TITLE: Peterborough Folklore
AUTHOR: Francis Young
PUBLISHER: Lasse Press, 2017
ISBN: 0993306977
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Mark Norman
The local history / folklore / paranormal crossover book has been with us for many years. There is usually much of interest in these, but their quality is notoriously variable. At their weakest they can just be an exercise in rearranging; taking old and time-worn stories and events and laying them out in a different order. Sometimes they are compiled by well-meaning local researchers who know their subject, but not how to present it. Often they are rather good and provide a fascinating read.
Just occasionally, an exceptional example of the genre comes along. Displaying a wide breadth of knowledge, detailed research, written for the ley reader and yet presented with academic rigour, Peterborough Folklore falls firmly into this latter category.
Author Francis Young acknowledges on page 17 of the introduction to the book, that “folklore rarely fits into neat categories and therefore it is always a challenge to organise the material for a study such as this”. He has therefore chosen to take differing approaches for different chapters through the book. The first two chapters look at older historic themes. The first looks at the old and new religions and addresses the shift between the two and the subsuming of the ancient stories and legends. Through an examination of each, the book makes a good attempt at teasing out the origins of Peterborough. The second chapter moves on to examine themes and beliefs which were common across the history of all geographical areas; those of magic, the devil and witchcraft. Young cites numerous examples from places within the scope of his study which may be compared to wider collections on the subject. He also discusses in detail aspects which are more regional in nature, such as the Toadmen and their rituals.
Chapters 3 and 4 take the form of those eclectic collections of regional folklore traditions and beliefs collected when fieldwork by knowledgeable independent folklorists was at its height. It is a lamentable shame that we see such things so rarely these days and hence these chapters are really to be welcomed.
Chapter 3 takes us on an alphabetical guided tour of the parishes of Peterborough, introducing the reader to many of the stories, legends of nomenclature, landmarks and art. Here be ghosts and creatures, boundary crosses and paintings, along with the stories of how they came to be.
Chapter 4 leads us through the calendar customs and rituals of the seasonal year in Peterbrough and invites us to compare them to broader established works such as Roud’s The English Year or Hutton’s The Stations of the Sun. Here you will find common expected events such as Plough Monday or St. Mark’s Eve intermingled with regional calendrical customs such as Wyldbore’s Day (named after the MP for Peterborough between 1768 and 1780) or Bridge Fair.
The book concludes with a useful Appendix on mummers’ plays in Peterborough, including excerpts from various local versions.
People thinking that perhaps this book might be of limited interest to those not familiar with the Peterborough area should probably step back and think again. In short, Peterborough Folklore is highly recommended and goes some way to restore faith in the genre of book of which it is an example.
AUTHOR: Francis Young
PUBLISHER: Lasse Press, 2017
ISBN: 0993306977
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Mark Norman
The local history / folklore / paranormal crossover book has been with us for many years. There is usually much of interest in these, but their quality is notoriously variable. At their weakest they can just be an exercise in rearranging; taking old and time-worn stories and events and laying them out in a different order. Sometimes they are compiled by well-meaning local researchers who know their subject, but not how to present it. Often they are rather good and provide a fascinating read.
Just occasionally, an exceptional example of the genre comes along. Displaying a wide breadth of knowledge, detailed research, written for the ley reader and yet presented with academic rigour, Peterborough Folklore falls firmly into this latter category.
Author Francis Young acknowledges on page 17 of the introduction to the book, that “folklore rarely fits into neat categories and therefore it is always a challenge to organise the material for a study such as this”. He has therefore chosen to take differing approaches for different chapters through the book. The first two chapters look at older historic themes. The first looks at the old and new religions and addresses the shift between the two and the subsuming of the ancient stories and legends. Through an examination of each, the book makes a good attempt at teasing out the origins of Peterborough. The second chapter moves on to examine themes and beliefs which were common across the history of all geographical areas; those of magic, the devil and witchcraft. Young cites numerous examples from places within the scope of his study which may be compared to wider collections on the subject. He also discusses in detail aspects which are more regional in nature, such as the Toadmen and their rituals.
Chapters 3 and 4 take the form of those eclectic collections of regional folklore traditions and beliefs collected when fieldwork by knowledgeable independent folklorists was at its height. It is a lamentable shame that we see such things so rarely these days and hence these chapters are really to be welcomed.
Chapter 3 takes us on an alphabetical guided tour of the parishes of Peterborough, introducing the reader to many of the stories, legends of nomenclature, landmarks and art. Here be ghosts and creatures, boundary crosses and paintings, along with the stories of how they came to be.
Chapter 4 leads us through the calendar customs and rituals of the seasonal year in Peterbrough and invites us to compare them to broader established works such as Roud’s The English Year or Hutton’s The Stations of the Sun. Here you will find common expected events such as Plough Monday or St. Mark’s Eve intermingled with regional calendrical customs such as Wyldbore’s Day (named after the MP for Peterborough between 1768 and 1780) or Bridge Fair.
The book concludes with a useful Appendix on mummers’ plays in Peterborough, including excerpts from various local versions.
People thinking that perhaps this book might be of limited interest to those not familiar with the Peterborough area should probably step back and think again. In short, Peterborough Folklore is highly recommended and goes some way to restore faith in the genre of book of which it is an example.