Thyme is native to the western Mediterranean, and it is also found around western Asia and southern Europe. Garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is the most common variety, and the type found in historical remedies (Brennan 2020). The usage of thyme dates to 3000 BC, at least. Sumerians used thyme as an antiseptic and to clear […]
folklore
Rosemary Folklore: From Tudor Weddings to Victorian Funerals
Rosemary is perhaps one of the most instantly recognisable scents among culinary herbs. It makes roast potatoes taste amazing, and I’ve always found its scent helpful when I need to concentrate. There’s also a lot of folklore associated with this plant. Rosemary was also known as Dew of the Sea, Elf Lead, Compass Weed, Guardrobe, […]
Sage Folklore: Boost Your Love and Remembrance Spells
Sage has long been associated with wisdom, with the plant name even applied to those we consider to be wise (Harrington 2020: 114). As the second plant in the famous refrain, “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” from ‘Scarborough Fair’, it’s also the second plant in our Folklore of Edible Plants series. This fantastic plant was […]
The Folklore of Parsley, a Herb for Protection, Love & Death
If you’re anything like me, the name ‘parsley’ makes you think of ‘parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme’ from Scarborough Fair. Parsley is part of the Apiaceae family and comes from the eastern and central Mediterranean area. It’s a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, along with magnesium, potassium, iron, folate, and calcium (Enloe […]
Shady Meg: The Burning Witch of King’s Lynn
Unlike the witch who started the Legendary Witches series on this blog (Wookey Hole), the ‘witch’ in this story really existed. Yet a legend is attached to her that makes her worthy of investigation. We’ll need to head to King’s Lynn in Norfolk in the 1570s and 1580s. There’s a building in the northwest corner […]
Meg of Meldon: Northumberland’s Famous Witch
Tales of legendary witches often focus on their awesome powers, their familiars, or their fearsome reputation. Northumberland’s most famous witch, Meg of Meldon, has but one of those. But better than that, she was a real person. Meg of Meldon is Northumberland’s most famous witch. But was she really a witch, or just a hard-hearted […]
