The Ghosts of the Forest: The Lost Mythology of the North

Description

What can legends & folk tales truly reveal about the past? What connects the natural environments of the northern wilderness to the most famous of Celtic myths? Do secrets from the depths of history yet await discovery in the hidden places of Britain?

In this ground-breaking work, the folklore of northern Britain is interpreted anew in light of the latest archaeological evidence, and then used to plot a series of exploratory journeys into some of the wildest corners of the land. Their goal is to reveal unknown relics of the lost belief system of the Celtic Britons – a people whose civilisation shaped our own in ways we are only beginning to understand.

This fast-paced, gripping narrative interweaves the magic of seven ancient legends with physical explorations of the places that gave birth to them. It encompasses famous tales, such as those of Merlin the Enchanter and Thomas the Rhymer, while also introducing lesser known narratives which have only in recent years been translated. In so doing, it leads us into a secret world that endures only a short journey from the population centres of England and Scotland.

At once a radical reinterpretation of the history of the island of Britain, a guide to some of its most extraordinary places, and the resurrection of a mythology long thought lost; this book will reshape your understanding of the land and of its past. Take a journey with William Young into the hill country of the North, and come face-to-face with the ghosts of the forest…