The heroes of England’s legends
When you think of England’s legends, are there any particular characters that come to mind?
We asked Survey respondents how familiar they were with a range of legendary figures, from Boudicca to Queen Mab to Gog and Magog to Spring-heeled Jack.
Robin of Loxley, recognised by almost 90% of Survey participants
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Robin Hood took the top spot, with almost 90% of respondents stating that they knew of the English outlaw who famously stole from the rich to give to the poor.
King Arthur came next, with an 84% familiarity rate.
‘The lives and adventures of Robin Hood and King Arthur make for hugely popular material for filmmakers,’ says Ceri Houlbrook, project co-lead and Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire. ‘The historical murkiness of the legends and associated figures is liberating for filmmakers, who can cherry-pick which of the many conflicting sources to draw from, interpreting and adapting them to suit their creative and commercial aims.’
To illustrate the point, a new Robin Hood film, The Death of Robin Hood, starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer is out in June 2026.
84% of Survey respondents cited a familiarity with King Arthur
Two thirds of our Survey respondents had heard of St George, the dragon-slaying patron saint of England, Georgia, and other nations.
‘The legacy of St George is a little more curious,’ says Dr David Clarke, project lead and Associate Professor in Journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. ‘He never visited England and was born in modern-day Turkey, but medieval English monarchs took his stories to heart, making his feast day, the 23rd of April, a holiday in England in the 13th century when the story he is best known for, slaying the dragon, first appeared. Our survey found that awareness of St George defies county boundaries but increases with age, with the 55-75 age bracket most likely to be aware of St George.’
This question also emphasised the regionality of some of our legends, with certain characters, such as Black Shuck and Jenny Greenteeth, better known in some regions than others.
It also showcased the propensity for stories featuring ‘bogeymen’, such as Herne the Hunter, the ghost of Windsor Forest, and Spring-heeled Jack who could leap over rooftops to assault innocent people in the street.
Dr Diane A. Rodgers, co-lead on the National Folklore Survey from Sheffield Hallam University, said: ‘England’s stories are peppered with ghosts, hauntings and spirits who ostensibly like to cause more harm than good, these are tropes which in fact draw from folklore from beyond our shores such as Scandinavia. Many of these figures serve as warnings, stay out of the water, keep away from darkened streets at night, but some are pure entertainment.
‘There’s nothing more exciting, I think, than a scary story shared by folks at night, whether around a campfire or in front of the telly. That’s inevitably a contributing factor to the recent popularity of the folk horror genre; our survey found that 34% of people living in England today know something about folk horror, and I suspect we’ll continue to see lots more folk horror film, television and literature.’
We also love our Robin Hood and King Arthur illustrations, created especially for us by Jonny Ford, a legend in his own right. Thanks, Jonny!