The House with the Brick-Kiln | A Ghost Story by E. F. Benson | A Bitesized Audio Production
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- The manor house in the Sussex hamlet of Trevor Major has lain empty for several years, despite an absurdly cheap rent, until two friends take the house for a fishing holiday, unaware of its dark history...
A new, original recording of a classic public domain text, read and performed by Simon Stanhope for Bitesized Audio.
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Edward Frederic Benson (1867-1940) is probably best remembered today for his social satires, the Mapp and Lucia stories. However in his lifetime he was perhaps more famous for his many "spook stories" (as he liked to call them) which he composed regularly for publication in periodicals - usually Hutchinson's or Pearson's magazines - from the late 1890s through to the 1930s. He was born at Wellington College, Berkshire, where his father Edward White Benson (later Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883, until his death in 1896) was then headmaster. His two brothers and sister also became successful writers. A friend and contemporary of M. R. James, the most celebrated of 20th century ghost story authors, Benson was also a member of the Chitchat Club, the Cambridge University literary society where James would read aloud his ghost stories to a select few. As a writer of ghost stories, E. F. Benson's own output includes an unusually wide and adventurous range of styles and themes, encompassing stories of vampires, homicidal spirits, monstrous creatures, as well as satires of charlatan mediums who became so fashionable in the 1920s.
'The House with the Brick-Kiln' first appeared in December 1908 edition of The London Magazine. It was subsequently published in book form as part of Benson's 1912 collection 'The Room in the Tower and Other Stories'.
Recording © Bitesized Audio 2021.
I was waiting for a new recording. Thank you so much. I lost my dog last week, he'd been with me for nearly 16 years. The last two were rough with him up all hrs and me very tired and your recordings have been a refuge. This past week ive gotten lost in the stories and the rich sound of your voice and its eased my grief. Thank you, so much.
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. We have a much loved family dog who is now fairly senior, so I can appreciate your situation, especially with the disturbed nights. I'm touched by your comment, and glad to know these stories have helped you at such a difficult time. All best wishes
Sorry about your companion. They are so much a part of our lives.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Pets are part of the family so I know how your feeling. Take care of yourself.
So sorry for your loss. One of my cats is entering that rough stage. I spend a lot of time sitting with her while she gets subcutaneous fluids and listening to these recordings seems to soothe her. It certainly does me.
I feel your pain for the loss of a loyal companion.😥
Listening to you read this was like sipping a good dry sherry with my ears.
This description is quite apt.
What a lovely comparison! Thank you Robert
Well said! What a treat!
One way of loosening up ear wax, I suppose.
I love your story telling your voice is the best l want more story’s running out lol Eileen .👍🥰
It was an indulgence to listen to a story I’d read years ago. The enunciation, phrasing, changes in tone and accent - no fault can be found. Most enjoyable.
Appreciated, thanks Mick!
Doggie and I enjoyed the description of the lifestyle of these two young gentlemen. Apart from that, this was a well written, fully descriptive, and quite chilling ghost story. The presence of evil was palpable. And, as always, your narration is superb.
This is like finding buried treasure! A beautiful and wonderful rare Thing. This channel is a true gem! Thank you so much for making it possible!💎🦋💎
You're most welcome Maria, thanks for your comments. Digging up forgotten treasure is a lovely image, thank you!
isn't he a gem, i totally agree with you Maria . a treasure you have found
@@babybooandherhumandeb3188 yes!! Love this channel! Thank you for your lovely reply!
💎
Hard to explain why but I find this one of the scariest stories I've ever heard . I've listened to it 3 times over the last couple of months and the description of the house and the garden and the ordinary pastime of fishing seem so normal . But then slowly the pictures and the evil presence start to creep into to what seems in my imagination to be a sunny sort of situation which makes it all the more unnerving. In the end I too feel like running as far away from the house as possible
Yes, I agree... I'm a great admirer of E. F. Benson's work, wonderful atmosphere and build up. Thanks for your comments
Thank you.
The highlight of my night life, lol.
I'm flattered, thanks Tammy!
Marvelous as always; I’ve missed your readings! E.F. Benson is one of my favorites (second only to M.R. James) for creepy stories! I don’t remember this one, either so it was a double treat!
