<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK is probably one of the most unusual countries. At the same time,\nits history is filled with insanely interesting events and intriguing secrets.\nThere are also myths and legends that are told with such enthusiasm that these\ntales are perceived as a real part of the history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
English folklore, as part of all-British folklore, rooted in the\nfolklore and mythology of the peoples who formed the English nation: in the\nCeltic mythology of the tribes that inhabited England in pre-Roman times\n(Britons and others), and German mythology of the tribes who settled in the\nisland during the great migration of peoples (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes). Great\ninfluence on the formation of English folklore had the legends and beliefs of\nCeltic peoples, primarily the Welsh, with whom historically the English were\nconstantly in contact. Scandinavian and French folklore, brought to the Islands\nafter the Norman conquest of England, had a certain influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mythological\nexplanation of the origin of the British<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The central point here is the island position of the country. In all\nmyths, the image of the island is always considered as something otherworldly,\nmysterious and magical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We do not know when people came to the British Isles; myths try to explain\nthis. According to Celtic lore, man was created by the gods from trees. Druid\npriests held festivals in honor of the Supreme God, whose symbol was the oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One version of the origin of the British state is the story about the\narrival of the Brutus, who was the participant of the Trojan war, to the\nIslands in 1108 BC. Afterwards Britain was founded. In another description, the\ncreation of the British Isles is associated with the desire of a leader named\nBritt to settle on a beautiful misty island called Albion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u21161.\nSt<\/strong>.<\/strong> Michael<\/strong>\u2019s mountain<\/strong>, Cornwall.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This place is called «the jewel in the crown of Cornwall». It\nis one of the most visited attractions in Britain, under the management of the\n\u00abNational Trust\u00bb. From 1600 to the present day, the mountain was the seat of\nthe Saint-Aubin family. In 1954, Lord St. Leven transferred this land to the \u00abNational\nTrust\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mountain is a granite rock rising from the waters of Mount’s Bay, on\ntop of which is a stunning castle that was once a Benedictine monastery. The monastery\nwas built in the 12th<\/sup> century and was a «daughter»\nsettlement of the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the legends associated with the mountain goes back to the time\nwhen it was part of the mainland and in general, the entire surface of Mount’s\nBay was dry land covered with forest. It is said that at that time two giants,\nCormoran and his wife Cormelian, lived in this place. They were building a\ncastle of white granite, but Cormelian was lazy and started using green\ngranite, which was closer. When Cormoran caught her, she dropped the block. A\npiece of green granite known as Che-pel-Rock is still visible near the road\nleading to the mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mountain is named after the Archangel Michael, because, according to\nCornish legend, he appeared there in 495. Some say that a hermit saw him;\nothers say that it was fishermen, and others consider that a group of monks saw\nhim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is also said that Celtic saints lived here and that this mountain is\nthe part of the legendary country of Lyonesse, which was lost during a great\ndisaster in prehistoric times. Since the 12th<\/sup> century, the mountain\nhas become a famous place of pilgrimage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u21162.\nGeoglyph «The Giant Sern-Abbas», near Dorchester.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Geoglyphs are geometric or figured patterns that are usually more than 4\nmeters long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Giant Sern-Abbas is a figure of a giant naked man located on a\nhillside near the village of Sern-Abbas, north of Dorchester, in Dorset,\nEngland. The figure 180 feet (55 meters) high, 167 feet (51 meters) wide is\ncarved on the side of a steep hill. It is best viewed from the opposite side of\nthe valley or from the air. The outline of the figure is formed by a trench 12\ninches (30 centimeters) wide, and about the same depth, which runs through the\ngrass and earth and is outlined with chalk. In his right hand, the giant holds\na club 120 feet (37 meters) long. In 1996, a study conducted by experts showed\nthat some features of this geoglyph change over time, in particular, the study\nshowed that the giant originally had a cloak in his left hand, and he stood\nover the head severed from the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The origin of the figure and the exact age of the image are unknown.\nExperts have previously linked it to a Saxon deity, although there is very\nlittle evidence of such a connection. Other scientists have tried to prove that\nthe geoglyph represents a character in Celtic folklore, or even a Roman\nHercules. Research conducted in 1996 provided new proofs for identifying the Giant\nSern-Abbass with Hercules, who was often depicted with a mace and a cloak made\nfrom the skin of the Nemean Lion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first description of the Sern-Abbas giant dates from the middle of the 18th<\/sup>\ncentury. Many researchers conclude that the figure itself also belongs to\napproximately this period. Regardless of age, the figure of the giant from\nSern-Abbas has become an important part of local culture and folklore, which\noften associate it with deities who protect fertility. According to one of the\nlocal legends, the Sern-Abbas giant really existed and devastated the nearby\nvillages. Once local herdsmen found him sleeping, cut off his head, and then\ndrew the contours of the body to frighten other giants. In these parts, to this\nday, there is a belief that the giant sometimes comes to life and goes down to\nthe stream to drink water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2116\n3. St. Michael’s Hill. Tower of Glastonbury.