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The Fabled Coast: Legends Traditions from Around the Shores of Britain and Ireland
Pirates and smugglers, ghost ships and sea-serpents, fishermen’s prayers and sailors’ rituals – the coastline of the British Isles plays host to an astonishingly rich variety of local legends, customs, and superstitions.
In The Fabled Coast, renowned folklorists Sophia Kingshill and Jennifer Westwood gather together the most enthralling tales and traditions, tracing their origins and examining the facts behind the legends. Was there ever such a beast as the monstrous Kraken? Did a Welsh prince discover America, centuries before Columbus? What happened to the missing crew of the Mary Celeste? Along the way, they recount the stories that are an integral part of our coastal heritage, such as the tale of Drake’s Drum, said to be heard when England was in peril, and the mythical island of Hy Brazil, which for centuries appeared on sea charts and maps to the west of Ireland. The result is an endlessly fascinating, often surprising journey through our island history.
In The Fabled Coast, renowned folklorists Sophia Kingshill and Jennifer Westwood gather together the most enthralling tales and traditions, tracing their origins and examining the facts behind the legends. Was there ever such a beast as the monstrous Kraken? Did a Welsh prince discover America, centuries before Columbus? What happened to the missing crew of the Mary Celeste? Along the way, they recount the stories that are an integral part of our coastal heritage, such as the tale of Drake’s Drum, said to be heard when England was in peril, and the mythical island of Hy Brazil, which for centuries appeared on sea charts and maps to the west of Ireland. The result is an endlessly fascinating, often surprising journey through our island history.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2012
22 people are currently reading
547 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 30, 2020
This was unlike any other book I've ever read. It takes you on a whirlwind tour around the coast of the UK and Ireland, pausing at particular geographical locations to spin a yarn about a myth, legend, fable, or tradition associated with that area, before galloping on to the next place. Every single one of those pauses and yarns could have probably filled a whole book in themselves, and each one was told so beautifully and concisely, so as to give a richly tantalising window into people's relationships with the sea and one another. There were tales of smugglers and pirates; mermaids, selkies, and kelpies; gods and saints; natural phenomena, fishermen's superstitions, and much more. At the end I felt dizzied, like I'd seen a flash of a thousand bright jewels, and felt very much that the child-like part of me that believes in magic and mermaids had been well-fed. I know that every time I am by the sea now, I will be thinking of all the marvels that I have heard tell of in this book, and keeping a close eye out for sea serpents and ghost ships. I also found out so many things that I didn't know already - even about the area that I grew up in. This is such an important book, bringing together what must have been a lifetime of careful research on the part of the authors, and I think it will prove to be an invaluable reference work - as well as an inspirational one - for a very long time.
September 29, 2016
Folklore is still inherently entrenched into life in the United Kingdom and, indeed, in a vast number of countries and communities on an international scale. The introduction of The Fabled Coast: Legends and Traditions from Around the Shores of Britain and Ireland states that ‘… the coastline of the British Isles plays host to an astonishingly rich variety of local legends, customs and superstitions’, all of which the authors have tried to incorporate into the book. Their main aim, they tell the reader, is to ‘examine the facts behind the legends’.
The introduction, both far-reaching and well-written, describes how such legends came to be. The traditions of storytelling are outlined and then elaborated upon, and instances of the earliest recorded folklore of the sea have been included. Many historical figures also feature on the book’s pages, ranging from Sir Francis Drake to Grace O’Malley, ‘the sixteenth-century pirate queen of Connaught’.
The Fabled Coast is split into a variety of different sections, all of which encompass different counties and districts around the Britain and Ireland. These range from Wales and the Scottish Lowlands to Southern Eire and East Anglia. Every stretch of coastline has been included, as have the majority of the islands which are dotted around our shores. ‘Legends flourish in these borders between land and sea,’ we are told, and such places provide ‘a setting for some of the most beautiful, terrible, and memorable tales of folklore’.
Maps have been included at the start of each section in order to pinpoint the exact areas which the following text refers to. In each separate section, a host of different places have been incorporated, along with the legends, lore and tales which are believed to have originated in them. All are in alphabetical order, hence why the first section on ‘South-West England & Channel Islands’ begins with Abbotsbury, Bideford, Bodmin and Boscastle, and the ‘North-East England’ section ends with entries about Skinningrove, Staithes, Whitby and York.
