SE London Folklore Society
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Strange & Wonderful SE London

 



South East London Folklore Society
Folklore, Magic and Forteana
 
SELFS meet every second Thursday of the month at The Old King's Head,
Kings Head Yard, 45-49, Borough High St, London, SE1 1NA.
 
Nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough.  It is just off Borough High Street , a map is here.
 
Talks start at 8.00pm 
 
£2.50 / £1.50 concessions
 
All Welcome


11th June: Roy Vickery - Trees, Weeds and Folklore
Most writings on plant-lore relate to  the nineteenth century; current beliefs and practices are neglected. Tonight Roy, of the
South London Botanical Institute, discusses current folklore associated with some common plants.

 

9th July: Christopher Hadley - The Riddle of Shonks’ Tomb

Christopher Hadley will ask if the fabulous stories told about a  Hertfordshire tomb remember a medieval ‘dragon slayer’ or are simply attempts to explain its strange carvings. The search for an answer begins with events separated by eight hundred years: a death under the Norman yoke, and a strange discovery beneath a yew tree on a 19th Century farm.

 

August: SELFS Straycation walking festival: see website and flyers soon


10th Sept: Chris Roberts - Sacred turf and holy places: Football stadia and worship

With the football season underway again what better time to explore the supernatural side of soccer as well as football's folkloric roots? Chris Roberts will discuss not only cursed and haunted London grounds but some of the superstitions around the beautiful game.

 

8th Oct: Jeremy Harte - Keep Death On The Road - Suicide Burials in Theory and Practice

Silently at midnight they dragged the body out to a crossroads, threw it naked into the pit and hammered a stake into pale flesh. Why the cruelty, why the fear? This two-thousand-year survey of outcast burials traces the manipulation of personal tragedy into symbolic ritual.

 

12th November: Jennifer Wallis - Spiritualism & War


Hush, little baby...


As well as the monthly moot, we get involved with other events such as walks around south-east London, the Brockley Max Festival and trips out to places like Margate Shell Grotto. 
 
We have a buzzing chat list, a monthly events email newsletter and we sell and distribute books and pamphlets on local history and local events. See Contact SELFS for the current list.
 
There is also a SELFS related photo-gallery which is online here.