Description: ‘Remember, if you please … that I am a Victorian by birth and education, and that
the Victorian tree may not unreasonably be expected to bear Victorian fruit’.1 These
words, spoken by the narrator of M. R. James’s 1925 ghost story A…

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Illustration based on The Tractate Middoth. Pencil and photocopied text on paper.

Description: Unacknowledged adaptation of Casting the Runes or perhaps the movie Night of the Demon.

A loan officer who evicts an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her…

Description: Pen and ink illustration based on the M.R James story 'The Treasure of Abbot Thomas'.

Description: Inspired by several M.R James stories although chiefly An Evening's Entertainment .
An attempt has been made to capture the feeling of unease and foreboding that runs through M.R James work.

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Illustration from the story of the same name.

Description: Two classic spine chillers from the master of the English ghost story, based on Nunkie Theatre Company’s thrilling stage show of the same name.

Lost Hearts features one of M R James's most memorable black magicians, the predatory scholar Mr.…

Description: Pretty but ultimately disappointing adaptation of perhaps the only MRJ story to already have been successfully adapted for the screen. The climax is particularly disappointing as arcane forces are scaled down to human size and the external forces…

Description: Short film adaptation of the story. Made by myself and friends over the course of 2010. Rats follows the decline of our hero into dark and arcane realms.This adaptation remains fairly true to the text throughout, but is fleshed out with extra detail…

Description: The first of our MRJ adaptations. Short film, fairly true to the spirit of the original story. Made by myself and David Lilley as Luddite Films initially for the short film circuit.

Description: In his ‘antiquarian’ ghost stories, Montague Rhodes James sought to examine the male character sub specie ludi, as solitary types who – in their sensitivity to inherently playful, or ludic, situations – are launched into a transformative game…

Extract: The four books of short stories written by Montague Rhodes James, Provost of Eton College, have been collected in a single but not overly bulky volume under the imprint of Longmans, Green & Co. One can heartily recommend the acquisition of this…

Description: The ghost stories of M. R. James, considered by many to be the best in the English language, are currently enjoying critical attention. Yet despite their richness in imagery suggestive of modern critical concerns - sexuality, cultural/political…

Description: ‘Si tu non veneris ad me, ego veniam ad te’: ‘If you don’t come to me, I’ll come to you’.1Such is the enigmatic warning conveyed to the unfortunate Mr Sampson in A SchoolStory, one of the ghost stories of the…

Description: Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936)\1/ is best known to scholars of early and medieval Christianity for his many publications of relatively obscure texts and related details, and especially his influential anthology The Apocryphal New Testament (1924),…

Description: When Dr Montague Rhodes James of King's College, Cambridge, published in 1904 the first volume of the elegant but alarming tales with which his name is now always associated, he called it Ghost Stories of an Anti-quary; in 1911 he followed it with…

Description: BBC4 documentary to mark the re-launch of the Ghost Story for Christmas adaptations. M.R. James is only one of the many authors discussed.

Extract: The place on the east coast which the reader is asked to consider is Seaburgh. It is not very different now from what I remember it to have been when I was a child. Marshes intersected by dykes to the south, recalling the early chapters of Great…

Extract: In the year 19— there were two members of the Troop of Scouts attached to a famous school, named respectively Arthur Wilcox and Stanley Judkins. They were the same age, boarded in the same house, were in the same division, and naturally were…

Extract: You are asked to think of the spacious garden of a country rectory, adjacent to a park of many acres, and separated therefrom by a belt of trees of some age which we knew as the Plantation. It is but about thirty or forty yards broad. A close gate of…

Extract: How pleasant it can be, alone in a first-class railway carriage, on the first day of a holiday that is to be fairly long, to dawdle through a bit of English country that is unfamiliar, stopping at every station. You have a map open on your knee, and…

Extract: Mr Davidson was spending the first week in January alone in a country town. A combination of circumstances had driven him to that drastic course: his nearest relations were enjoying winter sports abroad, and the friends who had been kindly anxious to…

Extract: It is a very common thing, in my experience, to find papers shut up in old books; but one of the rarest things to come across any such that are at all interesting. Still it does happen, and one should never destroy them unlooked at. Now it was a…

