Gifts, trees & feasting

Whether vestiges of paganism survived Europe’s Christianisation is a subject of enduring fascination. Scholarly debate navigates between the ‘maximalist’ position (much survived) and the ‘minimalist’

Our round-up of the funny, fascinating and unusual stories this fortnight

We love to hear what you’ve been up to, so do get in touch!

GEAR UP FOR AUTUMN WITH THESE CHILLING TALES OF HAUNTED HOUSES, RIVER SPIRITS AND A ONE-EYED TROLL

FOR JOHN KEATS, AUTUMN WAS THE SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS. HERE, THE COUNTRY LIVING TEAM AND FRIENDS HIGHLIGHT WHAT THIS TIME OF YEAR MEANS TO THEM – FROM CRAFTING WREATHS TO BOTTLING SLOE GIN

So we’re back, for another “celebration of the mysterious, the miraculous and the downright weird” – but does our motorcycle-mad host the Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe have any new tricks up his sleeve in