National Trust call to resurrect folklore for Halloween
The charity wants to hear folk tales from across the country.
The National Trust is calling for the UK to regain its folklore as the nights draw in and Halloween approaches.
Dead beetles causing rain, broken eggshells thwarting witches, and the Devil poisoning berries are among the local superstitions the charity wants to resurrect.
The National Trust is seeking to source waning folk wisdom from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to stop it fading away in an age of social media and advanced technology.
The public has been asked to share their knowledge of folklore from the different regions of the UK.
Dee Dee Chainey, author of A Treasury of British Folklore, said of the project: “The advent of modern technology, and a move away from an agricultural lifestyle, means that a lot of folklore is now being lost and forgotten, but it’s fascinating and helps us understand how our forebears understood their world.
“The folklore and traditions we uphold say a lot about who we are, and the communities we live in.
“By talking about and sharing our folklore we are creating new connections, new communities, and celebrating those ties we have to each other, and the places we live in.”
Jessica Monaghan, of the National Trust, added: “We can all see how much Halloween has captured the public imagination in recent years and our visitors are increasingly interested in the folklore and superstition that is attached to this time of year.
“It’s a brilliant way into learning about the history of beliefs and traditions.”
The National Trust has used these traditions to inform it autumn programme at sites across the country.
The public can share their folk wisdom online via the National Trust online.
