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TheMuseum ofWitchcraft

A Brief History& Guide to the Displays


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Index of the DisplaysPage 3: The History of the museumPage 6: What is Witchcraft?Page 7: Images of Witchcraft

Page 8: PersecutionPage 9: The Wheel of the YearPage 10: Stone Circles and Sacred SitesPage 11: The Hare and Shape-shiftingPage 12: HealingPage 13: The Wise WomanPage 14: ProtectionPage 15: MandrakesPage 16: Curses and CursingPage 17: Ritual Magic and Golden DawnPage 18: The Richel CollectionPage 19: Satanism and Devil WorshipPage 20: The Horned GodPage 21: The GoddessPage 22: Scrying and Divination

Page 23: Spells and CharmsPage 24: Sea WitchcraftPage 25: Working Tools

It is the museums policy to display items relating to witchcraft andmagic, with a bias toward Cornish and English artefacts. The museumstrives to be impartial and show all aspects of our subject,demonstrating the historical beliefs and practices of witches and

magicians.

A steady flow of donated exhibits enables us to regularly update ourdisplays, and we maintain an impressive archive and library which canbe accessed by members of the Friends of the Museum of Witchcraft.

The Friends of the Museum of Witchcraft is an independently runorganisation that raises funds by subscription and donation to helppurchase new display items, conservation tools, and equipment.Details are available from the reception desk.

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The History of the MuseumCecil Williamson first opened theMuseum of Witchcraft on the Isleof Man in 1951. Previous attempts

to open the museum in Stratford-on-Avon were thwarted; witchcraftwas not welcome there!

Born the son of a military man inPaignton, Devon, Cecil oftenspent his holidays with his uncle,the vicar of North Bovey. It was

here he first encounteredwitchcraft when he intervened tostop some thugs persecuting alocal witch. She befriended theyoung Cecil and started him on hispath to becoming one of the mostimportant characters in modernwitchcraft in Britain.

Williamsons magical education continued in Rhodesia where he workedon a tobacco plantation. He met African Witchdoctors and realised thatthe principles of witchcraft are universal.

He returned to Britain in 1930 where he mixed with leading experts of theday including Wallis Budge of the British Museum, anthropologistMargaret Murray and historian Montague Summers. During World War IIhe was even employed by MI6 to work as an undercover agent collecting

data on the occult interests of Nazi military personnel. It is believed Cecilused his knowledge of the occult to encourage Rudolf Hess to fly toScotland where Hess was captured and interned.

In 1946 Cecil met the man often referred to as the father of modernwitchcraft, Gerald Gardner. They became friends and business partnersbut their relationship soured and ended in bitter fighting and mistrustseveral years later. The museum archives hold a collection of letters that

demonstrates the rise and fall of their partnership.

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Williamson bought the Witches Mill in the Isle of Man and converted it toa restaurant and witchcraft museum which opened in 1951. Gardner wasemployed as Resident Witch and courted much publicity through themedia. This coincided with the repeal of the Witchcraft Act in 1951.

The two men wanted to take the Witches Mill in different directions,

hence the breakdown of their relationship. Williamson sold the building toGardner in 1954 (who continued to run it as a museum until his death on12th February 1964) and moved his collection to Windsor.

Royal Windsor was not happy to house a Museum of Witchcraft so hewas forced to move again to the Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water. Here he received numerous death threats and the museum wasrepeatedly firebombed; there were even dead cats strung up on trees inhis garden.

It was time to move again, so in 1960 the museum relocated to Boscastlewhere it has remained ever since. Cecil ran the museum until midnight atHalloween 1996 when it was sold to the current owner Graham King.

Cecil Williamson died in 1999 at the age of 90 and we hope the museumwill remain a lasting tribute to this remarkable man.

16th August 2004: This date entered thehistory books as one of the worst floods

in modern British history. Boscastle wasswamped by over 3 metres of floodwaters after approximately 20 centimetresof rain fell in hours.

Graham King, owner of the museum anda local coastguard, was the first to raisethe alarm.

The museum was severely damaged withover 2 metres of sewage and waterknocking down walls and filling up theentire ground floor. As you walk aroundthe museum youll see the flood linemarked on the walls.

