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Ceri Houlbrook @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

From now on I shall only talk folklore to a background of shiny streamers beneath a giant disco ball

National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

We’re delighted to hand over to @clarelesleyhughes.bsky.social on the website today. She tells us all about her research and specifically what a wortcunner is. Have you any stories that illustrate your relationships with plants?

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Folks in Worcester are being asked to collect their love locks after the council has removed them from a bridge over the Severn. Nice to see a little mention of our stats too: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Erin Beeston (she/her) @erinbeeston.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

O.K. folklorists @folkloresociety.bsky.social @nfsengland.bsky.social has anyone audited how many roller coasters/rides at UK attractions are folklore themed?! (Signed a reluctant traveller on the "Wickerman" at Alton Towers) 🎢

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

So that’s season two of Folklore Matters! Have you worked your way through the series yet? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

We have two delights for you today: a reproduction of a 2005 article in which @davidwclarke.bsky.social interviews Professor John Widdowson, and our final episode of the second series of Folklore Matters where David and John join Andrew Robinson for a BIG conversation about all things folklore

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Do you feel like sitting in a dark cellar and listening to a podcast? Us too! So tune in to the latest episode of Folklore Matters for David Clarke discussing UFOs, the Crying Boy, Spring-heeled Jack and more. folklore-matters.captivate.fm

folklore-matters.captivate.fm

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

If wyrd stuff on screen is your bag, don’t miss this from our very own @dianearodgers.bsky.social!

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Project StoryMachine @storymachine-ht.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Thank you for having Christopher Ohge & @hexnhart.bsky.social for a stimulating conversation! The team at National Folklore Survey tried out a prototype of StoryMachine & provided feedback that informed the tool's development. Curious? See what else we've been up to: storymachine.iisys.de/blog/

storymachine.iisys.de

Blog

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Can advances in technology help us navigate comprehensive collections of folk narratives? This is what Project StoryMachine intends to find out, so on the latest episode of Folklore Matters, we invited @hexnhart.bsky.social and Christopher Ohge to come and tell us more.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Unbelievably, we’re already over half way through the latest series of Folklore Matters. And judging by the download rate, you’re eating it up! Here are the first four episodes as a reminder. Which has been your favourite so far?

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Need an injection of folklore into your Thursday? Listen to the latest episode of Folklore Matters, where we meet with Mike Hankin of The Folk Union to discuss the differences between the folk scene and folk culture, and what's exciting him about UK folk culture.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

We're going to miss our pals and colleagues, David Clarke and Andrew Robinson, as they leave the university. But we're excited to see what they get up to next - and the Centre for Contemporary Legend will continue! Photo courtesy of Richard Bradley, T-shirt image of Robin Hood thanks to Jonny Ford.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Today on Folklore Matters we speak to @klarafei.bsky.social about all things Czech folklore - and the Czech perspective on British folk horror. You’ll even hear about a horse emerging from a house…

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Now that series two is on its way to your ears, we’re planning series three of Folklore Matters. Who would you like to hear from? And though we’re UK based, we want to spotlight researchers and practitioners from around the world, so please help us spread the word!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

The second series of our Folklore Matters podcast kicks off today. Episode one is with filmmaker and producer of the excellent Gatherings series, Dave Brewis. Gatherings takes a look at six of the nation’s most compelling calendar customs and our chat is particularly fascinating as Dave lived in…

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Set your alarms, make notes in your diaries: season two of Folklore Matters gets underway a week today, on 9 July 2026!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

13% of people living in England today believe that a swift (or swallow or house martin) nesting in your house is lucky. And now research tells us that swifts return to the same place to nest! That’s a lot of luck 🍀 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

How did you spend your solstice? One in four people in England today report the solstice as being spiritually significant. A quarter of people have also visited a stone circle, with 5% of those people timing a visit with solstices or equinoxes.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

It was so lovely to welcome Anna Milon and Christopher Ohge from @storymachine-ht.bsky.social to the studio for a fascinating discussion for Folklore Matters. Series two is nearly in the bag!

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Europe in the Pub @europeinthepub.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

This month (a week early, on the fourth Monday!) we have the team from Sheffield Hallam's @nfsengland.bsky.social for England talking about their findings. 22nd March, 7:30pm, The Museum, all welcome! www.nationalfolkloresurvey.co.uk

Europe in the Pub Monday 22nd June 2026 7:30pm The Museum Public talk by The National Folklore Survey for England Last Monday of the month, 7:30pm The Museum, Orchard Square, Sheffield Monthly public talks on Europe, transnationalism and interculturality. All welcome. Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook & Instagram: @europeinthepub DM with questions & proposals

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Dr Diane A Rodgers @dianearodgers.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

We've been podcast-tastic this week for FOLKLORE MATTERS @nfsengland.bsky.social recording more episodes with @kwasbeb.bsky.social Swedish urban legend expert Jack Werner and Mike Hankin of thefolkunion.com - more recording to go but series 2 is coming SOON!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Look at this beauty! In the latest issue of Songlines (June, 218), Sophie shares the findings of the survey relating to figures of English legend, accompanied by Jonny Ford’s gorgeous illustrations of Robin Hood and King Arthur. Enjoy! ☺️

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Sophie spoke to journalism student Antonia Vlad about the current high profile of folklore in the UK and the National Folklore Survey. She’s put together a brilliant piece of visual storytelling. Check it out here: swlondoner.shorthandstories.com/the-witching...

swlondoner.shorthandstories.com

The witching hour of Gen Z: exploring the renaissance of English folklore and Paganism

A broad collection of beliefs, customs, traditions, superstitions, and stories that have been passed down orally from generation to generation.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

