Uncover the folklore, mythology and other stories attached to beings and creatures, real and imagined, found within the Whitworth’s collections- from seals to the walking dead. The project was originally started by John and Steph from the Visitor Team and is now led by John, Jake and Steph- with entries written by various members of the Whitworth’s Visitor Team. You can find in-depth Whitworth Bestiary entries on this page. Shorter Bestiary entries can be found on the Whitworth’s Instagram profile page @WhitworthArt, or you can search for #WhitworthBestiary on Instagram.
Shapeshifters
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Selkies
Lucy explores some of the folklore surrounding seals and their relationship with humans as she takes an in-depth look at the figure of the shapeshifting selkie.
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Little Red Riding Hood: Woods, Wolves and Wild Places
Matthew takes an in-depth look at some of our oldest fears and how they have led humans to make a villain of the wolf; morphing it into an anthropomorphic symbol of danger in the stories we tell.
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Kelpies
Sometimes you definitely should look a gift horse in the mouth! Lucy tells you exactly why you ought to be wary of friendly-looking horses that hang around bodies of water and try to tempt you for a ride.
Beasts
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Cerberus/ Kerberos, Hound of Hades and Fluffy
Jason introduces us to a guardian of the underworld. Find out how to get past this watchdog.
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Unicorns: Not All Glitter and Rainbows
Steph shows us the unicorns hiding in the Whitworth’s collections and traces the history of this most recognisable of mythological creatures across the globe.
The Dead
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: Revenants: The Troublesome Undead in the Middle Ages
Steph discusses revenants; the troublesome undead who might get up to all manner of mischief and malevolent pastimes.
Spell Casters
Entry from the #WhitworthBestiary: The Witch
Explore details from ‘The Witches’ Procession’ by Agostino Musi and learn about popular beliefs surrounding witches in early modern Europe with Steph.
Strange Places
Below you’ll find pieces that aren’t quite about any one being or creature but instead focus on places that are rich in folklore, history and are just a bit eerie.
The Folklore of Holes- From Bus de la Lum to Blackley
Dark, dank and full of mystery, holes and underground spaces are central to many of the tales that we tell. In this post, Jake explores why they have such a grip on the imaginations of artists and adventurers alike.
On the Trail of Witches: The Pendle Sculpture Trail
In this post, Steph takes you on a wonderful discovery of witches through the Pendle Sculpture Trail.
A Place Between The Trees 