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, […]
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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 […]
Did the Queen Rat of London really live in the sewers?
If you’ve read China Miéville’s King Rat, then you’ll know dark things can stir beneath London. But perhaps it’s not a King Rat. Perhaps it’s a Queen Rat. Only those who venture into the deep, dark places would encounter such a creature. Let me introduce you to the toshers. What does a tosher do? When the River […]
Should you buy Accused: British Witches Throughout History?
Should you buy Accused: British Witches Throughout History? In a short word, yes. But that wouldn’t be much of a review if we left it at that, would it? Written by #FolkloreThursday‘s own Willow Winsham, Accused examines the stories of 11 British witches. Winsham starts in Ireland in 1324, while our final witch is as recent as 1944! […]
Why are riddles and wordplay so important to folklore?
Riddles and wordplay feature strongly in a lot of the English folklore I’ve read. So I’ve handed over the reins of my blog to Charlotte Bond, who’ll explain the fascination with riddles, and just why they appear so often in folklore! Riddles in folklore I’ve been fascinated by riddles and word games in stories ever since […]
The Magpie & The Wardrobe: A Curiosity of Folklore, Magic and Spells
Curiosity is indeed an apt subtitle for this particular folklore collection, as it stimulates your curiosity as well as your interest. So just how good is The Magpie & The Wardrobe: A Curiosity of Folklore, Magic and Spells? You can watch this as a video review over on Youtube below, or keep reading if you prefer text! […]
