When you think of witchcraft in earlier centuries, you probably think of stereotypically wizened women, huddled around cauldrons or casting curses. You probably wouldn’t immediately think of royal witches. Yet within the space of a single century, there were four women in England’s royal family that fell prey to witchcraft accusations. Whether they actually practiced…

Shapeshifting witches appear in various British tales, in which witches appear as cats, hares or even hedgehogs. In other stories, they can magically transform humans into horses, to carry them to their meetings. Let’s look at shapeshifting witches in this week’s episode of Fabulous Folklore! The Witch by Ronald Hutton – https://amzn.to/3ZE3483 Find the images…

Shapeshifting is an ancient ability that appears in cultures around the world across a vast period of time. It appears in an array of ‘types’ of shapeshifting. Some creatures can simply shift their form due to a natural ability. Gods often change their form (hello, Zeus), but they can also change the form of others….

Furniture tells us a lot about a period, people, or place. It’s solid, so it can often be the only tangible artefact left. It often bears the impression of human activity through use, and they tell stories. Items of furniture also carry their own traditions through the ways in which we use the things that…