Cambridgeshire Folk Tales

Cambridgeshire Folk Tales gathers stories from the county’s contrasting landscapes, linking Cambridge, Huntingdonshire and the Isle of Ely with the people and traditions attached to them. Maureen James includes accounts of Hereward the Saxon, the Fenland giant Tom Hickathrift, Bricstan of Chatteris, the raconteur and skater Chaffe Legge, and Mr Leech, who was said to have been carried off by the Devil.

Alongside legendary characters, the collection considers local historical traditions, including the secret Brotherhood of the Grey Goose Feather and stories surrounding King John’s treasure. Several tales reflect the work of earlier collectors and storytellers, with variants connected to Chatteris and Balsham, including an account centred on a church bone-house.