When you have seen a ghost the experience never really leaves you and makes you question everything . When someone also sees what you have seen in the same place but you dont find till years later it confirms what you saw was real. A rational mind also wishes to know how it is possible and maybe why he wrote his tales
M.R. James is my favourite ghost writer! I have a friend in Suffolk and I've spent time there down by the River Deben, very near Sutton Hoo. It is a very mystical place. Beautiful and haunting.
Thanks, Sam. James is a classic author, a favourite of mine and, of course, we all have particular favourites, Canon Alberic, Lost Hearts and the classic 'Oh, Whistle and I'll come to You' being three of my favourites. I still find it hard to bring myself to read Wailing Well, having been scared witless by it at about the age of ten or eleven! In the introduction to his 'Collected Ghost Stories' he mentions that if asked if he believed in ghosts, he was prepared to consider the evidence, and says no more than that. However, when once asked if the slaughter of the Great War (in which he lost many friends and former pupils) had affected his views, he replied "What is the point of so much love, if we merely go out into the dark?" Much of his atmosphere was derived from his beloved Suffolk, though Norway and Shropshire also provided some inspiration. Less well known are the travel guides to English cathedrals which he wrote for the Great Western Railway, and other books on church architecture. All round, a very good and talented writer. (Not impressed with the subtitles, who turned M R James into Emma James - can you teach them how to spell, please?
Thank you John. I do get a sense from his books but especially from his life, that he was looking for something- maybe for some kind of proof that what happened to him during his childhood really happened. A Vignette is short but intense, and it does feel "different". Apologies for the subs, YT ones aren't very reliable but the tool to add them manually and the auto sync is rubbish 😅
@@SamWalksALot I was teasing regarding the subs - other sites are worse! Seriously, I feel he had a lonely life which, for all his genuine achievements, was unfulfilled in some way. He never married; interestingly he was good friends with the young artist who did the illustrations for 'Ghost Stories of an Antiquary', who sadly died after only producing four of them - the one for Canon Alberic is brilliant. After the artist's death MRJ sort of 'adopted' the man's widow and daughter, supporting them for some considerable time. They became substitutes for the family he never had. Its very noticeable how few important female characters appear in his tales - it's a very male orientated world, with women generally playing very secondary roles. More often in Victorian ghost stories the ladies cope better with the ghoulies than the men do! (The Rose Garden is the exception that proves the rule; the lady is the cause of all the subsequent trouble) Given that it was his last story, written not long before he died, I did wonder about A Vignette; to me it was so simple that I felt he was losing his skills. However, if it was indeed a thinly disguised personal experience, that may be a better explanation. And how could I forget to mention 'Casting the Runes' in my original post? Quite simply one of the best developed and satisfying ghost stories he (or anyone else) ever wrote.
@JohnDavies-cn3ro you're right, academic life can be rewarding, he did what he loved, there's no doubt about that, but there was a slight sense of melancholy. A Vignette definitely feels autobiographical. Looking into it made me appreciate Monty James even more...
Sam, this is brilliant. I have been a fan of M.R James' ghost stories for over 50 years. He was the world's foremost biblical scholar, having translated the Apocrypha in 1924, and this work is still in print today. He also catalogued over 4500 mediaeval manuscripts which would have been written in Latin. His ghost stories were essentially written as a sideline, to read to friends at Christmas time.
@christophermartin7927 Thank you so much Christopher! He was such a brilliant and clever mind, his work unprecedented, his stories are unique, scary, intense. One of a kind.
Really enjoyed this. My ancestors came from Great Livermere. They were Mothersoles. My great-grandmother, Angelina Mothersole, was married at St Peter's by Rev. Herbert James, the father of M.R. James.
It's great to see you back on familiar ground, Sam! The introduction to this video is incredibly polished. Your content continues to improve with each release! Take care. 👏👏
@@SamWalksALot We had a day of 40 C last week and are expecting another this weekend. But it is summer after all, and I prefer heat to cold. A day of 40 is not too bad; it is when you get several days of it in a row. 🥵🥵 How is the weather there, dare I ask, Sam? 🤔🤔
Hi Sam, very atmospheric!! A very interesting life he had, thanks very much for taking the time to investigate it. I havnt read any of his books yet but do have a collection of Ghost stories to read, a compendium of 31 tales. Some years ago Penguin were selling classic literature for 1pound a book, so over a period I got quite a few, this one I have yet to read. Do I dare read it on these dark and cold nights? Must be quite a shock coming from the summer of Australia to the winter of Britain. Looks like you have adjusted ok!! All the best!!
