MURDERS THAT HAUNT: The Haunting Case of Mary Blandy
Paranormal Activity with Yvette Fielding
adam.foster@createproductions.com
4.6 • 572 Ratings
🗓️ 1 October 2025
⏱️ 43 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Step into the chilling story of Mary Blandy, the 18th-century Englishwoman whose act of patricide shocked a nation and whose spirit is said to still linger in Henley-on-Thames.
In this episode, Yvette Fielding explores the historical and paranormal dimensions of Mary’s life, crime, and legacy.
We begin with Mary Blandy’s biography, her relationship with her father, and the influence of her lover that led to a deadly betrayal.
Then, we recount the events of her father’s poisoning, her trial, and execution, setting the stage for the ghostly tales that followed.
Discover the haunted locations linked to Mary Blandy, from her family home to the streets of Henley, and hear eyewitness accounts and local folklore that suggest her presence still lingers centuries later.
Yvette delves into the paranormal theories behind these hauntings, examining why murder cases often leave restless spirits and exploring the investigations that have attempted to capture evidence of her ghost.
Finally, we reflect on the connections between executions, violent crime, and lingering hauntings, and consider the enduring legacy of Mary Blandy—both as a historical figure and as a spectral presence in English folklore.
Join us for a journey through history, horror, and the unexplained in this week's episode of Paranormal Activity.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello there and welcome back to paranormal activity with me, Yvette Fielding. |
| 0:08.5 | This week, we journey back into the 18th century in England, a time of superstition, strict social hierarchies and a society where the line between morality and law often overlapped with |
| 0:23.4 | fear and folklore. Today we're going to be exploring the story of Mary Blandy, a young woman |
| 0:31.5 | whose name became infamous for one of England's most notorious parasite cases. Her crime was shocking enough to resonate |
| 0:41.6 | through history, but it seems her story did not end with her execution in 1752. Across the town of |
| 0:49.6 | Henley-on-Thames, whispers of her presence linger. Residents report ghostly sightings, eerie footsteps, |
| 0:57.6 | in a chilling sense that some wrongs simply do not rest. So this week I asked the question, |
| 1:04.6 | why is it that murder and tragedy often leave an imprint on the world of the living. Could Mary Blandy's spirit be among them? |
| 1:13.7 | And what is it about murder that seems to invite hauntings? So, are you ready? Are you comfy? |
| 1:21.3 | Let's begin. |
| 1:30.7 | Welcome to another episode of paranormal activity. |
| 1:35.6 | And as you know, I like to start the show, that rhyme that did, with a bit of fact or fiction and listen out at the end of the show for the answer. |
| 1:40.1 | As this week's episode is all about the case of Miss Mary Blandy, I want to know whether it's fact or fiction that one of the repercussions of her crime is that many objects in areas where she used to frequent are now cursed. Fact or fiction. Find out at the end of the show. |
| 2:08.6 | Mary Blandy was born in 1720, the only child of Francis Blandy and his wife. |
| 2:12.7 | Her father, a man of intelligence and wealth was strict and controlling. |
| 2:18.4 | He prided himself on propriety, social reputation, and the careful management of his household. |
| 2:25.7 | Education for women at this time was limited to reading, writing, basic arithmetic, needlework and the arts. |
| 2:33.5 | The life of a young gentlewoman was largely defined by |
| 2:37.0 | decorum, obedience and preparation for a marriage that would preserve or enhance her family's status. |
| 2:44.8 | From a young age, Mary was raised under these strict rules. Letters preserve from her childhood indicate that she was intelligent and curious, |
| 2:55.6 | often questioning small injustices or expressing frustration at her lack of freedom, |
| 3:01.2 | but always within the safe confines of written words. |
... |
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