The Ash-Tree

M. R.James James

Summary

🎬 Experience the atmospheric visual edition of this tale by searching "Jonathan Dunne Horror" on YouTube. 
 
Title: The Ash-tree 
 
Series Name: Timeless Terrors 
 
Series Entry: 184 
 
Author: M. R. James 
 
Narrator: Jonathan Dunne 
 
Original Publication: 1904 
 
First Published In: Ghost Stories of an Antiquary 
 
Public Domain: Yes 
 
First published in 1904, The Ash-tree is one of M. R. James's most unsettling tales of classic supernatural horror. 
 
Set in Suffolk, the story begins with accusations of witchcraft surrounding the mysterious Mrs. Mothersole and an ancient ash tree standing outside the home of Sir Matthew Fell. 
 
As the years pass, the tree remains—and so does the dark mystery surrounding it. What follows is a chilling tale of witchcraft, curses, unexplained deaths, and a sinister presence that refuses to disappear. 
 
With its atmosphere of old superstition, ancestral guilt, and creeping supernatural dread, The Ash-tree demonstrates M. R. James's mastery of the quiet ghost story, where what remains unseen can be far more frightening than what is revealed. 
 
Narrated by horror author Jonathan Dunne. 
 
🎬 Experience the atmospheric visual edition of this tale by searching "Jonathan Dunne Horror" on YouTube.

Duration: 33 minutes (00:32:58)
Publishing date: 2026-08-14; Unabridged; Copyright Year: — Copyright Statment: —