Hello David! I hope you're well! I'm adjusting only just, it feels so cold but it's not that cold? 😖 Oh I think that dark nights, low lights and a hit drink by your side are perfect for some MR James. Enjoy, and thank you 😊
Hi Sam! Sounds like MR James may have encountered an early Mr Blobby Shame you didn't get to see him around and about. Nice weather for chickens though! Thanks for another great story! xxx😀
Thanks Sam. I don't theink I've ever heard of this author... I'll try and read some of his work. A good ghost story is the best. Many of our most noted writers came from elite schools and universities...there was a time when to have any kind of impact with literature, historical and scientific ideas, you had to have a certain kind of background, and be educated in certain universities. Thanks for braving such a waterlogged site to show us around ✌️
Thank you HB 😊 I was introduced to MR James a few years ago, I was actually shown films on Prime.(some with notable actors... there's loads) but none of them compare to the actual written tales. They're short, dark, eerie and wonderful. Let me know what you think, if you get to read them... 😊
The best ghost story tellers we're my irish aunty's, as a child they would even change their voices and make horrible facial expressions ,no wonder now as a adult I'm a nervous wreck....!😮😅
Excellent video. I think your theory is correct: James' claim to have seen and believed in anything related to the subject-matter of his ghost stories would have threatened his career, unfortunately. So much for the objectivity of scholars....
@@SamWalksALot Isn't it ironic that those who require sense-evidence for spiritual mysteries refuse to listen to anyone who has it? "I've seen it for myself!" "Oh no you haven't." "But I did!" "No, you couldn't have." "But I'm a respected scholar!" "We'll take care of that."
Thank you Nick, I'm surprised that the footage was OK, with all that rain. About Jack the Ripper.. I kinda went on one, but it was too much, even for me. I wouldn't be able to do that alone 😬
@SamWalksALot just the sort of place to do a midnight ghost hunt, I'm sure if he could Mr James would make a personal appearance, I visited Sir Arthur Conan Doyles grave a couple of years ago, that is a beautiful old church yard with an idyllic old church.
@stephenhowlett6345 If there was a place I'd expect him to be is Great Livermere. I've been to Conan Doyle's too a couple of time, that's so lovely, surrounded by donkeys, horses and the green hills and woods of New Forest. How wonderful 😊
@SamWalksALot yep, did you vist Florence Nightingales grave, that's not to far away and also the girl who was the real Alice in wonderland in Lyndhurst churchyard.
I love the stories of M R James and the TV adaptions of his work. Imagine if you had seen the same 'cloaked figure' on your walk there!
😱 It would have freaked me out!
When you have seen a ghost the experience never really leaves you and makes you question everything . When someone also sees what you have seen in the same place but you dont find till years later it confirms what you saw was real. A rational mind also wishes to know how it is possible and maybe why he wrote his tales
Hi Sam, thanks for this fascinating insight into the mind of M R James.
Hello Geoff 👋🏻 thank you, glad you enjoyed it 😊
My favourite M.R. James stories include Rats, Wailing Well, The Mezzotint & A View From A Hill.
I haven't read Wailing Well, but someone mentioned it, saying it's really spooky?
@SamWalksALot it's incredibly scary. Spine chilling, I'd say!
I'll make sure to read it! Thank you Alison 😊
How lovely to see you back, doing what you do best. I've missed your ghostly stories x
Thank you Lionel, appreciate that so much x
M.R. James is my favourite ghost writer! I have a friend in Suffolk and I've spent time there down by the River Deben, very near Sutton Hoo. It is a very mystical place. Beautiful and haunting.
Very cool! 😁
Good video and a good story well told
Much appreciated, thank you Paul 😊
There’s something about this time of year,getting back to spooky dark nights,I love it 😂🤪As always,thank you so much,brilliant as usual 😬🙏🏻
Oh yes, and who better than MR James? 😂 thank you SO much Gary 😊
Thanks, Sam. James is a classic author, a favourite of mine and, of course, we all have particular favourites, Canon Alberic, Lost Hearts and the classic 'Oh, Whistle and I'll come to You' being three of my favourites.
