Subscribe now for full access and no adverts
REVIEW BY EDWARD BIDDULPH
How did a giant ship create the White Cliffs of Dover? Why can Oxfordshire’s Rollright Stones never be counted? Which ghost said to haunt Lake Windermere was recorded on Ordnance Survey mapping? The answers can be found in Jo Woolf’s absorbing book, which presents an alternative guide to some of Britain’s best-loved natural and historical sites, and the stories and folklore associated with them.
As much as archaeologists work to uncover, assemble, and interpret evidence to bring us plausible narratives about the origins, development, and use of places, sometimes it is the tales and legends that speak most readily to us. Who is not thrilled by stories of figures like Robin Hood or King Arthur and the prospect, however remote, that we can see evidence of their exploits in the landscapes we visit? Their elusiveness as historical figures places them and their stories too far beyond reach to serve as established fact, but their familiarity through the retelling of their stories and the visiting of the locations associated with them makes us reluctant to dismiss their reality entirely.
Though a slim volume, Britain’s Landmarks and Legends is packed with fascinating glimpses into the folklore and local traditions that are associated with many well-known sites. The book is arranged by region, with England being divided into south-west, south-east, central and eastern, and northern zones, and separate sections on Wales and Scotland. Encompassing sites as iconic as Stonehenge, Avebury, and the Cerne Giant, it is no wonder that the south-west region forms the largest single section, taking up 57 of the book’s 224 pages. Readers can dip in and out of the volume, perhaps in anticipation of visits to, say, Bamburgh Castle or Sherwood Forest, but reading it cover to cover also brings rewards, revealing common aspects of folklore and connections between sites.
One figure who seems to be at the heart of many tales and legends is King Arthur. Associations with the king of legend go far beyond Tintagel, the place on the wild Cornwall coast that is perhaps most closely linked with Arthur (a link given a boost by the discovery of an inscription marked ‘Artognou’). Other sites with connections to Arthur include Badbury Rings in Dorset, the White Horse of Uffington in Oxfordshire, Blencathra within the Fells of the Lake District, and Cadair Idris within the Eryri National Park. The Devil also features frequently in Britain’s myths, being responsible for several geological phenomena, such as Cheddar Gorge, and he may still lie in wait to make mischief on unsuspecting tourists.
Naturally, in a book about folklore and legend, there are few archaeological or scientific facts to interrupt the flow, but Jo Woolf brings in snippets of information where necessary, for example dates offered by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) to determine the date of the original scouring of Uffington’s White Horse or the Cerne Giant. The author refers as well to ley lines associated with some sites, such as the church of St Michael de Rupe on the edge of Dartmoor, as plotted by ‘Earth-energy diviners’ – but, presented without comment, readers may wonder whether the author has included such references as if they are science on a par with OSL dating or as examples of modern folklore and mythmaking. In the myths that surround many sites like a veil of mist may be preserved traces of historical practices and events. Local tales of the Devil (him again) offering soup, milk, or porridge to moonlight visitors to Chanctonbury Ring, for example, may have their origins in religious feasting associated with the Roman-period temple that was constructed on the site.
Britain’s Landmarks and Legends is a compelling collection of archaeological just-so stories and tales of natural landmarks, enhanced by attractive illustrations by Claire Harrup. It is a page-turning read, and a perfect travel companion, being small enough to take with you to the various locations and, maybe, conjure up King Arthur and other spirits of the place.
Jo Woolf
National Trust, £12.99
ISBN 978-0008567644
