Folklore of the Cotswolds

June Lewis-Jones surveys the traditional beliefs and everyday customs associated with the Cotswolds, bringing together seasonal rituals, taboos, cures, remedies and local recipes. The book also considers regional dance, song and language, showing how folklore was woven into ordinary community life.

Alongside these customs are accounts of witches, ghosts and local mysteries, with particular attention to stories attached to the landscape. Legends surrounding the Devil’s Chimney and the Rollright Stones appear alongside lesser-known tales, including the reported secret marriage at Snowshill Manor. The result is a regional collection that places supernatural traditions beside vernacular culture, inherited practices and stories rooted in specific Cotswold places.