I still find it hard to bring myself to read Wailing Well, having been scared witless by it at about the age of ten or eleven!
In the introduction to his 'Collected Ghost Stories' he mentions that if asked if he believed in ghosts, he was prepared to consider the evidence, and says no more than that. However, when once asked if the slaughter of the Great War (in which he lost many friends and former pupils) had affected his views, he replied "What is the point of so much love, if we merely go out into the dark?"
Much of his atmosphere was derived from his beloved Suffolk, though Norway and Shropshire also provided some inspiration.
Less well known are the travel guides to English cathedrals which he wrote for the Great Western Railway, and other books on church architecture. All round, a very good and talented writer.
(Not impressed with the subtitles, who turned M R James into Emma James - can you teach them how to spell, please?
Thank you John. I do get a sense from his books but especially from his life, that he was looking for something- maybe for some kind of proof that what happened to him during his childhood really happened.
A Vignette is short but intense, and it does feel "different".
Apologies for the subs, YT ones aren't very reliable but the tool to add them manually and the auto sync is rubbish 😅
@@SamWalksALot I was teasing regarding the subs - other sites are worse! Seriously, I feel he had a lonely life which, for all his genuine achievements, was unfulfilled in some way. He never married; interestingly he was good friends with the young artist who did the illustrations for 'Ghost Stories of an Antiquary', who sadly died after only producing four of them - the one for Canon Alberic is brilliant.
After the artist's death MRJ sort of 'adopted' the man's widow and daughter, supporting them for some considerable time. They became substitutes for the family he never had.
Its very noticeable how few important female characters appear in his tales - it's a very male orientated world, with women generally playing very secondary roles. More often in Victorian ghost stories the ladies cope better with the ghoulies than the men do! (The Rose Garden is the exception that proves the rule; the lady is the cause of all the subsequent trouble)
Given that it was his last story, written not long before he died, I did wonder about A Vignette; to me it was so simple that I felt he was losing his skills. However, if it was indeed a thinly disguised personal experience, that may be a better explanation.
And how could I forget to mention 'Casting the Runes' in my original post? Quite simply one of the best developed and satisfying ghost stories he (or anyone else) ever wrote.
@JohnDavies-cn3ro you're right, academic life can be rewarding, he did what he loved, there's no doubt about that, but there was a slight sense of melancholy. A Vignette definitely feels autobiographical.
Looking into it made me appreciate Monty James even more...
hello again Sam , wow this was really good , ah the good old British weather lol, well done and thank you 😊
Hello Davie 👋🏻 ahhhh thank you 😊 I think that the weather added to the atmosphere 😁
@@SamWalksALot that's true lol
Thank you Sam for another excellent video. The weather set the scene very well .Spooky. Keep them coming. 😮
Hello Adrian 👋🏻 thanks so much! I will
Thankyou that was quite good. Ghost stories read as a child would lave me terrified to go alone into our back garden in broad daylight.
@radiosnail thank you! Lol I can imagine...
Sam, this is brilliant. I have been a fan of M.R James' ghost stories for over 50 years. He was the world's foremost biblical scholar, having translated the Apocrypha in 1924, and this work is still in print today. He also catalogued over 4500 mediaeval manuscripts which would have been written in Latin. His ghost stories were essentially written as a sideline, to read to friends at Christmas time.
@christophermartin7927 Thank you so much Christopher! He was such a brilliant and clever mind, his work unprecedented, his stories are unique, scary, intense.
One of a kind.
@SamWalksALot Thanks Sam. By the way, I love your accent..
@christophermartin7927 Thank you 😊 a bit of the old Italian cadence in it 🇮🇹
@@SamWalksALot it is lovely. Reminds me of Naples in the summertime.
Or Paestum, Herculaneum and Pompeii. Trips I made many years ago..
Sam, thank you for another walk and insightful commentary. You are the best. 😃
I appreciate that! Thanks so much Barry 😊 glad you enjoyed it 😀
Really enjoyed this. My ancestors came from Great Livermere. They were Mothersoles. My great-grandmother, Angelina Mothersole, was married at St Peter's by Rev. Herbert James, the father of M.R. James.