The legends and folklore which the authors have included have been taken from almost every period in the history of Britain and Ireland, and the stories which are so wonderfully evoked are both ancient and modern. These range from a tale originating in seventeenth-century Bristol regarding a ship believed to have been ‘infested with witches’, to the unexplained phenomenon of St. Elmo’s Fire in Norfolk; from Mrs Leakey, the whistling ghost of Minehead, to the legend of King Arthur’s sword; and from the tale of how the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland came to be, to the ‘drowned city’ of Dunwich in Suffolk. These stories, ranging from the amusing to the chilling, are incredibly well-balanced, and great care has been taken to ensure that no two similar events have been included. References are made to similar tales occurring in other parts of the United Kingdom, but there is an ingrained sense of astuteness on the part of the authors throughout to make certain that each tale can be viewed with the fresh eyes of the reader.
Not just legends and folklore people this volume. Double paged spreads dotted throughout reveal what we know and believe about such stories as Atlantis, The Flying Dutchman and smugglers and wreckers, as well as pages which explain the origins of figureheads and the naming of ships. Events of historical significance, findings from various archaeological digs, mythical creatures and the influence of sea gods upon ancient communities are all woven into the book, creating rather an astoundingly multi-layered volume. Various primary and secondary sources are referenced and quoted throughout the book, and the bibliography and list of references are both impressive in their scale in consequence.
The Fabled Coast is wonderfully set out. The headings are bold and the typeface throughout is consistent. Two sections of glossy pictures can be found in the book, most of which are in colour, and a whole host of black and white illustrations have also been placed next to the appropriate text throughout, adding a wealth of information to the stories they relate to.
Kingshill and Westwood’s book is a rich and far-reaching account, filled with exquisite historical detail. A lot of work has clearly been put into the volume and it is meticulous in its detail. The Fabled Coast is a must-read for anyone interested in folklore, the origins of British traditions and superstitions, or merely as our heritage as a nation. It is perhaps not a volume to read all in one go (as this reviewer did), but one to dip into here and there. Such a book is an incredible achievement, a vast collection of folklore and tradition which deserves to reach an extremely wide readership.
The introduction, both far-reaching and well-written, describes how such legends came to be. The traditions of storytelling are outlined and then elaborated upon, and instances of the earliest recorded folklore of the sea have been included. Many historical figures also feature on the book’s pages, ranging from Sir Francis Drake to Grace O’Malley, ‘the sixteenth-century pirate queen of Connaught’.
The Fabled Coast is split into a variety of different sections, all of which encompass different counties and districts around the Britain and Ireland. These range from Wales and the Scottish Lowlands to Southern Eire and East Anglia. Every stretch of coastline has been included, as have the majority of the islands which are dotted around our shores. ‘Legends flourish in these borders between land and sea,’ we are told, and such places provide ‘a setting for some of the most beautiful, terrible, and memorable tales of folklore’.
Maps have been included at the start of each section in order to pinpoint the exact areas which the following text refers to. In each separate section, a host of different places have been incorporated, along with the legends, lore and tales which are believed to have originated in them. All are in alphabetical order, hence why the first section on ‘South-West England & Channel Islands’ begins with Abbotsbury, Bideford, Bodmin and Boscastle, and the ‘North-East England’ section ends with entries about Skinningrove, Staithes, Whitby and York.
The legends and folklore which the authors have included have been taken from almost every period in the history of Britain and Ireland, and the stories which are so wonderfully evoked are both ancient and modern. These range from a tale originating in seventeenth-century Bristol regarding a ship believed to have been ‘infested with witches’, to the unexplained phenomenon of St. Elmo’s Fire in Norfolk; from Mrs Leakey, the whistling ghost of Minehead, to the legend of King Arthur’s sword; and from the tale of how the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland came to be, to the ‘drowned city’ of Dunwich in Suffolk. These stories, ranging from the amusing to the chilling, are incredibly well-balanced, and great care has been taken to ensure that no two similar events have been included. References are made to similar tales occurring in other parts of the United Kingdom, but there is an ingrained sense of astuteness on the part of the authors throughout to make certain that each tale can be viewed with the fresh eyes of the reader.
