James Wright of Triskele Heritage released Historic Building Mythbusting – Uncovering Folklore, History and Archaeology via The History Press in June 2024.
‘An immensely readable, revealing and illuminating book, deserving of the widest possible audience.‘
~ The Folklore Society
‘We need more of this kind of study if we are to reach new audiences to help us care for our built heritage – and inspire the next generation of historic building specialists.’
~ Current Archaeology
The book is a deep dive into commonly believed and repeated stories about historic buildings. Nine themes will be investigated in detail, the myths will be debunked, underlying truths revealed, and there will be a look at how and why the tales developed in the first place.
James Wright said: “Go to any mediaeval building in the land and there will be interesting, exciting and romantic stories presented to the visitor. They are commonly believed and widely repeated – but are they really true?” He goes on to say: “These stories include those of secret passages linking ancient buildings, spiral staircases in castles giving advantage to right-handed defenders, ship timbers used in the construction of buildings on land, blocked doors in churches which are thought to keep the Devil out, and claims to be the oldest pub in the country. Delightful as these tales are, they can be a tad misleading in some cases and absolute myths in others.”
For example, tales of hidden tunnels are often connected to the Reformation and an emerging cultural identity which was suspicious of Catholicism. The spiral staircase myth was invented in 1902 by an art critic obsessed with spirals, left-handedness, and fencing – it is intricately bound up with the Victorian obsession with militarism. Ship timber yarns can be linked to the ideals of a seafaring nation. Blocked doors in churches are connected to forgotten processions on church feast days. The book even looks at the archaeological evidence which points to the possible identification of what may genuinely be the oldest pub in the land.
Understanding the truths behind the myths is just one part of this book – it will also seek to understand how those tales came to be.
This book links folklore, history, art, architecture, archaeology, sociology, and psychology to delve into the myths surrounding many mysterious features in mediaeval buildings. We can learn so much of value about a society through what it builds. By explaining the development of myths and the underlying truths behind them, a broader and deeper understanding of historic buildings can bring us that little bit closer to their former occupants. Sometimes the realities hiding behind the stories are even more interesting, romantic, and exciting than the myth itself…
The book is now available to order via the following retailers:
Further Praise for Historic Building Mythbusting
Historic Building Mythbusting was named runner up for The Katharine Briggs Award 2025.
‘I would implore anyone to read to this work, not just someone intrigued in the medieval world. This is factual investigation that brims with authority, whilst being enormously enlightening and entertaining.’
~ Nathen Amin
‘An entertaining and informed jaunt through the world of buildings archaeology, that opens up the many and varied stories of our shared past – and lovingly breaks down many of the myths that that still linger. A thoroughly enjoyable – and informative – read.’
~ Matthew Champion
‘Forget everything you knew – or thought you knew – about medieval buildings. From secret tunnels to boiling oil, James Wright firmly dispels the myths in this thoroughly entertaining and informative tome.’
~ Sharon Bennett Connolly
‘In this fascinating volume, James takes an insightful look into many popular assumptions about historic buildings which seem to proliferate widely and in doing so helps us question the real reason things were done the way they were.’
~ Brian Hoggard
‘A fabulous tome that debunks some long-held belief, such as the reason for spiral staircases, witches’ marks, secret tunnels and the use of boiling oil in siege warfare.’
~ Frances Owen
‘As the Fake History Hunter, I search museums, books and the internet for history related misinformation – debunking myths and misconceptions where I can. James’ knowledge has been an invaluable weapon in my armoury, and he proves his talent for this kind of detective work in this wonderful book!’
~ Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse
‘With the confidence born of hands-on knowledge, James Wright dismantles myth after myth about old buildings – but he’s never unkind, and never forgets that stories matter just as much as histories.’
~ Jeremy Harte
‘This erudite and analytical work constructively picks apart the folklore and myths surrounding many of the most misinterpreted aspects of our rich historic architecture. Anyone with an interest in architecture should read this book!’
~ Marc Allum
‘Whatever you thought you knewabout the stories behind the curious architectural features of our medieval properties, this book will show you that you didn’t know the half of it. Entertaining and endlessly fascinating.’
~ Mark Norman
Book Talks & Events
James is happy to accept speaking engagements in connection with the book. If you would like to book a talk, please get in contact with us to discuss.
Mythbusting Blog
Additionally, please do feel free to have a look at the Mediaeval Mythbusting Blog which originally helped to kickstart the book project…
