Discover folklore books from across the UK and Ireland, from local legends and old customs to supernatural traditions and strange regional tales. These titles explore the beliefs, stories and traditions that have shaped communities for generations.
425 books found
Cover unavailableFolklore: A Journey through the Past and Present
Folklore: A Journey through the Past and Present examines British traditions across ritual, performance, storytelling, legends, folk medicine and beliefs about the natural world. Owen Davies and Ceri Houlbrook also consider supernatural traditions, landscape rituals,…
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Cover unavailableFolklore: The Second Tale
Chris Rush returns to the world of Folklore with a second dark tale shaped by old beliefs, supernatural danger and the unsettling persistence of legend. It continues his interest in the point where folklore and…
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Cover unavailableFolktales of England
Folktales of England gathers wonder tales, legends, local traditions and humorous anecdotes from English storytelling. Edited by Katharine M. Briggs and Ruth L. Tongue, it places familiar narratives alongside lesser-known material rooted in regional tradition…
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Cover unavailableFools and Wise Men
Fools and Wise Men gathers British folk tales shaped to carry lessons about judgement, kindness, family, courage and the consequences of foolish behaviour. Mike O’Connor draws on English, Welsh, Scottish and Cornish traditions, presenting stories…
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Cover unavailableFootprints in Stone
Footprints in Stone examines supposed footprints, handprints and other bodily impressions found in rocks and monuments. Janet Bord considers marks attributed to early humans, giants, heroes, saints, devils, animals, ghosts, witches, fairies and monsters, treating…
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Cover unavailableForest Folk Tales for Children
Forest Folk Tales for Children gathers traditional stories linked to the woods and forests of England, Wales and Scotland. Its tales introduce hobs, faeries, dragons, monsters, giants, witches, kings and the Green Man, alongside stories…
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Cover unavailableFunny Folk Tales for Children
Funny Folk Tales for Children gathers 11 traditional stories from around the world, retold by professional storyteller Allison Galbraith for younger audiences. Humour drives each tale, with animals, magical beings and comic reversals at the…
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Cover unavailableGalway Bay Folk Tales
Galway Bay Folk Tales gathers myths, legends and local stories linked to the history of Galway Bay, ranging from the saints of the Dark Ages to modern-day sinners. Rab Fulton, a local storyteller, presents tales…
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Cover unavailableGef! The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose
Christopher Josiffe examines the reports surrounding Gef, a supposed talking mongoose said to have appeared at the Irving family’s farmhouse on the Isle of Man in 1931. Over the following eight years, Gef was credited…
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Cover unavailableGlamorgan Folk Tales for Children
Glamorgan Folk Tales for Children brings together traditional stories from across the South Wales county, retold for younger listeners and readers. The collection ranges from magic and adventure to sadness, fear and absurdity, with tales…
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Cover unavailableGlastonbury, the Templars and the Sovran Cloth
Juliet Faith examines Glastonbury’s Grail traditions alongside stories about the arrival of Christianity in South-West Britain. The book connects Glastonbury with Old Lammana, a Celtic settlement in Cornwall, and investigates traditions of a sacred object…
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Cover unavailableGloucestershire Folk Tales
Gloucestershire Folk Tales gathers thirty stories rooted in the county’s landscapes, settlements and older traditions. Anthony Nanson ranges from Sabrina, the spirit associated with the Severn, and the Nine Hags of Gloucester to sky-ships reported…
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Cover unavailableGloucestershire Folk Tales for Children
Twenty folk tales rooted in Gloucestershire’s landscapes, customs and local traditions fill this collection by Stroud storytellers Anthony Nanson and Kirsty Hartsiotis. The stories range from giants shaping the land in ‘Goram and Vincent’ to…
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Cover unavailableGods and Fighting Men
Gods and Fighting Men retells two major strands of Irish myth: the stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the heroic Fianna. Lady Gregory’s first section recounts the coming of the god-like Tuatha Dé Danann,…
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Cover unavailableGothick Cornwall
Gothick Cornwall gathers accounts of Cornish myths, mysteries, spectres and superstitions, alongside stories of crimes and calamities associated with the county. Jennifer Westwood presents Cornwall as a landscape shaped not only by its history and…
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Cover unavailableGothick Norfolk
