The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England's Legends

The Lore of the Land gathers England’s legends county by county, linking stories to villages, towns, churches, roads, hills, graves and historic buildings. Its subjects range from hauntings and highwaymen to family curses, buried treasure, fairies and witches, with familiar figures including Spring-heeled Jack, Dick Turpin, King Arthur and Robin Hood.

Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson consider how individual traditions arose, when they may date from, and what evidence lies behind them. The accounts include claims surrounding the Devil’s footprints, the resting place of King Arthur, Sweeney Todd and the Witches of Warboys, placing local storytelling within England’s broader historical and folkloric landscape.