The Folklore of Warwickshire

Roy Palmer’s county study brings together Warwickshire traditions about celebrated figures, legendary characters and the places associated with them. Shakespeare, Charles I, Lady Godiva and Sir Guy of Warwick appear alongside accounts rooted in the county’s working communities, from farm labourers and miners to Coventry weavers and Birmingham factory workers.

The book also records everyday beliefs, witchcraft, ghost stories and ceremonies connected with birth, marriage and death. Fairs, wakes, popular sports and pastimes broaden the picture of local custom, while the closing sections concentrate on song and street balladry. Palmer’s particular interest in folk music is evident in the inclusion of musical examples, including songs gathered from previously unpublished material.