Gothick Norfolk presents a folklore and local-history guide to the county, bringing together traditions, legends and reported supernatural associations connected with Norfolk places. It forms part of Jennifer Westwood’s Gothick Guides series, alongside books on…
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Cover unavailableGrave Concerns: The Follies and Folklore of Robin Hood’s Final Resting Place
An investigation into the stories surrounding Robin Hood’s supposed grave at Kirklees, this book follows the site from outlaw legend to modern paranormal controversy. Kai Roberts considers accounts of the death and burial, the evidence…
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Cover unavailableGreen Men & White Swans: The Folklore of British Pub Names
Green Men & White Swans examines the folklore and history behind Britain’s pub names, tracing how signs and titles preserve stories, customs and traditional beliefs. Jacqueline Simpson considers names shaped by myth, legend, euphemism and…
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Cover unavailableGuernsey Folk Lore
Guernsey Folk Lore gathers popular beliefs, traditional stories and everyday customs associated with the island and its people. Sir Edgar MacCulloch’s collection includes accounts of fairies, demons, goblins, witchcraft and the Devil, alongside charms, spells,…
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Cover unavailableGwent Folk Tales
Gwent Folk Tales gathers twenty-nine stories from across the old county of Gwent, formerly Monmouthshire, linking local landscapes with magic, transformation and inherited memory. The Gwent Levels, rivers, chapels, hills and industrial communities all provide…
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Cover unavailableHampshire and Isle of Wight Folk Tales
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Folk Tales gathers place-rooted stories from across the region, arranged geographically from the New Forest through Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and northern Hampshire before reaching the Isle of Wight. The collection…
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Cover unavailableHampshire Folk Tales for Children
Michael O’Leary gathers ten folk tales rooted in Hampshire’s landscapes, from the Downs and New Forest to fields, farms, villages, towns and cities. The stories include the Apple Tree Man, the Burley Dragon, the Wherwell…
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Cover unavailableHerefordshire Folk Tales
Herefordshire Folk Tales gathers thirty fairy tales and legends rooted in the county’s oral tradition, preserving stories shaped by local memory and storytelling. David Phelps brings together accounts of strange happenings, old beliefs and attempts…
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Cover unavailableHeroes of Ireland in Myth and Legend
Heroes of Ireland in Myth and Legend presents Irish heroic tradition through stories, figures and themes drawn from folklore, mythology and legendary history. Dáithí Ó hÓgáin places these accounts within the cultural world that shaped…
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Cover unavailableHighland Folk Tales
Highland Folk Tales gathers traditional stories linked to the Scottish Highlands, where legends associated with Gaels, Picts and Vikings remain connected to particular places. Bob Pegg’s collection includes accounts of fairy people in green hills,…
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Hollow's Hauntology: A Compendium of Mythological Creatures and Paranormal Phenomena
Evelyn Hollow brings together 80 supernatural and mythological figures from cultures around the world, treating them as more than a simple catalogue of monsters. Across eight themed sections she explores vampires and revenants, shapeshifters, ghosts…
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Cover unavailableHoly Wells in Britain: A Guide
Janet Bord’s guide covers 300 surviving holy wells across England, Wales and Scotland, describing their histories, traditions and place in the British landscape. Many were associated with local saints and became part of the medieval…
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Cover unavailableHorse Power and Magic
Horse Power and Magic records the working lives and traditions of East Anglian horsemen through memories gathered from older agricultural workers. George Ewart Evans describes how heavy horses were managed, trained and used on farms,…
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Illustrated Tales of Devon
John Husband gathers Devon legends and unusual local history, from Dartmoor pixies and the Devil to the Hairy Hands of the moorland roads. His photographs accompany stories of places, people and customs across the county.
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Cover unavailableIllustrated Tales of Northumberland
Northumberland's landscapes and historic buildings form the background to this illustrated survey of local legends and unusual stories. Kirkup explores traditions associated with places such as Dunstanburgh Castle and Sewingshield Crags, including the tale of…
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Illustrated Tales of the Black Country
Helen Harwood explores the Black Country through its local legends, historic curiosities and supernatural tales. From Dudley Castle’s ghosts to industrial landmarks and long-lived customs, the illustrated book presents the region’s distinctive stories and identity.
