Best Frank Docherty Podcasts (2024)

1
The English Billhook 8:22

1M ago8:22

8:22

The billhook, often referred to simply as a "bill," is a traditional weapon that originated in medieval Europe, primarily used by infantry soldiers. It evolved from an agricultural tool used for pruning and cutting branches. Here's an overview of its use in warfare:Design and FeaturesBlade Shape: The billhook has a distinctive curved blade with a h…

1
Anglo Saxon Broken Back Seax 11:07

2M ago11:07

11:07

The "Broken Back Seax" is a type of knife or dagger that was characteristic of the Anglo-Saxons, the Germanic inhabitants of England from the 5th century AD until the Norman Conquest in 1066. The name "seax" itself refers to a type of single-edged knife that was commonly used among the Germanic peoples during this time period. The term "broken back…

1
Hide Tanning in Anglo Saxon England 9:06

3M ago9:06

9:06

In Anglo-Saxon England, hide tanning was a significant craft. Hides were processed to create leather, which served various purposes, including clothing, footwear, armor, and household items. Here are some true facts about hide tanning in Anglo-Saxon England: Importance of Leather: Leather was a crucial material in Anglo-Saxon society, used for a wi…

1
Anglo Saxon Folklore and the Werewolf 24:52

4M ago24:52

24:52

Anglo-Saxon folklore is rich with tales of supernatural beings and shape-shifting entities, though werewolves specifically were not as prominent as in other European cultures. Instead, there was a focus on various mythical creatures, spirits, and magical beings. The Anglo-Saxons believed in shape-shifters and creatures capable of transforming into …

1
The Anglo Saxon Spear 15:58

5M ago15:58

15:58

The Anglo-Saxon spear was a crucial weapon in the arsenal of the Anglo-Saxon warriors during the early medieval period, particularly in England from the 5th to the 11th centuries. It was one of the primary weapons used by infantry soldiers, alongside swords, axes, and shields. Key features of the Anglo-Saxon spear included: Design: The spear typica…

1
Anglo Saxon Society 23:34

7M ago23:34

23:34

England was one of the wealthiest kingdoms in Europe. This was due to successful farming and trade in the towns and villages. The king, his earls and Heathenry all profited from this through taxes. The Anglo-Saxon community in England was basically a rural one. Most people depended on the land for survival. At the top of the social system was the r…

1
Anglo Saxon Werewolves and Pacts 7:22

8M ago7:22

7:22

The werewolf is a creature of folklore and legend commonly referred to as a ‘man-wolf’ or ‘wolf-man’. Medieval superstition describes them as individuals transformed, or who can transform at will, into a wolf. In France the creature is called a loup-garou. In Anglo Saxon Folklore Werewolves were either protectors or villians, but this story breache…

1
Anglo Saxon Martial Arts, 7:39

8M ago7:39

7:39

This episode is about Anglo Saxon Martial Arts. The Shield Wall: A Formation of Resilience The shield wall strategy stood as an emblem of Anglo-Saxon martial prowess. Warriors, united in purpose and armed with shields, formed an unyielding barrier against enemy assaults. The cohesion, discipline, and unbreakable spirit exhibited in the shield wall …

1
The Vampyre 8:22

10M ago8:22

8:22

2 Beowulf, ll. (739-45) The text reads: “Nor did the creature keep him waiting / but strucked suddenly and started in; / he grabbed and mauled a man on his bench, / bit into his bone-lappings, bolted down his blood / and gorged on him in lumps, leaving the body / utterly lifeless, eaten up / hand and foot.”…

1
The Witch 5:46

10M ago5:46

5:46

The history of witchcraft is complex, and often raises more questions than it answers. Where did witches come from? And did they always arrive on broomsticks? Among the most common uses for magic was for healing. Lacking any kind of organized medical care system, they pieced together charms and poultices to take care of the common health problems. …

1
Anglo Saxon Gems and Jewellery 6:23

10M ago6:23

6:23

Archaeological sites such as Sutton Hoo have given us an insight to the historical information of the Anglo-Saxon period. Sutton Hoo is the site of two 6th and 7th century cemeteries near Woodbridge, Suffolk. It first began to be excavated in 1939, and was found to contain many Anglo-Saxon wonders, including an undisturbed ship burial. This site, a…

1
The Cannibal Giant 10:50

10M ago10:50

10:50

Monsters abound in Anglo-Saxon literature. One type of monster that shows up again and again is the cannibal. Heroes such as Beowulf and Andreas face humanoid monsters that threaten to literally consume their victims. This Monster is based on Grendel.

