Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present

This is the definitive guide to British folklore. Written by two of the country’s leading experts, it covers everything from wizards and witches to UFOs and internet fanfiction.

Owen Davies is Professor of Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. He is the author of numerous books, most recently Art of Grimoire and Troubled by Faith: Insanity and the Supernatural in the Age of the Asylum (both 2023). He has been described as Britain’s foremost academic expert on the history of magic.

Ceri Houlbrook is Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire. Her books include The Magic of Coin-Trees (2018), Unlocking the Love-Lock (2021) and Ritual ’Litter’ Redressed (2022). In addition to her scholarly work, she writes folklore-inspired fiction.