21 Mar 2026 #History #EnglishFolklore #FairyTales
Fairies are often thought of as part of Celtic folklore — but they run deep in English history too.
This video explores one of the earliest recorded “fairy-like” encounters in England: the Green Children of Woolpit. Written down over 800 years ago by medieval chroniclers, this story predates the very word fairy in the English language.
In this episode, we don’t just tell the story — we break it down. What did people in the 12th century think they were seeing? Why does this account share so many features with later fairy lore? And could this be one of the first moments where a “fairy” enters English history… before the concept even had a name?
Drawing on accounts from Ralph of Coggeshall and William of Newburgh, we explore the strange details:
Green-skinned children speaking an unknown language
A twilight world called St Martin’s Land
A cave, bells, and a missing entrance
Behaviour that closely mirrors later “changeling” folklore
We also place the story alongside other early British accounts, including:
Gerald of Wales and the story of Elidor
Walter Map and his accounts of otherworldly beings
Is this a misunderstood historical event? A cultural crossover from Wales? Or something stranger — a glimpse of a belief system just beginning to take shape?
This is not just a story. It’s a moment where folklore, history, and human perception collide.
#History #EnglishFolklore #FairyTales #MedievalHistory #Woolpit #GreenChildren #Folklore #BritishHistory #HiddenHistory #MythAndLegend #StrangeHistory #HistoricalMystery #Fairies #AngloSaxon #MedievalEngland #mythology #storytelling #storyteller #myths #fairy #history
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