1
The Anglo Saxon Varangian Guard 5:37

10M ago5:37

5:37

English in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness One of the most interesting episodes in Byzantine military history and in medieval English history is the Anglo-Saxon participation and service in the Varangian Guards regiment from the late 11th to the early 13th century. Byzantine army became increasin…

1
The Werewolf, An Anglo Saxon tale 8:43

11M ago8:43

8:43

In the days of King Alfred the Great, when the moon was full and its pale light bathed the land in an eerie glow, a terror stalked the kingdom of Wessex. The people whispered tales of bloodthirsty creatures, half-human and half-beast, that roamed the countryside under the curse of the werewolf. As the legend grew, fear gripped the hearts of village…

1
Swords of the Anglo Saxons 6:02

11M ago6:02

6:02

n the annals of history, the swords of the Anglo-Saxons stand as both artifacts of exquisite craftsmanship and vessels of profound symbolism. These blades, hailing from a time when metallurgy was an art form and weaponry held cultural significance, offer a gateway into the values, warfare techniques, and societal norms of the early Germanic tribes …

1
Mallorca 14:16

11M ago14:16

14:16

Medieval Mallorca1346Jaume Ferrer, Mallorcan navigator set sail on 10th August to sail along the coast of Africa to Senegal and, perhaps, even to Niger. His journey is depicted in the Catalan Atlas. 1348 Palma was devastated by one of the most virulent of all strains of the Black Death that erupted during the Middle Ages and there were more than 5,…

1
Mythology of the Anglo Saxons 19:48

12M ago19:48

19:48

The Anglo-Saxons believed in supernatural creatures such as Elves and Dwarves and giants ("Etins") who often brought harm to men. It is likely that they believed in Wyrd (German "werden"), usually translated as "fate," although the modern term fate does little justice to the true meaning of Wyrd. Being a Germanic people, the Anglo-Saxons worshiped …

1
Eadric Streona (Traitor) 9:39

1y ago9:39

9:39

Eadric Streona, (“The Acquisitor”) Eadric also spelled Edric, (died 1017), ealdorman of the Mercians, who, though a man of ignoble birth, was advanced to the revived office of ealdorman by the English king Ethelred II whose daughter Eadgyth Eadric married. Little is known of Eadric’s origins. His appointment to the office of ealdorman in 1007 was p…

1
Hel and her Kingdom 16:23

1y ago16:23

16:23

Hel and her kingdom In Germanic mythology, Hel is a figure associated with the realm of the dead, also known as Helheim. Hel is the daughter of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. She is described as having a half-living, half-dead appearance, with one side of her body appearing normal and the other side being decaying or skeletal. He…

1
Loki, Yggdrasil and the Fenris wolf 12:26

1y ago12:26

12:26

I realise tat Loki isnt part of the Anglo Saxon Pantheon, but I felt is is only right to remember him when we can. The Fenris wolf is also a good subject to talk about, as ihe is one of the most destructive beings in the cosmos, and can bring about chaos. The world tree, Yggdrasil is also an important part of Germanic mythology and goes through mor…

1
Heathenry and Wyrd 11:14

1+ y ago11:14

11:14

Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, also known as Anglo-Saxon paganism or Anglo-Saxon polytheism, is a modern reconstructionist pagan religion that seeks to revive and reconstruct the pre-Christian spiritual beliefs and practices of the Anglo-Saxon people. This form of Heathenry is based on the historical records of the Anglo-Saxons, including the Anglo-Saxon C…

1
Heathenry and Weregild 11:14

1+ y ago11:14

11:14

Anglo-Saxon Heathenry and the future Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, also known as Anglo-Saxon paganism, is a modern revivalist movement that seeks to reconstruct the religious and cultural practices of the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon people. It is based on historical research and archaeological evidence, as well as personal experiences and spiritual insights…

1
The Anglo Saxon Sword and Shield 19:35

1+ y ago19:35

19:35

The most famous Old English battle poem, The Battle of Maldon, commemorates a very different sort of conflict: a battle that took place in 991 during which the ealdorman of Essex, Byrhtnoth, allowed his ofermod (‘pride’ or ‘overconfidence’) to get the better of him. Byrhtnoth, the leader of his loyal veterans and local Anglo-Saxon troops, permitted…

