‘Stories of the Stones’ talk by Dr Serena Trowbridge – Reading List
Every month at The Morrab Library we host talks in the Reading Room for library members and non-members alike. The programme is as eclectic as the Library’s collection – from the Holy Wells of Cornwall to the History of the English Miniature Painting – and meander through Literature, Poetry, Art, Geology and a host of other fascinating subjects in between.
Often, the writers, academics, poets and artists we invite to speak at the Library generously let us record their talk so we can share them with a wider audience online. You can browse the selection of recorded talks here.
Some of our brilliant speakers also use the Library’s archive, newspaper and book collections for their own research. In homage to BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time, we are hoping to share a “Reading List” to go with each talk recording, in case you would like to follow up on the talk by borrowing related titles from the Library or delving into our archives.
We’ll be publishing these reading lists on our blog on a monthly basis so please do keep checking back for updated reading lists.
Dr Serena Trowbridge gave a talk entitled ‘Stories of the Stones’. Britain’s landscape contains many stone circles, especially in Cornwall. Their original purpose remains mysterious despite extensive archaeological investigation, and perhaps it is their obscurity which makes them so fascinating.
Over the centuries they have inspired many legends, most famously of girls turned to stone for dancing on a holy day, or stones which walk to a river and drink. The stories reflect the changing interests and concerns of society and tell us more about our culture than they do about the sites themselves. This talk will explore a few of these stories of the stones, including the Merry Maidens, and consider the significance of mythmaking and storytelling.
Member’s can look forward to a chance to watch Serena’s excellent talk which will be shared in the next Monthly Links email.
Many of the books that she referenced in her talk are available to borrow from the Library:
Borlase, William, Observations on the Antiquities historical and monumental of Cornwall (C942.37)
Hunt, Robert, Popular Romances of the West of England (C398.2094237)
Colquhoun, Ithell, The Living Stones: Cornwall (C914.237)
Hannigan, Tim, The Granite Kingdom (C914.237)
Service, Alastair, Megaliths and Their Mysteries: The Standing Stones of Europe (930.1)
Weatherhill, Craig, Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly, 4000BC-1000AD (942.37)
Weatherhill, Craig, The Promontory People: An Early History of the Cornish (C936.237)
The following suggestions are not currently part of the library’s collection but if you have a copy that you would like to donate to us then please email enquiries@morrablibrary.org.uk. They may be available to borrow from the public library too.
Burl, Aubrey, Great Stone Circles
Cope, Julian, The Modern Antiquarian
Cooper, Susan, Over Sea, Under Stone (children’s fiction)
Hadingham, Evan, Circles and Standing Stones
Hayman, Richard, Riddles in Stone: Myths, Archaeology and the Ancient Britons
Grinsell, Leslie, Folklore of Pre-historic Sites in Britain
Soar, Katy, ed., Circles of Stone: Weird Tales of Pagan Sites and Ancient Rites
Thomas, D.M., Birthstone: A Novel
Lively, Penelope, The Whispering Knights (children’s fiction)
Last month, we shared a reading list to accompany Katrina Naomi’s poetry reading featuring collections of poetry, non-fiction and novels available to borrow from the Library. You can catch up on this Reading List, and others, over on our blog.