Time Between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton

Time between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton. The Golden cape of Mold. A Welsh Ghost Story

There are some places where the past feels very close.Places where the stories seem to have settled into the landscape itself… where an old name, a lonely field or a strange tale passed down through generations can make us wonder what might have happened there long ago.In this episode of Time Between Times, I take you to a field near Mold in North Wales once known as Cae Ellyllon — The Field of the Goblins or Fairies.For generations, local people spoke of a mysterious golden figure seen standing upon an ancient burial mound. A strange, glittering apparition appearing in the darkness…And then, in 1833, workmen digging in that very field uncovered something extraordinary.Beneath the earth lay an ancient Bronze Age burial — and with it one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries ever made in Wales.A magnificent ceremonial cape made almost entirely from gold.The Mold Gold Cape.But what makes this story so fascinating is the question that sits between folklore and history.Why was this particular place associated with a golden apparition long before the ancient burial was uncovered?Was the ghost simply a story that grew around an ancient mound?Or was something much older somehow remembered in the folklore of the people who lived there?Tonight, draw your chair a little closer to the fire and come with me into the darkness of Cae Ellyllon.A story of gold, ghosts, ancient burial, memory and the extraordinary ways in which the past can sometimes refuse to remain buried.Welcome, my friends…to Time Between Times.🌙 If you enjoy the podcast and would like to help keep these old stories alive:Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/owenstaton Patreon: patreon.com/owenstaton7 Substack: owenstaton.substack.com Website: welshstoryteller.comYou can also find Time Between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton wherever you listen to podcasts.Thank you, as always, for coming and sitting beside the fire with me.Take care, my friends.Nos da.Owen x

Time between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton. The Beast of Pontrhydyfen

The Beast of PontrhydyfenWelcome back to the firepit at the heart of the forest, my friends.Tonight’s story is a little different.Because this is not simply a tale I found in an old book or discovered in some forgotten newspaper. This is a story that takes me back to my own childhood, to the village of Pontrhydyfen in the Afan Valley in the early 1980s.I was at school there when rumours began to spread about something strange moving through the hills around Tonmawr and Pontrhydyfen.A great cat.Something wild.Something that, according to the stories, had no business being there.For us children, the creature quickly became the talk of the playground. We whispered about sightings, footprints and enormous cats hiding in the woods. And at times, we were even told not to play outside.I remember the feeling of looking towards those dark Welsh hills and wondering what might be hiding amongst the trees.Decades later, reports from the period would tell of large cats seen around Tonmawr, including a remarkable series of alleged photographs. Some witnesses believed they had seen a leopard or puma. Others suggested more ordinary explanations.But perhaps the truth isn’t quite the point.Because when you are a child, a mystery can become part of the landscape itself.And sometimes, long after the story has faded from the playground, you can still look towards those hills and remember…What if it really was there?So tonight, draw a little closer to the fire.Let the mist settle over the Afan Valley.Listen for the river beneath the old bridge.And keep your eyes on the dark hills above Pontrhydyfen…Because somewhere out there, perhaps, something is still watching.Welcome…to the Time Between Times.Nos da, my friends.Owen xwww.welshstoryteller.comwww.ko-fi.com/owenstatonwww.patreon.com/owenstaton7

Time between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton. The Fairies of Morlais Castle

