A Fan Tribute to Britain’s Most Enigmatic Magazine
This website is a labour of love: a fan-based tribute dedicated to preserving and chronicling Beyond the Veil Magazine (1979–1983), one of the rarest periodicals in the history of paranormal publishing.
We are slowly and painstakingly working to build a complete archive of all sixty issues. This involves scanning original cover pages where we can locate them, and manually transcribing articles from deteriorating copies of the magazine. It is very much a work in progress, and we are grateful for your patience as this chronicle grows.
About the Magazine
Beyond the Veil was a British monthly publication that explored the mysteries of the paranormal with rigorous investigative journalism and an unflinching willingness to delve into the darker corners of the unexplained. Published by Veil Publications Ltd from their Camden offices, the magazine ran for sixty issues before its abrupt cessation in December 1983. Its tagline, “Exploring the Unseen,” captured both its mission and the sober, measured tone that distinguished it from sensationalist competitors.
The magazine featured several regular sections that became beloved by readers. “The Shadowlands” collected reader-submitted accounts of personal encounters with inexplicable phenomena, whilst “Spectral Insights” offered expert analysis of famous hauntings and “Paranormal Perspectives” presented interviews with renowned figures in paranormal research. This blend of scholarly analysis and firsthand testimony, all presented with British reserve, became the publication’s hallmark.
With a circulation that never exceeded 15,000 copies, complete runs are virtually impossible to find today. The magazine’s scarcity is compounded by reports from former subscribers that their collections mysteriously vanished or suffered damage under inexplicable circumstances. Individual issues now command substantial prices amongst collectors and researchers of Fortean phenomena.
The identity of the editor-in-chief, Dr Margaret Ashworth, remains perhaps the most enduring enigma surrounding the publication. Despite her name appearing in every issue for five years, no verifiable record exists in any British university registry, professional association, or public archive. The Camden offices were staffed by administrators who handled subscriptions and distribution, yet none ever met Dr Ashworth in person. Editorial direction arrived by post or through an intermediary who identified himself only as “Mr Blackwood.”
The December 1983 final issue contained an unprecedented editorial titled “Why We Must Stop,” in which Dr Ashworth wrote of “doors that, once opened, cannot easily be closed” and warned that “some investigations attract the attention of that which is investigated.” No communication from her has been documented since.
Contributing to This Archive
If you have access to original copies of Beyond the Veil, or know of collections that might assist our preservation efforts, we would be most grateful to hear from you. Every page saved is a small victory against the passage of time and whatever forces seem determined to erase this publication from existence.
We are particularly seeking Issue #60, the final December 1983 edition containing Dr Ashworth’s enigmatic farewell editorial “Why We Must Stop.” Despite extensive searches through estate sales, university archives, and private collections, no complete copy has surfaced. Several collectors have reported owning this issue only for it to vanish under circumstances they struggle to explain. Whether this is coincidence, the natural degradation of cheap newsprint, or something stranger, we cannot say.
Beyond the final issue, we welcome scans, photographs, or even partial pages from any edition. Condition is no barrier; water-damaged, fire-singed, or incomplete copies have all contributed valuable content to this archive. If you inherited a relative’s collection, discovered issues in a secondhand bookshop, or simply remember reading the magazine during its original run, we would be grateful to hear from you.