From Beltane bonfires to Samhain dancing, there has been a resurgence in traditional Celtic rituals across both Cornwall and the western world. Perform a quick Instagram search for the Celtic holiday of #Imbolc and you will come across almost 100,000 photos including candle-adorned altars, floral offerings and old-fashioned herbal tinctures. It is not just seasonal…Continue Reading “The Rise of Celtic Rituals in the 21st Century: Lessons for Cornish Heritage”
The Drollercoaster series continues with another folktale from Cornwall’s eastern land of Wivelshire provided by Robert Burroughs. In this case the story relates to the former fishing village of Portwrinkle, or Porth Wrickle as it is known locally, that is located at the western end of Whitsand Bay. The story is followed by background notes…Continue Reading “The Hudol of Porth Wrickle”
Robert Burroughs explores the legends and drolls of Wivelshire in the introduction to a new series. South East Cornwall is often referred to as ‘Cornwall’s Forgotten Corner’ in part due to its geography, but also to its local history. It was traditionally made up of the parishes of one of the old Hundreds of Wivelshire;…Continue Reading “Drollercoaster”
Ronald James explores the rich stories of Cornish folklore in relation to his new book on the subject published in 2019 by the University of Exeter Press A trite question often surfaces during media interviews: ‘What is your favourite … fill in the blank’; in my case, ‘what is your favourite Cornish legend?’ With the…Continue Reading “Reflections on Cornish Folklore”
Along the Atlantic Coast of Cornwall, a few miles west of St Ives, sits the small village named “Zennor.” The village is home to 196 residents, a small pub, a few guest houses, and a church. Although the church itself is of Norman origins, it is said to stand on the site of a Celtic…Continue Reading “The Mermaid of Zennor”
Part one of the introduction by T J Kennedy to this series gave a panoramic over view which covered global aspects of the topic. In this section he discusses Cornish facets of the subject matter in greater depth. Much has been written reference Cornish myths and folklore. For example, Craig Weatherhill and Paul Devereux in…Continue Reading “Cornish Myths & Legends – Part Two”