1
Fire Giants and a reading list 12:49

1+ y ago12:49

12:49

Muspelheim is a realm in Norse and Germanic mythology and is one of the Nine Worlds that make up the universe. It is located in the south and is often described as the world of fire. The name Muspelheim comes from the Old Norse words "mus" meaning "fire" and "pel" meaning "world". In Norse and germanic mythology, Muspelheim is the land of the fire …

1
Warriors and Valhalla 13:30

1+ y ago13:30

13:30

In Anglo-Saxon mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, one of the Nine Realms. It is ruled over by the god Woden, and is the destination of the souls of warriors who die in battle, known as einherjar. The einherjar is chosen by Woden and his valkyries, who are female figures who decide who shall live and who shall die in…

1
The Anglo Saxon Huscarls 9:15

1+ y ago9:15

9:15

Founded by nut the great, the Danish ruler of England in the early 11th century, the Huscarls were modelled upon the Joms Vikings although new research has found that the Joms Vikings weren't as disciplined as was thought, and the Saga was probably embellished. Cnut established them as a permanent body of professional warriors, They were 3000 stron…

1
Anglo Saxon Law 14:04

1+ y ago14:04

14:04

Apart from high policy and legislation, the business of government lay with the local authority, and the local authority was the local assembly of freemen. The local unit was the tun or township, the village, the group of households whose members occupied the surrounding land and settled such of their affairs - as a required settlement in the town'…

1
Saxnot 3:19

1+ y ago3:19

3:19

Saxnot also appears in the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow of the 9th century alongside Woden and Thunear. "I renounce all the deeds and words of the devil, Thunear, Wōden and Saxnōt, and all those fiends that are their companions." Based on the date of the Baptismal Vow it appears that Saxnot remained an important deity to the Saxons.…

1
The Theft of Miollnir 12:20

1+ y ago12:20

12:20

The Theft of Mjolnir Thor's Hammer Of all the strange Norse tales that survived, the theft of Mjolnir Thor's hammer must be the funniest and somehow awkward. Many questions might come to mind, like who dared to steal Mjolnir or how Thor retrieved Mjolnir back. This blog post on BaviPower would retell the story in the most concise way. One day, Thor…

1
The Building of the Citadel 8:49

1+ y ago8:49

8:49

The Fortification of Asgard A certain smith arrived at Asgard one day and offered to build the gods a high wall around their home to protect them from any who might wish them ill. The smith (certainly a giant himself) said he could complete his work in a mere three seasons, but demanded a steep compensation: the hand of the goddess Freya in marriag…

1
The Two wives of Ragnar Lodbrok 18:03

2y ago18:03

18:03

Ragnar Lodbrok(Old Norse Ragnarr Loðbrók, also anglicized as Ragnar Lodbrok), whose epithet means 'Hairy-breeches' or 'Shaggy-breeches', was a legendary Viking king, with Old Norse sagas, poetry, and medieval Latin sources telling of his accomplishments in Scandinavia, Francia, and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century CE. Commonly occurring e…

1
The Wolf and then the Green man 12:14

2y ago12:14

12:14

The pub name “The Green Man,” then, seems to have originated in the 17th century and to have referred in its earliest forms to the leaf-covered Green Man common in 16th-century pageantry. As we've seen, Lady Raglan was drawing on this tradition when she named the foliate head “Green Man.” Glance upwards as you approach or enter many of Britain’s gr…

1
Self Defence 7:27

2y ago7:27

7:27

Reasonable Force A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances for the purposes of (in the alternative): - self-defence; defence of another; defence of property; prevention of crime; lawful arrest. In assessing the reasonableness of the force used, prosecutors should ask two questions: was the use of force necessary in the circu…

1
Anglo Saxon Verse 7:31

2y ago7:31

7:31

A Choice of Anglo-Saxon Verse contains the Old English texts of all the major short poems, such as 'The Battle of Maldon', 'The Dream of the Rood', 'The Wanderer', and 'The Seafarer', as well as a generous representation of the many important fragments, riddles and gnomic verses that survive from the seventh to the twelfth centuries, with facing-pa…

1
The Legend Of Robin Hood 22:08

2y ago22:08

22:08

Robin Hood was the legendary bandit of England who stole from the rich to help the poor. The stories about Robin appealed to common folk because he stood up against—and frequently outwitted—people in power. Furthermore, his life in the forest—hunting, and feasting with his fellow outlaws, coming to the assistance of those in need—seemed like a grea…

1
The Fight at Finnsburh 11:14

2y ago11:14

11:14

A 48‐line fragmentary poem in Old English dealing with part of the tragic tale of Finn and Hildeburh, a later part of which is sung by the scôp in Beowulf, II. 1,063–1,159. The fragment is included by F. Klaeber in his edition of Beowulf (1922, etc.) and in other editions. The fragment of the Finnsburh poem and the Finnsburh reference in Beowulf so…

1
Volund The Smith 26:34

2+ y ago26:34

26:34

Welund tasted misery among snakes. The stout-hearted hero endured troubles had sorrow and longing as his companion's cruelty cold as winter - he often found woe Once Nidud laid restraints on him, supple sinew-bonds on the better man. That went by; so can this.

