Jacqueline Simpson: 5 books

Shiver at the story of the malevolent apparition of 50 Berkeley Square no one has survived seeing. Listen for the tapping cane, when Jeremy Bentham’s mummified body walks through the corridors of University College. Watch out for the Roman centurion who still patrols the causeway linking...

Why do British pubs have such curious names? What tales lie behind the Moonrakers, the Hooden Horse, the Derby Tup? And why does the Green Man come in different shapes and sizes? In Green Men & White Swans, leading folklorist Jacqueline Simpson explores the fascinating stories behind pub...

Terry Pratchett joins up with a leading folklorist to reveal the legends, myths and customs of Discworld, together with helpful hints from Planet Earth. Most of us grew up having always known when to touch wood or cross our fingers, and what happens when a princess kisses a frog or a boy pulls...

Sussex, though near London and nowadays extensively urbanized, has a rich heritage of traditional local stories, customs, and beliefs. Among many topics explored here are tales linked to landscape features and ancient churches which involve such colorful themes as lost bells, buried treasures, dragons,...

This Dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. An engrossing guide to English folklore and traditions, with over 1,250 entries. Folklore...