Folklore

Stone circles are a mysterious part of the landscape. Let's explore some of the common folklore associated with them.

The Cheviots straddle the England-Scotland border. What folklore and legends are these beautiful hills a home to?

Standing stones are often highly mysterious. Folklore rushes in to fill the gaps since we don't know who built them or why. Learn more here.

Many plants are linked with Christmas, including the climbing plant, ivy. What is the folklore of ivy? How is it used in magic? Find out!

Learn about the folklore and legends of three common woodland trees native to the British Isles: alder, silver birch, and blackthorn!

If you think of the phrase “to be in mourning”, you’ll probably imagine a Victorian scene. Perhaps a black-clad widow ushers similarly black-clad children to a desolate graveyard in the depths of autumn. Or maybe you picture a grand house, shuttered up against the world that continues outside, while life is paused for those inside as they grieve their loss. Clearly, humans have had mourning rituals and customs throughout history. Yet it is the 19th century that captures attention, perhaps...

Who is Queen Mab? Queen of the Fairies in Folklore or in Literature?

How does 'Poltergeist' draw on actual poltergeist accounts?

Florence was founded in the 1st century BCE as a Roman military outpost, although it came to prominence as a centre of commerce and the arts in the 14th to 16th centuries CE. The Florentine method of speech even became the Italian language. Some of the city’s most famous exports are Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo, and Niccolo Machiavelli, along with the Medici family. You can see the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli in the Basilica of Santa Croce. But that’s not...

The Green Children of Woolpit is a famous story from English folklore. But who were these strange children? Find out some of the theories.