Film History · Ross, Jon & James | Exploring Cult British Horror Films, TV & Books

General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast

by Ross, Jon & James | Exploring Cult British Horror Films, TV & Books

General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast Welcome to General Witchfinders, a podcast dedicated to the dark heart of British horror and classic Hammer horror films – officially selected for permanent preservation in the British Library’s National Sound Archive. If you are passionate about British horror cinema, Hammer films, classic folk horror, Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass, and the chilling legacy of British supernatural television, this is the podcast for you. Hosted by lifelong friends Ross, Jon, and James, General Witchfinders dives deep into the world of British horror, gothic cinema, and unsettling archive television. We explore everything from Hammer horror’s blood-drenched vampire classics – starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing – to the eerie landscapes of The Wicker Man, Tigon’s The Creeping Flesh, and Amicus anthology films. Whether it is cinematic British horror icons like Dracula AD 1972 and The Curse of Frankenstein, modern independent UK folk horror like Possum and In The Earth, or sci-fi horror thrillers like Event Horizon and The Medusa Touch, we unearth the films that shaped the genre. We cover the definitive British sci-fi horror of Nigel Kneale – including The Quatermass Xperiment, Quatermass 2, Quatermass and the Pit, The Stone Tape, and his terrifying TV anthology series Beasts. Our episodes shine a spotlight on classic British horror literature, including the tales of James Herbert from The Rats to The Survivor, alongside vintage television gems like the BBC’s Ghost Stories for Christmas (Whistle and I’ll Come to You, The Ash Tree), Doomwatch, Tales of the Unexpected, Inside No. 9, Ghostwatch, and classic Doctor Who horror stories like The Dæmons and Horror of Fang Rock. Expect thoughtful commentary, dry wit, and nostalgic tangents about 1980s and 90s British culture. Beyond the Podcast We also publish the independent General Witchfinders horror zine and host live podcast events and film screenings for the UK horror community. General Witchfinders is your premier audio guide to British horror, Hammer films, folk horror, Quatermass, and everything that makes the UK’s supernatural tradition uniquely haunting. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or grab our latest horror zine and live event tickets at www.generalwitchfinders.com. Listener Reviews “Really entertaining and insightful. About half a dozen episodes done so far, and all on horror/supernatural things I personally love and wanted to hear more about. Lots of new facts and just downright entertaining takedowns. Great work.” – 5 Stars ***** 🦴 “If you’re looking for a fun chat about vintage British horror and sci-fi, then this is the podcast for you.” – 5 Stars *****Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

74: Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) Live – Hammer Film Productions – Dir. Roy Ward Baker – Written by Brian Clemens

In this special live episode of General Witchfinders, recorded on stage at ActOne Cinema in Acton on 30 October, we bring you the live podcast panel following our sell-ou

Nov 7
1 h 32 min

Book Club 03 – The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean (with Brontë Schiltz)

Welcome to the third episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an inde

Oct 31
2 h 10 min

73: The Quatermass Conclusion (1979) – Euston Films / Thames TV – Dir. Piers Haggard - Witten by. Nigel Kneale

In this episode, we conclude our deep dive into screen adaptations of Nigel Kneale’s legendary sci-fi creation, Professor Bernard Quatermass. We take a look at the 1979 E

Oct 3
2 h 22 min

Department X: The Morning of the Magicians

Last time, the files of General Witchfinders Department X revealed how psychic powers and parapsychology grew to be one of the leading frights of 70s horror culture. Now,

Sep 21
1 h 02 min

Book Club 02 - Benighted aka The Old Dark House by J.B. Priestley (with Dylan Rees)

Welcome to the second episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an ind

Sep 9
1 h 35 min

73: Alternative 3 (1977) – Anglia TV – Dir. Christopher Miles – Tim Brinton, Shane Rimmer & Richard Marner

Alternative 3 (1977) – Conspiracies, Secret Mars Bases, Brian Eno and 1970s TV Hoaxes Our #SummerOfStrange continues. We step away from Hammer, Amicus, vampires, and cla

Aug 21
1 h 35 min

71: Penda’s Fen (1974) – BBC – Dir. Alan Clarke – Spencer Banks, Georgine Anderson & Ian Hogg

The 16th episode of the fourth season of the BBC anthology series Play for Today, Penda’s Fen – originally broadcast on 21 March 1974 – is widely celebrated as a visionar

Jul 14
1 h 54 min

Book Club 01 - Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley (with Ray Newman)

Welcome to the very first episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a new spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark

Jul 8
1 h 13 min

Department X: Mysterious Powers and Strange Forces

Summer is the season of the spin-off at General Witchfinders. We have a few episodes beyond our usual format to share, starting with James’s exploration of parapsychology