Extract: I

Verum usque in praesentem diem multa garriunt inter se Canonici de abscondito quodam istius Abbatis Thomae thesauro, quem saepe, quanquam ahduc incassum, quaesiverunt Steinfeldenses. Ipsum enim Thomam adhuc florida in aetate existentem ingentem…

Extract: Towards the end of an autumn afternoon an elderly man with a thin face and grey Piccadilly weepers pushed open the swing-door leading into the vestibule of a certain famous library, and addressing himself to an attendant, stated that he believed he…

Extract: This, you know, is the beginning of the story about sprites and goblins which Mamilius, the best child in Shakespeare, was telling to his mother the queen, and the court ladies, when the king came in with his guards and hurried her off to prison.…

Extract: The letters which I now publish were sent to me recently by a person who knows me to be interested in ghost stories. There is no doubt about their authenticity. The paper on which they are written, the ink, and the whole external aspect put their…

Extract: This matter began, as far as I am concerned, with the reading of a notice in the obituary section of the Gentleman’s Magazine for an early year in the nineteenth century:

On February 26th, at his residence in the Cathedral Close of
Barchester,…

Extract: Two men in a smoking-room were talking of their private-school days. ‘At our school,’ said A., ‘we had a ghost’s footmark on the staircase. What was it like? Oh, very unconvincing. Just the shape of a shoe, with a square toe, if I remember…

Extract: Dr. Ashton — Thomas Ashton, Doctor of Divinity — sat in his study, habited in a dressing-gown, and with a silk cap on his shaven head — his wig being for the time taken off and placed on its block on a side table. He was a man of some…

Extract: Mr and Mrs Anstruther were at breakfast in the parlour of Westfield Hall, in the county of Essex. They were arranging plans for the day.

‘George,’ said Mrs Anstruther, ‘I think you had better take the car to Maldon and see if you can get any…

Extract: ‘And if you was to walk through the bedrooms now, you’d see the ragged, mouldy bedclothes a-heaving and a-heaving like seas.’ ‘And a-heaving and a-heaving with what?’ he says. Why, with the rats under ’em.’

But was it with the rats?…

Extract: ‘I suppose you will be getting away pretty soon, now Full Term is over, Professor,’ said a person not in the story to the Professor of Ontography, soon after they had sat down next to each other at a feast in the hospitable hall of St James’s…

Extract: Among the towns of Jutland, Viborg justly holds a high place. It is the seat of a bishopric; it has a handsome but almost entirely new cathedral, a charming garden, a lake of great beauty, and many storks. Near it is Hald, accounted one of the…

Extract: The Malice of Inanimate Objects is a subject upon which an old friend of mine was fond of dilating, and not without justification. In the lives of all of us, short or long, there have been days, dreadful days, on which we have had to acknowledge with…

Extract: Those who spend the greater part of their time in reading or writing books are, of course, apt to take rather particular notice of accumulations of books when they come across them. They will not pass a stall, a shop, or even a bedroom-shelf without…

Extract: About fifteen years ago, on a date late in August or early in September, a train drew up at Wilsthorpe, a country station in Eastern England. Out of it stepped (with other passengers) a rather tall and reasonably good-looking young man, carrying a…

Extract: Some time ago I believe I had the pleasure of telling you the story of an adventure which happened to a friend of mine by the name of Dennistoun, during his pursuit of objects of art for the museum at Cambridge.

He did not publish his experiences…

Extract: Some few years back I was staying with the rector of a parish in the West, where the society to which I belong owns property. I was to go over some of this land: and, on the first morning of my visit, soon after breakfast, the estate carpenter and…

Extract: It was, as far as I can ascertain, in September of the year 1811 that a post-chaise drew up before the door of Aswarby Hall, in the heart of Lincolnshire. The little boy who was the only passenger in the chaise, and who jumped out as soon as it had…

Extract: “I suppose you get stuff of that kind through your hands pretty often?” said Mr. Dillet, as he pointed with his stick to an object which shall be described when the time comes: and when he said it, he lied in his throat, and knew that he lied.…

Extract: CONTENTS



PAGE

I. THE DISCOVERY 11

II. THE FIRST JAR 31

III. THE SECOND JAR 43

IV. THE SMALL PEOPLE …

Extract: (Full Directions will be found at the End)

