Hello, and welcome to Blackthorn & Stone…

This website marks a shift in my research focus from cemetery heritage into the realm of folklore, legends, myths, and lost histories of the British Isles. The seed for my fascination with site-based folklore and legends began with my research into the otherworldly aspects of the North London community of Stoke Newington, which I researched for my PhD thesis on Abney Park cemetery. I delved into the world of ancient Celtic legends and animistic folklore to write my own dark tale ‘Woodland Magick’ about the buried Hackney Brook river that makes up the northern boundary of Abney Park cemetery (this audio walk and other projects are available on my ‘Audio Walks’ page). I then further expanded my folklore research into the realm of moonlore for my audio walk ‘They Walked in Moonlight’ through St George’s Gardens in London, which I wrote for the 2019 Bloomsbury Festival.

I am currently a Research Fellow at the Museum of the Home in London, working on a one-year project titled ‘Women’s Weeds: From mediaeval cunning women to 19th-century feminist botany’ researching the hidden histories of women in the sciences, particularly medicine. The project, funded by Arts Council England, will culminate in an exhibition, audio installations, talks, and workshops at the Museum of the Home next summer 2023. Follow my research journey on the ‘Women’s Weeds Research Journal’ tab.

The rest of this blog is a collection of other hidden stories I enjoy uncovering and sharing. I welcome you to join me as we journey into a shared past of oral histories, standing stones, grey ladies, and forgotten rituals…

…in the land of Blackthorn & Stone.