The story of the Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor is one of the better-known British ghost stories and is part of a larger motif in British supernatural folklore. The Bettiscombe Manor story involves slavery, ignoring the wishes of the dead, and the price paid for these transgressions. There is less reality to the story than even a skeptic might think, but quite a lot is going on in the folklore. In this episode, Matt talks about why, if you find a human skull in your house, you might just want to leave it be.
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The transcript can be read here.
This episode featured music by Matthew Armstrong and production assistance from Kaylia Metcalfe.
Sources:
Notes and Queries for Somerset and Dorset
Collinson, John. 1791. The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset. Published in Bath, printed by R. Cruttwell. Scan available online (as of 7/27/25) at https://archive.org/details/historyantiqutit02colluoft/page/340/mode/2up
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. 2000. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits (second edition). Checkmark Books, New York, NY.
Ingraham, John. 1901. The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain. Gibbings, London, U.K. Accessed online 7/31/25 at https://archive.org/details/hauntedhomesand01ingrgoog/page/342/mode/2up
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