About
Written by David Caldwell ·
About Haeretico
Haeretico is a space for open-minded exploration of ancient mysteries, legends, folklore, and the evolution of belief systems. Our mission is to research the forgotten, the fringe, and the foundational ? those stories, symbols, and systems that have shaped human understanding across cultures and centuries.
We approach topics with curiosity rather than dogma, asking how the past continues to echo in the present, through mythology, ritual, geography, and memory.
About the Editor
David Caldwell first became fascinated by mythology and religion at an early age. Raised in the Catholic tradition and educated in a Catholic school, he served as an altar boy, offering him a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on faith and ritual. By his early teens, David had chosen a different path, becoming an atheist and directing his curiosity toward the world?s religions, ancient myths, and the shared archetypes that link them.
A keen amateur historian and independent researcher, David?s interests span science, psychology, and the deep structures of culture. He has a particular passion for mapping and cartography, viewing maps not just as geographic tools but as windows into how people have interpreted and ordered their world throughout time.
Before founding Haeretico, David spent over two decades working in local government, with a focus on data, planning, and environmental health. This background sharpened his analytical instincts and taught him how modern systems, bureaucratic, geographic, and social ? mirror older ways of knowing.
Now, through Haeretico, he brings together analytical rigour and creative curiosity, seeking new insights into humanity?s oldest questions.
Latest Posts
27 March 2026
Hot Cross Buns: History, Origins & FolkloreDiscover the fascinating history of hot cross buns - from pagan offerings and Greek sacred bread to Chelsea bun houses and Good Friday folklore. Explore 2,000 years of spiced bread tradition.
22 March 2026
What Does "Ne'er Cast a Clout Till May Be Out" Actually Mean?Is it about the month of May or the hawthorn flower? And what on earth is a clout? We dig into 170 years of British newspapers to finally answer one of folklore's most argued questions.
20 March 2026
The White Hart: The Ancient Legend Behind Britain's Most Common Pub SignFrom Greek mythology to medieval forest law, the white deer haunted the British imagination for centuries. Discover the real history behind the legend of the White Hart — royal badge, supernatural omen, and elusive quarry of the soul.
13 March 2026
Why Is a Horseshoe Lucky? The Surprising History Behind the World's Most Universal CharmThe horseshoe has been nailed above cottage doors, cathedral gates, and battleship masts for centuries. Discover the ancient beliefs in iron, the crescent moon, and the sacred horse that made it the world's most enduring good luck symbol.
12 March 2026
Saint Piran of CornwallPiran - patron saint of Cornwall, tin miners and the Cornish flag — from Irish origins to the buried oratory's remarkable 2014 excavation.
10 March 2026
Clare Island - Isle of Storms, Pirates and Naturalists: A History in Newspaper Voicesiscover the fascinating history of Clare Island, off the coast of Mayo - from the piratical legend of Grace O'Malley and bitter land disputes to a landmark natural history survey, told through contemporary newspaper voices spanning 1863 to 1986.