Sawney Bean

The legend of Sawney Bean tells of a terrifying clan that haunted the west coast of Scotland in the late medieval period. After many people who traveled down the western road in Galloway, Scotland disappeared in ever increasing numbers, many loved ones demanded action. Suspicion fell on innkeepers, travelers, and even innocent families, while the true culprits remained concealed. Their reign of terror ended only when King James VI himself led a manhunt after an attack on a nobleman narrowly failed.

Whether fact or folklore, the Legend Sawney Bean endures as one of Scotland’s darkest and most chilling legends, reflecting deep fears of savagery lurking beyond civilization’s edge.

This Defragged History special delves in to the origins of the tale, and its impact on culture today.

📖 Sources:

Holmes, Roland, The Legend of Sawney Bean, 1975, The Anchor Press Ltd Hobbs, Sandy; Cornwell, David (1997).

Pardoe, Blaine L., Sawney Bean, Dissecting the Legend of the Scottish Cannibal, 2015, Fronthill.

Thomas, Sean (April 2005). “In Search of Sawney Bean”. Fortean Times. Archived from the original on 19 May 2008. Retrieved October 2025.

Alexander “Sawney” Bean: Biography on Undiscovered Scotland

Sawney Bean: Cannibal, Progaganda or Bogeyman? – The Haunted Palace Blog, Lenora, April 24, 2013

BBC Scotland – The Grisly Deeds of Alexander Bean 

“Sawney Bean, the Scottish Cannibal”. Folklore. 108: 49–54. ISSN 0015-587X.

Why do we enjoy horror? Associate Professor Haiyang Yang Johns Hopkins University, October 19, 2023, Retrieved October 2025

🎶 Music:

All music is licensed through Epidemic Sound.

00 Intro: Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen – A Tale of Fortitude

01 The Legend: Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen – Rivers Run Red

02 Timing is Everything: Bonnie Grace – The Fairy Dance

03 Just the Facts: Spectacles Wallet and Watch – Careful Thoughts

04 Wild Galloway: Bonnie Grace – For Queen and Country

05 Witch Hunter: Jo Wadrini – The Ticking Heart

06 Origin Story: Hampus Nasaelius – Closet Creeper

07 Savage Scots: Roy Edwin Williams – Pagan Rituals

08 Horror Sells: Deskant – The Sins of the Fathers

09 Legacy: Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen – A Tale of Fortitude