There's no easy answer, which is why scholars are still debating this question and tying to find a suitable definition...

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BUT...

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In simple terms, think THE WICKER MAN!!

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The term FOLK HORROR was first coined in relation to the three British films (nicknamed the unholy trinity) of THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL, BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW, and THE WICKER MAN.

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There are common themes to these films that scholars such as Adam Scovell have identified such as the setting, isolated communities, skewed belief systems, and usually some sort of event/happening that results in terrible outcomes. But there is much more scholarly work to be done around this.

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Unfortunately, much of the research has focused on film, whereas my work centres on the literary contributions to folk horror such as the work of MR James, Shirley Jackson, and Algernon Blackwood, to name only a few.

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But I am also interested in folk horror revival literature. Recent works by Benjamin Myers, Andrew Michael Hurley, Adam Nevill and Matt Wesolowski are making important contributions to the canon.