About the Project
The Oracle of Place is a living research project based in Kington, Herefordshire, and forms part of my PhD with the University of Worcester. This work explores how ritual, folklore, and creative collaboration can deepen our sense of connection and belonging to the land and to each other. Rooted in both academic research and community engagement, the project weaves together local stories, traditions, and the spirit of Kington through workshops, oral history, and creative practice.
Whether you’re a lifelong resident, new to Kington, or simply curious, your stories and insights are valued and welcomed.
Our core aim is to co-create an ‘Oracle of Place’, a symbolic deck of cards that reflects the landscape, memory, and collective wisdom of this community. Along the way, everyone is invited to take part, share their experiences, and help shape a shared vision of cultural renewal and wellbeing. This is a space where rigorous scholarship and community magic meet, and where every voice is valued.
The Oracle of Place is supported by the University of Worcester as part of an ongoing commitment to innovative, participatory research and meaningful community partnership.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributes their stories, time, and presence to this project, as well as to my supervisors and the University of Worcester for supporting this vision. Together, we're co-creating a space where research becomes ritual, and where the wisdom of the land and its people is both celebrated and renewed.
Acknowledgements
Meet the Researcher
Hello, I’m Rebecca Burns!
I'm a writer, researcher, and practitioner with a passion for folklore and the wisdom of place. I have lived in Herefordshire for over a decade, and my work draws on academic training as well as a lifelong engagement with ritual, storytelling, and creative community practice.
I believe deeply in the power of ritual and story to build belonging and inspire transformation.
As a PhD researcher at the University of Worcester, I'm committed to bridging worlds: making research accessible and relevant, honouring local voices, and inviting everyone, whether scholar, resident, or curious visitor, into the evolving story of Kington.
My intention is to create a living resource where research and ritual, story and landscape, scholarship and community creativity, all find their home together.