Fran Doel – författare

The Green Man has many facets, many dimensions. He peers through his leaf mask in hundreds of church misericords and stone carvings. His innate link with the changing seasons and fertility is revealed in the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and in summer folk customs such as Jack in the Green, the Castleton Garland and the Burry Man. Perhaps he even lurks in the legendary hero of the Greenwood, Robin Hood.The authors have been running summer schools and courses on the Green Man for many years, and in this fascinating study they discuss his significance in medival times and explore the modern development of the concept of the Green Man. The book also contains a detailed gazetteer of over 200 sites, featuring almost 1000 carvings (many photographed by Felicity Howlett).

Folklore of Dorset explores the rich heritage of the county’s traditions, seasonal customs and songs. Included are saints’ lore and smugglers, wife sales, wrecking, witchcraft, wise men and West Gallery Music, hill figures, hempseed divination and holy wells, mummers’ plays, May garlands and maypoles, Oosers and Oak Apple Day, bonfires and Beating the Bounds. The sources used include the poems and non-fiction of William Barnes, Thomas Hardy, the historian of Dorset John Hutchins, the Victorian and early twentieth-century folklorist John Udal and the Hammmond Brothers’ collection of Dorset folksongs. The authors critically engage with the extent to which Hardy and Barnes can be regarded as primary sources for Dorset folklore. There is also considerable original research and use of oral material. Nearly 100 fascinating photographs illustrate the text and there is an appendix of a full mummers’ play.

Folklore of Northumbria is a comprehensive survey, drawing on a wide range of printed, manuscript and oral material and it places the folklore of Northumbria in its historical, cultural, religious and social context. It is richly illustrated and covers a wide range of subjects including; witchcraft, dragon lore, seasonal customs, ghosts, legends and mythology.

Kentish folklore reflects the curious geography and administrative history of Kent, with its extensive coastline and strong regional differences, which are reflected in distinctive cultural traditions. Bounded by sea on three sides, Kent has the longest coastline of any English county and was the base for much maritime activity, giving rise to communities rich in sea-lore.Fran and Geoff Doel explore the folklore, legends, customs and songs of Kent and the causative factors behind them. From saints to smugglers, hop-pickers to hoodeners, mummers to May garlands and wife sales to witchcraft, this book charts the traditional culture of a populous and culturally significant southern county.

This absorbing collection of Sussex carols and customs, seasonal recipes and literary tales, plays and pastimes, re-examines the rich heritage of Christmas past from around the county. Stories range from the Anglo-Saxon era to the Second World War, encompassing urban and rural Sussex, and featuring secular and religious celebrations of rich and poor, which is sure to enthrall both long-time residents and newcomers alike.From tales of Brighton Pavilion under snow and old festive recipes to well-known seasonal songs, such as Good King Wenceslas and the traditional Sussex wassail, A Sussex Christmas provides the reader with a seasonal anthology of the county and will be a treat for all.