Herne the Hunter is a phantom hunter who haunts Windsor Park. Though Herne may have been an actual keeper of the forest, he is probably a local manifestation of Wild Huntsman myth known throughout the world. The usual story associated with the Wild Hunt involves someone excessively fond of the chase who makes a rash pledge or compact with a stranger (often the devil) and is thus doomed to hunt forever. Herne is said to ride at night, especially during storms; he wears horns, rattles chains, blasts trees and cattle, and occasionally appears to mortal men.
While this is more of a local legend, it has a rightful place in the mythos of the British Isles. The legend goes that Herne the Hunter was once the keeper of Windsor Forest during the days of Queen Elizabeth I, and when he committed some sort of great offence, he hung himself in order to avoid facing the shame. Now, he guards the woods as a spirit of the forest and haunts them when the country is in some sort of grave danger.
The earliest mention of Herne comes from Shakespeare's 1597 play The Merry wives of Windsor , and it is impossible to know how accurately or to what degree Shakespeare may have incorporated a real local legend into his work, though there have been several later attempts to connect Herne to historical figures or pagan deities.
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Tales and Creatures from English Folklore
FantasyTake a journey into the dark world of English mythology. Child snatching hags and black hounds from Hell are just some of the fantastical tales Great Britain has given us.
