Book description
Scotland's rich past and varied landscape have inspired an
extraordinary array of legends and beliefs, and in The Lore of
Scotland Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill bring together
many of the finest and most intriguing: stories of heroes and bloody
feuds, tales of giants, fairies, and witches, and accounts of local
customs and traditions. Their range extends right across the country,
from the Borders with their haunting ballads, via Glasgow, site of St
Mungo's miracles, to the fateful battlefield of Culloden, and finally
to the Shetlands, home of the seal-people.
More than simply retelling these stories, The Lore of Scotland
explores their origins, showing how and when they arose and
investigating what basis - if any - they have in historical fact. In
the process, it uncovers the events that inspired Shakespeare's
Macbeth, probes the claim that Mary King's Close is the most haunted
street in Edinburgh, and examines the surprising truth behind the fame
of the MacCrimmons, Skye's unsurpassed bagpipers. Moreover, it reveals
how generations of Picts, Vikings, Celtic saints and Presbyterian
reformers shaped the myriad tales that still circulate, and, from
across the country, it gathers together legends of such renowned
figures as Sir William Wallace, St Columba, and the great warrior
Fingal. The result is a thrilling journey through Scotland's legendary
past and an endlessly fascinating account of the traditions and
beliefs that play such an important role in its heritage.
Jennifer Westwood was born in 1940 and studied English Language at
Oxford, followed by Medieval Icelandic at Cambridge. A long-time
member of the Folklore Society, she served as editor of FLS Books and
also the journal Folklore. Her books include Albion: A Guide
to Legendary Britain (1985), Gothick Cornwall (1992),
Lost Atlantis (1997), On Pilgrimage (2003) and The
Lore of the Land (2005, with Jacqueline Simpson). Sadly, she
died in 2008.
Sophia Kingshill is a writer, editor and researcher. She has
contributed to folklore publications and her plays have been performed
in Scotland, England and Norway. She lives in London.
