Mysterious Britain Website: A History

Here is a brief outline of the history of the site, and a few pointers for the future:

A History
The idea for the Mysterious Britain website was really seeded with a huge project started in the early 1990s to record strange experiences, folklore and legends from each county in the UK. As a result of three years research we developed a document covering most of the counties, referenced with sources that has been the baseline for much of the research within the site.

I (and the Mysterious Britain Team) had an interest in folklore, legend and the landscape from an early age, and had always admired the work of various mystery and myth gazetteer writers finding them invaluable when visiting sites throughout the country. Folklore, legend and mythology, have always (for me) enriched the landscape and created a sense of culture and mystery that may be linked to the way ancient people viewed the landscape. In many ways they also made the landscape a sacred place to be valued and preserved. This original project and interest was also an excuse to visit some of the fantastic countryside and ancient monuments that Britain has to offer.

I broached the idea of a website with Ian Topham whom I had worked with on a number of investigations through ASSAP’s Northern group and as a friend going back to school days. Working together the main structure of the site was put together in 1999 and the site was launched in 2000 in its basic form. The main goals were to use it as a repository for research, to foster interest in folklore and mythology of Britain, and to create a community of people who were interested in the same things.

From its launch the site’s popularity grew steadily and administration started to take up more and more time. Over the years the content has appeared in numerous publications, ran as a library display, been nationally archived, and has been used as reference for many projects and books. Unfortunately a lot of material from the site has also been copied and used on websites without permission, even as the backbone to some newer sites. All material within this website has been written by authors and contributors so if you see the exact same anywhere else you can guarantee is has been copied and pasted. We have not followed these copyright issues up with the old site but with the new site launch imminent this is likely to change.

At this time we were not making any money from the site, and as the result of other projects and family commitments (children), and the general time costs of running a large site without any financial incentive work stopped on the site and e-mails were brought offline. Thus began a three year period from 2005 - early 2007 when the site was still live but was not updated. It was with some regret that we had to take this step – as we were receiving perhaps 20 – 30 genuine e-mails per day from throughout the world, which we had tried to answer to the best of our limited resources. We did consider going commercial at the time but felt that this would change the entire ethos of the site, and at the time effect impartial paranormal investigations that we were involved in. We also felt that our information should be free to the reader without asking for payment from visitors.

Our re-launch was started in August 2007 when it was decided to make the site more interactive and to develop it further, mainly as we still had a large following and visitor numbers were still very high. Ian has taken the lead on many of the new features, and Neil has been developing the site on a new system to allow better user interactivity and easier updating so content can become more dynamic (the older site is a bit of a pain to update). We will be including an exciting new business directory and have the goal of making the site better for users, and providing a service that people can use to enjoy Britain and Ireland’s rich heritage. Our intended date for Beta testing and launching is Halloween.

We hope you enjoy the site as we move it forward.

The MB Team

Halloween is likely to give you your biggest number of hits for the year. Let's hope the launch goes smoothly!

Can't wait, the snippets of the new site i've seen looks the dogs

I've still god a sh** load of hours to pile in and I'm having to put some of the features I really wanted to introduce on a back burner as a post launch upgrade of sorts. We'll give the regular forum posters and mailing list members early access as your opinions matter a lot.

Yay Rah! Yay Rah!

(massages tired shoulders of MB team)

Lee has actually been on the new site doing a bit of testing with differant browsers, so I'm now ploughing through the amendments. Once we get these out of the way and we are satisfied you'll get a good experience with both Internet Explorer and Firefox we'll look at inviting each of you on for your critical disections.

I've noticed that I have lost a lot more hair since starting this new project, and when first started putting the original site together he had a full head of hair, now he's a bald as an egg. Maybe this site should have a health warning

Done about 13-14 hours testing since sunday and just moving onto the Wales section of the gazzeteer, so that should tell you how much is just on the England and Scotland gazzeteer still loads more to go what with the folklore, faires, gods etc.. I must say the chaps have done a fantastic job, the only downside is that my eyes are like gimlets with bags so big i'd have to pay extra to get on a plane .