Not just legends and folklore people this volume. Double paged spreads dotted throughout reveal what we know and believe about such stories as Atlantis, The Flying Dutchman and smugglers and wreckers, as well as pages which explain the origins of figureheads and the naming of ships. Events of historical significance, findings from various archaeological digs, mythical creatures and the influence of sea gods upon ancient communities are all woven into the book, creating rather an astoundingly multi-layered volume. Various primary and secondary sources are referenced and quoted throughout the book, and the bibliography and list of references are both impressive in their scale in consequence.
The Fabled Coast is wonderfully set out. The headings are bold and the typeface throughout is consistent. Two sections of glossy pictures can be found in the book, most of which are in colour, and a whole host of black and white illustrations have also been placed next to the appropriate text throughout, adding a wealth of information to the stories they relate to.
Kingshill and Westwood’s book is a rich and far-reaching account, filled with exquisite historical detail. A lot of work has clearly been put into the volume and it is meticulous in its detail. The Fabled Coast is a must-read for anyone interested in folklore, the origins of British traditions and superstitions, or merely as our heritage as a nation. It is perhaps not a volume to read all in one go (as this reviewer did), but one to dip into here and there. Such a book is an incredible achievement, a vast collection of folklore and tradition which deserves to reach an extremely wide readership.
March 10, 2021
An enjoyable book which explores the legends from around British shores. It was really interesting to read about so many lost stories and traditions, as well as superstitions. The book is clearly well-researched and I am grateful to the author for taking the time research and record these.
I gave the book 3*, because it was a little drier than I was expecting. It is worth noting this book takes on more of an encylopaedic form, with each legend/entry roughly half a page to a page long. I had been hoping for something more fleshed out, perhaps fewer entries but with more storytelling dedicated to each one. Whilst this does not detract from the work of the author, it is worth knowing before delving into it.
I gave the book 3*, because it was a little drier than I was expecting. It is worth noting this book takes on more of an encylopaedic form, with each legend/entry roughly half a page to a page long. I had been hoping for something more fleshed out, perhaps fewer entries but with more storytelling dedicated to each one. Whilst this does not detract from the work of the author, it is worth knowing before delving into it.
November 26, 2024
A really well written and well researched book about myths and legends from across the UK's coast. It's more like an encyclopedia, with each entry being between half a page and two pages.
I would have liked some more stories to be fleshed out more, and some of the writing felt quite dry
I would have liked some more stories to be fleshed out more, and some of the writing felt quite dry
August 8, 2017
Enjoyable. A collection of folklore, legends & traditions from the coasts of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. Entertaining
August 20, 2014
I was reading this as research for some coastal stories I'm writing and it was a joy to read, engaging and not at all dull. The authors explain the origins of the seafaring tall tales and often debunk them but in a kind way as they obviously love stories of mermaids and shipwrecks as much as I do. The regional sections, cross referencing, and clear indexing made it easy to use too and the illustrations, both colour and sketches, were a fun addition as artists of the past tried to put faces to fantastic beasts of the sea. Recommended for anyone who loves the sea, definitely not just for historians or folklorists.
November 2, 2015
This should have been a 4 star book for me. I picked it up trying to get some fables and ideas to work into my novel writing. And the collection of tales here is fantastic, based all round the Isles where I live and have lived. But often the tale is not told particularly well, coming across bland even thought the subject matter is terrific. So a great reference book for me, with great research but alas let down as the storytelling is just okay. But still worth it for the tales.
March 29, 2024
Subtitled ‘Legends & Traditions from Around the Shores of Britain and Ireland’ the 510 pages of this weighty tome reveal the origins of many a dark tale and some amusing stories.
The place of superstition in forming and embellishing folk tales and traditions is illustrated in this well researched book. It is fascinating how many tales of ghostly apparitions, monsters, and weird sights are reported from the points of view of ‘witnesses’ who have not actually seen them at first hand, but who have known someone who was there. The natural tendency of the narrator of strange events to embellish and embroider their tales of the unexpected, added to the probability of further exaggeration by that common phenomenon of Chinese whispers, most likely explains the reality of these extraordinary stories.
