Part of a series on the county folklore and festivals of the United Kingdom, this remarkable and well researched book on the festival customs and feast day practices all drawn from the voices of the people who took part in them. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Containing more that two thousand supersitions of Britain ranging over the past six hundred years, and extending down to the present day,this book demonstrates that superstitions are world-wide and inherent in all peoples of the world in exactly identical forms of fear and avoidance.

The county of Lincolnshire is a beautiful mixture of low-lying marshy fen land, modest hills and the steep valleys of the rolling Wolds; it is also home to a wealth of folklore, legend and intrigue. With one of the most interesting dialects in the country, this vast region is also rich in superstitions, songs and traditional games. A study of the daily life, lore and customs of Lincolnshire are here interspersed with stories of monstrous black hounds, dragon lairs, witches, Tiddy Mun, mischievous imps and tales of the people known as the Yellowbellies. This fully illustrated book explores the origins and meanings of Lincolnshire's traditions and shows how the customs of the past have influenced the ways of the present.

Yule, Beltane, and Halloween Festivals explores ancient celebrations and feasts that ancient communities of people held in worship of their gods. James Napier shines light on long-forgotten rituals and beliefs in this exploration of ancient religion. First published in 1879, this volume is a fascinating investigation of the festivals and feasts that were held in worship of the sun. These prehistoric communities viewed the sun as the giver and vivifier of all life.

This broad-based collection of essays is an introduction both to the concerns of contemporary folklore scholarship and to the variety of forms that folk performance has taken throughout English history. Combining case studies of specific folk practices with discussion of the various different lenses through which they have been viewed since becoming the subject of concerted study in Victorian times, this book builds on the latest work in an ever-growing body of contemporary folklore scholarship. Many of the contributing scholars are also practicing performers and bring experience and understanding of performance to their analyses and critiques. Chapters range across the spectrum of folk song, music, drama and dance, but maintain a focus on the key defining characteristics of folk performance – custom and tradition – in a full range of performances, from carol singing and sword dancing to playground rhymes and mummers' plays. As well as being an essential reference for folklorists and scholars of traditional performance and local history, this is a valuable resource for readers in all disciplines of dance, drama, song and music whose work coincides with English folk traditions.