Glad you did! And what a story to tell the kids, especially after MRJ became famous. Wonderful!
this was very good, thank you. he's been a literary hero of mine for many years now, so I'm glad you covered him. all the best, i enjoy your videos
Thank you John, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love his tales, I couldn't not do this at Christmas 😊
It's great to see you back on familiar ground, Sam! The introduction to this video is incredibly polished. Your content continues to improve with each release! Take care. 👏👏
Hello Peter 👋🏻 Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I appreciate it, as always.
How's the heat? Bearable?
@@SamWalksALot We had a day of 40 C last week and are expecting another this weekend. But it is summer after all, and I prefer heat to cold. A day of 40 is not too bad; it is when you get several days of it in a row. 🥵🥵 How is the weather there, dare I ask, Sam? 🤔🤔
@peterb3772 it's grey and pretty miserable here, no rain, 7-8°c which isn't too bad. But it's winter after all. I wouldn't like the 40°c 😬
Very atmospheric, I really enjoyed that. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for watching 😊
Thank you really interesting to watch.
Thank you Catherine, glad you liked it 😊
Lovely to see you back Sam, I’ve missed seeing your lovely smiley face xxx
Thank you Chris! Youre very kind. It's so good to be back xx I Hope you're well 😊
@ ok not too bad thanks just need to find me a job lol 😂 xx
@buffplums oh gosh I hope you do!
Just found this amazing channel💯💯💯💯💯Great voice👍🏻💯
Thank you so much!! ☺️
You’re welcome and you have a new subscriber👍🏻🙂
@LennartMarklund-us5km Thank to, and welcome 👋🏻😊
This was a wonderful video with great narration as well . Greetings from America Sam
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you Jeff 😊👋🏻
Nice One
Thank you Jon!
@SamWalksALot thank you
Hi Sam, very atmospheric!! A very interesting life he had, thanks very much for taking the time to investigate it.
I havnt read any of his books yet but do have a collection of Ghost stories to read, a compendium of 31 tales. Some years ago Penguin were selling classic literature for 1pound a book, so over a period I got quite a few, this one I have yet to read. Do I dare read it on these dark and cold nights?
Must be quite a shock coming from the summer of Australia to the winter of Britain. Looks like you have adjusted ok!!
All the best!!
Hello David!
I hope you're well!
I'm adjusting only just, it feels so cold but it's not that cold? 😖
Oh I think that dark nights, low lights and a hit drink by your side are perfect for some MR James.
Enjoy, and thank you 😊
Thankyou Sam..
You’re welcome 😊 thanks for watching
👍🏻great job!!
Thank you, Sally, glad you liked it! 😁👍🏻
Thankyou Sam eerie video 😮👻
Thank you Martin! Glad you liked it 😊
Very interesting video. It looks a very atmospheric place - enough to stimulate the imagination of the young, and later, the adult James. Thank you.
Indeed. I do wonder what he might have seen. We'll never know.
Thank you Malcolm 😊
Ho Ho Ho! 🎄👻
Great vid, Sam!
Thank you Cian 🙌🏻👻🎄✨️
Just subscribed, a most thrilling tale, well delivered, looking forward to seeing more of your excellent work
Thank you Tom! Welcome aboard 😀
@SamWalksALot thank you
Hiya Sam, thanks very much for a great video of one of my favourite authors. I've just found your channel and subscribed.
Hello David 👋🏻 glad you liked it! Welcome aboard!
Another special and interesting story that I have learned from-Thank you my friend ❤❤⭐⭐👍👍
Thank you James, appreciate it, my friend 😊
Hi Sam! Sounds like MR James may have encountered an early Mr Blobby Shame you didn't get to see him around and about. Nice weather for chickens though! Thanks for another great story! xxx😀
Hello Al 👋🏻 too true 😂😂😂 I actually made the acquaintance of a bunch of loud 🐔
Glad you liked it, and thank you 😊 xxx
What a cool idea! W.S. James!
Thank you 😊
Just discovered your channel, Sam. Looks like a great find.
Hey Dale, thanks so much! Welcome!
Thanks Sam. I don't theink I've ever heard of this author... I'll try and read some of his work.
