Folklore
-
Our ancestors didn’t imagine another world above the clouds. They imagined it was just beyond the hill..
-
Forget everything you think you know about the Fairy Queen. Long before glitter and fairy tales, Britain knew mysterious women who ruled hidden kingdoms below hills, lakes and ancient forests. Meet the powerful Queens of the Otherworld, where myth, magic and folklore become one…
-
Beyond the hedge lies another Britain. A land of fairy paths, hidden kingdoms and ancient warnings…
-
Harvest rituals like ‘Crying the Neck’ in Devon and Cornwall celebrate gratitude as farming communities mark the end of the harvest. It’s a mix of old customs and modern appreciation for agricultural roots.
-
Scarecrows used to be harmless protectors of crops, but now they creep us out and star in horror stories. Still, towns celebrate them in festivals, showing their quirky charm and creativity.
-
John Barleycorn has been cut down, drowned and burned for centuries. But behind this brutal old folk song lies a much older story of harvest, sacrifice and rebirth…
-
Corn dollies are intricate straw creations from harvest traditions, symbolizing good fortune and community. They represent the blend of craftsmanship, belief, and the important relationship between people and the land.
-
Lammas, or Lughnasadh, marks the first harvest, symbolizing survival and community. Celebrated with bread offerings and gatherings, it intertwines gratitude for nature’s bounty with ancient customs, transitioning towards autumn.
-
This week’s short story on Sunday tells the tale of a fully trained agricultural contractor, who quickly finds out that the ‘old ways’ can sometimes be the right way too.
-
Sea serpents aren’t simply monsters. They’re symbols of the unknown. They remind us that there are still places where certainty gives way to possibility, where imagination sails alongside evidence, and where every dark shape beyond the waves invites one irresistible question. What if?
-
A Review of the Premiere of Joe O’Byrne’s new play; “The Haunting of Widow’s Leap Farm. A Tale from Paradise Heights” Burnley Mechanic’s Theatre 26/07/26 7:30pm.
-
Pull up a chair… The tide is coming in and every coastline has a story to tell…
-
The real woodland behind Shakespeare’s greatest prophecy..
-
“For every branch that falls from this old oak, a member of your family shall die.”
-
The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest has captivated hearts for centuries, intertwining history and folklore. As it nears the end of its life, the deep connection people feel for this ancient tree reflects not just its grandeur but also the profound role it has played in our collective imagination. Saying goodbye feels like parting with…
-
The tale of the Hartlepool Monkey is a bizarre legend from the Napoleonic Wars. It tells how the people of Hartlepool supposedly captured, tried, and hanged a monkey, believing it to be a French spy. Whether fact or folklore, the story has become a source of local pride, inspiring everything from football mascots to a…
-
Another classic from the Mysterious Times mahoosive vault 🧛♂️
-
There are some people who slip quietly into history. Others kick the door down, throw glitter into the air and refuse to leave.
-
My Grandad Harry was a great storyteller. Yet amongst the lions, crocodiles and other improbable adventures was a story that always intrigued me. Harry swore that, when he was a boy, there was a woman in Attercliffe who owned a cat with wings…
