• Alfred the Great-- astrology-- Babes in the Wood-- brownies-- changelings-- Devil's Hoofprints-- eenie, meenie minie moe-- football-- Grimm brothers-- Hag-riding-- Jenny Greenteeth-- ladybirds-- Mr Fox-- nosebleeds-- otherworld-- Phantom coach/ship-- Rollright Stones-- Skillywidden-- turnip lanterns-- v-sign-- wishbone. (Part contents.).
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

Are there any legends about cats? Is Cinderella an English story? What is (or was) a Mumming Play? The subject of folklore covers an extremely wide field, with connections to virtually every aspect of life. It ranges from the bizarre to the seemingly mundane. Similarly, folklore is as much a feature of the modern technological age as the ancient world, of every part of the country, both urban and rural, and of every age group and occupation. Containing 2000 entries, from dragons to Mother Goose, May Day to Michaelmas, this reference work is an absorbing and entertaining guide to English folklore. Aimed at a broad general readership, the dictionary provides an authoritative reference source on such legendary characters as the Babes in the Wood, Jack the Giant Killer and Robin Hood, and gives entertaining and informative explanations of a wide range of subjects in folklore, from nosebleeds and wishbones to cats and hot cross buns.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Abbreviations-- Introduction--
• 1. Organized anti-catholic protest--
• 2. Cultural images--
• 3. Militant roman catholicism--
• 4. Defensive anglicanism--
• 5. The tractarian factor--
• 6. Nonconformity in tension--
• 7. Anti-catholicism as a political issue--
• 8. Bonfires, revels, and riots--
• 9. Who were the anti-catholics?-- Conclusion-- Bibliography-- Index.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

Anti-Catholic sentiment was a major social, cultural, and political force in Victorian England, capable of arousing remarkable popular passion. Hitherto, however, anti-Catholic feeling has been treated largely from the perspective of parliamentary politics or with reference to the propaganda of various London-based anti-Catholic religious organizations. This book sets out to Victorian anti-Catholicism in a much fuller and more inclusive context, accounting for its persistence over time, disguishing it from anti-Irish sentiment, and explaining its social, economic, political, and religious bases locally as well as nationally. The author is principally concerned with determining what led ordinary people to violent acts against Roman Catholic targets, violent acts against Roman Catholic petitions, joining anti-Catholic organizations, and reading anti-Catholic literature. All too often, English history, and even British history, turns out to be the history of what was happening in the West End. One of the special distinctions of this book is that it shows the interplay between national issues and their local conditions. The book covers the period ca. 1830-70, from Catholic Emancipation to the First Vatican Council, but its methodological starting point is the Papal Aggression Crisis of 1850-51. Using computer-aided statistical techniques, the author links the signatures generated by the petition drives of those years with the social, economic, and religious evidence in the 1851 census. The resulting analysis produces hypotheses about the nature of anti-Catholicism that are tested in the remainder of the book: by connecting the quantitative evidence of petitioning with the literary evidence of newspapers, religious periodicals, and manuscript sources; by identifying and looking closely at localities and groups whose behaviour diverges from the norm; by fixing in their social contexts the signatories; and by analyzing the circumstances of collective behaviour. The author concludes that anti-Catholicism is a complicated issue that cannot be reduced simply to the residue of historical memory, or to not liking the Irish, or to the imposition of social control. Rather, there were several varieties of anti-Catholicism that served different purposes, according to the needs and histories of specific groups and locales. F urthermore, the author shows that Roman Catholics were not simply the passive victims of aggression, but were responsible, by their theological and political militance, for provoking much of the Protestant reaction against them.<.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Wellsprings of worship - the origins of hydrolatry-- Fons Bandusiae - wells in the ancient world-- the water of Redemption - wells and Christianity-- the Saxon settlement - wells and the conversion of England-- unam ecclesiam - wells and the medieval Church-- at the heart of the community - wells and medieval society-- Christ is Truth, not custom - wells and the Reformation-- the two cultures - wells, class and the great change-- "This sick earth, this sick race of man" - wells and suburban angst.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

Holy wells are an ancient and notable feature of the landscape, and one in which there seems to be a growing interest. However, until now there has been no historical survey of their development. James Rattue examines the archetypal motifs present in the cult of water and traces the development of the holy well in England from its beginnings to its latter-day relevance for the pagan and environmental movements. In discussing the influences which have altered the wells, including the conversion of pagan wells to Christian ones, Rattue draws together many pieces of hitherto neglected evidence - medieval bishops harnessing popular superstitions, a borough fighting an abbey for control over the water supply, the violent well-rituals of Alnwick, the current revival of interest in pagan ritual - and throughout he relates the phenomenon of the holy well to the broader context of the society around it, enabling its changing identities and significance to be grasped.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• A name for our ignorance - the invention of the folk-- the folk and why they were replaced - the background to a cultural transfer-- the source is open to all - collecting and its uses in the revival-- Merrie England once more - the battle to be the folk-- teaching people how to be jolly - Sharp's legacy and the new folk-- it's warmer in the street - re-interpreting culture and incorporating the folk-- pressing charges - rediscovering the folk and expanding the revival-- anthems from Eden.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

