author
H. J. Kesson
Best known for the lively poem The Legend of the Lincoln Imp, H. J. Kesson brought humor and folklore together in a playful tale inspired by Lincoln Cathedral’s famous carved imp. The work was first published in 1904 under the name “Ursus.”
1 Audiobook
The Legend of the Lincoln Imp
by H. J. Kesson
About the author
Very little biographical information about H. J. Kesson has been reliably preserved. Kesson is chiefly associated with The Legend of the Lincoln Imp, a short illustrated poem first published in 1904 by J. W. Ruddock & Sons in Lincoln.
Written under the additional name “Ursus,” the poem retells the local legend of a mischievous imp who causes havoc inside Lincoln Cathedral before being turned to stone by an angel. Its light comic style, rhyming verse, and affectionate connection to Lincoln’s history have helped keep Kesson’s work in circulation through later reprints and digital editions.