌟❤️

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

Thank you, enjoyed that interesting video

[@Shwee113]

Richard from Watcher!

[@peterjones7673]

Another great video from wonderful Dr Eleanor. Fascinating tales she has told here and she has had me captivated from the start. I could sit and listen to her for hours. Has Dr Eleanor considered a lecture tour? it would be brilliant to hear her lecture and even better hear he lecture over a pint.

[@Hillbilly001]

Well done Dr. Eleanor. Cheers from Tennessee

[@punitaiyengar6988]

I just wanna say - it’s raining cats and dogs outside now… with thunder and lightning… what a perfect set up to watch this video!

[@dereks1264]

"...a tailor named snowball..."? There must be a story attached to that name.

[@theaxe6198]

My favorite name - Seaxwulf

[@jasonrr9817]

In the original story a bunny had an encounter with a phantom hedgehog, but it was just NOT getting anyone to cough up silver to get holy men to shuffle ghostly paperwork. A few edits were necessary.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

I've known a few Snowballs......a Northern English and Scottish Surname

[@alexandertreadgold3874]

You can read the full story itself in The Tale of the Taylor and the Three Dead Kings

[@hooraayy]

Richard seems like a very cool guy, would love to listen to ghost story from him

[@cylonred8902]

Yea - dousing rods are pure bunk...

[@11ozzielover]

I think one of the most interesting aspects about ghosts throughout the ages is the way we literally "saw" them changed so much. Looking at a bigger part of the Medieval period, ghosts were usually seen as decayed bodies. However, in the Victorian era that changed and people saw them the way they looked in life, just see-through.

[@Gaeliclass]

Can you imagine if you had a severe injury or disease that was quite painful? You might want to die if you had no pain relief. A peasant with back problems, but they had to continue to plow the fields so their family wouldn't survive?

[@jimidoodles]

Modern days we still have to work sick I had to work with covid last year. and i found out i have anemia this year i had 7 polyps and 2 colon surgeries and found out I have a hernia and hemorrhoids I had a car crash in February where my car flipped twice and i still have had to work XD Im the only income. I had to work after grandparents and cousin funeral too

[@SpoodyFlopp]

Dr. Eleanor teaching history in a leopard print fur coat is my Roman Empire.

[@Maleni143]

This was fun! Thank you!

[@BlueSkyCountry]

Ghost sightings, stories, and detailed accounts of hauntings remained high right into the late 1990s. Then came the sudden and rapid influx of affordable high quality HD cameras, camera phones, bright solid state LED illumination, and drones, and these sightings and experiences fell drastically.

[@skahtty]

31:56 They stole Dumbledore’s podium