Folklore & Devon's Forgotten Witches with Mark & Tracey Norman

At 11am - 12.30 Join Mark Norman of the Folklore Library and Archive and Folklore Podcast for a talk about his work & latest book Britain's Folklore Year followed by Q&A.

2pm - 3.30pm Tracey Norman takes a deep dive into Devon's Forgotten Witches followed by Q & A.

Copies of both books will be available to purchase & be signed.

Refreshments included in ticket price just £5 for either or both talks - select which option on checkout or book with Barnstaple Library 01271 318 780

MARK NORMAN is a folklore author and researcher based in mid-Devon. He is the Recorder of Folklore for The Devonshire Association and a Council member for The Folklore Society, the UKs oldest established learned society for the study of folklore. In 2021 he founded The Folklore Library and Archive, which became a registered charity in 2023 and whose patrons are Michael Rosen and Joanne Harris, OBE. Based in Crediton it has a constitutional aim of collecting and preserving folklore materials for the public good, and making these freely available through open access. The charity has collections of international significance as well as an extensive reference library and document archives.

Mark will be talking about his work & latest book ‘Britain’s Folklore Year ‘

BRITAIN'S FOLKLORE YEAR is Mark's latest book, which was commissioned by Harper Collins and was written for The National Trust. The title sold through its initial print run of 6,000 copies in the first month of release and was featured in the bookshop.org Top 25 books from Indie Bookshops in the UK, alongside such writers as Richard Osman, Philip Pullman and Mick Herron. It is released in the US on December 16th, 2025.

TRACEY NORMAN talks about their book Devon's Forgotten Witches 1860–1910 which takes a fascinating deep dive into the British Newspaper Archive to reveals the stories of ordinary people whose lives were touched in some way by witchcraft. Tracey Norman writes both fiction and non-fiction, covering a variety of genres and subjects. Her first stage play WITCH, a historical drama based on original English witch trial transcripts, premiered in 2016 and clocked up over 80 performances before lockdown. It has been used as Theatre In Education for Years 8 and 9 and for Exeter University undergrads and has been included as a formal seminar in two Bristol University undergrad degree courses – ‘Witchcraft’ and ‘History Outside the Box’. Its 75th performance was also its London premiere.

Tracey’s most recent publications were ‘Dark Folklore’ (2021), co-written with her husband Mark and published by The History Press; ‘Who Is Anna Stenberg?’ (2023), her first full-length novel, published by Liminal Books; and ‘Devon’s Forgotten Witches 1860-1910’, again co-written with Mark and published by The History Press.

Part of Barnstaple Library's Better Tomorrow season

Listen to The Folklore Podcast at: www.thefolklorepodcast.com