Thank you Nancy, glad you enjoyed it. I've lots more from both E.F. and M.R. on my to-do list, they are among my favourites to read too. Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it
Thank you Simon. I enjoyed this frightening story.
You turned the words into pictures and then you framed them with feelings and atmosphere.
I look forward to these productions. There is a sense of the familiar because I have been a subscriber for a while now. Hope you are well.
I broke my old wrist in a tumble at the weekend and am forced into rest. What better way to pass the time than to listen to your dramatic reading. Lucky me 🤗🤗👍🏻👍🏻🌟🌟
Thank you Aunty for your lovely comment. So sorry to hear about the wrist, I do hope it's not too painful. Wishing you a speedy recovery, take care
Oh , how wonderful ....Simon reading another Bitesized Classic , April begins with Happy Listeners 😊
Thank you so much 🙏🏼
A pleasure as always Christine, I do appreciate your kind comments. Spring is here! (Life is skittles and life is beer... I'm singing Tom Lehrer now...)
@@BitesizedAudio
Oh my goodness. Tom must be getting on a bit these days ! Good for you , singing makes the heart feel young and breezy ! Just what’s needed to add a touch of brightness to your day .
Happy Easter to you , dear Simon . You are a blessing ❤️
@@christinethornhill He is a blessing! We love our Simon! So handsome! Happy Easter, indeed!
A previously unread E F Benson! And read by the undisputed master! What a joy - thank you so much. No-one reads these period pieces as perfectly as you do.
Extremely kind of you to say so, thank you!
You are a master, Simon. Thank you again. I haven't read this one.
Very kind of you to say so, thanks Rosie!
I just purchased a collection of E.F. Benson stories because you've got me hooked.
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy
Outstanding reading or story telling. You have become my bedtime hear. This one moment when the ghost peers back at our hero through the window is particularly chilling. And yet I sleep very peacefully thereafter. Funny
I'm glad to hear you got a good night's sleep! Also, I see you've just joined as a channel member - thank you so much for your support, it's much appreciated. Do check out the community tab (if your device has enabled it, I know some don't unfortunately) for member updates and previews
Smiled at the "north side of the south downs going westward" & both the "unkindled candle" & the "freshly kindled candle." Nicely done Mr S (& Mr B)!
Thanks Ramey Zamora! Yes, I was amused by the north of the south line too. And "kindled candle" tripped me up at my first attempt...
@@BitesizedAudio Not surprising! It's a Unique New York kinda shibboleth isn't it.
@@rameyzamora1018 The South Downs are in England.
My day off - I couldn’t find anything to listen to - and then you pop up!
Glad to be of service! Thanks Chris
You never disappoint.
Excellent - just excellent.
Easy enough to figure why I enjoy your perfect reading voice - no explanation needed there. But these stories, these chillingly macabre stories - why do they soothe and scare me at the same time? Such a puzzle!
Thanks Rachel, that's a very interesting question and one which I've pondered myself - the popularity of ghost stories, as well as mystery/thriller/detective stories - it seems to me that the genres are very closely related, especially in the Victorian-Edwardian eras, with several authors writing both both types of story (e.g. Conan Doyle, Amelia Edwards, Charlotte Riddell, even Dickens). And M. R. James was apparently a keen reader of detective stories. For myself, I suppose I enjoy puzzles, reasoning things out, getting to the bottom of mysteries. The fear aspect of ghost stories gives you a good chill, it's entertaining but at the same time safe because you know it's not real, and you could choose to stop reading any time (unlike something scary in real life). I'm sure there must be some interesting academic papers out there somewhere on this topic! Thanks for listening and for your kind comments, very much appreciated
Bitesized Audio Classics your reply is interesting and thought provoking. And so appreciated.
Excellent Simon as always. A very creepy one at that too. I've been at work all day and couldn't wait to get home so I can listen... and I wasn't disappointed. Thank you.😊
Masterfully written (I think) and masterfully done and I missed the combination of your voice and E. F. Benson )which speaking of masters is one of mine in the genre and the other - M, R, James - seems to haunt this channel more regularly appear). On all accounts: Bravo! & Thank you so much, I'm exceedingly pleased and chillingly thrilled or vice versa.
