The barguest is a fascinating creature, most often found in the folklore of northern England. Folklorist William Henderson noted the barguest tales covered Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire (1879: 274). That said, some appearances also crop up in Lancashire and Cumbria. In many tales, the barguest was most popularly a death omen. In a most fitting […]
fairies
The Northumberland Silky: Mischievous Fairy or Lonely Ghost?
Many lonely and remote parts of the British Isles echo with tales of local spirits. Whether they’re fairies, remnants of older mythologies, ghosts, or Land Spirits decked out in another guise, their stories live on. The north east of England has one such spirit known as Silky. William Henderson lists Silky among the ‘local sprites’ […]
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 […]
Common Garden Flowers: Folklore of Bluebells, Daffodils & Hydrangeas
Last week, we looked at the folklore of flowers, focusing on Angel’s Trumpet, Foxgloves, and Deadly Nightshade. They are by no means the only poisonous flowers in existence. This week, I thought we’d bring it a little closer to home and look at three really common garden flowers – that are all toxic! You can […]
Hawthorn Folklore: Fairies and the May Day tree
Hawthorn is a common sight around the UK. With it comes a slew of folklore and superstitions! Its name comes from Anglo-Saxon word ‘hagedorn’, which means ‘hedge thorn’. This refers to its use as a boundary plant. Farmers used hawthorn in their hedges to protect their crops or cattle from witches (Woolf 2015). Some believed […]
Elder Trees: Medicine, Protection, and Witches
Elder trees are a common sight in the UK. Their frothy white flowers dip from hedgerows. Then the sprays of dark berries lend themselves to elderberry cordial or wine. But there’s a stranger side to the elder tree. Beloved for its ability to protect one from witches, they’re also believed to be witches in disguise. […]