This picture shows some of the mud and sewage that was left in the museum. The dottedline shows the level the flood water settled at in the museum. Waves and surges went

even higher!4


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It was several days before staff and volunteer groups could gain accessto assess the damage and begin the museum cleanup. Although theground floor was devastated, the upper floor and library were untouched,so books and paintings were sent to The National Maritime Museum inFalmouth and the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro to protect them fromfurther damp.

Cleanup and salvage of artefacts started as soon as possible andremarkably over 90% of the artefacts were saved. Unfortunately most ofthe archive material kept in the storeroom was lost. All the mud waspainstakingly sifted and each item cleaned, disinfected and carefullyrestored.

Walls were reinstated, new floors laid and the electrics checked andreplaced. Display cases have been donated from all over the country,notably the Natural History Museum in London and the Puppet Museumin Eastbourne, and cash donations came in from all over the world.

While most of the exhibits were elsewhere we took theopportunity to redesign the layout of the museum. Those of you who havevisited before will notice a considerable difference. Although the flood wasa disaster at the time, the museum staff have remained positive and haveresurrected the museum so it is better than ever.

The Museum of Witchcraft reopened on 25th March 2005

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What is Witchcraft?It is generally accepted that a witch issomeone who practises magic orsorcery; however the meaning of theword witch has changed through

history.

In the medieval period the term witchhad almost entirely negativeconnotations. Later the expressionWhite Witch was used to describesomeone who practised good magic.

Village wise women and cunning folkused magic to curse and cure.

19th century Cornwall was home to agood number of cunning folk orPellars who made a living as healers,councillors and therapists. They werean important part of village life.

Some witches made their income fromlifting or banishing curses.

Today, traditional village witchcraft andcunning still survives but it is hard to find.

Modern witchcraft or Wicca is a nature

based religion and lifestyle. Practitionerscelebrate the changing cycles of naturewith the eight major festivals of the year(sabbats) as well as full moons (esbats).

Thousands of witches practise their craftin Britain today. Throughout the landwitches are quietly worshipping the OldOnes, revering nature and working their

magic.

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Tammy Blythe, Cornish Wise Woman.Picture courtesy of the

Royal Cornwall Museum

Alex Sanders and coven

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Images of WitchcraftHere we show some of the stereotypesthat have developed over the ages,from 16th and 17th century woodcutsto the more recent Harry Potter

phenomenon.

The word witch conjures up theimage of an old hag with a pointyhat, a broomstick and a wart onher nose; but in ancient Greece andRome artisans decorated vases andurns with images of young beautifulwitches who were powerful seductresses.Over time the image changed from beautifulsorceress to ugly hag; servant of the Devil.

Pre-Raphaelite painters returned to the ancientmyths and painted witches as alluring young maidens -for example, Circe (J.W. Waterhouse) and Morgan Le Fay, sister of King

Arthur (F. Sandys).

Cloth witches on broomsticks have long been popular as toys andhousehold decorations, and hung above doors and windows asprotective amulets. Our collection shows examples from Britain, the

USA, and many from Eastern Europe, including Baba Yaga,the Slavic Arch Crone, Goddess of Wisdom and Death.

Witches feature heavily in fairy tales. Grimms FairyTales and the stories of Hans Christian Andersen usuallyshow witches as evil women bent on eating children or

being unpleasant to princesses.

The Malleus Maleficarum (Sprenger and Kramer, 1486),the most important and sinister book on demonologyever written, led to the trials and murder of thousands ofmen and women in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Thankfully, recent books show witches in a morepositive light. Most notable is the Harry Potter series

which focuses on the importance of friendship andovercoming evil.

7Carving of Meg Merrilies

Witch from theRichel Collection


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Persecution of WitchesJuly 1566, Chelmsford Essex: The first major trial for witchcraft inEngland was the case against Agnes Waterhouse. She was found guiltyof bewitching to death and hanged two days later.

During the next 150 years, thousands were condemned to death onflimsy evidence and confessions extracted under torture. Evenpossessing a cat (familiar) could be classed as evidence. It is not knownexactly how many were put to death for witchcraft but estimates varyfrom 100,000 to several million.

In England witches were usually hanged whereas inScotland, Germany and France they were burnt. One

common test of witchcraft was to throw the boundsuspect into deep water. If they floated they were guiltyand executed. If they sank they were innocent butusually ended up being drowned!

This method was a favourite of the Witchfinder General,Matthew Hopkins (d1646), who was responsible for thetrials and executions of hundreds of people in the eastern

counties.