They are none the less fascinating for that. Many readers love to read or to listen to such tales and dip into the potential terror the bogeyman, ghost, headless horseman, etc, can inflict on us as we sit by the fire safe and sound.
There are similarities in many of the tales that emerge from different geographic sources. The superstition of sailors and fishermen is strongly represented by stories set on the high seas, especially those forged in the days before much science was understood. The very act of setting out across a body of water that’s unpredictable, dangerous, unknown, and moody is enough to engender terror in the stoutest heart, after all.
Reading in the comfort of the armchair before the roaring fire, of course, renders such stories as the fairy tales and imaginings they almost all are. Even the factual tales of derring-do suffer a little from embroidery. And it is good that the authors debunk several well-known myths and instead relate the facts as they are known. In fact, the book is probably worth reading for these stories alone.
It's a ‘big read’, and one best undertaken as a series of short swims, rather than a continual long-distance crawl.
The place of superstition in forming and embellishing folk tales and traditions is illustrated in this well researched book. It is fascinating how many tales of ghostly apparitions, monsters, and weird sights are reported from the points of view of ‘witnesses’ who have not actually seen them at first hand, but who have known someone who was there. The natural tendency of the narrator of strange events to embellish and embroider their tales of the unexpected, added to the probability of further exaggeration by that common phenomenon of Chinese whispers, most likely explains the reality of these extraordinary stories.
They are none the less fascinating for that. Many readers love to read or to listen to such tales and dip into the potential terror the bogeyman, ghost, headless horseman, etc, can inflict on us as we sit by the fire safe and sound.
There are similarities in many of the tales that emerge from different geographic sources. The superstition of sailors and fishermen is strongly represented by stories set on the high seas, especially those forged in the days before much science was understood. The very act of setting out across a body of water that’s unpredictable, dangerous, unknown, and moody is enough to engender terror in the stoutest heart, after all.
Reading in the comfort of the armchair before the roaring fire, of course, renders such stories as the fairy tales and imaginings they almost all are. Even the factual tales of derring-do suffer a little from embroidery. And it is good that the authors debunk several well-known myths and instead relate the facts as they are known. In fact, the book is probably worth reading for these stories alone.
It's a ‘big read’, and one best undertaken as a series of short swims, rather than a continual long-distance crawl.
December 22, 2020
This book just wasn't my cup of tea.
Personally the things that annoyed me made this a long book to read and ruined it for me.
Firstly, as someone who read it in chronological order, I found the repetition extremely annoying, for example, there were many stories of mermaids that seemed to repeat themselves with little change and I think this book would have been exponentially better if the chapters where split into topics such as 'mermaids' instead of places so that you don't have to read the same story twice. As well, certain things are explained multiple times although I do understand the necessity of this if you aren't choosing to read this chronologically which I believe is the idea of the book.
Since there is a map given at the start of each chapter, I would of preferred the stories to be in order of the coastline so you could easily follow the coast instead of it being alphabetical!
I think that there are some enjoyable tales in this book that had it been better formatted such as the chapters mentioned above would have made this book a lot better as the writing isn't bad. Stories I enjoyed include 'Mary Celeste', 'Atlantis', 'the wreck of the Titanic', 'the Lewis chessman', 'the cursed lighthouse' of which a Doctor Who episode is based off and 'the haunted U-boat' as well as many little interesting facts I picked up such as the fact that sirens used to be known as half birds, half humans.
Overall, I think there are enjoyable parts to this book that I found greatly interesting however it was just too long and repetitive for me making it one of the hardest books to read this year (but not THE hardest I have read!)
Personally the things that annoyed me made this a long book to read and ruined it for me.
Firstly, as someone who read it in chronological order, I found the repetition extremely annoying, for example, there were many stories of mermaids that seemed to repeat themselves with little change and I think this book would have been exponentially better if the chapters where split into topics such as 'mermaids' instead of places so that you don't have to read the same story twice. As well, certain things are explained multiple times although I do understand the necessity of this if you aren't choosing to read this chronologically which I believe is the idea of the book.