Excellent, thank you HerrCrankzy, I remembered you were an E. F. Benson aficionado. This is my fourth E. F. B. narration - the last was 'The Room in the Tower' back in the summer - so he's now caught up with M. R. James (I've done four of his so far too). I've several more from both authors on my to-do list - spoilt for choice really. (I'm also hoping to do some A. C. Benson before too much longer...) Thanks as always for your support and comments. Best wishes
@@BitesizedAudio cannot wait for more from these authors 🙏😊
Your wonderful postings of audio ghost stories fit right into my schedule. Excellent choices, and wonderful voices reading the stories.
Glad to know you enjoy them, thanks for listening and taking the time to comment
One of my favorites! I'm looking forward to this
Hope I managed to do it justice for you! Thanks for listening Ross
@@BitesizedAudio you certainly did -as always!
Oooh! Properly creepy! The progression in the pictures is reminiscent of M. R. James.... Beautifully rendered Mr Stanhope-as always! Thank you.
Glorious, as ever, Simon. What a treat. In the immortal words of Depeche Mode: I Just Can't Get Enough. ❤
I Feel Loved! Glad to know you enjoyed it Bob. Hope you're keeping well
Thank you. I am familiar with E F Benson's 'Lucia' books and this ghost story came as ... shall we say a surprise? I enjoyed your beautifully clear diction, doing full justice to Benson's precise and descriptive prose.
Always love your readings! Thanks-
Excellent story.
I wonder if this was the first time a lot of these tropes were created? You see so much of the kind of images in Gothic horror films
Very possibly, although I think the template for a lot of the "haunted house" stories was very much shaped by Sheridan Le Fanu a generation or so earlier, 'An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street' is a landmark in that respect. Thanks for listening!
Thanks! I'll look it up!
Yes thank you... Happiness!
Thanks KiKi, really appreciate your support
A superb reading with a great British accent. Thanks.
When I'm being nipped by ghouls and nibbled by demons and my consciousness is being torn to shreds by invisible spirits who seek my destruction, I love to listen to these stories as they help me to switch off for a while and forget my troubles. Thank you!
Gosh, that sounds rather painful... Glad to help!
My goodness-yet another masterpiece of narration. More than narration - well actually much more than narration - a full audio cast wonderfully brought to life for us.
Spine chilling - f it had been a visual production I'd have only just been able to prevent myself from peeking through my fingers; hiding behing the settee is much too undignified for a 59 year old dame 🙈😅
Thank you muchly Simon. 😊
After an unusually busy few days, I finally get to sit down with a glass of wine and this story. It did not disappoint! Thank you, Simon! The perfect end to a long day. 🥰
Excellent, glad to know you enjoyed it!
I absolutely adore how you read! You were the one that got me hooked on audiobooks and it certainly has enriched my everyday life. There is another audiobook reader, Tony Walker (classic ghost stories podcast - Tony Walker), that I honestly believe would complement your style if you ever wanted to do a collaboration with someone.
If you ever are in need for suggestions or requests I would love to hear more from LT Meade and Charlotte Riddle.
Thanks for your kind words Frerin Durin, and for the referral to Tony Walker, I just took a look at his channel and I can see we have some shared interests! I'll give it some thought. Also, I'm always happy to receive requests/suggestions (can't always promise how quickly I can get around to them though)... as it happens I do have more from both Charlotte Riddell and L. T. Meade on my to-do list. Best wishes
Just in time for the bank holiday weekend, lots of audio stories to get though. I shall kick off with this one later tonight.
Excellent, have a lovely weekend!
@@BitesizedAudio UPDATE - Another good one with a pinch of the chill & creepy factor by Mr Benson.
Dear Simon, your diction is quite meticulous.Thank you!
Happy reading to everybody.
Nice Sunday.
Hello from Moscow.
Mr. Stanhope, my dear heart, I love your voice. Thank you for leading your excellent narration to these stories. I enjoy them immensely. PJ. America.
Thank you kindly!
