Ceri Houlbrook
The customs we practice, the stories we tell, the beliefs we hold
About me
Growing up next to Boggart Hole Clough, an inner-city park in Manchester, my childhood was filled with local legends of child-snatching boggarts and dangerous fairies hiding in the undergrowth. I therefore also grew up knowing that folklore doesn’t just belong to the rural communities of the past. It's current, dynamic, and part of our everyday lives, wherever we live. Now, having attained my PhD from the University of Manchester, I'm a leading expert on contemporary British folklore, combining scholarly rigor with creativity and a love of storytelling.
Folklore publications
I've published widely on modern-day customs and rituals, from coin-trees and love-locks to fairy beliefs and domestic magic. My most recent book Folklore: A journey through the past and present, with Manchester University Press and co-authored with Professor Owen Davies, has been described by Ronald Hutton as 'The best overall view of the subject currently available, written by its most dynamic partnership of scholars. It not only covers the traditional remit of folklore but extends it into many less conventional areas, right up to the present moment’ and by Zoe Gilbert, author of Folk, as 'Not just a fascinating tour of past practice but a compelling argument for the evergreen, sprouting nature of folklore. This book provides a refreshing lens through which to view a fertile, living subject.'
Ritual and Re-enchantment in Post-Medieval Structures, Unlocking the Love-Lock: The History and Heritage of a Contemporary Custom, and The Magic of Coin-Trees from Religion to Recreation: The Roots of a Ritual.
Fiction
I'm also a fiction writer, drawing on my folklore research to weave new stories of magical realism in my debut novel Winter's Wishfall. I'm represented by the Julie Crisp Literary Agency.
Winter's Wishfall is based on my archival research into letters written to Father Christmas/Santa, which I've spoken about on various media, including with the BBC.
I'm the Programme Leader of the only Masters in Folklore Studies in England at the University of Hertfordshire, and a Senior Lecturer on the course. I love helping to train – and learn from – tomorrow’s folklorists. I also supervise PhD students on a range of folklore topics.
In addition, I present my research at public talks, including Seed talks and Pints of Knowledge.
I'm a council member of the Folklore Society, which was established in 1878, one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the world.
Teaching
Media
I'm a frequent contributor to media. I have been a guest on BBC One Show, This Morning, Radio 5Live, Weird Britain, Sky's The UnXplained, History Hit, and many podcasts, talking all things folklore, from Robin Hood and the landscape of the Bröntes to Spring-Heeled Jack. I am also a folklore consultant for DK Publishing and the Guinness World Records. I'm always happy to share my fascination with folklore to wider audiences.