Land of Mist and Magic The Myths and Legends That Shaped Britain

Britain is a land steeped in legend. From the Scottish islands to the valleys of Wales and the coves of Cornwall, scarcely a hill, spring, or churchyard exists without its own tale of mythical creatures, enchanted encounters, or glimpses into another world.
Land of Mist and Magic gathers and retells these stories of ghosts, fairy changelings, and demon dogs woven deep into the landscape, alongside the enduring legends of figures such as King Arthur, Beowulf, and Robin Hood, who stand on the threshold between myth and recorded history.
Each section opens with historical context exploring the origins and evolution of the myths, followed by beautifully crafted retellings. The volume is richly illustrated with material drawn from the British Library's exceptional collection of manuscripts and printed works.
Visually striking and filled with stirring, surprising tales, Land of Mist and Magic is a treasure trove of the stories that have shaped Britain's cultural imagination.

About the author

Philip Parker is a writer, consultant, and publisher specializing in cartography and ancient and medieval history. He studied history at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and is the author of The British History Puzzle Book (2021), The History of Britain in Maps (2016), and the DK Eyewitness Companion Guide to World History (2010).
As a publisher, he previously ran The Times Books.

Product details

• Authors: Philip Parker
• Publisher: British Library
• Content: Book
• Product form: Hardback
• Publication date: 21.10.2025
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries
• EAN: 9780712355148
• ISBN: 978-0-7123-5514-8
• Pages: 352
• Subjects: SOCIAL SCIENCE / Folklore & Mythology, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, RELIGION / Ancient, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Middle Ages (449-1066), British & Irish history, Folklore, myths & legends, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Social and cultural history, Celtic religion and mythology, Celtic religion & mythology, European history: the Celts, Folklore studies / Study of myth, Cornwall coastal folklore, Land of Mist and Magic, illustrated mythology anthology, Beowulf mythology, Scottish island legends, Welsh valley myths, British folklore collection, Arthurian legends illustrated, cultural imagination Britain, King Arthur legend retelling, retold classic British myths, demon dogs folklore, enchanted encounters Britain, Robin Hood folklore, medieval manuscripts British Library, ghost stories Britain, fairy changelings tales, myth and history threshold, myths and legends of Britain, British Library illustrated book