The Mad Mystic and the Last Battle on English Soil - with Ian Breckon

As the Victorian era dawns, modernisation erodes the old ways of life and poverty rises. In the unrest, an unlikely hero emerges, capturing the imagination of the countryside's working class. He claims to be the new Messiah, and promises a better future. Despite his unconventional appearance and strange claims, his message resonates with the people of Kent, many of whom are willing to follow him into bloody battle. For this Cautionary Conversation, Ian Breckon - author of Mad Tom's Rising: The Revolutionary Mystic Sir William Courtenay and the Last Battle Fought on English Soil - joins Tim to discuss a forgotten folk hero and the dangerous power of belief in desperate times. For a full list of show notes, see timharford.com .

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The Mad Mystic and the Last Battle on English Soil - with Ian Breckon is an episode from Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford by Pushkin Industries.

This episode is 43:42 long.

This episode was published on Apr 3, 2026.

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