The Ash-Tree

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.