A hospital chapel has taken an unexpected turn towards the uncanny — its altar now features a horse’s skull on a pole, part of an exhibition exploring modern folklore.
The skull represents the Mari Lwyd, a Welsh midwinter custom where a horse’s skull, draped in ribbons and cloth, is paraded from house to house during Christmas festivities. It forms the centrepiece of an exhibition by London-based artist Ben Edge, who is known for his contemporary depictions of British folk rituals. Watching over his vast mural, the ghostly horse gives the chapel an air of ancient ceremony reborn.
The mural, Children of Albion, sprawls across the wall — a painting blending old and new rites, protests and prayers, sacred trees and modern architecture. Within its dense imagery are scenes from solstice celebrations in Milton Keynes, and reimaginings of the folk song John Barleycorn, populated by hybrid figures that blur the lines between human, animal and plant.
It’s a work that rewards close attention — every corner is packed with visual jokes and quiet subversions.
Edge describes his work as part of a “Folk Renaissance,” a movement to reconnect with the mythic, the ancestral, and the natural world. It echoes Victorian efforts to revive rural traditions and the 1970s folk revival that followed.
There’s irony in how many supposedly “ancient” English customs are in fact modern reinventions, but perhaps that’s the point: they speak to a yearning for something lost. In this chapel, pagan spirits and Christian symbols coexist — a reminder that folklore, like faith, is always finding new forms.
The exhibition, Children of Albion by Ben Edge is at Fitzrovia Chapel until 26th November 2025 and is free to visit.
Fitzrovia Chapel is just off Mortimer Street, a short walk north of Oxford Street.
Monday to Saturday: 11am – 6pm
Sunday: 12 noon – 5pm
