Sophia Kingshill

Jennifer Westwood

A rich guide to a fascinating set of myths, this book explores the legends attached to buildings such as Balbegno Castle, whose last Laird was killed in battle before returning as a ghost to prophecy a friend’s future greatness; examines the tales behind landscape features such as Dowalton Loch, said to contain an ancient village in its depths; and looks at the strange events commemorated by monuments such as the Martyr’s Tomb in Wigtown, erected in memory of the "Covenanters," who resisted Charles II’s 1679 reintroduction of bishops. Along the way, it explains when these stories date from, how they arose, and what historical events--if any--underlie them, and the result is an endlessly fascinating exploration of the astonishing wealth of Scottish folklore.

A Guide to Scottish Legends

The Lore of Scotland

Anyone with a love of the British coast will know that the shores of these islands are steeped in intriguing tales and ancient traditions. From stories of pirates and smugglers to accounts of ghost ships and sea serpents, via wreckers' sayings, fishermen's prayers and sailors' rituals, no matter where you look you'll find an astonishingly rich variety of local legends, customs and superstitions. In The Call of the Sea, renowned folklorists Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill gather together many of the most enthralling yarns from Great Britain and Ireland, tracing their origins and examining what basis - if any - they have in fact. Does the lost land of Lyonesse, site of King Arthur's final battle, really exist? Why did Scottish Highlanders believe that seals were enchanted royalty? Did the mermaid market on the Channel Islands ever happen? Along the way, they breathe life into ancient stories such as the tale of 'Jack the Painter', whose chains may be heard rattling in Portsmouth Harbour on a windy night, and the Fata Morgana, through which you can see a ghostly city off the coast of Kent. The result is a unique picture of our coastal heritage and the stories that are such an integral part of our Island history.

Legends & Traditions from Around the Shores of Britain & Ireland

The Fabled Coast

Jennifer Beatrice Westwood

Scotland's rich past and varied landscape have inspired an extraordinary array of legends and beliefs, and in "The Lore of Scotland" Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill bring together many of the finest and most intriguing: stories of heroes and bloody feuds, tales of giants, fairies, and witches, and accounts of local customs and traditions. Their range extends right across the country, from the Borders with their haunting ballads, via Glasgow, site of St. Mungo's miracles, to the fateful battlefield of Culloden, and finally to the Shetlands, home of the seal-people. More than simply retelling these stories, "The Lore of Scotland" explores their origins, showing how and when they arose and investigating what basis - if any - they have in historical fact. In the process, it uncovers the events that inspired Shakespeare's "Macbeth," probes the claim that Mary King's Close is the most haunted street in Edinburgh, and examines the surprising truth behind the fame of the MacCrimmons, Skye's unsurpassed bagpipers. Moreover, it reveals how generations of Picts, Vikings, Celtic saints and Presbyterian reformers shaped the myriad tales that still circulate, and, from across the country, it gathers together legends of such renowned figures as Sir William Wallace, St Columba, and the great warrior Fingal. The result is a thrilling journey through Scotland's legendary past and an endlessly fascinating account of the traditions and beliefs that play such an important role in its heritage.

This is the first history of a unique family tree, traveling back 3,000 years to discover the enduring myths and the vibrant folklore that continue to enchant us and ensure the mermaid's survival. A woman to the waist and fish below, mermaids have inspired numerous artists and spawned countless tales, from Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid to the West African Mami Wata legend. She has been found in Assyrian reliefs, illuminated in medieval bestiaries, painted onto pub signs and Pre-Raphaelite canvas, inked into skin at tattoo parlors, sketched by Picasso with a Communist hammer and sickle in her hand, cast in Hollywood movies, and graffitied onto city walls. Full color illustrations throughout.

Mermaids

Between the Raven and the Dove

For as long as she can remember, thirteen-year-old Mag has lived with her father at a home for the mentally ill. The patients are all clearly mad, so when the usually silent Grace claims that she's Mag's real mother - and also a witch - Mag's world is turned upside down. As things take a turn for the weird, and Mag sees things that others can't, it may just be that she is a witch after all. In this new world, Mag discovers that the difference between good and evil isn't exactly black and white...

Witchwork

Originally published: London: Random House, 2012.

Mermaids are blessed with one tail or two, are as happy in freshwater as salt, and boast an ancestry that stretches from the classical world to the present, pre-dating Homer's sirens and which will outlive the blood-thirsty nymphs of Pirates of the Caribbean. The mermaid expresses our reliance on the sea for food and trade and draws on our fear and fascination of the unknown depths. From her roots in Assyrian reliefs and her casting in Medieval bestiaries, she has been carved into churches, painted onto pub signs and Pre-Raphaelite canvases, inked into skin, sketched by Picasso, starred in Hollywood movies and in 21st century graffiti, reclaimed as neither vamp nor victim but as a symbol of womanhood and resistance. Few creatures claim this allure or longevity. Mermaids' culture spans eras, continents, art forms.

Sophia Kingshill

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