@@BitesizedAudio You are most welcome.
So good to hear your voice again! It is about time we lost ourselves in the world you portray so vividly.
This was excellent. I confess to nodding out while listening to the narration the first time, and having a frightful dream, which startled me awake. I found the story still going, I backtracked it to the point I last remembered and listened to end. Enjoyed.
Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I believe quite a few people listen as they're going to sleep... I hope I'm not responsible for too many bad dreams!
Another Great story..thank you
I wish this story was longer ....
In case anybody's wondering what 'dry fly fishing' is 🤔... It's angling for trout with artificial insects formed from bits of feather and twine wrapped around a hook, and which have been cunningly made to resemble various natural food items such as mayflies, midges, mosquitoes, damselflies, moths, and crane flies.
They're called 'dry' because they're treated with wax so as to float on the surface of the water and not sink.
Dry fly fishing (in Britain, at least) has always been seen - by those who practise it - as the most 'noble, sporting, and gentlemanly' form of angling. It requires just a rod, a reel, and a tiny fake fly on a bare line - no other equipment being involved. It takes considerable skill to place the dry fly exactly where it needs to be to tempt a trout to bite.
(Brits reading this may remember a nostalgic TV advert in the 1990s involving a book on fly fishing by a certain J R Hartley...)
Similar-looking artificial lures which sink ('wet' flies) can be even more effective in catching fish, but are frowned upon as being less 'sporting'; no true gentleman would use a HIDDEN i.e. underwater lure (😲GASP!) to fool a trout.
A dry-fly angler considers himself a sportsman, and likes to literally look his quarry in the eye, giving it every opportunity to spurn his attempts to catch it...🙄
Even more frowned upon are bright, shiny metal lures which sink and wiggle and spin, designed to resemble prey fish such as minnows and intended to catch (usually) salmon.
Fishing for trout and salmon with organic baits, such as worms, is seen (by dry-fly exponents, some of whom may possibly, perhaps, allegedly be snobs) as the preserve of the unskilled, the uncouth, clumsy schoolboys, cads, bounders, beastly oiks and poachers.
Trout, salmon and grayling are classed as 'game' fish in Britain and are quite distinct from more common species such as carp, pike, perch, roach, and bream.
Game fish are generally to be found in carefully-managed, jealously-guarded, privately-owned streams on land belonging to the (so-called) upper classes and gentry - the ghastly horse-ridin', fox-huntin', shootin' an' fishin' brigade - and even today [2022] angling for trout and salmon requires a special and expensive type of licence.
The very lowest class of angling in Britain - as viewed by the dry-fly elite - is 'coarse' fishing, which is the most popular form: floats and weights and baited hooks, fished out-of-sight, sometimes on the bottom, using organic baits such as bread, seeds and sweetcorn, or worms, maggots, tinned meat, dried dogfood, and artificial compounds of weird and exotic ingredients designed to catch any fish at any cost.
No true Victorian gentleman would countenance such a vulgar pastime...😁
Thanks so much for your comments, and for adding that extra information! I try to add notes to accompany the stories when I can, but this additional detail is much appreciated
That was very interesting, thank you!
This scared me… brrrrr!
Thank you.
love this ghost story
Excellent as usual.
Respect and Thank You, Sir!
My second listen, liked it very much the first time looking forward to my this time as well.
Thanks Patty, glad to know you enjoyed it!
i m alone home, listening to this, i m at minut 27.14. i paused cuz i got scared! My door was opening itself, then one of my cat s head was seen. ... but i did not relax after, cuz i m still afraid of the story... brrrrr brrrrrr PS: i loove your chanel and odly your voice sounds like is from houndreds years ago..so real to the stories! Thank you!!
Another Benson story, can't wait to listen. Thanks again for all you do. The highlight of my day is still chilling out before bed listening to one of your readings. My partner now asks me to switch from headphone to speaker so she can listen to "the bite-size guy" too.
How lovely, thank you both!
Brilliantly read Simon 👏👏👏
👏 👏 Another standing ovation 👏 👏
Thank you for another very creepy story by E.F. Benson. I think it portends a long evening of popcorn and cat cuddling. It's been a long day and I've yet to meet one of your recordings that doesn't bear a repeat listening.
