Talk:English folklore

Parish Ales as folklore?!

Before the English Reformation, Parish Ales were brewed and sold to raise funds for the parish. Many perhaps most parishes had a church-house close to the church, where, amongst other things, the ale was brewed. It is not uncommon for church-houses to have survived as pubs — quite independently of the church. See for example (refactored)Eamon Duffy’s Voices of Morebath where the practice is described in some detail. I cannot see how it is in any sense “folklore”. Penelope Coleman (talk) 20:25, 8 October 2017 (UTC)

It depends upon how you define "folklore". As a calendar custom, it would be accepted by most definitions. Neil S. Walker (talk) 10:11, 24 April 2018 (UTC)

Remove 'In other media' section?

I'm thinking of removing the entire 'in other media' section since it seems too difficult and unnecessary to continuously update. An interested reader could probably go to the page of a certain piece of folklore to see other media of it.

Also, is it recommended for me to post these kinds of high-impact changes on the talk page? I'm a new editor of Wikipedia and I'm wondering how far we should go with the 'be brave' thing :) Emmder (talk) 08:16, 1 January 2022 (UTC)

UPDATE! I've just removed that section but please go to my talk page or talk here if you want to discuss. Emmder (talk) 23:40, 9 January 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 08:41, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Proposed Table of Contents for English Folklore

Hello all,

I’d like to propose a comprehensive restructuring of the *English folklore* article to improve thematic clarity, chronological flow, and alignment with Featured Article standards. While the current article offers a broad overview, several sections (e.g., “Common folklore”) lack context, citations, and structure. Key aspects like folk medicine, death lore, and regional variation are currently underdeveloped or absent.

Below is a draft contents outline for discussion:

1. Lead

Concise definition of English folklore

Overview of key themes (oral tradition, myth, ritual, belief, revival)

Significance in cultural identity and academic study

2. Overview

Relationship to British folklore, Celtic traditions, and English history

Intersections with Christianity, paganism, and modern secular culture

3. Historical Development 3.1. Pre-Christian beliefs and mythic survivals 3.2. Medieval Christian folklore and saints' cults 3.3. Early modern era: witchcraft, ballads, and printed broadsides 3.4. Victorian and Edwardian folklorism 3.5. Post-war to present: decline, revival, and reinvention

4. Themes and Motifs 4.1. Folk Beings and Supernatural Creatures

– Hob, Boggart, Black Shuck, Faeries

4.2. Folk Rituals and Seasonal Customs

– May Day, Well dressing, Mumming, Bonfire Night

4.3. Omens, Portents, and Superstitions

– Elfshot, Doom paintings, Magpies, Lucky charms

4.4. Folk Explanations and Magic

– Curses, charms, herbal cures, witch bottles

4.5. Death, Ghosts, and Burial Lore

– Corpse roads, churchyard superstitions, spectral legends

4.6. Children’s Folklore

– Nursery rhymes, skipping songs, urban legends

5. Regional Traditions 5.1. Northumbria and Yorkshire 5.2. The West Country 5.3. East Anglia 5.4. Midlands 5.5. The South East and London 5.6. County-specific traditions

6. Modern Folklore and Urban Legends 6.1. Ghost stories and local myths 6.2. Ritual practices and persistent superstitions 6.3. Media, internet culture, and neopagan reinterpretations

7. Folklore Studies and Scholarship 7.1. The Folklore Society 7.2. Academic approaches to English folklore 7.3. Key texts and folklorists (e.g., Briggs, Simpson, Roud)

8. Legacy and Popular Culture 8.1. Influence on literature and film (Tolkien, Pratchett, Hammer horror) 8.2. Folk music and the revivalist movements 8.3. Role in English national identity debates

9. See also

10. References

11. Further reading

12. External links

ForayHistory (talk) 14:12, 29 May 2025 (UTC)