Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Folktales

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Articles / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Giants / Legends

The Origin of The Wrekin

This is one of two folktales, which explain the origin of the Wrekin, a 1,334 foot high hill standing on the Shropshire plain. The hill has the remains of an Iron Age Hillfort on its summit, and folk evidence suggests it was an important focal point for our prehistoric ancestors.

Scottish Folktales

Kelpies Footmarked Stone by Vayne Castle

In James Mackinlay’s ‘Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs’ (1893) he states ‘If anyone refuses to believe in the existence of water-horses, let him go to the parish of Fearn, in Forfarshire, and there, near the ruined castle of Vayne, he will see on a sandstone rock the print of a

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Biddenden Maids

Every Easter Monday the village of Biddenden, not far from Staplehurst in Kent, is the scene of old custom, called the Biddenden Maids’ Charity. Tea, cheese and bread are given to local widows and pensioners at the Old Workhouse, while the celebrated Biddenden Cakes, baked from flour and water, are distributed among the spectators.

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English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Jack o’ Legs

This folktale was kindly brought to our attention by Alma Oakley of Weston in Hertfordshire.

Weston churchyard is reputed to be the final resting place of the Weston Giant: Jack o’ Legs. Two stones mark his grave. One is positioned at his head and another at his feet, a distance of eight feet apart.

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English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

The Wild Hunt, A Tale From Devon

This particularly sinister folktale of the wild hunt is from Devon, and is based in the Dartmoor area, a place full of tales of the supernatural, especially the wild hunt.

One wild stormy night a farmer was returning home from Widecombe, somewhat worse the wear from the strong local beverages brewed on-site.

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Articles / Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Vampire

The Phantom Of Croglin Grange

The phantom of Croglin Grange is one of the best known vampire stories in Britain. It is as famous in the annals of vampire lore as Whitby and its Dracula associations. The actual story bears the marks of fiction and first appeared in a book called ‘In My Solitary life’ by Augustus Hare. What follows is an adapted and shortened version of his story.

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English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Dando and The Wild Hunt

There are many tales to explain the origin of the spectral wild hunt, this one is from the Parish of St Germans in Cornwall. It explains how a priest with low morals became a demon huntsman.

In the medieval period the priest of the parish of St Germans was called Dando. Dando was not a figure of priestly virtue but abused his powers to enjoy earthly delights.