Lady Godiva has been immortalised in some strange ways, giving her name both to a brand of chocolates and a line in Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. Yet it’s fascinating that the star of an 11th-century story continues to have an impact even now. For some, she’s simply the woman who rode naked through the […]
Folklore
Dick Whittington: The Real Man Behind the Pantomime
Every year, panto season rolls around again, and amid the usual mixture of fairy tales and family favourites, we often find several versions of Dick Whittington and His Cat around the country. Unlike Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, Dick Whittington professes to be based on a real person. Indeed, Richard Whittington was a real historical […]
Boudica: The Legends of a Celtic Warrior Queen
The name ‘Boudica’ conjures up a range of associations, but most often we perhaps think of a flame-haired warrior standing up to the might of Rome. Freedom fighter, warrior queen, Celtic icon—she’s perhaps all of these things and more. But the length of time between her lifetime and the general lack of primary evidence about […]
New Year’s Day Folklore: Rituals & Superstitions For Good Luck
New Year’s Day is perhaps one of the longest-running days to be celebrated since we’ve had a calendar. Marking the end of one year and the beginning of another, it offers a secular reason for people to celebrate together. It’s been a time associated with gift-giving, visiting friends, and attempting to predict the fortunes of […]
Who is the Grey Man of Ben Macdui?
If you think of mountains and mysterious creatures, your mind probably turns to the Abominable Snowman. Especially if you’re thinking about humanoid figures half-glimpsed in treacherous conditions. Yet you may not immediately think of the Grey Man of Ben Macdui. Ben Macdui (also spelt Ben MacDhui) is the second-highest mountain in Scotland after Ben Nevis. […]
Will O’ The Wisp: A Fairy, Ghost or Guardian?
For people of a certain age, Will O’ The Wisp refers to a TV cartoon character voiced by Kenneth Williams. Yet for everyone, the Will O’ The Wisp is a somewhat tricksy figure, an amorphous term from folklore all over the world. We’re going to stick with northern European folklore here, where one of the […]
