Unlocking the Love-Lock

Ceri Houlbrook attained her doctorate in Archaeology from the University of Manchester, and is a lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire. Her primary research interests are contemporary folklore and the material culture of popular customs and beliefs. She has published previously on the British phenomenon of coin-trees and the history and folklore of concealed objects.

• List of IllustrationsIntroductionChapter 1. Dating Love: A History of The Love-Lock CustomChapter 2. Consuming Love: Folk Custom and Popular CultureChapter 3. Excavating Love: The Material Culture of Love-LockingChapter 4. Locking Love: The Ethnography of Love-LockingChapter 5. Symbolizing Love: The semiotics of love-lockingChapter 6. Selling Love: The Commercialization of Love-lockingChapter 7. Unlocking Love: Controversy and HeritageConcluding Thoughts: A Final Case-StudyAppendix 1Appendix 2Bibliography

“This is a fascinating study of the custom of attaching padlocks, usually inscribed with names, to bridges and other structures and artefacts in public locations…The interdisciplinary approach, together with exemplary fieldwork and detailed analysis of material collected, along with diligent identification, use, and evaluation of data from the internet and mass media, combine to make this book a major contribution to knowledge in this burgeoning international field of enquiry.” • Tradition Today“This is an important first detailed examination of the love-lock practice and provides an important benchmark for any further study, collection, and observation of the development of the custom.” • Folklore“This is a well-researched and thoughtful assessment of a fascinating topic.” • Sarah Randles, University of Melbourne“…this is an eminently enjoyable and thorough investigation of a popular phenomenon through the lens of heritage and folk tradition.” • Sara De Nardi, Western Sydney University