Newcastle and Gateshead are currently awash with adverts for the Great Exhibition of the North. The aim is to promote the art, design and innovation in the region now. But what of its heritage and culture? We’ve played host to the Romans, the Vikings, and indigenous British tribes. With that in mind, let’s meet the mighty […]
#FolkloreThursday
Folklore of Fortune Telling, Superstitions, and Avoiding Danger
In the 1990s, paper fortune tellers were all the rage at my school. They were like the low-tech version of a Magic 8 ball, another fortune telling ‘toy’. Ours never looked as fancy as this one, but this is what I mean. Their use in England dates to the 1950s (Opie 2001 [1959], pp. 341–342). […]
Fuchsia Folklore: The Secrets of these Common Garden Flowers
Few flowers brighten a garden quite the same way as the fuchsia. The beautiful pendants come in a range of colours, though my favourites are the deep, dark pink variety. While I’ve often focused on toxic flowers such as foxgloves or daffodils, this humble plant comes with a few of its own folktales. Some believe […]
What Is the Celtic Zodiac and How Do You Know Your Sign?
Most people are pretty familiar with the concept of astrology, even if they think it’s hogwash. And many know about the Chinese Zodiac. But what of other forms of astrology, like the Celtic Zodiac? Last week, I posted about seahorses in folklore. Turns out the seahorse represents a birth month in the Celtic Zodiac. Over […]
What are the links between seahorses, folklore and Newcastle upon Tyne?
Seahorses are elusive creatures, almost like a mythological animal made flesh. They appear in Roman and Greek mythology, pulling either Neptune or Poseidon’s chariot. Either Poseidon was very small, or he had extra large seahorses, but it’s a cool image all the same. Others believe Poseidon actually rode a seahorse, which is even cooler. Their […]
Between Worlds: Folklore and Fairy Tales from Northern Britain (Review)
Northern Britain is a strange place. England’s northernmost counties, Northumberland and Cumbria, sit along the border with Scotland. Land in both counties has been both Scottish and English throughout the years. Hadrian’s Wall once marked the boundary with Scotland. It now cuts through Newcastle upon Tyne to end in Wallsend. Such places nudge up against […]
