19 h 28 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What do old stones, stormy seas and long winter nights mean to an island steeped in legend?
In Guernsey Folk Lore, Edgar MacCulloch gathers the stories, superstitions and customs of his island home. He listens to what his neighbours believe and records traditions before they fade. Rather than a single plot, this collection offers many small accounts of a place with its own French-based speech, laws and habits.
Witchcraft holds a strong place in these accounts. Islanders tell of witches who spoil milk, harm cattle and raise storms. Other traditions place fairies and spirits in fields, wells, lanes and ancient stone monuments. Alongside these tales, MacCulloch records charms, cures and customs that connect old beliefs with birth, marriage, death and the farming year.
What you’ll discover
- An island's distinct character Explore Guernsey's own speech and customs, close to France yet long tied to the English crown.
- Witches and gathering storms Discover beliefs about witchcraft that place cattle, milk and household health under threat.
- Spirits among old stones Meet the fairies and lesser spirits that Guernsey tradition links to familiar island places.
- Charms for daily life Explore cures and signs of luck that show how belief shapes everyday habits.
- Customs through the seasons Trace traditions surrounding life's milestones and the farming year through these small accounts.
Who will love it
For readers who love folklore, island history, local customs and old beliefs, and anyone curious about the Channel Islands.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A small island keeps its old beliefs
- Witches and their gatherings haunt the island
- Fairies, spirits and haunted stones
- Charms, customs and how to read it
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Guernseyer Volkskunde
by Sir Edgar MacCulloch · 1903
Guernsey's witches, fairies, ghosts and haunted stones reveal an island community's fears, hopes and customs.
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In short
Guernsey Folk Lore gathers the superstitions, legends and customs of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands. Its author, Sir Edgar MacCulloch, was a Guernseyman of the nineteenth century who held high office on the island.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A small island keeps its old beliefs
Guernsey lies in the English Channel, close to France but long tied to the English crown. Its people spoke a form of French of their own, and its laws and habits grew apart from both neighbours. That separateness helped old beliefs survive. Farmers, fishermen and their families passed down stories by word of mouth, season after season.
MacCulloch belonged to this world. He was born on the island and knew its parishes, its lanes and its families. This gave him something an outside visitor could not easily gain, which was the trust of the people who told him the tales. Folklore of this kind is usually shared only with those who are seen as belonging.
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What is Guernsey Folk Lore about?
It collects the superstitions, legends and customs of Guernsey, including tales of witches, fairies, ghosts, charms and haunted places, as told by island people and recorded by Sir Edgar MacCulloch.
Who was Sir Edgar MacCulloch?
He was a Guernseyman of the nineteenth century who held high office on the island and loved its history and traditions. He died in 1896, and his folklore book appeared afterward.
Is Guernsey Folk Lore a true story?
It is not a single story. It is a record of what islanders believed and told. The tales are folklore, so they show belief and custom rather than proven events.
The author
Edgar MacCulloch
1808–1896 · Guernsey antiquarian and folklorist
Sir Edgar MacCulloch (1808–1896) was an antiquarian who lived in Guernsey and served as its Bailiff. He collected material on the island’s folklore. His work was published after his death as Guernsey Folk Lore in 1903. Edith F. Carey edited the book and added material of her own.
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