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A short history of ghost hunting

A short history of ghost hunting

Ben Machell discusses the history of ghost hunting

Dr David Musgrove, FSA

Published: December 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM

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A spooky story during the Christmas season has become traditional – and the modern ghost story was invented by the Victorians, who embraced the supernatural and tried to understand it. Ben Machell has investigated the history of ghost hunting and supernatural investigations since the mid-19th century for his new book, Chasing the Dark, and in this episode David Musgrove talks to Ben about the history of our passion for the paranormal.

Authors

Dr David Musgrove, FSAContent director

David Musgrove is the content director at HistoryExtra

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