10 Semi-Historical English Folk Heroes

Remember, remember the fifth of November... Oh yes, this is Guy Fawkes Day! In the 400 years that have passed since the Gunpowder Plot, a lot of the historical details of the story have become garbled in popular culture, and many people don't know the story at all. But Guy Fawkes is not the only English folk hero. Oh you know King Arthur and Robin Hood, but have you ever heard the story of Jan Tregeagle?
Aside from having a hilariously awesome name, Jan Tregeagle was definitely a magistrate in the 17th century who was so much of a jerk that stories circulated claiming he made a pact with the devil.  And murdered his wife.  And that he supposedly rose to power by stealing an estate from an orphan.

Geekosystem has his story, as well as those of nine other folk heroes from English history. Link

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Guy Fawkes? Folk hero? There's an odd concept. The tradition of burning an efigy of Fawkes on a bonfire, is a s symbolic execution of Fawkes and what he stood for. I think the term we're looking for here is folk villain.

You'd hardly expect a protestant country to consider a hero a catholic who tried to assassinate the king and head of the church, would you?
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Nobody forgets Guy Fawkes in Britain, even if you want to - it's late evening here and there are so many fireworks going off outside in neighbouring gardens that it sounds like a full-blown war zone. I don't know when fireworks went from 'pretty, whizzy, sparkly things' to 'combat-ready, cloud-busting, weapons-grade incendiary cannons' but it's happened and it's loud!
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