Thanks Angela, appreciated. Nice to hear from you, I hope you're well
Great story. Thank you for your efforts and sharing it.
Terrific
Thanks for listening
moral of the story: listen to the locals, even when they aren't saying anything
Well that was terrifying…
Another fine construction! Much appreciated every time!
Addicted and needing a fix! 😂 thanks for all of them ❤
Thank you so much for uploading this story, great reading😊👏
Brilliant as usual ❤
Really like balmy, pastoral Spring feeling of this story.
Thank you for the story
Very good - I enjoy listening to these Ghost stories.
Terrific narration x
Thanks Lynda, appreciated
Exquisite!
I love these narrations of superb excellence. Tried to listen to Horror Babble which featured Michael Hordern? He was an atrocious narrator, with his sudden gasps of air and smacking of lips. Horrific . I wanted to hear MM James The Ash Tree, but if that is the only narration available, I suppose I will never hear it. Hopefully I can find a narration by these narrators so I can listen to him with the same pleasure as always with Bitesized Audios. You’re the best!!
You are amazing Simon,this easily ,one of your best performances,unbelievably you continue to so.ehow improve-thank you sir.
Thank you Buddy, extremely kind of you to say so!
Another well narrated gripping yarn than yuo
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks Irena
ive got some catching up to do ! as always Thank you and i hope your keeping well
Welcome back Deb, lovely to hear from you. I hope all is well with you and yours
@@BitesizedAudio we are all good , my son had covid at Christmas but a very mild version and is back to normal now
Oh...ghost/s that manifest the smell of roasting people...first horror story in a while that's made me go "mm...don't like that." Big nope.
edit: don't like the bacon smell, I mean. The story itself is great, particularly Jack being sensible and interested rather than trying to rationalise to the point of silliness.
I enjoy these short stories. ❤️❤️❤️
Glad to know that, thanks Eliza
Well done as always and thank you.
Appreciate your feedback, thank you for listening
Wonderful, thankyou
Deliciously creepy thank you 👻😀
Thanks Annette, so glad you enjoyed it. Best wishes
A serial kiln. 😊
🦊🦊
@@BitesizedAudio A double Basil. I'm honoured! 😊
Just to say thank you for another perfect Sunday evening , Is it my imagination or did men just look more elegant back then ? Regards RNK
Thanks Bob. I know what you mean, there's a certain elegance to the formality of the clothes in that era... or perhaps it always appears so to later generations (will people 100 years from now be commenting on how stylish we all were back in the early 2000s? Hmmm, perhaps not...)
@@BitesizedAudio I think it might be the latter "perhaps not "
Creepy ...THX👍👍👍🎬
Enough stuff upper lip going on in this one to run an empire.
I read that as "ruin" at first... Thanks for listening!
You might say that story was half baked. Ha...Ha.
You can only support you if you pay in British pounds. Can you do it in U.S. dollars? Love, love, love your narrations! (liked & subscribed!)
@sugarfalls1 Thank you! I guess you're referring to my 'Buy Me a Coffee' page? That works via PayPal so I assume that the currency conversion is done automatically and the £ is just what shows on the front end, because I'm in the UK... I have noticed that the donations vary slightly depending (I think!) on where the user is based. Alternatively, I don't know if you've checked out the channel membership options... my understanding is that you can sign up for $1, or £1, or €1 etc, depending on your local currency. (Again, the amount I receive seems to vary slightly, perhaps depending on the local currency or exchange rate that day.) Perhaps that option may work better for you? Thanks so much for asking anyway, I really appreciate your kind comments. Best wishes
@@BitesizedAudio Sorry I see it now! Sorry for having you take the trouble to explain that to me. I think you're definitely worth supporting! Thank you again, Simon!
Jobs a good un thanks
Painful to listen to.This is awful.
written in an other time with "flowering" English. That is what it could be like.Wrong channel for you
It’s the constant, upward inflection at the end of almost every sentence. It’s very distracting. But that’s my only criticism.
cannot stand the narration ... read in stacatto rather like listening to
Morse Code