Discover the extraordinary in the ordinary with Sophie’s Magic in the Mundane school sessions, inspiring primary school children in Preston and across the UK to reimagine their world through storytelling, performance, poetry, and creative writing.
Sophie brings the legends of Preston to life through her dynamic author sessions and creative writing workshops. With Magic in the Mundane, she invites students to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, sparking their imaginations with the legend of The Black Dog of Preston, the knighting of Sir Loin, the tale of Kilgrimol and the Priest and the Eel. and other fascinating local legends. Alongside this captivating presentation, Sophie leads an immersive creative writing workshop, where children explore their storytelling skills, and an interactive reading of The Best-Kept Secret, complete with costumes for all, props, and a sprinkle of magic! Each visit is tailored to schools in Preston, across the UK, and beyond, offering a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience that inspires creativity and brings folklore to life.
'𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐬."
Preston school author visits: Boggarts and Bacon!
Preston is surrounded by lots of marshy, wetland areas that have shaped the land for many centuries. Just south of the city, you'll find Penwortham Marsh and Farrington Moss—‘moss’ is the old name for low-lying, boggy land. To the north, there's Grimsargh Wetlands, a nature reserve, home to various birds and animals -but it's not just birds and animals you'll find in these soggy, boggy places; these marshy areas around Preston are the perfect hiding place for... boggarts!
Boggarts are a key part of Preston’s folklore, said to lurk in old mills, farmhouses, and shadowy woodland paths- In fact, they’re so ingrained in Preston’s history that places like Boggarts Wood near Fulwood carry their name! These mischievous spirits are known for causing trouble—moving objects, creating strange noises, and jumping out from behind trees or bushes just to give you a good scare! Some tales describe boggarts as shapeshifters, able to take on different forms to trick and confuse the locals. Others speak of their more sinister side, with stories of boggarts stealing babies and swapping them for boggart babies, 'changelings'.
The shapeshifting Boggart of Longridge Fell
Across the landscape in Lancashire, there are ancient tales of shapeshifting boggarts, mischievous creatures who could transform into anything—dogs, trees, even a bale of hay! According to local folklore, these creatures were often trapped beneath large stones or the bases of old crosses to keep them from escaping and causing havoc. One such spot is Longridge Fell, just a few miles north of Preston, where cairns and ancient stone formations can still be found. While we can't say for sure that a boggart is beneath each stone, these rocky mounds are believed to be the perfect place to imprison these tricky creatures. The idea was that trapping them this way would prevent them from sneaking off and causing mischief in nearby villages!
The Legendary Black Dog of Preston.
During Sophie’s school visits, the children love hearing about one of Preston’s strangest legends—the Black Dog. But this was no ordinary dog! According to local folklore, it was a headless shapeshifting boggart that guarded the city gates, and its eerie howls were said to be a warning of danger. People believed that if the Black Dog lay on a doorstep, it was a bad omen, and something disastrous was about to happen to the house owners.
Of course, as soon as Sophie tells the story, the children always burst out laughing. "But how did it howl if it didn’t have a head?" they ask! Some suggest it had an invisible head, while others think it might have a speaker inside its chest! One thing’s for sure—the Black Dog of Preston certainly sparks some wild ideas!
Jinny Greenteeth: Lancashire’s Legendary Water Witch
The children are also introduced to Jinny Greenteeth, one of the most well-known characters in Lancashire folklore. Jinny is a mischievous freshwater spirit said to haunt the waters of ponds, marshes, rivers, and canals across Lancashire, including the Lancaster Canal and the River Ribble, which flows through the south of the city centre. She’s not your typical fairy, though—Jinny is known for her green mossy skin and for never, EVER visiting a dentist!
Some stories tell of her as a helpful spirit, watching over the waters and guiding lost travellers with her lantern. But in other tales, she’s more eerie and spooky, luring people closer with false promises of hidden treasures. With a flash of green and a ripple in the water, she loves to surprise anyone who ventures too near. So, if you’re ever exploring Preston’s waterways, keep a safe distance but keep an eye out for that glimmer of green—you may just catch a glimpse of Jinny Greenteeth herself!
