The Folklore of Devon

The Folklore of Devon examines how the county’s beliefs, customs and traditions have been recorded, interpreted and reshaped over more than a century. Mark Norman considers the collecting work associated with Devon, then turns to stories from Dartmoor and Exmoor, calendar customs, farming practice and weather lore.

Later chapters address tales of the Devil, fairies, hauntings, black dogs and witchcraft, including the 1682 Bideford witch trials. The book also questions familiar claims about Devon’s haunted places and considers how folklore continues to develop through modern culture and internet memes. Alongside local examples, Norman compares Devon traditions with related fairy and witch lore found elsewhere in Britain and Europe.