From mythical legends -dragons, unicorns, mermaids, sea serpents,
griffins, yales, and wyverns -to contemporary tall-tales such as big
cats on the moors and the Loch Ness Monster, the British imagination has
ever been stalked by fantastic beasts. These creatures find their
origins in folklore, literature, heraldry and religion and are vividly
transmitted to us in countless manuscript illuminations, woodcuts,
sculptures, engravings, carvings and paintings. Julia Cresswell here
outlines and investigates the legendary beasts of Britain, including
famous examples such as St. George's dragon alongside more local
traditions such as the Laidly Worm, a princess turned by an evil
stepmother into a monster that terrorised the countryside. It is the
perfect guide to a heritage of creatures that range from the ugly and
malevolent t othe beguiling and benevolent.