About this book
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 communities that told and retold it, preserving traces of local identity alongside the stories themselves.
Among the tales are Brave Mary of Mill Hill, the otherworldly King Herla, the Pickpockets of Sturry, the Wantsum Wyrm and the Battle of Sandwich. The collection ranges from legendary figures and monstrous creatures to stories rooted in particular Kentish places and episodes. Illustrations accompany the text, while Cooper’s experience as a full-time storyteller informs a book designed around the enduring power of spoken tradition.
