The Clarke Charm Collection: Of Witch Bottles, Witch Cakes and Hag Stones
Clarke’s charm collection reveals a range of uses, including cures for sore throats, the protection of seafarers from drowning, and good luck charms.
Good Friday Customs: The Peculiar Washing of Molly Grime
David Castleton explores a curious local tradition in Glentham, Lincolnshire, which seems to merge folkloric traditions with Christian rituals.
Rag Trees, Blessed Fish and Blind Horses: Some Traditions around Holy Wells in Ireland
Ireland has at least 3,000 wells that are, or were at least up until recently, looked upon as holy or blessed.
Gallows, Germs, or God: Why is it Bad Luck to Put Shoes on the Table?
According to some, leaving shoes on the table is a harbinger of death. This originates from the practice of honouring fatalities in the mining industry.
New Year Celebrations: Herrings in Bonnets at Hogmanay?
In a strange old custom, the Dundee dressed herring is dressed in a crepe paper skirt and bonnet combination in bright colours, tied to ribbons, and carried through the streets and into homes on Hogmanay night.