The Devil's Churchyard at Checkendon
22 October 2023
Woodland Northeast of Checkendon, South Oxfordshire
Buried in woodland in South Oxfordshire is a heart-shaped earthwork enclosure that for hundreds of years has been known as the Devil's Churchyard.
Christmas ghosts and talking cats at Idbury Woods
3 February 2023
Unknown woodland near Idbury
Folklorist Katherine Briggs records a strange tale of travellers lost in the snow and harassed by ghosts, who receive assistance from an unusual source!
The Legend of Black Jack's Hole
10 January 2023
River Thames between Godstow and Binsey
This bend in the River Thames between Binsey and Godstow is named for a legendary goblin-like figure who was said to lure swimmers to a watery grave!
Dragon Ceremony at Burford
8 October 2021
Burford
Every midsummer a dragon puppet is paraded through the streets of Burford in a ceremony that dates back over 1200 years.
Whitsun Ale at Woodstock
19 August 2021
Woodstock
Chaotic scenes and drunken revelry were par for the course on this particularly boozy religious holiday.
A Monkey at St. Mary's Church
6 August 2021
St. Mary's Church, The Green, Witney
An escaped monkey during a fair inspired this unusual addition to the spire at St. Mary's Church, Witney.
The Devil at Bloxham, Adderbury and King's Sutton
2 July 2021
St. Mary's Church, Church Street, Bloxham
The devil is said to have played a part in building the church spires in these three Oxfordshire villages.
The Story of Moonraker Lane, Bampton
1 July 2021
Moonraker Lane, Bampton
The curiously named Moonraker Lane harks back to a running joke from the past about mistaking the moon's reflection for a cheese!
Saints, Snakes and Bones at Dorchester Abbey
30 May 2021
Dorchester Abbey, High St, Dorchester
After St Birinus was killed by a snake bite, a local legend states that no snake can live within earshot of the bell at Dorchester Abbey.
The Giant of Shotover Hill
23 May 2021
Shotover Country Park, Shotover, Oxford
Was Shotover Hill once home to a hill carving fit to rival the Cerne Abbas giant?