The Fairy Dance at Morlais HillThere are places where the veil between worlds grows thin…High above Merthyr Tydfil, the ruined walls of Morlais Castle have watched the centuries drift by. Yet local people have long whispered that, on certain midsummer nights, music can still be heard echoing among the ancient stones. A harp. A fiddle. Laughter carried upon the wind. They say those who follow the melody may find themselves welcomed into a dance unlike any other—a dance where joy is boundless, the night never seems to end… and time itself begins to lose all meaning.In this haunting episode of Time Between Times, Welsh storyteller Owen Staton brings an old valley legend to life in his own rich and atmospheric style. Journey into a forgotten world of moonlit castles, the mysterious Tylwyth Teg, and a young collier whose single step into the fairy dance will change everything.So, draw your chair a little closer to the fire, let the shadows gather, and listen carefully… for if, one summer evening, you should hear music drifting across a lonely Welsh hillside, remember this tale.The Fair Folk are not always searching for victims.Sometimes…They are simply looking for one more dancer.If you enjoy Time Between Times, you can support the podcast and help keep these old stories alive by visiting:Website: https://www.welshstoryteller.comKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/owenstatonSubstack: https://owenstaton.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7You can also follow Owen on social media by searching “Time Between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton” on Facebook and your favourite podcast platform.Until next time…Nos da… and don’t stray from the path.

Time between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton. Firepit Fable with Eleanor Greenwood and the story of John Gethin and the candle

High upon the lonely slopes of Mynydd y Drum lies an old Welsh legend that has haunted the valleys for generations. It tells of hidden treasure, forbidden magic, a bargain struck in desperation… and a single candle whose slow, mysterious disappearance marked the passing of a man’s life.In this episode, Owen Staton retells the chilling tale of John Gethin and the Candle, one of Wales’ most unsettling folk legends. Journey into a world where ancient mountains guard terrible secrets, where courage is tested against supernatural terror, and where every bargain has its price.Then, as the fire crackles at the heart of the forest, Owen is joined by the wonderful Eleanor Greenwood—performer, writer, mask maker and storyteller. Together they explore folklore, performance, the power of masks, and the timeless magic of stories that refuse to be forgotten.You can discover more about Eleanor’s work here:🌿 https://www.eleanorgreenwood.co.ukEleanors Youtube channel is here https://www.youtube.com/@Eleanor_r_GreenwoodEleanor and Owen's Film - Morwyn llyn Y fan https://youtu.be/j4akhjGQ65Y?si=ARnYg0prduGFTKOZPodcast thumbnail features one of Eleanors masked performances as featured on her webpage .If you enjoy Time Between Times, please consider supporting the podcast and helping these stories continue to reach listeners around the world.🌙 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7🔥 Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton🌲 Website: https://www.welshstoryteller.comThank you, as always, for joining me beside the fire. Draw your chair a little closer, listen carefully to the wind, and remember…Some treasures are best left unclaimed .Take careOwen

Time between Times Storytelling with Owen Staton. The White Rider of Maes Gwenllian

The White Rider of Maes GwenllianThis week, gather with me beside the fire as we journey into one of the most inspiring and haunting stories in all of Welsh history.Together, we travel back to the year 1136, when Wales stood on the brink of being overwhelmed by the Norman Marcher Lords. At the heart of that struggle was a remarkable woman—Princess Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd—who refused to wait behind castle walls. Instead, she mounted her horse, drew her sword, and led her people into battle in defence of her homeland.But history is only the beginning…For when the battle was over and Gwenllian fell upon the fields of Kidwelly, the people of Wales believed her story had not ended. Across the lonely marshes of Maes Gwenllian, where mist curls through the reeds and silence hangs heavy in the evening air, many have claimed to see a spectral rider upon a white horse. A noble figure searching endlessly through the twilight—not for revenge, but for her children, her people, and the Wales she gave everything to protect.Tonight, we’ll explore both the history and the haunting, discovering how one woman’s extraordinary courage transformed her into one of the greatest heroines of Wales and one of its most enduring legends.So settle beside the fire, let the flames warm your face, and listen for the distant thunder of ghostly hooves across the Welsh night.Welcome… to Time Between Times.If you enjoy these stories and would like to help support the podcast, you can do so here:🌙 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/owenstaton7☕ Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/owenstaton🌿 Website: https://www.welshstoryteller.comTickets for the Ghost light performed by Owen Statonhttps://pontardaweartscentre.com/shows/the-ghost-light-with-owen-staton/You can also subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with anyone who loves folklore, history, myths, legends and ghost stories.Until next time…Nos da.Owen x