1
David Casserly Silver and Hema Teacher and enthusiast 9:42

2+ y ago9:42

9:42

This episode of the Wanderer has David Casserly as a guest. David Casserly was born and brought up in Bolton where he still lives. His first book "Massacre, The Storming of Bolton" published in 2011, came after a lifelong fascination with the subject and in learning the facts behind the story. He is a guest speaker for Blackpool and Fylde College o…

1
The Mead of Poetry 17:09

2+ y ago17:09

17:09

Mead was a very important part of a heathens civilization and culture. It helps define their leisure time and identity as a people and thus gets a prominent role in their stories and myths. Mead is no different from the Northern peoples during the Viking age. So important, in fact, that they use the drink as essentially a metaphor for how the inspi…

1
The Beginning of all things 13:59

2+ y ago13:59

13:59

Woden was a war god, and he appeared in heroic literature as the protector of heroes; fallen warriors joined him in Valhalla. The wolf and the raven were dedicated to him. His magical horse, Sleipnir had eight legs, teeth inscribed with runes, and the ability to gallop through the air and over the sea. Woden was the great magician among the gods an…

1
Teutonic Knights and the Undead 3:35

2+ y ago3:35

3:35

This episode is very short, but It is a fun episode that talks about the Teutonic Knights fighting the Undead, This article is presented as fact from the sources I read. It is clearly complete fantasy but it was a great read. Unfortunately, I can no longer find this information on the internet. But I hope you enjoy the episode.…

1
English Quarterstaff 17:17

2+ y ago17:17

17:17

This episode is a short talk about the quarterstaff, it discusses some of the histories of the staff, and some of the people that used the staff as a weapon of defense. We go through a brief explanation of how the staff has progressed down through the ages to modern times. The name "quarterstaff" is first attested in the mid-16th century. George Si…

1
The Anglo Saxon Broken Back Seax 12:49

2+ y ago12:49

12:49

Swords were enormously expensive weapons 1,500 years ago, and the Anglo Saxon warriors of those times needed a blade that could be used for everyday work and double as a fighting knife or sword. They and warriors of many other Northern European cultures chose the seax, which can be considered either a large dagger or a short single-edged sword. The…

1
Guy Windsor Swordsman 36:43

2+ y ago36:43

36:43

This episode is a talk by Guy Windsor. I try to include many different kinds of things in this podcast rather than keep rehashing stuff that has already been done. I have a few really good episodes lined up that I am sure everyone will like. Guy Windsor writes books about historical European swordsmanship and related topics like push-ups. My day jo…

1
Update on getting Heathens recognised 2:03

2+ y ago2:03

2:03

This is a short episode on how the campaign to get Anglo Saxon Heathenism recognised by the UK government as a legitimate religion in the UK. It isn't going well and in fact the campaign is dead in the water. But I will carry on.

1
Anglo Saxon Riddles 7:52

2+ y ago7:52

7:52

all of the Anglo-Saxon poetry that has survived is found in just four manuscripts which escaped the ravages of time, the pillaging of the Vikings, and the censorship of the Church. One thing that the Anglo-Saxon people were particularly fond of was telling (and trying to guess the answer of) riddles. It wasn't just children, who enjoyed riddles. Ad…

1
Heathenism 14:48

2+ y ago14:48

14:48

In this episode, we look at Heathenism both old and modern. We look at how Heathenism has been reconstructed as well as heathenism of over a thousand years ago. Heathenry, also termed Heathenism, contemporary Germanic Paganism, or Germanic Neopaganism is a modern pagan religion. Developed in Europe during the early 20th century, its practitioners m…

1
News 2:33

2+ y ago2:33

2:33

Hello everyone. This is a very short episode but I had to give out what is happening at the moment. The Wanderer is now not just a podcast but is also a Website and a youtube channel. Website: https://www.thewanderer.info/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGOpG4Raynnu3bcRUXPbd3w The website: is a campaign website fighting for the recogniti…