Book – The Ghosts of the Forest

There is a country, under the countries.

“The Ghosts of the Forest – The Lost Mythology of the North” is my new book about legends, and the lost land that gave birth to them. The southernmost third of Scotland the northernmost third of England once formed one country, a place called Yr Hen Ogledd – ‘The Old North’. It was a Celtic land, whose beliefs and way of life left a profound mark on the folk cultures of the region – and which shaped the course of European civilisation in ways we are only beginning to understand.

This book aims to bring that lost world back to life. It explores its landscapes, and its physical remains; journeying into the remote moors and forests of the Border region in search of the ancient hillforts, sacred stones and holy wells where traces of the lost culture still linger. Many of the sites described are as yet unexplored by archaeology – and some have been entirely lost for centuries.

Alongside these physical expeditions, the book also journeys into the legends the Old North left behind – vivid tales, brimming with the magical, dark and enigmatic content for which Celtic mythology is famous. The stories delivered include new takes on some well-known narratives, such as those of Merlin and Thomas the Rhymer, alongside a series of little-known tales that deserve a far wider audience. By interpreting these legends in the light of the latest archaeological evidence, this book is able to pinpoint some exciting new possibilities in the Dark Age & medieval history of Britain – discoveries that in no small measure have the potential to reshape our understanding of this island’s history.

The Kindle ebook edition is available throughout the world for £8.99 (USD $10.78 at time of writing) – click this text to purchase.

If you’re in the UK or US, you can purchase the paperback edition directly through this website for £11.99 + postage ($14.39 + postage at time of writing) by clicking this link to go to the webshop. In the UK it’s also available through Amazon for £13.99 + postage (click here to be redirected to Amazon).

If you have any questions, do by all means get in touch through the comments below. Many thanks for giving this project your attention.