Hampshire 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 includes legends associated with the Bisterne Dragon, Sir Bevois, St Swithun, the Wherwell Cockatrice and Combe Gibbet.

Alongside humorous material and stories of love, lust and passion are darker accounts of witches, screaming skulls, plague coaches, wandering corpses and murderous rulers. Michael O'Leary gathered many of these tales through his work as a storyteller, teacher, gardener and greenkeeper, while others developed through repeated telling at schools, festivals and local events. Marcel O'Leary's graphic illustrations accompany the stories.