Out of the Margins

The Real Middle Earth

Though its meaning may have shifted over the centuries since its Anglo-Saxon origins, ‘middle earth’ is far from fantasy.

Artificial Inspiration

Poets across the ages have sought help with their writing – but AI bears no comparison with the divine.

The Wild Hunt in England

The monks of Peterborough told strange tales of the Wild Hunt. Were they ghostly apparitions or wishful thinking?

New Year, Old Books

A new book for the new year is an old British custom, but an old book can be even better.

Beware the Lides of March

March is the loudest month. The late survival of a dialect name – Lide – for the month poses a medieval puzzle.