Activities
The Wilson’s Tales Project was created to stimulate a revival of a wide community interest in “Wilson’s Tales of the Borders”. The Project raises awareness of these heritage Tales, their historic context and content and provides a platform for contemporary artists of all types to respond to and re-tell them.
This has included raising awareness of Wilson and the tales and the literary and historic heritage locally and nationally. We research, lecture and publish information relevant to these aims.
Writing and publications
We have a base of volunteer writers and researchers who take on the task of rewrites of the tales for modern audiences and researching their historic context. We have published 8 volumes of revival tales and companion research pieces. We have published a study on Wilson’s tenure as editor of The Berwick Advertiser .
We have jointly organised writing competitions for schools with Berwick Literary Festival, where the winning entrants have had their Tale published in our revival edition.
We currently run a 100 word tale competition, with a schools section. This attracts worldwide entries.
Information on this can be accessed here: 100Words Competition – Wilson's Tales of the Borders
Wilsons tales project revival edition Book Sales
We are supported by a number of local retail bookshops, and of course we would like to support them, so if you are looking for a Revival Edition and would like to avoid the inevitable postage, you can try any of the following links provided below:
Slightly Foxed, Bridge St, Berwick
The Book Loft, Marygate, Berwick (Facebook page)
Berwick Visitor Centre, Walkergate, Berwick (Facebook page)
Main street Trading, Main St, St Boswells
The Village Shop, Cornhill-on-Tweed (Facebook Page)
Heron & Willow, Jedburgh
Revival events, storytelling and theatrical productions
We typically organise at least two life events a year where tales are brought to life for modern audiences by adapting tales for presentation by story tellers and / or actors and involve amateur and professional companies in this process as well as puppeteers.
Images from: "Muckle Mouth Meg" - Created and performed by Poppy Browne (The Straw Yard, Barracks, Berwick - 26th April 2025)
Images from: "Launcelot Errington and his Nephew Mark: A Tale of Lindisferne" - A short play by Northumberland Theatre Company (Dress Rehearsal 17th September 2015)
Artworks
Many of the early editions came with sumptuous engraved illustrations.
We have commissioned new illustrations for our editions and even sculptured works inspired by the tales.
Film
We have arranged for many of our revival dramatic events to be recorded edited as stand alone Film media for future access by new audiences.
These are made available on our YouTube account. Access is free, but a donation would be appreciated if you enjoy them.
Exhibitions
We have acquired a large representative collection of different editions of the tales and information about Wilson, the tales and related subjects.
With these we created a “pop up museum” for a three day period which attracted very favourable feedback and was a useful proof of concept. We would like to find a home to do this more permanently.
In the meantime we have a small exhibition at the Berwick Visitor Centre.
Trails of the Tales
We pioneered our first walking trail, “Walking with Wilson” , linking areas connected with his life and tales involving Berwick and Tweedmouth as a guided walk as part of the Berwick open doors heritage week in 2025. We have had subsequent funding to develop this as a self-guided paper and digital trail.
More information on the “Walking with Wilson” page.
We have ideas for future trails in other areas.
Tales Retold
We have recorded a number of Tales retold in the words of storytellers or as radio style plays.
Click the image below to hear podcast "The Domestic Griefs of Gustavus McIvor".
To visit the Wilson's Tales Project Spotify podcast page click the button below.
Memorial "Beans and Bacon" Dinner
We have a memorial dinner on 2nd October annually, Wilson’s date of death.
This has now assumed it’s own traditions, including a “Vacant Chair” after the first tale, a recital of Wilson’s humorous poem “Beans & bacon” and the retelling of an adaptation of an engaging tale.