An exploration of the present folk music revival, which traces the history of English folk songs and dances. The author argues that the existence of a folk revival is a direct and urgent response to a cultural crisis caused by the pressures of industrialization and urbanization.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)
This history of the English folk revival argues that the existence of the revival is a direct and urgent response to a cultural crisis caused by the pressures of industrialization and urbanization. This work was the winner of the Katherine Briggs Folklore Award, 1993.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

Few places are so steeped in folklore as London, a city with almost as many ancient legends and deep-rooted customs as it has streets and landmarks, and in "London Lore" leading folklorist Steve Roud brings together an astonishingly rich selection of them: tales of ghosts and witches, stories about fabled events, heroes and villains, and accounts of local superstitions and beliefs. His range extends right across the capital, from Hampstead in the north, where wild beasts were once thought to roam the sewers, to Anerley Wood in the south, haunt of the much feared Norwood Gypsies, and from Hounslow Heath with its notorious highwaymen to Bethnal Green, long associated with Earl Henry de Montfort, better known as the Blind Beggar.But "London Lore" does more than simply retell these stories and traditions; it also delves through layers of hearsay and speculation to investigate how and why they arose in the first place. In the process, it shows how the familiar story of Dick Whittington and his cat has connections with the ancient Middle East. It explains why lions rather than ravens at the Tower of London were once felt to be inextricably bound up with the city's fate.It pinpoints precisely where the story of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street, was first recorded. And it explores the origins of the once widespread custom of handing out 'farthing bundles' of ribbons, buttons and beads to poor children in the East End. Some of these stories and beliefs are shown to have their origins in actual historical events; others to have stemmed from contemporary preoccupations and fears. What they all reveal is the powerful hold that London has exerted on the popular imagination over the centuries, as each successive generation has reshaped existing tales and added new ones of its own.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Acknowledgements
• Preface by Philip Payton
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The Collectors
• Chapter 2 The Droll Tellers
• Chapter 3 Folkways and Stories
• Chapter 4 Piskies, Spriggans, and Bucca
• Chapter 5 Piskies and Migratory Legends
• Chapter 6 Seeking the Companionship of People
• Chapter 7 Mermaids
• Chapter 8 The Spectral Bridegroom
• Chapter 9 Giants
• Chapter 10 Knockers in the Mines
• Chapter 11 Tommyknockers, Immigration, and the Modern World
• Conclusion
• Appendix: Type Index for Cornish Narrative
• Bibliography.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

By considering the folklore of Cornwall in a Northern European context, this book casts light on a treasury of often-ignored traditions. Folklore studies internationally have long considered Celtic material, but scholars have tended to overlook Cornwall's collections. The Folklore of Cornwall fills this gap, placing neglected stories on a par with those from other regions where Celtic languages have deep roots. The Folklore of Cornwall demonstrates that Cornwall has a distinct body of oral tradition, even when examining legends and folktales that also appear elsewhere. The way in which Cornish droll tellers achieved this unique pattern is remarkable; with the publication of this book, it becomes possible for folklorists to look to the peninsula beyond the River Tamar for insight. A very readable text with popular appeal, this book serves as an introduction to folklore studies for the novice while also offering an alternative means to consider Cornish studies for advanced scholars. The comparative analysis combined with an innovative method of The Folklore of Cornwall is not to be found in other treatments of the subject.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

In places, Shropshire has traditional patchwork fields and hedgerows; in others, small villages and market towns with black and white half-timbered buildings. But it also has places that are still wild - hills where heather and bracken cling to the rocks while peewits call overhead and strange rock formations jut to the sky, casting their shadows over the countryside below. The thirty stories in this new collection have grown out of the county's diverse landscapes: tales of the strange and macabre; memories of magic and other worlds; proud recollections of folk history; stories to make you smile, sigh and shiver. Moulded by the land, weather and generations of tongues wagging, these traditional tales are full of Shropshire wit and wisdom, and will be enjoyed time and again.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

These traditional stories and local legends have been handed down by storytellers for centuries. As folk tales reveal a lot about the people who invented them, this book provides a link to the ethics and way of life of generations of Kentish people. Herein you will find the intriguing tales of Brave Mary of Mill Hill, King Herla, the Pickpockets of Sturry, the Wantsum Wyrm and the Battle of Sandwich, to name but a few. These captivating stories, brought to life with a collection of unique illustrations, will be enjoyed by readers time and again. Tony Cooper has been a full-time storyteller for the past twenty-five years. He attends regular storytelling events, with a particular favourite being the Winter Tales Festival, 'a dark evening of storytelling and object theatre for adults' held in his hometown of Sandwich.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