Stop teasing and let us have a look ...

Cannot wait to see it up and running.
As usual great work!

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and when first started putting the original site together he had a full head of hair, now he's a bald as an egg. Maybe this site should have a health warning

Ian I assume you mean my baldy head, could have been MB that started it off, as for you hair loss: I thought you always wanted to look like Crowley, you still have a long way to catch up to my Ming the Merciless resemblance.

The new site is looking great and is the way forward (took me a bit of time to let go of the old site) We will be opening access for beta testing soon, although there is lots to do as Ian's hair pulling can attest.

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Done about 13-14 hours testing since sunday

Cheers Lee.

Ah yes, I model myself on The Great Beast and Dan styles himself on Ming of Mong .....no wonder we've ended up like we are .

I am steadily putting accounts up on the new site for our mailing list members and it is going to take a while to say the least. If anyone on the forum wants a preview of the site pre-launch....in it's still under development stages, then send me a pm and I'll sort a username and password out for you.

If anyone notices things to correct and change...........and yes we know about Invernesshire on the Scotland map.........let us know .

Just a thought. Remember to change your passwords when you go on the new site. All the ones I am issuing are randomly created and not easy to remember.

Whilst on check out the satellite option on the google maps. Overhead views of stonehenge, cerne abbas, westbury white horse, cerne abbas etc are quite interesting and unique. It certainly helps illustrate a location when we haven't an actual photograph of it.

You really wish me to lose my eyesight and not to sleep for the next days...
I have strated reading the Wales section and I got completely hooked on it.
This promises to be the best website of the kind ever...

If we can keep it interactive, getting more people to expand what we know of each county, ceating a good community, then yeah, it has some potential.

I'm just glad your enjoying it, though South Wales and Powys needing fattening up a bit yet.

Mauro wrote:

You really wish me to lose my eyesight and not to sleep for the next days...

Did I miss something on the new site? A hidden section orsomething?

There was an unfortunate episode in Mysteriousbritain history when were hacked and readers ended up having porn downloaded to their machines whilst visiting the site. Maybe its happened again lol

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There was an unfortunate episode in Mysteriousbritain history when were hacked and readers ended up having porn downloaded to their machines whilst visiting the site.

Our visitor numbers went through the roof during this period, I have never figured out why?????? Could be a business idea there Ian

Dan, I keep telling you tastes have evolved. You in a gimp suit just won't do it anymore mate

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Dan, I keep telling you tastes have evolved. You in a gimp suit just won't do it anymore mate

Any chance of getting the gimp suit back then- you have had it for years now. I know he was your favorite character in pulp fiction but you don't have to emulate him everyday. On second thoughts keep it, might be a bit ripe by now .

Hang on a mo, are you refering to the gimp suit i lent you Dan ?? You told me that the Loch Ness Monster ate it whilst you were drying it after a hefty gimping session with Doc Shiels Now i find out that Ian had it all along i thought you were my mate, well, now the truth is out i'll tell you what happened to that Mirkin you lent me.... the dog didn't eat it mistaking it for a small smelly rodent... i gave it to Ian so nerrr

The dreaded Mirkin, not a place for lurkin, these 'in' jokes could get out of hand - nurse!!

agricola wrote:

Mauro wrote:

You really wish me to lose my eyesight and not to sleep for the next days...

Did I miss something on the new site? A hidden section orsomething?

I was referring to the fact that I got some kind of infection from a colleague who just returned from Central Asia...

Mauro wrote:

agricola wrote:

Mauro wrote:

You really wish me to lose my eyesight and not to sleep for the next days...

Did I miss something on the new site? A hidden section orsomething?

I was referring to the fact that I got some kind of infection from a colleague who just returned from Central Asia...

Now do I make a quip about really having missed a hidden section, or should I merely pass comment on that big hole being dug

I have been seeding the new sites forum package with a few of the discussions we have had on this forum. Namely to make it look healthy at launch. Hopefully with each registered site user having access to the forum we may get some new blood posting and kick start some interesting conversations.