author
M. A. (Margaret Ann) Courtney
1834–1920
A keen collector of Cornish traditions, this 19th-century writer helped preserve local feasts, customs, and folklore that might otherwise have faded from memory. Her work still offers a vivid window into everyday life in Cornwall.
1 Audiobook
Cornish Feasts and Folk-lore
by M. A. (Margaret Ann) Courtney
About the author
Born in Penzance on April 16, 1834, Margaret Ann Courtney became known as a Cornish poet and folklorist. She spent much of her life in Cornwall, and her writing focused closely on the language, customs, and seasonal traditions of the region.
She is best remembered for Cornish Feasts and Folk-Lore (1890), a lively record of local beliefs and celebrations. She also co-authored Glossary of Words in Use in Cornwall with Thomas Quiller Couch, and later published Cornish Feasts and Feasten Times (1910), continuing her work of documenting Cornish culture.
Courtney died on May 12, 1920. Her books remain valuable not only as literary works, but also as careful snapshots of Cornish life, preserving stories and expressions that have become an important part of the region’s cultural history.