The Reverend Dr Hall was in his study making up the entries for the year in the parish register: it being his custom to note baptisms, weddings and burials in a paper book as they occurred, and in the…

Extract: Nothing is more common form in old-fashioned books than the description of the winter fireside, where the aged grandam narrates to the circle of children that hangs on her lips story after story of ghosts and fairies, and inspires her audience with a…

Extract: There was once a learned gentleman who was deputed to examine and report upon the archives of the Cathedral of Southminster. The examination of these records demanded a very considerable expenditure of time: hence it became advisable for him to…

Extract: The sale-room of an old and famous firm of book auctioneers in London is, of course, a great meeting-place for collectors, librarians, dealers: not only when an auction is in progress, but perhaps even more notably when books that are coming on for…

Extract: St Bertrand de Comminges is a decayed town on the spurs of the Pyrenees, not very far from Toulouse, and still nearer to Bagnères-deLuchon. It was the site of a bishopric until the Revolution, and has a cathedral which is visited by a certain number…

Extract: By what means the papers out of which I have made a connected story came into my hands is the last point which the reader will learn from these pages. But it is necessary to prefix to my extracts from them a statement of the form in which I possess…

Extract: April 15th, 190-

Dear Sir,

I am requested by the Council of the —— Association to return to you the draft of a paper on The Truth of Alchemy , which you have been good enough to offer to read at our forthcoming meeting, and to inform you…

Extract: Everyone who has travelled over Eastern England knows the smaller country-houses with which it is studded — the rather dank little buildings, usually in the Italian style, surrounded with parks of some eighty to a hundred acres. For me they have…

Extract: The hour was late and the night was fair. I had halted not far from Sheeps’ Bridge and was thinking about the stillness, only broken by the sound of the weir, when a loud tremulous hoot just above me made me jump. It is always annoying to be…

Description: Documentary with dramatisations.

Description: A.k.a M.R. James: The Corner of the Retina. Featuring Michael Cox, Christopher Frayling, Muriel Gray and Ruth Rendell.

Description: NBC play for television. Now thought lost.

Description: Short Yorkshire TV schools adaptation focused on incidental music. When you take into account why this short adaptation was made it seems more impressive. The mood may be lackin but the production values are equal to many of the more celebrated…

Description: Illustration for first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary."Looking up in an attitude of painful anxiety."

Description: Illustration for first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary."The Englishman was too deep in his note-book to give more than an occasional glace at the sacristan."

Description: Illustration for first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary."A hand like the hand in that picture."

Description: Illustration for first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary."It leapt upon him in an instant."

Description: Adaptation for Children from production company Cuchulaine Films. Not widely available, but this may be no bad thing as (from the stills) it looks more fun to have made than to watch. Good to see MRJ stories are still being interpreted for new…

Description: The DVD includes performances of "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book" and "The Mezzotint" filmed on location in Hemingford Grey Manor in Cambridgeshire.
Robert gives us a wonderfully entertaining James, his performance is as faultless as ever. We begin to…

Description: Part of the American Lights Out! series, based on The Tractate Middoth. Fairly accurate adaptation starring a very young Leslie Nielsen. The standard Lights Out! formula means this is entertaining in a B-movie way.


Leslie Nielsen ... …

Description: Two-part BBC series, narration with effects. Now thought lost.

Description: Two-part BBC series, narration with effects. Now thought lost.

Description: "It's coming... It's in the trees!" Where to begin? One of only two English language feature film adaptation of an MRJ tale to date (and Drag me to Hell is only a very loose adaptation). Books have been written on this movie and almost as many…

Description: Part of ITV''s Mystery and Imagination series. Now thought lost.

Giles Block ... Davis
David Buck ... Richard Beckett / Host
John Crocker ... Porter
Marian Diamond ... Alice Simpson
Edwin Finn ... Rant
Helen Ford ... Landlady
Robert…

Description: Part of ITV''s Mystery and Imagination series. Now thought lost.

David Buck ... Richard Beckett / Host
David Dodimead ... Rector
Megs Jenkins ... Mrs. Bunch
Freddie Jones ... Parkes
Richard Pearson ... Mr. Abney
Darryl Read ...…

Description: Part of ITV''s Mystery and Imagination series. Now thought lost.

