We can often think of the Tudor period as being one of strict class and gender boundaries. Or we look at the shenanigans of the ruling royal family and work backwards to assume what the era must have been like. Tudor Folk Tales by Dave Tonge aims to dispel some of these myths – and […]
#FolkloreThursday
Dartmoor: Home of Hairy Hands, Spectral Dogs, and the Watching Place
Few places in England conjure the concept of ‘wildness’ quite as well as Dartmoor. This national park boasts rocky outcrops, Stone Age remains, and more ghosts and legends than you can shake a stick at. Headless horsemen, black dogs, bottomless pools, and plenty of Devil-related shenanigans await on the moors. It’s hardly surprising that Sir […]
Halloween spells for Protection, Romance & Loved Ones
Plastic pumpkins and foam headstones fill the shops. Youtube groans under the weight of Halloween makeup tutorials. And the television stations pump their channels full of creaky old horror films. But for those in the know, this is the time for Halloween spells, honouring the dead, and preparing for winter. Don’t panic at the mention […]
Why do we use the jack o’ lantern at Halloween?
Alongside cats and broomsticks, carved pumpkins have become synonymous with Halloween. Making a jack o’ lantern is no longer related to the important job of protecting hearth and home. Instead, people compete to make the scariest or most artistic lantern. Seriously, check out some amazing carved pumpkin art on Pinterest.
The Broomstick In Folklore: The Witch’s Ideal Transport
Just as cats are intricately bound up with the image of the witch, so is the broomstick. Widely believed to be the witch’s favourite mode of transport, the broomstick serves as both vehicle and tool. Or does it? Just why is this humble household item so common among depictions of witches? I do think the […]
Why do so many people fear the number 13?
How many times have you walked past a row of houses, counting the numbers as you go? In the UK, the even numbers are often on one side, the odd numbers on the other. 7, 9, 11, 15 – what? What happened to number 13? It’s weirdly common for builders to skip 13 when they […]
