The city of Sheffield has an international reputation as a centre for folklore and legend scholarship that can be traced back to 1964

The Centre for Contemporary Legend (CCL) aims to build upon these foundations, working with friends and partners to reinvigorate folklore and legend studies in the 21st century.

We aim to create an institutional base that can act as a focal point for all those working in the field of folklore and legend studies.

Research interests

Our main areas of interest and inquiry are:

• Folklore on screen and in print
• Hauntological media and folk horror
• Documenting folklore and traditions
• Supernatural and paranormal experiences
• Contemporary and historic moral panics
• Archives as a folklore research resource
• Cultural heritage and identity

Public engagement

The CCL actively seeks opportunities for impactful engagement with the public outside academia. The centre has been invited to engage regularly with local and national media, city libraries, public cinema screenings and international conferences.