Fortean Times Folklore Special
Way back in the mists of time, the very first piece of writing I ever had published professionally appeared in Fortean Times #187. Back in the summer of 2004, my article on John Middleton –…
“The Last Wolf in England” in Fortean Times #375
I’m very pleased to be back in the pages of Fortean Times – the first place I was ever published, back in 2004 – with an article entitled “The Last Wolf in England“. The month…
Spring Heeled Jack Visits Liverpool, from Fortean Times #238
Today Dr. Karl Bell has posted an very interesting article entitled Spring-heeled Jack: The Terror of Victorian England over on the #FolkloreThursday website. This reminded me of my own small Spring Heeled Jack piece, originally…
British Ash Tree Folklore, from Fortean Times #297
This short Forum piece was originally published in Fortean Times #297, released in January 2013 (dated February 2013 on the cover).
Reposted here for possible #FolkloreThursday interest
The common ash is the third most widespread tree species in Britain, making up 5.5% of UK woodland with an estimated further twelve million ashes in non woodland areas. 1 2 Although the ash may not have the same iconic status as Ye Olde Oak, it is nevertheless a tree whose roots are firmly embedded in the history and folklore of the UK.
Fortean Times 319 featuring John’s piece on Glasgow’s Sighthill Stone Circle
Haunted murder houses, Glasgow stone circle, Scottish Paranormal Festival, flying wizard, cat-faced woman, bowmen of Mars and lots more!
It’s always a pleasure to write for Fortean Times – the magazine that published my very first professional article back in the ye ancient mists of time. This month I’ve written about an urban stone circle in Glasgow, and it’s all thanks to Twitter. Back in February Scarfolk Council tweeted the following wonderful image:
The mayor of #Scarfolk very much approves of Glasgow town planning… pic.twitter.com/yPNcSCgptF
— Scarfolk Council (@Scarfolk) February 14, 2014
In the short conversation that followed I became e-acquainted with the very lovely Zan Phee who gave me loads of info about the circle and put me in touch with her own equally wonderful mother, Almare Merille (who features in the article).
The story of the circle is a truly fascinating one and I’m amazed that more people (myself included) didn’t already know about it. Massive, massive thanks to Scarfolk and to Zan, both of whom I stupidly neglected to thank in print. Sorry.
Update: Following news that Dr. Kenny Brophy aka The Urban Prehistorian is soon to publish a new blog on what’s happening with Sighthill stone circle in 2020 I thought now would be a good time to post my 2014 article in full.
Lightning Tree Lore in Fortean Times #297
I have a little Forum piece about some of the British folklore surrounding Ash trees in the February issue of Fortean Times. Ashes were once believed to be a magnet for lightning strikes – probably…