The Building of the Citadel

The Building of the Citadel

Author: Frank Docherty October 26, 2022 Duration: 8:49

The Fortification of Asgard

A certain smith arrived at Asgard one day and offered to build the gods a high wall around their home to protect them from any who might wish them ill. The smith (certainly a giant himself) said he could complete his work in a mere three seasons, but demanded a steep compensation: the hand of the goddess Freya in marriage, as well as the sun and moon.

The gods took counsel together. Freya was adamantly against the giant’s terms from the start. But Loki suggested that the builder should obtain that which he desired, although only if he could complete his work in a single winter, with no aid from anyone but his horse. After much deliberation, the gods consented to Loki’s plan. Of course, the gods had no intention of actually giving Freya away, nor the sun or the moon; they thought that the task they demanded was impossible.


Frank Docherty hosts The Wanderer, a podcast that moves through the deep forests and mead halls of early medieval England. This isn't a dry recitation of dates, but an exploration of how people thought, believed, and told stories. You’ll hear discussions on the foundational myths and local spirits that populated the Anglo-Saxon world, understanding how folklore was woven into daily life. The conversation naturally extends to the complex religious landscape, from the old gods to the coming of Christianity, and how these forces collided and merged. History provides the anchor, examining the society and events that formed the backdrop for everything else. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering layers of a rich tapestry, where a heroic poem, a pagan ritual, and a historical king might all be connected. Each episode aims to make the distant past feel tangible and relevant, exploring the wisdom and the weirdness of a foundational era. The goal is to provide a thoughtful, nuanced perspective that goes beyond the stereotypes, all while appreciating the haunting beauty of the language and ideas left behind. It’s for anyone curious about the roots of stories and the echoes of a world that still subtly shapes our own.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, Folklore and religion
Podcast Episodes
The Battle of Stamford Bridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:10
On 25 September 1066, King Harold Godwinson won a crushing Anglo Saxon victory at Stamford Bridge, destroying the invading Norwegian army of Harald Hardrada and Harold’s own brother Tostig just days before the Norman lan…
The Great Erasure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:34
THE ANGLO SAXON ERA IS BEING CANCELLEDHave we finally lost our minds? It seems that in the ivory towers of our ‘elite’ universities, history is no longer about facts, evidence, or heritage. It’s about how much of our pas…
Nova England [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:57
Nova Anglia, or “New England,” is a medieval tradition about Anglo Saxon exiles who left England after the Norman Conquest and founded a new homeland in the east, placed near the Black Sea or in Crimea. The story survive…
The Anglo Saxon Scop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:34
Today, we’re walking into an Anglo-Saxon mead hall to meet the storytellers of early medieval England – the men whose voices carried heroes, monsters, and memories through the centuries.The scop is part historian, part m…
The Anglo Saxons and UFOs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:17
The Anglo Saxons lived beneath skies they did not trust. To them, the heavens were alive capable of movement, intention, and warning. Night skies were darker than anything we experience today, and people watched them clo…
The Connection between Anglo Saxon Heathenism and Folk Horror [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:12
Anglo Saxon heathenism the polytheistic beliefs of the Anglo Saxons before Christianisation centred on a sacred, animistic relationship with nature, worship of gods such as Wōden, Thunaer and Frēo, and veneration of sacr…
Two tales of Anglo Saxon mythical creatures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:00
What Are “Anglo-Saxon Tales”?“Anglo-Saxon” refers to the people who settled in what is now England from roughly the 5th to the 11th centuries (the Angles, the Saxons, the Jutes, etc.)Their tales are the stories, poems, m…
Bonus Episode: The Little People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:32
A Bonus Episode: This episode tells an original story about a brave girl and the mythical little People of the forests.In Anglo-Saxon England, the "little people" referred to supernatural beings like elves and dwarves, w…
Anglo Saxon Religion and Witchcraft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:30
From the 5th to the 11th centuries, Anglo‑Saxon England was shaped by a rich tapestry of religion and magic: early on, villagers and warriors honored a polytheistic pagan pantheon—Wōden, Thunor, Tīw, Frīge—worshipped in…
Anglo Saxon Daily Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:49
Daily life in Anglo-Saxon England, spanning from the 5th to the 11th centuries, was predominantly rural and centred around agriculture. Most people lived in small villages, often comprising fewer than 100 inhabitants, an…