Anderson’s book is a delightful collection of questions, folklore, history, and creative works looking into the question: who is Herne the Hunter? Coupled with some lovely illustrations by Hannah Willow, this book is a terrific read.
The book opens with a lovely meditation on Herne asking the reader to think about who Herne is to them. How does he appear? Is he horned, or no? If he speaks to you, what does he say? Anderson then moves directly into the task of “…trying to unpick where our beliefs about [Herne] came from.”
We begin with the appearance of Herne in Shakespeare’s play The Merry Wives of Windsor, and delve into the possibilities of Herne as he appears in that play: made up wholesale by Shakespeare? Or based upon existing folklore? And in looking at those questions, the reader is given a deeper understanding of Herne’s function as a character in that play, and the meaning at the time of a man with horns on his head symbolizing that he’s been made a cuckold (i.e., his wife is sleeping with other men).
Anderson further explores Herne as seen in art, interpretations (and sometimes misinterpretations) of cave drawings, and through other authors and important figures such as Margaret Murray – who “influence[d] the development of modern neo-paganism” – and had her own interpretations based upon an older creative work by Ainsworth called Windsor Castle.
Speaking of Ainsworth…I particularly enjoyed the chapter titled “Ainsworth’s Demon”, named for William Harrison Ainsworth as his book Windsor Castle includes King Henry VIII and his courtiers as I am currently reading a historical book on these very folks. While the actual history of the Tudor period is very interesting, how much more interesting now to read about the king and members of his court meeting up with Herne the Hunter!
I am also intrigued by all the excellent references to other works – which I am going to try to source so I can read them where that’s possible (several are out of print or difficult to find).
For anyone interested in exploring the history of Herne the Hunter and ending with more interesting questions than answers, this is a great and intriguing read.
—review by Mara McTavish
Author: Andrew Anderson
Moon Books, 2026
Pp.: 119, $15.95 USD
