If you head away from the hustle and bustle of the Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), you’ll head into the stranger, more magical part of Venice. It’s in the tangle of narrow streets and courts that you enter the realm of Venetian legend. One such legend characterises the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo in […]
Folklore
Explore the legend of the Laidly Worm of Spindlestone Heugh
Tales of dragons, known as worms, abound in English folklore. Last week, we looked at the Lambton Worm in County Durham. This week, we’ll head north up the coast to Northumberland to meet the Laidly Worm. The story concerns Spindlestone Heugh, near the mighty fortress of Bamburgh Castle. The tale concerns the beautiful Princess Margaret, […]
The Lambton Worm and Penshaw Monument
Many parts of the UK have tales related to dragons or giant worms. Northumberland has the Laidley Worm, while County Durham boasts the tale of the Lambton Worm. There are varying versions of the story, but I’m discussing the first version I heard. It links the Worm with Penshaw Hill, near Houghton-le-Spring. Other versions associate […]
Who are the mysterious dog-headed men?
Dog-headed men, or cynocephaly, are a true curiosity within myth and legend. Not to be confused with werewolves, the beings are literally men with dogs’ heads. The Greeks named the creatures, apparently taking their inspiration from Egyptian gods. Most famously, Anubis boasts the head of a jackal. Although, in recent years, scholars realised his head is […]
What Are The Flying Heads In Iroquois Folklore?
Heads make a range of appearances in folklore and legend. It’s hardly surprising; heads are recognisable body parts, and the ability to speak or otherwise function after decapitation takes them into the realm of the uncanny. But we’re interested in folklore here, not Freud. I’ve already covered the headless horseman and severed heads this month. […]
Séances and sandstone – the history of spiritualism in Melbourne
If you’ve ever visited my blog before, you’ll know I’m a big fan of all things spooky and macabre. So it’s my pleasure to welcome Madeleine D’Este to the blog to tell us all about spiritualism in Melbourne! Séances and sandstone – the history of spiritualism in Melbourne In the 1880s, Melbourne was the second […]