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Cover unavailableIllustrated Welsh Folk Tales for Young and Old
Peter Stevenson gathers Welsh folk tales rooted in coastlines, bogs, lakes and mountains, presenting them in the lively manner of an oral storyteller. The collection includes rowdy mermaids and drowned lands in Cardigan Bay, an…
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Cover unavailableImagining the Pagan Past: Gods and Goddesses in Literature and History since the Dark Ages
Imagining the Pagan Past examines how British gods and goddesses have been represented from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Marion Gibson follows their appearances through chronicles, poetry, novels, plays, scientific writing and scholarly…
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Cover unavailableIn Search of Biddy Early
In Search of Biddy Early records the stories surrounding Biddy Early, the County Clare herbalist, healer and seer whose reputation became part of Irish folklore. Lenihan follows accounts of her cures, prophetic abilities and the…
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Ireland’s Animals: Myth, Legend and Folklore
Animals run through Irish myths and legends as companions, adversaries and supernatural beings. Niall Mac Coitir gathers traditions surrounding creatures including hounds, hares, seals and fairy horses. The book connects familiar animals with the stories…
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Cover unavailableIrish Animal Folk Tales for Children
Irish Animal Folk Tales for Children gathers traditional stories in which animals take central roles, from clever birds and beloved dogs to cats with darker transformations. The collection asks how the tiny wren became King…
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Cover unavailableIrish Folk and Fairy Tales
Irish Folk and Fairy Tales gathers Irish stories, poems, songs and folkloric accounts selected and edited by W. B. Yeats. Its supernatural material includes traditions concerning the fairies, the solitary leprechaun, the mischievous pooka, merrows…
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Cover unavailableIrish Folk Tales of Coast and Sea
Irish Folk Tales of Coast and Sea gathers 44 tales from Ireland’s coastline, representing 19 coastal counties and drawing on maritime folklore, myth, legend and selected historical records. The stories range from accounts of ghosts,…
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Cover unavailableIrish Folk Tales of Love
Irish Folk Tales of Love gathers stories from Ireland’s oral storytelling tradition, where love brings longing, devotion, heartbreak and trouble in equal measure. Colin Urwin’s collection includes doomed romances, crimes of passion, awkward courtships and…
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Cover unavailableIrish Superstitions
Irish Superstitions gathers Irish spells, old wives’ tales and folk beliefs, showing how ideas about luck, danger and protection shaped everyday life. Its subjects include good-luck charms, soothsayings, healing practices, the evil eye, fairies and…
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Cover unavailableIsles of Scilly Folk Tales
Isles of Scilly Folk Tales gathers stories from an island community long separated from Cornwall by 25 miles of rough sea. Mike O’Connor presents Scilly as a distinct cultural world, where local storytelling preserves memories…
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Cover unavailableJewish Folk Tales in Britain and Ireland
Jewish Folk Tales in Britain and Ireland gathers more than 40 stories, songs and jokes associated with Jewish communities across Britain and Ireland. Liz Berg draws on both Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions, bringing together material…
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Cover unavailableKent Folk Tales
Kent Folk Tales gathers traditional stories and local legends from across the county, linking them to the beliefs, values and everyday outlook of earlier Kentish generations. Tony Cooper presents folklore as something shaped by the…
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Cover unavailableKent Urban Legends
Neil Arnold examines Kent’s modern folklore through stories of phantom hitch-hikers, sinister apparitions, mysterious creatures and tales repeated as fact. Among the accounts are motorists’ reports of a hitch-hiker on Blue Bell Hill, the claim…
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Cover unavailableKerry Folk Tales
Kerry Folk Tales brings together myths, legends, fables and local reminiscences from across County Kerry. Gary Branigan and Luke Eastwood draw on historical sources and stories passed through generations of local storytellers, preserving accounts of…
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Cover unavailableKildare Folk Tales
Steve Lally gathers tales rooted in County Kildare, combining historical sources with newly recorded local reminiscence. The collection ranges from the Wizard Earl who lived at Maynooth Castle and the Pooka Horse associated with Rathcoffey…
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Cover unavailableKilkenny Folk Tales
Anne Farrell gathers legends, myths and remembered stories from County Kilkenny, linking local places with saints, castles, caves and creatures. The collection includes the tale of Grennan Castle, the comic dispute between St Evin and…
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Cover unavailableKing Arthur: pocket GIANTS
Nick Higham examines what can be known about King Arthur, separating the surviving evidence from the later stories that made him one of Britain’s best-known legendary figures. The book begins with Arthur in antiquity and…
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