The History of Folk Horror

An illustrated talk exploring folk horror’s origins and modern revival, followed by a Q&A in Reading.

Date: Tuesday 21 July 2026

Time: 6.45pm – 9.30pm (talk starts 7.30pm)

Explore the dark origins of folk horror and its connections to ancient customs, folklore and modern anxieties, followed by a Q&A. The talk considers classic 1960s and 70s works including The Wicker Man, Witchfinder General and The Blood on Satan's Claw, as well as earlier Gothic and supernatural influences such as Algernon Blackwood.

Dr Sam Le Butt leads the session, examining how folk horror blends history, myth and imagination and asking where folklore ends and reality begins. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a good seat.

Speaker: Dr Sam Le Butt (University of Bristol PhD) is a researcher, writer and educator focusing on fungal horror, Gothic and sci-fi storytelling, with publications on Japanese cinema and Fungal Gothic. Her fiction collection Curious Woman and other Creatures was published in 2022.