Judge and Jail -Preston's Ties to the Witch Trials
At the start of Sophie’s author visits, students are introduced to the Lancashire witch trials, with Elizabeth Demdike—a key character in Sophie’s book The Best-Kept Secret—setting the stage. This introduction then leads into Magic in the Mundane, where Sophie connects the witch trials to Preston’s own significant links to the events in 1612, making the session even more meaningful for school children in Preston.
In the 17th century, a judge named Sir James Altham lived in Avenham, a part of Preston near the River Ribble. He played an important role in the famous Pendle Witch Trials. Sir James Altham was one of the main judges who helped decide the fates of the 12 women accused of witchcraft, including the infamous Elizabeth Demdike. His home was in a wealthy area of Preston, close to Avenham Park
Some of the accused witches, like Elizabeth Southerns (known as Demdike), were imprisoned in the county gaol in Preston. The trial of the Pendle Witches took place in Lancaster, but the suspects were held in custody in nearby towns, including Preston, before being transported to Lancaster for their trial.
Arise Sir Loin! One of the highlights of Magic in Mundane in Preston (at least for Sophie!) is the famous tale of Sir Loin, a humorous and quirky piece of Preston's history. Legend has it that King James I was so impressed with a particularly fine piece of beef he ate during a banquet at Hoghton Tower that he knighted it ‘Sir Loin’, which is how it got its name!
Belvedere Pavilion, Avenham Park: Folly, Fairy Gateway or Alien Portal?
The session ends with a visit to Belvedere Pavilion in Avenham Park, a place of intrigue and magic. Could this simple folly be a fairy gateway or portal to another dimension? Sophie encourages the children to see the world around them differently, reminding them that the most magical stories are often hidden in plain sight.
Sophie ensures that every school author visit to Preston is deeply rooted in the local community, focusing on places the children will recognise or are close to the school. Whether the school is in the town centre or on the outskirts, Sophie tailors her sessions to reflect the unique folklore, history, and myths of the area. In schools towards the west of Preston, closest to the boundaries of the Flyde area, for example, Sophie shares the story of Kilgrimol and the legend of the Priest and the Eel. A long time ago, people believed that dark spirits lurked in the marshes around Marton Mere, (not to be confused with Martin Mere!) According to a story from Victorian times, these spirits were worshipped by the ancient Britons—until a brave priest named Grim arrived from a place called Kilgrimol. Grim battled the most powerful spirit and trapped it in the mere, where it transformed into a giant, wriggling eel!
Nearly a thousand years later, during Viking times, the creature escaped. It slithered out of the water at night to steal the villagers' sheep! The villagers asked a local priest to help, but no matter how hard the local priest tried, he couldn’t stop it. Desperate, he went to the ruins of Grim’s old chapel and prayed for help. That night, as the chapel bell rang in the darkness, the priest heard a ghostly voice telling him what to do. The voice told him to make a special cake—an oatmeal cake with a cross on top. But there was a twist: the cross had to be covered with a crispy piece of bacon. The priest did just as the voice instructed, and when the eel came out that night, it smelled the delicious bacon and rushed to eat it. But as it swallowed the cake, the cross got stuck in its throat, and the eel began to choke and retreated back to safe waters. At last, the monstrous eel was trapped back in Marton Mere—where it remains to this day.
Why Choose Sophie’s Author Visits for Your School in Preston?
Sophie’s author visits offer schools a unique and engaging way to connect children with local legends, folklore, creative writing, and storytelling. Designed for primary schools in Preston and beyond, Sophie’s school visits inspire young minds by showing them the magic hidden in everyday life, sparking their imagination and helping them craft their own stories. Her author visits, workshops, and storytelling activities align with key areas of the curriculum, including literacy, history, poetry, and local legends. However, Sophie's ultimate goal is to ignite a passion for reading, sparking children's imaginations and fostering a deep, lasting love for books that will stay with them throughout their lives.
We offer Preston Primary Schools:
FREE school author visits for small or struggling schools
School author visits, half-day and full-day sessions starting at £175 for a two-hour author session, including an interactive reading of The Best-Kept Secret, Magic in the Mundane and an immersive creative writing workshop)
Virtual school author visits for £125
Suitable for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Primary School Children
For more information, including testimonials, photos, and pricing, click here
Comments