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is impossible, perhaps, to find in England a more mystical place, because\nthis enigmatic hill is associated with an incredible number of stories and\nlegends. Some consider that it is a dreamlike Kingdom of Fairies; others say\nthat it is an Avalon, a wonderful place between the worlds, in which there is\nno disease or trouble. Ancient Celtic legends mention a large underground\nKingdom that was located under this hill. Modern fans of mystery and paranormal\nphenomena believe that the Glastonbury hill is a portal to other worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two other popular legends about St. Michael’s hill. According\nto one of them, the Holy Grail, the Cup from which\nJesus Christ drank during the Last Supper, is\nhidden on the hillside. Another legend says that the bodies of King Arthur and\nhis wife are buried in this place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, there are many open questions about Glastonbury. It is located\nat an altitude of 145 meters above the ground and surrounded by seven ring\nledges, and it is still unknown exactly how they were formed. In ancient times,\nthere were many floods, during which the hill remained the only\ninaccessible to water island. Until now, there is an opinion among local\nresidents that its spiral-shaped hillsides are a mystical labyrinth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the 11-12 centuries, a church was built on top of the hill, which was\ndestroyed in 1275 by the earthquake. After that, the church was rebuilt and it\nexisted until 1539. Because of Henry VIII’s ecclesial reform, this church was\ndestroyed and the last Abbot of Glastonbury was cruelly executed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays a single antique chapel tower is located\non St. Michael\u2019s hill.\nTourists are very attracted to this showplace, because the ancient tower on a\nhill looks mystical and stunning, and the rays of the setting sun, which shine\nthrough the stone arches, give the tower a mystery and enigma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2116 <\/strong>4.\nStonehenge, Salisbury.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stonehenge holds many secrets and is still a mystery and subject of\ncontroversy for scientists around the world. The megalithic structure is\nlocated on the Salisbury plain, located near London. The popular attraction is\nlisted as a UNESCO world heritage site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legends connect Stonehenge with Merlin, a man of wisdom and wizard from\nCeltic myths, and some versions speak of the ancient Romans. In the 19th<\/sup>\ncentury, a large number of people supported the theory that the building was a\ndruid sanctuary, but there is no exact interpretation of the purpose of this\nmiracle of architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is believed that the place full of ancient magic grants wishes. You\nonly need to stand in the center of the circle of stone blocks and say your\nwish aloud or touch one of the stones. Nowadays it is forbidden to be on the\nterritory of Stonehenge because there were many tourists who wanted not only\nthe fulfillment of wishes, but also a part of the attraction as a trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are few legends connected with the Stonehenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00abMonk’s heel\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n The monk’s heel stone lies to the North-East of the Stonehenge stone\ncircle. A folk tale under the date of the 17th<\/sup> century explains the\norigin of the name of this stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The devil bought the stones from a woman in Ireland, and carried them to\nSalisbury plain. One of the stones fell into the river Avon and the rest of the\nstones he scattered on the plain. Then the Devil shouted: \u00abNo one will ever\nknow how these stones got here!\u00bb. The monk replied: «This is what you think!\u00bb.\nThe devil got angry and threw one of the stones at him. The stone hit the\nmonk’s heel, bounced off, and stuck in the ground. This is how the stone got\nits name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00abThe Legend of Merlin\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the 12th<\/sup> century, Geoffrey of Monmouth tells a fancy story\nin his work \u00abHistoria Regum Britanniae\u00bb, which attributes the construction of\nthe monument to Merlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Geoffrey, the Stonehenge stones are life-giving and it is\ncalled the \u00abdance of the giant\u00bb. The giants brought these stones from Africa to\nIreland. King Aurelius Ambrosius wanted to build a memorial for 3,000 nobles\nkilled in battle with the Saxons and buried in Salisbury. On Merlin’s advice,\nhe chose Stonehenge. The king sent Merlin, Uther Pendragon (King Arthur’s\nfather), and 15,000 knights to transport him from Ireland. However, as the\nknights did not try to move the stones, they did not succeed. Then Merlin,\nusing his skills, easily moved Stonehenge to the UK. After it was installed\nnear Amesbury, Aurelius Ambrosius, Uther Pendragon and Constantine III, were\nburied inside the giant ring of Stonehenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2116\n5. Wookey Hole caves, Somerset county.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wookey Hole is a complex of caves stretching along the ridge of Mendip\nHills, from east to west of the county of Somerset. The caves appeared here thanks to the river\nExe, which washed out the recesses in the limestone rock of the Mendip Hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The caves were named after the «Witch of Wookey Hole».\nActually, this is the name given to a stalagmite 20 feet high, located in the\nfirst hall of the cave. It resembles a man in shape, and locals believe that it\nis a petrified monk from Glastonbury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you get to the caves Wookey Hole, the river Exe passes through\nunderground channels and through other caves such as Swindon Hole and St. Cuthbert\nof Swallet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wookey Hole caves are a popular tourist attraction, especially for those\nwho love horror stories. An old English legend says that a man from Glastonbury\nwas engaged to a girl, but a witch cast a curse on their couple. This man\nbegged the monk to protect him from the witch. Father Bernard, a Benedictine\nmonk, got into the witch’s cave, drove her into a dark corner, sanctified the\npond, and when the spray hit the witch, she turned to stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays Wookey Hole keeps and maintains its legend. The caves spread\nout over the territory of the town and turned into a real amusement park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n English folklore is characterized by a large number of different fancy\nand mysterious mythical creatures, spirits and demons. The richness of English\nfolklore served as the basis for the popularity of the genre of literary fairy\ntales in England of the 19-20 centuries. Along with writers who created their\nown world, based on the folklore tradition, the authors often used characters\nfrom English folklore, for example, Robin Hood (Walter Scott), little imp Pack (Rudyard\nKipling).<\/p>\n\n\n\n