Kai Roberts – författare

Nestled amidst the windswept moorlands of the South Pennines, Halifax has always had a wild reputation: ‘From Hell, Hull and Halifax, good Lord deliver us’ ran the ‘Beggars’ Litany’. But was it just a grisly fate at the hands of the Halifax Gibbet, England’s last guillotine, that they feared? From historical boggarts to modern poltergeists, the region teems with intruders from beyond the veil: they stalk the gritstone crags and the austere chapels, the tumbledown mills and the ancient taverns. Haunted Halifax & District explores the manifestations and territory of these unquiet spirits, all in the light of the area’s colourful history and wider folkloric context. Including such highlights as the spectre of Emily Brontë and a headless coachman with two two headless horses, it will intrigue visitors and residents alike.

The beautiful county of Yorkshire is the largest in England, and yet still possesses a strong and cohesive regional identity. Built on centuries of shared tradition, a characteristic body of folklore has thrived and endured well into the present day.Folklore of Yorkshire chronicles such beliefs throughout the whole county, identifying distinctive common themes, placing them in their historical context and considering their social and psychological function. You’ll discover Yorkshire’s holy wells and buried treasure, its boggarts, Black Dogs and fairies, and the legends behind the county’s stunning landscape.This fully illustrated book shows how the customs of the past have influenced the ways of today, whilst also revealing something about the nature of folklore itself, both for the tradition-bearers and those who collect it.