Treasury Of Sussex Folklore

Sussex, though near London and nowadays extensively urbanised, has a rich heritage of traditional local stories, customs and beliefs. Among many topics explored here are tales linked to landscape features and ancient churches which involve such colourful themes as lost bells, buried treasures, dragons, fairies and the devil. There are also traditions relating to ghosts, graves and gibbets and the strange powers of witches. This book, when it was first published in 1973, was the first to be entirely devoted to Sussex folklore. This new edition contains information collected over the last thirty years, updated accounts of county customs and, alongside the original line drawings, is illustrated with photographs and printed ephemera relating to Sussex lore.

An entertaining and engrossing collection of British customs, superstitions and legends from past and present. Did you know, in Cumbria it was believed a person lying on a pillow stuffed with pigeon’s feathers could not die? Or that green is an unlucky colour for wedding dresses? In Scotland it was thought you could ward off fairies by hanging your trousers from the foot of the bed, and in Gloucestershire you could cure warts by cutting notches in the bark of an ash tree. You’ve heard about King Arthur and St George, but how about the Green Man, a vegetative deity who is seen to symbolise death and rebirth? Or Black Shuck, the giant ghostly dog who was reputed to roam East Anglia? In this beautifully illustrated book, Dee Dee Chainey tells tales of mountains and rivers, pixies and fairy folk, and witches and alchemy. She explores how British culture has been shaped by the tales passed between generations, and by the land that we live on. As well as looking at the history of this subject, this book lists the places you can go to see folklore alive and well today. The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival in Cambridgeshire or the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance in Staffordshire for example, or wassailing cider orchards in Somerset.

With screaming demons in Wealdon copses and dragons lurking in bottomless ponds, the folk tales of Sussex truly represent the diversity of the area. Meet knuckers and willocks, mawkins and marsh monsters, the Piltdown Man, Lord Moon of Amberley Swamp and the princess of the Mixon Hole. There is also something terrible crawling to Crawley from Gatwick, which develops a degraded appetite in a bin... From ghosts and madmen to witches and wise women, Michael O'Leary reveals many of the hidden horrors of Sussex – horrors that can be found in the most beautiful places, or that lurk beneath the seemingly mundane. Amid these dark tales are stories of humour and silliness, of love, lust and passion.

Relive the magic of classic fairy tales in this beautifully illustrated edition. For centuries fantastical stories of witches, giants, princesses, talking animals, and magical kingdoms have been passed from generation to generation. Many of the fairy tales we are most familiar with today have their roots in this oral tradition of storytelling. The World Treasury of Fairy Tales and Folklore is a stunning collection of fairy tales organized by date of printing. From tales of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries (Little Red Riding Hood, Fair Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast), to familiar tales collected by The Brothers Grimm in the 19th century (The Frog King, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Snow White), to some lesser-known tales and stories from outside Europe, this book showcases a broad range of examples from this extraordinary genre. Tales are compiled and introduced by leading academics in the field, adding to a deeper understanding of beloved stories. This beautifully illustrated collection of fairy tales and folklore is an essential addition to all family libraries.

An entertaining and enthralling collection of myths, tales and traditions surrounding our trees, woodlands and forests from around the world. From the dark, gnarled woodlands of the north, to the humid jungles of the southern lands, trees have captured humanity's imagination for millennia. Filled with primal gods and goddesses, dryads and the fairy tales of old, the forests still beckon to us, offering sanctuary, mystery and more than a little mischievous trickery. From insatiable cannibalistic children hewn from logs, to lumberjack lore, and the spine-chilling legend of Bloody Mary, there is much to be found between the branches. Come into the trees; witches, seductive spirits and big, bad wolves await you. With this book, Folklore Thursday aim to encourage a sense of belonging across all cultures by showing how much we all have in common.