Brought to North America by Irish immigrants, Halloween has its roots in England and its celtic traditions. Mystical creatures costumes inspired by English folktales will give any Halloween party or trick-or-treating that Old World charm. English legendary creatures costumes are easy to create at home. Here is a list of mystical creatures for some costume ideas:
Basilisk
According to famous 14th-century English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, the basilisk is a deadly creature with the head, neck and legs of a cockerel, the wings of a dragon and the face of a human. Supplies for a basilisk costume: cockerel head piece; wings; chicken legs made out of cardboard and attached to shoes; black trousers and top decorated with semi-cirucular shapes made of foil for the scales.
Bluecap or Blue Cap, or Knocker
The Bluecap or Knocker is an English legendery creature of Cornwall. It is a 2ft-tall fairy which lives in the mines of Cornwall. It is dressed as a miner, sometimes appearing as a blue flame, causing mischief or trouble. Some old clothes made to resemble a miner's garb complete with helmet, torch and pickaxe are easy to find and the look can be completed with pointed ears and maybe blue face paint to represent the blue flame.
Pixy
The pixy is a typical English mystical creature, a fairy native of Devon and Cornwall. A famous folktale creature, it has pointed ears, pointed hat and a green outfit. A fancy dress outfit for a fairy is easy to find in most fancy dress outlets.
Black Annis, or Black Agnes
Very appropriate for Halloween, this English legendary creature is a fearsome, child-eating, blue-faced, iron-clawed witch with the skins of her victims tied around her waist.
Redcap, or Red Cap
A malicious dwarf or goblin, this mystical creature is depicted in folktales as wearing a red cap stained from his victims' blood. It has got red eyes, taloned hands and large teeth.
Gytrash
A legendary creature of England, this black dog haunts lonely roads waiting for travellers. A hairy dog full body outfit can be used for this costume complete with fake fangs and red horns for good effect.
Wild Man of Orford
According to an East Anglia legend, this man appeared out of the sea and although questioned and tortured he remained mute. He had green or black beard and was covered in hair. He eventually dived back and was never seen again. Ragged clothes and a fishing net with some plastic sea creatures sawn on it are a must for this costume as well as a fake green or black beard with shells stuck on it.
Tiddy Mun
A bog spirit of Lincolnshire. This English legendary creature is an old man of ghostly appearance, with long, tangled hair and beard, wearing a grey gown.
Consider these costumes for an authentic Old World legendary creatures theme party or for Halloween. Other legendary creatures from England's folktales are Ogres, which are bit more hairy and fearsome than Shrek, mermaids and of course giants, of which the Bolster Giant is the one of the most famous.
Related Halloween Costume Ideas Articles
- Greek Mythical Creatures Costume Ideas: Centaur to Minotaur List of Monsters of Ancient Greece
- Mythological Creatures Halloween Costume Ideas: Mythical Animals and Cryptids List for Theme Parties
Sources
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters and Dragons. An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend and Myth, Norton & Co: New York and London 2000.
Lito Apostolakou - Lito is a historian with an interest in digital archives and online historical resources. She is the author of blog Palimpsest.