Jul 1
59 min

Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde CINEMA SCREENING

https://www.actonecinema.co.uk/movie/general-witchfinders-present-dr-jekyll-sister-hyde/ We are bringing General Witchfinders to London on Halloween-eve – Friday 30th Oc

Jun 25
2 min

70: Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971) – Hammer Horror – Dir. Seth Holt – Valerie Leon, Andrew Keir & James Villiers

Hammer Horror delivered one of its finest 1970s films with Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, despite a notoriously cursed production. This 1971 British release is the studio’s

May 31
1 h 30 min

69: General Witchfinders LIVE: Folk Horror, M.R. James & Nigel Kneale

In this special live episode, we dive deep into the world of Folk Horror, discussing the legendary Big Christopher Lee, the ghost stories of M.R. James, and the groundbre

May 8
1 h 16 min

68: The Medusa Touch (1978) – ITC Entertainment – Dir. Jack Gold – Richard Burton, Lino Ventura & Lee Remick

The Medusa Touch (1978): Richard Burton and the Power of CatastropheIn this episode, we investigate the 1978 supernatural horror thriller The Medusa Touch. Directed by Ja

Apr 5
2 h 14 min

67: Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) – Hammer Horror – Dir. Terence Fisher – Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg & Thorley Walters

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) | Hammer Horror & Peter Cushing Deep DiveWelcome to another atmospheric installment of the General Witchfinders podcast. In this episode

Mar 2
1 h 38 min

66: The Asphyx (aka Spirit of the Dead) (aka The Horror of Death) (1972) – Glendale Film – Dir. Peter Newbrook – Robert Stephens, Robert Powell & Jane Lapotaire – Freddie Young Shot

The Asphyx (1972) In this episode, we dive deep into the 1972 British science fiction horror cult classic, The Asphyx (also known as Spirit of the Dead or The Horror of D

Feb 7
1 h 33 min

65b: K9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (1981) – BBC – Writer Terence Dudley – Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson & Bill Cole – Doctor Who Spinoff Special

In this episode, we explore the 1981 television pilot K-9 and Company, a unique and historic entry in the Doctor Who universe. Produced as a proposed Doctor Who spin-off,

Dec 31 2025
1 h 25 min

65a: The Ice House (1978) – BBC – Dir. Derek Lister, Writer John Bowen – John Stride, Elizabeth Romilly & Ewan Hooper – BBC Ghost Story for Christmas

The Ice House is part of the BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas tradition, originally broadcast under the banner A Ghost Story for Christmas. First shown on BBC1 on Christma

Dec 24 2025
1 h 20 min

64: Psychomania (aka The Death Wheelers) (1973) – Benmar Productions – Dir. Don Sharp – Beryl Reid, George Sanders & Nicky Henson

This time we watched the 1973 British horror film Psychomania, a cult biker horror oddity originally filmed as The Living Dead before the title changed. In the United Sta

Dec 13 2025
2 h 14 min

63 (Part 2): Flash Gordon (1980) – Starling Productions – Dir. Mike Hodges – Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson & Max von Sydow

We return to our rundown of Flash Gordon, just as Flash and Prince Barin are being taken to the Hawkmen’s planet to fight to the death! Flash Gordon was directed by Mike

Nov 8 2025
1 h 22 min

63 (Part 1): Flash Gordon (1980) – Starling Productions – Dir. Mike Hodges – Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson & Max von Sydow

Sorry this one’s a bit late — but to make up for it, we’ve gone all in with an extra-long episode of General Witchfinders, split into two parts. This week, we take you th

Nov 1 2025
1 h 30 min

Chart trend

Position in the Film History chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#95#189AugSepOctNov

#28

all-time peak

days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 11, 2026).

#66 ▼ 6 Film History US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

This team of podcasters brings cultural knowledge to bear on British film favorites. I have always had a soft spot for the Gothic Horror / Spy Films / Britcoms / Police Procedurals of the 70s and 80s, but I’m a 30something American and I miss a lot of the references. Listening to General Witchfinders helps fill in these gaps. I was drawn to the podcast for the coverage of Hammer’s Dracula AD ‘72 and the Satanic Rites of Dracula. I hope the team does the rest of Don Houghton’s works: Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, Shatter, New Scotland Yard and all the rest. Keep up the great work. You are excellent company on my runs!

Arthurus,RexQuondamEtFuturus · Aug 2023

Like catching up with a few mates on a Friday night a lot of Fun and very informative and don’t skip the outtakes at the end!

by tor · Jun 2026

I thought i was quite the Anglophile for a middle aged American . My favorrite Doctor is Tom Baker, favorite Sherlock is Jeremy Brett and Ive actually seen Blakes 7( a few episodes) But listening to you guys talk is like sitting with the big boys as a kid, talking about stuff i hadnt discovered yet! The recent Medusa Touch episode had me giggling, i love a Burton fest. Thanks for the wonderful podcast !

hayhay0166 · Jun 2026

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.