On Thursday 26 September, some of the team from Mother Shipton’s Cave attended the Newer Researches in Folklore Conference in Todmorden. The event brought together museums, academics, writers, and enthusiasts to explore the many ways folklore shapes our lives today.
One of the key discussions was around misconceptions of folklore. Folklore is not simply paganism, although it can carry a pagan aesthetic. It is not just something historical, as folklore is created every day. And it is not something separate from us, because traditions are part of everyone’s lives and deeply rooted in the way we live, celebrate, and share stories.
We explored the life cycle of objects and how meaning is layered onto everyday items. For example, a pair of boots bricked into a wall can become a charm of magical house protection. A coin can be both currency and a votive offering, or even a wish.
During a workshop led by Holly from the Centre for Folklore, we worked in groups to curate exhibitions from personal objects we had brought with us. It was fascinating to think about what our items might mean if discovered in the future, how their materials matter, and why we chose them. Seeing how other groups connected their objects into stories or themes gave us fresh insight into how folklore grows through interpretation and storytelling.
Talks throughout the day explored themes such as the ethics of folklore, everyday enchantment, ritual socialisation, and the question “If that is the lore, then who are the folk?” Folklore was presented as artistic communication, a creative act that allows us to belong to a group and share meaning.
We also enjoyed visiting the folklore library and the exhibitions, which featured legends such as the Barghest, a fearsome spectral hound from northern folklore.
Attending the conference gave us the chance to meet like-minded people and reflect on how folklore connects with our own heritage at Mother Shipton’s Cave. Making a wish in the petrifying well is a form of folklore, a ritual we repeat because we believe in its magic. Visiting the cave itself, following in the footsteps of centuries of people before us, is also a folkloric tradition. Even the act of hanging items to petrify in the well continues the story.
Folklore lives on in our daily lives, in our traditions, and in the stories we share. Mother Shipton’s tale continues to inspire visitors, reminding us that folklore is not just history, but something we create and carry with us every day.
Thank you to the Folklore Society and The Folklore Centre for the insightful and fascinating day.