Since there is a map given at the start of each chapter, I would of preferred the stories to be in order of the coastline so you could easily follow the coast instead of it being alphabetical!
I think that there are some enjoyable tales in this book that had it been better formatted such as the chapters mentioned above would have made this book a lot better as the writing isn't bad. Stories I enjoyed include 'Mary Celeste', 'Atlantis', 'the wreck of the Titanic', 'the Lewis chessman', 'the cursed lighthouse' of which a Doctor Who episode is based off and 'the haunted U-boat' as well as many little interesting facts I picked up such as the fact that sirens used to be known as half birds, half humans.
Overall, I think there are enjoyable parts to this book that I found greatly interesting however it was just too long and repetitive for me making it one of the hardest books to read this year (but not THE hardest I have read!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2022
An interesting look at some of the myths, legends and traditions around the coast of Britain and Ireland. Due to the way the book is written it is a great book to pick up and put down as each short story is linked to a place. Due to one of the authors previous works, Scotland and Ireland definitely take up considerably more of the book and this is something to be considered when reading as key seaside towns are not written about and many of the stories are repeated if you have read their previous work. Overall I would recommend as an introduction into the topic and the bibliography helps with further reading ideas.
March 8, 2020
Folklore is still a great part of Britain, with tales, myths and legends still being talked about.
Great collection of tales and myths from around the British Isles and Ireland. Easy to read and a great insight into most of the legends around
Britain.
Great collection of tales and myths from around the British Isles and Ireland. Easy to read and a great insight into most of the legends around
Britain.
January 28, 2020
A lot of fascinating fables but would have been easier to digest if it was split between a couple of books.
December 8, 2023
Best folklore catalogue of Britain I’ve read. Big fan of Sophia Kingshill and her writings.
August 3, 2016
A richly researched compendium of folklore and tall tales from around the coast of the British Isles, this volume is guaranteed to stimulate the imagination of ignorant landlubbers such as myself who know but little of the lore of the sea. Rather like the ‘Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain’ published over forty years ago, the stories and anecdotes contained in this book are divided up by region, and then presented alphabetically in line with location, but unlike the earlier publication, also encompass rich material from the island of Ireland. Dotted throughout the book are a number of inserts dealing with non-regionally specific lore of the sea, such as that connected with figureheads, soul birds and mermaids.
Although a certain proportion of this material was already known to me, the greater part of it was not. By dint of being the type of book that this is, it is perhaps more a book for dipping into than reading from cover to cover, which is why I awarded it – perhaps unfairly – with four rather than five stars.
If you have any interest in the folklore of Britain and Ireland, I would warmly recommend that you read this book, but if you simply wish to dip into its pages and bring a smile to your lips, I would suggest that you read ‘The king of Ulster and the sea monster’, which is ludicrously entertaining.
Although a certain proportion of this material was already known to me, the greater part of it was not. By dint of being the type of book that this is, it is perhaps more a book for dipping into than reading from cover to cover, which is why I awarded it – perhaps unfairly – with four rather than five stars.
If you have any interest in the folklore of Britain and Ireland, I would warmly recommend that you read this book, but if you simply wish to dip into its pages and bring a smile to your lips, I would suggest that you read ‘The king of Ulster and the sea monster’, which is ludicrously entertaining.
December 3, 2015
c2012: As it says on the tin, really. This would make for an excellent reference book for any aspiring writers as there are some legends that are just begging to be expanded. Its very readable and the chapters are set out per region etc. However, after a while, no matter what the region, they all become a little bit 'samey'. Recommended to the writers among the normal crew. "Still as a mouse if you chance to sit/by a deep, deep lane in Sussex/Where the trees grow arching over it/You may hear the chink of a ghostly bit/And watch the men and horses flit/Down the hollow ways of Sussex."
June 26, 2016
Collection of myths and legends from the coastline of Britain and Ireland, very interesting especially as it includes ones from where I live now, my home county and places I have visited.
June 5, 2023
One of those books it's difficult to put down once you've picked it up.
February 7, 2019
Loved dipping into this book, full of Legends and Fables, something for everyone
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews