Carlisle began life as Luguvalium, a Roman settlement that grew out of the fort on the site. It was the capital of an ancient British kingdom. Both Vikings and Saxons captured the city. Over time, it took on strategic importance for its location near the Scottish border. But with so many clashes between the Scots and the English, not to mention the tensions caused by the Border Reivers, it's safe to say Carlisle has a tumultuous history. And where you have history, you have legends! Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post ..read more

While York is often considered one of England's most haunted cities, other strange and unusual tales lurk in its narrow snickleways. There are stories of premature burial, printer's devils, cats that are either lucky or cursed, depending on your perspective, highwaymen, and an inevitable tale of witchcraft. Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/york-folklore/ RSVP for my Folklore of Magical Trees talk: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-folklore-of-magical-trees-tickets-912709648127?aff=erel ..read more

Rue was cultivated in England for its medicinal use, having been introduced by the Romans! It appears in folk remedies to ward off evil spirits, poison, and plague, It also works in prophecy and hexes. Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/rue-folklore/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Fabulous Folklor ..read more

St John's Wort often flowers around Midsummer's Day, or the Feast of St John, hence its strong links with St John. It's one of the most important plants in European folk magic! It's used for protection, warding off nightmare, and even love divination. Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/st-johns-wort-folklore/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and article ..read more

Daniela Simina is native of Romania, granddaughter of a Fairy Seer and medicine woman. She became acquainted with fairies through the local lore and folklore and through direct personal experience. Daniela teaches courses, classes, and workshops on various modalities of energetic rebalancing and of course, fairies. She is the author of Where Fairies Meet: Parallels between Irish and Romanian Fairy Traditions, A Fairy Path: The Memoir of a Young Fairy Seer in Training and Fairy Herbs for Fairy Magic- A Practical Guide to Fairy Herbalism. Daniela’s quest is to empower others through awakening to ..read more

Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, is a member of the Lamiaceae family, along with mint, rosemary, marjoram, sage, basil, and lavender. Its popular name comes from the fact the leaves smell of lemon when crushed. In contemporary witchcraft, balm makes a popular ingredient in incense used for healing, reducing grief, or boosting the memory. It's also a plant that appears in folk remedies and herbalism alike, without accruing much folklore as an actual plant. Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick ..read more

Poppy folklore isn't just full of Remembrance Sunday or sleep charms. It even has links to love and honouring the dead!  Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/poppy-folklore/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Enjoyed this ep ..read more

The iris is one of those instantly recognisable flowers, showy and bright with its voluminous petals, able to add a splash of colour to any garden. They've been beloved by humans for millennia, apparently favoured as far back as ancient Egypt as a decorative device. So how does the iris show up in folklore? Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/iris-folklore/ Book tickets for my in-person Midsummer talk: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/newcastlecastle/items/528797/calendar/2024/06/?full-i ..read more

As we've seen with these European cities, ancient settlements often produce a range of ghosts and legends. It's unsurprising, with so many people living out their lives in close proximity across such a span of time. Milan's folkloric side includes traditional cuisine, dragons, ghostly women in black veils, and even a column defaced by the Devil - among other things.  Let's find out more in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/milan-legends/ Book tickets for my Midsummer talk: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/bo ..read more

Althaea Sebastiani is a spiritworker and religious educator whose work focuses on helping people navigate the realities of deep spiritual practice. Their work is punctuated by strong emphasis on doing the work and encourages learning through direct experience. A spirit-led witch with nearly 30 years’ experience, their personal practice is land-based and devotional, focused on being responsive to the spirits of the land wherever their travels take them and doing right by the Gods Who have called them into Their service. In this chat we explore what animism is, how it relates to witchcraft, whet ..read more