John Billingsley – Legends and Folk Tales of Todmorden

Calderdale is rich in folklore, and place legends are a key feature of upper valley lore particularly. This presentation will retell several stories associated with distinctive local sites, and explore their wider background.

John Billingsley is a local historian with a particular interest in folklore and relationships with place. As writer or editor, he has published ten books, and has been editor of the neo-antiquarian journal Northern Earth for over thirty years. He is also a walk leader for Calderdale Heritage Walks, a director of the Centre for Folklore Myth and Magic, and a founder member of the team behind the Dreaming Valleys events in Hebden Bridge.