Hookland – an open-source strange landscape whose motto is re-enchantment is resistance – has become a favourite online project among many fans of horror and hauntology. Author David Southwell created the lost English county, described by Fortean Times as “pitch-perfect” and “breathtaking”, not only to challenge the nationalistic weaponistion of folklore, but to re-wild the subject.
In this lively talk he will not only examine the folkloric origins of Hookland, but some of the forteana that underpins it. Delving into his childhood, expect true tales of daylight disappearances, UFO cults atop Essex hills and naked amnesiacs appearing in Romford’s high street.