Dorset Folk Tales

Dorset Folk Tales gathers legends rooted in the county’s oral tradition, with stories connected to its hills, coastline, ancient buildings and fortified places. Giants, dragons and remembered local characters appear alongside tales shaped by family and village storytelling.

Tim Laycock includes accounts such as The Old King of Corfe, the Thorncombe Thorn, Buttons on a Card, and George Pitman and the Dragon. Many were passed to him by Dorset residents, preserving material that had circulated locally before appearing in print. The collection reflects Laycock’s work as a Dorset actor, singer and storyteller, and his longstanding interest in the county’s folklore, landscape and inherited traditions.