These lively and entertaining folk tales from one of Britain's most ancient counties are vividly retold by local storyteller Kirsty Hartsiotis. Their origins lost in the oral tradition, these thirty stories from Wiltshire reflect the wisdom of the county and its people. From the Giant's Dance to the Great Western Railway, no stone is left unturned to discover the roots of the county. Discover the Moonraker's passages and Merlin's trickery, dabchicks and the devil, the flying monk of Malmesbury and a canal ghost story. These tales have all stood the test of time, and remain classic texts that will be enjoyed time and again by modern readers.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Prologue: A Haunting in Minehead--
• 1. The World of the Leakeys--
• 2. The Leakeys' Other World-- Interlude: A Hanging in Dublin--
• 3. The Devil Let Loose Off his Chain--
• 4. The Shameful End of Bishop Atherton--
• 5. The Penitent Death of a Woeful Sinner-- Interlude: In a London Coffee House--
• 6. Athenianism--
• 7. The Narratives of the Reverend John Quick--
• 8. Atherton and Leakey-- History and Folklore-- Epilogue: Mother Leakey's Parlour-- Cast of Characters-- Further Reading.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

Halloween 1636: sightings of the ghost of an old woman begin to be reported in the small English coastal town of Minehead, and a royal commission is sent to investigate. December 1640: a disgraced Protestant bishop is hanged in the Irish capital, Dublin, after being convicted of an 'unspeakable' crime. In this remarkable piece of historical detective work, Peter Marshall sets out to uncover the intriguing links between these two seemingly unconnected events. The result is a compelling tale of dark family secrets, of efforts to suppress them, and of the ways in which they finally come to light. It is also the story of a shocking seventeenth-century Church scandal which cast its shadow over religion and politics in Britain and Ireland for the best part of three centuries, drawing in a host of well known and not-so-well-known characters along the way, including Jonathan Swift, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Walter Scott. A fascinating story in its own right, Mother Leakey and the Bishop is also a sparkling demonstration of how the telling of stories is central to the way we remember the past, and can become part of the fabric of history itself.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

Anglo-Saxon elves [Old English 'alfe'] are one of the best attested non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholarship. Integrating linguistic and textual approaches into an anthropologically-inspired framework, this book reassesses the full range of evidence. It traces continuities and changes in medieval non-Christian beliefs with a new degree of reliability, from pre-conversion times to the eleventh century and beyond, and uses comparative material from medieval Ireland and Scandinavia to argue for a dynamic relationship between beliefs and society. In particular, it interprets the cultural significance of elves as a cause of illness in medical texts, and provides new insights into the much-discussed Scandinavian magic of 'seidr'. Elf-beliefs, moreover, were connected with Anglo-Saxon constructions of sex and gender; their changing nature provides a rare insight into a fascinating area of early medieval European culture. Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2007 ALARIC HALL is a fellow of the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

The ancient land of Cornwall is steeped in mysterious tradition, proud heritage and age-old folklore. Before books were widely available, wandering 'droll tellers' used to spread Cornish insight and humour to all parts of the Duchy - exchanging their tales for food and shelter. Anthony James was one such droll teller, and this collection follows him as he makes his way around Cornwall one glorious summer. Richly illustrated with hand-drawn images and woodcuts, Cornish Folk Tales will appeal to anyone captivated by this beautiful land and its resident kindly giants, mischievous piskeys, seductive mermaids, bold knights and barnacle-encrusted sea captains. Mike O'Connor is a powerful and engaging storyteller who performs at many events across the country. An important researcher into Cornish music and folklore, he has been awarded the OBE and made a bard of the Gorsedh of Kernow.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Introduction.- Part I: Games and Game Rhymes, Chants, and Songs.-
• Chapter 1. Starting a Game.-
• Chapter 2. Counting-out Rhymes.-
• Chapter 3. Games (Without Songs).-
• Chapter 4. Singing and Chanting Games.-
• Chapter 5. Clapping Games.-
• Chapter 6. Skipping Games.-
• Chapter 7. Ball Bouncing Games.- Part II: Rhymes, Songs, Beliefs, and Wordplay.-
• Chapter 8. School Rhymes and Parodies.-
• Chapter 9. Teasing and Taunting.-
• Chapter 10. Traditional Belief and Practice.-
• Chapter 11. Just for Fun.-
• Chapter 12. Miscellany.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)

This book presents a unique annotated collection of some 2000 playground games, rhymes, and wordplay of London children. It charts continuity and development in childlore at a time of major social and cultural change and offers a detailed snapshot of changes in the traditions and language of young people. Topics include: starting a game; counting-out rhymes; games (without songs); singing and chanting games; clapping, skipping, and ball bouncing games; school rhymes and parodies; teasing and taunting; traditional belief and practice; traditional wordplay; and a concluding miscellany. Recorded mainly in the 1980s by primary schoolteacher Nigel Kelsey, transcribed verbatim from the children's own words, and accompanied by extensive commentaries and annotation, the book sets a wealth of new information in the wider historical and contemporary context of existing studies in Britain, Ireland, and other parts of the English-speaking world. This valuable new resource will open new avenues for research and be of particular interest to folklorists and linguists, as well as to those working across the full spectrum of social, cultural, and educational studies.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)