South East London Folklore Society

South East London Folklore Society has an interesting programme coming up this year of the weird and the wonderful, starting this Thursday with a talk by Fortean Times contributor Noel Rooney.

"10th January: Noel Rooney - Plant Alchemy: Lavender stones, crystals of sage. Angel water, and terra damnata. Mercury, sulphur and salt. Divide and unite. Can you start the great work from a window box?

14th February: The Bleeding Heart THIS IS A WALK, NOT A TALK. An anti-seasonal, 2+ mile trek across London from a site of demonic heartbreak to SELFS home via poltergeists, witches, black dogs, the sacred shrine to the outside dead in Southwark and more. Comfort food shall be provided at the Old King's Head at journey's end. Meet at Bleeding Heart Yard, EC1 at 6.30pm on Thursday 14th February. Nearest tubes are Farringdon and Chancery Lane.

13th March: John Callow - Familiar Things: Witchcraft, Royals & The Witch Dog. Familiar spirits were a particularly British aspect of Witchcraft. Perhaps none was so famous as 'Boye': the enormous white dog who accompanied Prince Rupert on his campaigns from 1642-44. Seen as a talisman, mascot, & victory bringer by the Royalists; and as an agent of the Devil, a shape-changing, Lappish witch by their Parliamentary foes: 'Boye' was equally celebrated and derided in print, painting, & pamphlet over the course of his short life.

10th April: Neil Arnold - Big Cats Around The Capital. Neil, the author of Monster! - The A-Z of Zooform Phenomena, will be giving the first ever talk on exotic felids and mystery cats roaming London and the outskirts, proving that such sightings are no mystery at all, but in fact evidence that such animals have been with us for centuries

8th May: Janet Dowling - Naming the Green Man of the Medieval Church. Janet Dowling uses story-telling and folklore research to reveal the identity of the Green Man in medieval stone carvings".

SELFS events take place at The Old King's Head, Kings Head Yard, 45-49, Borough High St, London, SE1 1NA. Nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough. Talks start at 8.00pm, £2.50 / £1.50 concessions. Contact: scott@selfs.org.uk