“From Witch-Bottles to Wishing-Wells: The Folklore in our Landscapes”

“From Witch-Bottles to Wishing-Wells: The Folklore in our Landscapes” with Dr. Ceri Houlbrook

Summary

The British Isles have been inhabited by humans continuously since the end of the last Ice Age. So, for around fifteen thousand years people have been leaving their marks on the landscapes of Britain. Many of these marks reveal ritual customs, offering us valuable insights (or enigmatic glimpses) into folklore, magical practices, and religious beliefs. Some of these marks are prominent features in a landscape. But most ritual traces are more subtle, speaking less of formal religion, and more of personal, folkloric, and diverse engagements with Britain’s landscapes. This talk will explore such customs, ranging from the use of buried bottles in the 18th century to counteract bewitchment, to the tossing of coins into fountains for wishes.

Bio

Dr Ceri Houlbrook is a leading expert on contemporary British folklore and Programme Leader of England’s only Masters in Folklore Studies. Inspired by childhood stories of boggarts and fairies in Manchester’s Boggart Hole Clough, Houlbrook’s work explores folklore as a living tradition. Houlbrook co-authored Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present and draws on her research in her magical realist debut novel,Winter’s Wishfall. 

Venue:
Fairfield Social Club
Irk St
M4 4 JT


Event Running Time:
Doors 12pm
Introduction: 12:25pm
Lecture: 12:30pm
Q&A: 13:15pm
Mix & mingle with other attendees 13:25pm
Wrap up 13:45pm

Food:
If you plan on eating at the venue, we recommend arriving as early as possible so the kitchen can get your order out before the talk starts.

FAQ

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