Welcome ...
Merry Met fellow lover of myth, story and legend. My name is Dawn and I am an author, consultant, re-enactor, performance storyteller and all round word-witch specialising in landscape, nature and heritage interpretation
My focus is Celtic, British and Scandinavian mythology, although many other traditions also inform my practice. Through storytelling I hope to encourage a reconnection to our natural selves, through the lessons present within stories, folklore and nature and the landscapes they inhabit. My belief is that in order to connect with our inner selves and the biophilic rhythms that lie deep within us, we must first reconnect with the land, nature, heritage and the stories it holds. In this way we begin the journey to rewild ourselves through story.
My experience includes the production of interactive performance stories, traditional interpretation boards, live folklore and storytelling shows, videos, podcasts, articles for publication, accessible audio tours using soundscapes and walking tours that explore the history and heritage of the South Downs. I am a regular storyteller with The Weald & Downland Living Museum and work with organisations such as Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire Cultural Trust, The Land Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and English Heritage. I also work with schools, youth groups and community organisations. For examples of my clients click here.
My books in include Adventures in Nature (The History Press 2021), Stories of The Sun (The History Press 2023), Tree Lore (Quarto, slated for 2026) and The Little History of Storytelling (The History Press, slated for 2026).
From copy and scripts, to performances, workshops and storytelling sessions, get in touch using the contact tab above, to find out how we can work together and click on the events button below to find out where I am next.
I bring history to life with tales from the late medieval period to the 20th century.
Find out how I can bring the Iron Age, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Tudors and Victorians to life, for your heritage site, through story.
I offer storytelling sessions for all year groups (EYFS to KS5) and can guide your pupils through the storytelling process to hone their bardic skills with my Bard School workshops.
Get in touch to find out how we can work together to bring the ancient art of storytelling to young audiences building oracy and literary skills.
My passion is connecting people to the nature, heritage and folklore of the UK landscape through
storytelling.
Find out how I can do this through bespoke workshops for your organisation or community group.
Testimonials
'I'm so glad we caught the tale of Idun, you told it fantastically! What a magical evening!', Hannah Fletcher
I and my step granddaughter 4 yrs were entranced by a story teller who told us about the queen rat, her treasure and a hapless labourer who cleaned out the cess pits during the night. Most entertaining and not a sound was heard from the spellbound audience both adult and children of all ages. That tells you something.'
Steve H, Visitor at Weald & Downland Museum Review via Trip Advisor.
'Your storytelling skills are on another level! Amazing. Seeing how enthralled the children were with your
words was pure magic'. Lisa Hall
'Absolutely love listening to Dawn. Her stories are so engaging and she provides a wealth of information about them too. It's great that there is the opportunity to listen online as I am too far away to attend in person. Brilliant nights entertainment, thoroughly recommended.' Alison Scott
Storyteller Dawn Nelson has worked an indescribable magic from Year R all the way up to Y12. From Norse and Greek myths, to local tales and folklore from the land, I have had the genuine joy of watching the children listen, sing and join in with call and response (as if they all knew beforehand that they had a part to play!).
Young people's ability to focus for long periods is often underestimated because of increasing reliance on technology. What today proved to me is that if you put a brilliant storyteller in front of them with a hoard of fantastic stories, they will listen, they will stop fidgeting, they do fall into the depths of the narrative to emerge triumphant at the other side.'
Bryony Hart, Teacher Of English & Whole School Literacy, Portsmouth Grammar School
Cerridwen's Cauldron retold
by Dawn Nelson
