Folk singer and songwriter George Nigel Hoyle‘s latest project is titled Cunning Folk. While we often align the term ‘cunning’ with slyness or deceit, the term ‘Cunning Folk’ refers to practitioners of magic in Britain, active from the Medieval period through to the early twentieth century.*
As well as recording albums under the name ‘Nigel of Bermondsey’ and ‘Gentlefolk,’ George is also part of ‘London Dreamtime’, a storytelling collective headed by his wife, Vannessa Woolf. He has also run the South East London Folklore Society (SELFS) for the past five years, a monthly pub meeting with subjects ranging from Wicca to Shakespeare, from Robin Hood to The Transports. Their latest talk (on March 9th) is on, what is probably, the most famous witch trials of the 17th century. Which takes us nicely on to today’s video premiere and Song of the Day – Lancashire, God’s Country…a song & an animation (that feels like a 70s children’s cartoon for pagans) about The Pendle Witch Trials of 1612. The track features on the forthcoming Cunning Folk album Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground.
If you are interested in attending the SELFS talk mentioned above, it will be held in the upstairs room of The Old King’s Head (in Borough near London Bridge Station) on March 9th & costs £3/1.50concs. It will commence at 8 pm. You’re advised to book in advance by emailing cunningfolkmusic@gmail.com
We will be bringing you more very soon on Cunning Folk and his new album Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground. In the meantime why not visit the Cunning Folk website and submerge yourself in the ritual landscape of Britain – cunningfolkmusic.com
Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground is released on 24 March via Dharma Records.
* Wikipedia: Cunning Folk in Britain