A good ghost story is the best. Many of our most noted writers came from elite schools and universities...there was a time when to have any kind of impact with literature, historical and scientific ideas, you had to have a certain kind of background, and be educated in certain universities.
Thanks for braving such a waterlogged site to show us around ✌️
Thank you HB 😊 I was introduced to MR James a few years ago, I was actually shown films on Prime.(some with notable actors... there's loads) but none of them compare to the actual written tales. They're short, dark, eerie and wonderful. Let me know what you think, if you get to read them... 😊
@SamWalksALot I think I'll love them...and I'll definitely let you know my thoughts 👍
@h.bsfaithfulservant4136 Thank you 😊
Very interesting ❤
Thank you Fiona 😊
A wonderful, informative documentary. I greatly admire M R James.
Me too! So glad you liked it 😁
❤
😁👍🏻
The best ghost story tellers we're my irish aunty's, as a child they would even change their voices and make horrible facial expressions ,no wonder now as a adult I'm a nervous wreck....!😮😅
🤣🤣🤣
Excellent video. I think your theory is correct: James' claim to have seen and believed in anything related to the subject-matter of his ghost stories would have threatened his career, unfortunately. So much for the objectivity of scholars....
Thank you. It would have totally threatened his credibility. All his research, his travels, I feel that he was looking for some sort of proof...
@@SamWalksALot Isn't it ironic that those who require sense-evidence for spiritual mysteries refuse to listen to anyone who has it?
"I've seen it for myself!" "Oh no you haven't." "But I did!" "No, you couldn't have." "But I'm a respected scholar!" "We'll take care of that."
Was Good enjoyed and Have Fun Sam 😂🎉❤
Hey Dan 👋🏻 glad you enjoyed it! I had fun, like the pouring rain would stop me 😂😂😂
lol 😂🤣😂🤣💯👍❤️😂😈❤️
❤️😂👍❤️
@danbroome8772 🤷🏻♀️😂😂😂
Great video and very atmospheric especially with all that rain ! So when is Sam going to do the Jack The Ripper walk and talk - I’d love that one !
Thank you Nick, I'm surprised that the footage was OK, with all that rain.
About Jack the Ripper.. I kinda went on one, but it was too much, even for me. I wouldn't be able to do that alone 😬
@ I’ve just read the book where a guy is 100% convinced who it was and it’s all down to a shawl worn by one of the victims
@newforestexplorer Bah...we'll never truly know unless a secret diary is released lol
@ It was back in the 90’s but it was proved to be a fake lol
@newforestexplorer Oh that's funny 😂😂😂
Curious as to why you were driving on the right side of that road???
😂 I wasn't, editing mistake, well spotted
3:44 worlds oldest man? 😂😂😂😂 Sorry Sam xx😂
My typing dyslexia strikes again 🤣 completely missed that 😂 xx
@@SamWalksALot lol sorry didn’t mean to be pedantic 😂😂😂❤️
Is there any evidence he met C.S. Lewis?
I don't think so, no 🤔
@@SamWalksALot M.R James, Tolkien, and Lewis....what a conversation they would have had.
@darkmountain1 oh, I agree 💯 it is strange isn't it, that they didn't get to meet... maybe it was the age difference...
1:39 is your camera reversed or have you legged it over to the states 😂😂😂😂
Yeah definitely reversed, I must've inadvertently flipped the image 😅😂
That place looks well spooky, not a person about maybe just the ghost of M.R.James and a few chickens.
I've bumped into 1 person while I was there. It's the quietest village I've ever visited. Very very spooky 👻
@SamWalksALot just the sort of place to do a midnight ghost hunt, I'm sure if he could Mr James would make a personal appearance, I visited Sir Arthur Conan Doyles grave a couple of years ago, that is a beautiful old church yard with an idyllic old church.
@stephenhowlett6345 If there was a place I'd expect him to be is Great Livermere.
I've been to Conan Doyle's too a couple of time, that's so lovely, surrounded by donkeys, horses and the green hills and woods of New Forest. How wonderful 😊
@SamWalksALot yep, did you vist Florence Nightingales grave, that's not to far away and also the girl who was the real Alice in wonderland in Lyndhurst churchyard.
@stephenhowlett6345 I didn't visit Alice, but I did visit Florence Nightingale though