Joss Ackland ... Herr Scavenius
David Battley ... Klaus
Carl Bernard ... Herr Jensen
David Buck ... Richard Beckett / Host
Margery Withers ... Frau Mahler
George…

Description: Part of ITV''s Mystery and Imagination series. Thought lost until a recent discovery of a few minutes of footage, included as an extra in the Mystery and Imagination DVD box set.

Fingers crossed for the discovery of the rest!

Robert Eddison …

Description: This adaptation sets a standard by which others are judged. The cast is wonderfully strong and the direction faultless. Michael Hordern's best work outside of Paddington Bear. As the unknown encroaches, he guides the audience through his own downward…

Description: Part of the BBC1 's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Solid adaptation with some truly chilling moments. Robert Hardy turns in a good performance despite too much screen time for the unimpressive effects.

Roert Hardy ... Archdeacon…

Description: Part of the BBC1 's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Perhaps the least impressive of Clarke's adaptations. The decision to transpose Paxton to an out of work treasure seeker is awkwardly done.

Ager too, is more Monty Python than is…

Description: Part of the BBC1 's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Certainly a strong adaptation but perhaps slightly too 'graphic' to be actually atmospheric. Still, will give you a life long fear of the hurdy gurdy.

Simon Gipps-Kent ... Stephen
Joseph…

Description: Part of the BBC1 's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Strong cast give a first class adaptation. Even departures form Jame's tale are considered and justified. The 'thing of slime' is a Lovecraftian twist which is particularly unpleasant and so is…

Description: Part of the BBC1 's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. The climax to this adaptation is very strong (love the creatures or hate them) but the rest of the story is confused by shifting time periods which (due to the limited budget) look almost…

Description: Part of an anthology of one-off plays. Not overly aligned with James's tale but a good adaptation none the less. Cuthbertson is convincing as Karswell. The 'updating' is occasionally laboured, but provides an interesting twist at the end.

Iain…

Description: Part of Spine Chillers, readings of ghost stories for teenage viewers.

Description: Part of Spine Chillers, readings of ghost stories for teenage viewers.

Description: Part of Spine Chillers, readings of ghost stories for teenage viewers. Limited in ambition but narrated by the consistently excellent Michael Bryant.

Description: Part of the BBC 2 series Classic Ghost Stories, narration with effects. Well executed but limited in scope. Essentially a straightforward reading.

Robert Powell narrates.

Description: Part of the BBC 2 series Classic Ghost Stories, narration with effects. Well executed but limited in scope. Essentially a straightforward reading.

Robert Powell narrates.

Description: Part of the BBC 2 series Classic Ghost Stories, narration with effects. Well executed but limited in scope. Essentially a straightforward reading.

Robert Powell narrates.

Description: Part of the BBC 2 series Classic Ghost Stories, narration with effects. Well executed but limited in scope. Essentially a straightforward reading.

Robert Powell narrates.

Description: Part of the BBC 2 series Classic Ghost Stories, narration with effects. Well executed but limited in scope. Essentially a straightforward reading.

Robert Powell narrates.

Description: Written by horror guru Argento and (loosly) based on The Treasure of Abbot Thomas, though you may never guess. Fans of both Argento and James will likely be dissapointed by the combination.

Hugh Quarshie ... Father Gus
Tomas Arana ...…

Description: Short Spanish TV adaptation of The Mezzotint. Interesting to watch cultural differences in play. Budget restrictions lead to a disappointing etching which looks more Bob Godfrey than Gustave Dore.

Description: Part of the BBC2's re-invented Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Christopher Lee, who actually met James obviously enjoyed making this series. Unambitious in scope but highly successful and atmospheric in what it sets out to do.

Christopher…

Description: Part of the BBC2's re-invented Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Christopher Lee, who actually met James obviously enjoyed making this series. Unambitious in scope but highly successful and atmospheric in what it sets out to do.

Christopher…

Description: Part of the BBC2's re-invented Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Christopher Lee, who actually met James obviously enjoyed making this series. Unambitious in scope but highly successful and atmospheric in what it sets out to do.

Christopher…

Description: Part of the BBC2's re-invented Ghost Stories for Christmas series. Christopher Lee, who actually met James obviously enjoyed making this series. Unambitious in scope but highly successful and atmospheric in what it sets out to do.

Christopher…