THE DODLESTON MESSAGES: The Mystery of a Two-Way Conversation Across Five Centuries – CTRL+ALT+1546

Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

When a schoolteacher's borrowed BBC computer began displaying mysterious messages from a 16th-century scholar and beings from the year 2109, it sparked one of England's most bewildering paranormal cases.
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IN THIS EPISODE: In Victorian London, a grisly murder case involving Maria and Frederick Manning shocked society and caught the attention of Charles Dickens himself. What began as a love triangle turned into a chilling tale of greed, betrayal, and murder, culminating in a public execution that would challenge the very nature of capital punishment in Great Britain. (The Murderous Mannings) *** In 1720, amidst a perilous pirate attack on the Atlantic, a newborn's cry changed the course of destiny. Ocean-Born Mary, christened by buccaneers and gifted with a bolt of green silk, would grow from a maritime legend into a symbol of courage and resilience in colonial New England, her extraordinary birth weaving a tapestry of fact and fiction that continues to captivate imaginations centuries later. (A Pirate’s Godchild, Ocean-Born Mary) *** On the morning of June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates shocked the nation by drowning her five children, one by one, in the family bathtub. Years of untreated mental illness, compounded by religious fanaticism and postpartum psychosis, culminated in this unimaginable tragedy. Was it the work of a tortured mind, or something darker at play? (Did The Devil Make Her Do It?) *** Deep in the ancient folds of the Appalachian Mountains, where time seems to slow and shadows linger, legends have taken root for millennia. These peaks have become a breeding ground for supernatural tales that blend seamlessly with the landscape. The sheer age and untamed nature of Appalachia have given birth to a rich tapestry of myths, from the Mothman, to ghosts, to the Devil himself. (Modern Mythology and Ancient Appalachia) *** In the heart of Preston, Ladywell Street is infamous for a chilling spectral presence capable of shifting forms—from eerie footsteps to a blood-soaked apparition known as the Bannister Doll. Once a beautiful young woman, Dolly Bannister met a tragic death at the hands of her father, a punishment for a crime she didn’t commit. Now, her restless spirit seeks retribution, haunting the streets and striking fear into anyone who dares to cross her path. (The Haunting of Ladywell Street) *** In 1984, a sleepy English village became the unlikely stage for a mind-bending mystery when a schoolteacher's computer began receiving messages from a man claiming to be from 1546. As past and present collided through a BBC Micro, Ken Webster and his friends found themselves entangled in a web of Tudor English, future prophecies, and inexplicable phenomena that would challenge everything they thought they knew about time and technology. (Ctrl+Alt+1546: The Dodleston Messages Mystery)
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.
DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:01:33.391 = Show Open
00:05:27.341 = The Dodleston Messages Mystery
00:27:16.141 = The Pirate’s Godchild, Ocean-Born Mary
00:32:01.707 = The Murderous Mannings
00:41:10.624 = Modern Mythology and Ancient Appalachia
00:48:42.848 = Did The Devil Make Her Do It?
00:59:28.888 = The Haunting of Ladywell Street
01:03:06.047 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
BOOK: “The Vertical Plane” by Ken Webster: https://amzn.to/4drgdH4
“Ctrl+Alt+1546: The Dodleston Messages Mystery” source: Tony Walker, Medium: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3pf7strv
“The Murderous Mannings” source: Alexa Baczak, Medium: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8a6sta
“The Pirate’s Godchild, Ocean-Born Mary” sources: NewEngland.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdvz9by6; Sea Coast NH: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3jy3bc3r; New England Historical Society:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p84pzrn
“The Haunting of Ladywell Street” source: The Lancashire Post: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckypttt; Deborah Contessa: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8zkern
“Did The Devil Make Her Do It?” by Troy Taylor (used with permission): https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/swtmdth7
“Modern Mythology and Ancient Appalachia” source: National Geographic: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckjkbaw
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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Originally aired: September 27, 2024
NOTE: Some of this content may have been created with assistance from AI tools, but it has been reviewed, edited, narrated, produced, and approved by Darren Marlar, creator and host of Weird Darkness — who, despite popular conspiracy theories, is NOT an AI voice.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DodlestonMessages