In the latest special issue from @forteantimes.bsky.social, our @davidwclarke.bsky.social casts his eye across boggarts, fire festivals, folk horror and more. It’s a great read, looking into the archives and, crucially, looking forward. Enjoy!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Kicking off series two of Folklore Matters with Dave Brewis, maker of @gatherings.tv, a series we all really enjoyed. A discussion that covered customs, national identity, politics, and approaches to filmmaking - so lots to go at! Stay tuned to hear more about when series two goes live.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Are you a ghost story enthusiast? Could you be in Sheffield on Sunday 24 May? Two of our postgrad students are holding a focus group and are looking for participants. Message us and we’ll put you in touch!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

When you think of England’s legendary figures, who comes to mind? We asked how familiar people living in England were with a range of legendary characters and Robin Hood - perhaps unsurprisingly - came out on top, with almost 90% of Survey respondents saying they knew of him.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

And finally, we have NINE reviews of books, films and even a map to conclude our contemporary legend themed issue of Revenant. From MEN and Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched through to Canadian UFOs and post-Franco gothic fiction of Spain, find something new and/or different to pique your interest

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

The final creative response in our contemporary legend themed issue of Revenant journal is from poet Carolyn Waudby. Head over to the website to read and download four poems that take a local and a global approach to the theme.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

In another creative response to our contemporary legend theme, writer and researcher Sophie Parkes presents ‘Mary Three Times’, a short story about the thrill of enduring teenage folklore.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

‘I went to Palmyra three times.’ Professor of English at @pennstateberks.bsky.social Sandy Feinstein revisits the poems she wrote in the 1990s when studying in Syria.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

The Pendle witches have long captured our imagination, but how do their stories play out in the landscape of rural Lancashire? Hannah Singleton investigates, in our Contemporary Legend themed issue of Revenant.

Photograph of the statue of Alice Nutter (woman wearing bonnet and period costume with her hands in chains)

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

We’re busy planning series two of our podcast, Folklore Matters, but @dianearodgers.bsky.social and Sophie found some time to do a quick ‘best bits’ of series one. You can listen here: folklore-matters.captivate.fm/episode/seri...

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Some Bloke in a Hat @someblokeinahat.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

BURN IT! BURN IT!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Our Andrew Robinson recently got his paws on this: the crying boy image that started it all off. New to the crying boy phenomenon? Have a read of @davidwclarke.bsky.social’s piece in our contemporary legend themed issue of Revenant.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Some bank holiday reading for you: Great Lakes contemporary legends and their monsters, courtesy of Dan Compora. All articles, creative and book reviews in our contemporary legend themed special issue of Revenant are free to read and download.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Hopefully you’ve seen the gorgeous illustrations that bring our survey results to life. They’re courtesy of Jonny Ford who has kindly answered a few questions about his work - and his fascination for folklore - over on the website. Thanks a million, Jonny!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

This year the Easter bonnet has gone psychedelic (not an April Fools!) Anyone else got a bonnet they’d like to share?

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Goblin sightings in caves - Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby from the @universityofky.bsky.social takes us through the YouTube series, Hellier, to show us how these seemingly disparate legends are actually connected and part of a longstanding coherent narrative.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Have you ever been to a lovers’ leap? Or heard stories of lovers falling to their deaths in the landscape? Our very own Andrew Robinson explores the Buxton phenomenon in our special issue of Revenant. You can read and download for free here: www.revenantjournal.com/contents/a-p...

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Have you checked out our Contemporary Legend-themed issue of Revenant yet? One of our research articles is a fascinating examination of Taiwanese folk belief in the HBO series, The Teenage Psychic, by Chia Cheng Hsu.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Thanks to everyone who made it along to the Invasion of the Saucermen talk on Thursday. We had to move rooms as there was so many of you! The exhibition is on until Thursday, so get there if you can - and tell us what you think! 👽👾🛸

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Zaron Mizmeras @zaronmiz.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Thoroughly enjoyed the visual folklore of UAPs exhibition curated by Andrew Robinson & @davidwclarke.bsky.social for the @nfsengland.bsky.social. A wonderful representation of my cultural history! ✨👽✨

A cute green alien person standing in for t of a video screen showing footage of military videos of UAPs.

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Have you seen something in the sky you can’t explain? You’re not alone! Tonight @davidwclarke.bsky.social and Andrew Robinson are giving a free talk about UFOs and their visual legacy. Join them in the Post Hall Gallery, Fitzalan Square, Sheffield and be sure to take in the accompanying exhibition 🛸

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Something a little different on the blog today… our @dianearodgers.bsky.social introduces a piece about the Green Man written by her late father, Andy Rodgers. Have a look here: www.nationalfolkloresurvey.co.uk/news/the-gre...

nationalfolkloresurvey.co.uk

The Green Man — National Folklore Survey for England

Diane A. Rodgers introduces a piece of writing about the Green Man, by her late father, Andy Rodgers.

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Tamsin Wilson @tamsinwilson.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Watching this talk and loving the mention of @hookland.bsky.social 😎

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will pooley @willpooley.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Enjoying presentation online from @nfsengland.bsky.social for @folkloresociety.bsky.social this evening, drawing attention to wonderful revitalization of interest in folklore in England across arts and media. Long overdue, but we love to see all these TV shows, podcasts, artists… and researchers!

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

🚨TONIGHT! 🚨 The NFS team will be presenting the results of the Survey so far, courtesy of @folkloresociety.bsky.social You can expect ghosts and traditions, UFOs and love-locks, lucky objects and Christmas. See you there!

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