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Thu, 22 Oct, 2026 at 06:00 pm UTC+01:00

Free lecture: Worms, Monkeys and Killer Pigs: The Strange Folk Tales of County Durham

  • The Common Room, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, NE1 1SE Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom · Newcastle Upon Tyne
The Common Room of the Great North Publisher / Host The Common Room of the Great North
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Free lecture: Worms, Monkeys and Killer Pigs: The Strange Folk Tales of County Durham
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Rich and wonderfully strange tradition of folk tales, from monstrous worms and unfortunate monkeys to a surprising number of killer pigs.
County Durham’s history is filled with stories that are strange, gruesome, funny and sometimes almost impossible to believe. Drawing on his book County Durham Folk Tales, author and storyteller Adam Bushnell explores some of the region’s most memorable legends, including the origins of its famous worm tales, the dark history behind Hartlepool’s monkey-hanging story and the curious number of murderous pigs that appear in the county’s past.
Along the way, Adam will look at where folklore ends and history begins, how stories change as they are passed from generation to generation, and why these old tales still matter today. And, as you might expect from a storyteller, he’ll also tell a story or two in the way they were meant to be heard.
Adam Bushnell is an award winning and Amazon number 1 bestselling author of fictional and academic books. He has had over sixty books published including Descriptosaurus: Story Writing and Modelling Exciting Writing.
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Event venue

The Common Room, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, NE1 1SE Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 19 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6EX, United Kingdom

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