Some clergy wanted to save people from the Witchfinderscruelty and being wrongly charged with witchcraft. Theyintroduced Witch Weighing: weighing a person against abible. If heavier than the bible, they were innocent.

On display in the museum is a Scolds Bridle of the type used in the witchtrials of women. It is a metal cage made to go over thehead with sharp prongs which are forced into the mouthto pierce the tongue and cheeks.

1684, Exeter, Devon: Alice Molland was the lastperson to be executed for witchcraft inEngland.

1944, Old Bailey, London: Helen Duncan

was the last person to be convicted ofwitchcraft in England.

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Matthew Hopkins

A Scolds Bridle


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The Wheel of The YearModern witches celebrate the changing seasons of the year, puttingthemselves in tune with the natural rhythms and cycles of the land. Mostmodern witches celebrate eight festivals called Sabbats:

Samhain (Halloween), 31st OctoberWinter Solstice/Yule, around 21st December

Imbolc (Candlemas), 1st FebruaryVernal Equinox, around 20th March

Beltane (May Day), 1st MaySummer Solstice, around 21st June

Lammas, 1st AugustAutumnal Equinox, around 23rd September

Astrological symbols are used to signify the way the movements of thesun, moon and stars are reflected in these cycles of the land.

As Above, So Below.

This Wheel of the Year was painted by Vivienne Shanley.

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Stone Circles and Sacred SitesSome places in nature are considered sacred by witches. Ancient manmarked some of these sites by erecting monuments like stone circles,standing stones, tumuli and fogous, or by marking rock faces with ritual

symbols like labyrinths.The labyrinth is thought to mark a portal to theotherworld. Here we display a slate-carved labyrinthfrom the village of Michaelstow which is very similar tothose carved at Rocky Valley between Boscastle andTintagel. Feel free to slowly finger-walk the labyrinth. Becareful, it can induce a trance-like state.

Many sacred sites have no monuments or markers but are equallyimportant. A grove of ancient oaks, the meeting point of two streams, acave, a quiet glade in an ancient forest; these are the places for witches tohonour nature and work their magic

Different sites are suitable for specific forms of magic or for the variousseasonal celebrations. A witch may celebrate Lammas (August 1st) in thetraditional manner by climbing a sacred hill and lighting a fire, then choosean ancient long barrow or fogou to conduct a rite for Samhain (October

31st). Stonehenge is a well known venue for Summer Solsticecelebrations.

Many monuments throughout Britain are aligned to mark the rising orsetting sun at a specific festival: A prehistoric observer standing inStannon Stone Circle on Bodmin Moor could have observed the sun risingover the massive Logan Stone on Roughtor at Lughnasad (Lammas).

(Tintagel and the Arthurian Mythos, Paul Broadhurst)

Note: Some sacred sites have been damaged by irresponsible visitors lighting

fires, carving names into rock faces and leaving non-biodegradable offerings.Please respect these sites and remember the local legends of Spriggans, spiritsthat will take revenge on those who damage their sacred places!

Let the place change you, dont change the place!

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The Hare and Shape ShiftingThe belief that witches can shape shift into a hare is ancient. Stories ofhares disappearing after being shot are to be found in all parts of thecountry. An old woman is usually found soon after with gun-shot wounds

to her body.In 1662, Isobel Gowdie of Aulderne confessed that she and fellow covenmembers transformed themselves at will by saying three times:

I shall go into a hare,With sorrow aud sych aud meikle care

And I shall go in the Devils nameAy while I come home again.

And to return to human form they said:

Hare, hare, god send thee care.Im in a hares likeness just now,

But I shall be in a womansLikeness even now.

Historically, the hare was revered as a sacredcreature associated with fertility and spring. In

Northern Europe the hare was sacred to theSpring Goddess Eostre or Ostara, and still hasritual connections with the Christian festivalthat bears her name. Although the hare is

usually associated with fertility, abundance and goodfortune, it is also associated with madness.

The ceramic Hare-Woman on display was made in the 1960s by LionelMiskin. He describes the imagery as ...like the super-human animal

headed Egyptian Gods, the black back for night, the pale front for day,the black Pluto figure in his Underworld tomb...and the two dancers forthe music of existence. She was found undera caravan near Goonhavern in 1996 and ison loan to the museum.

This small pewter hare was found above thewindow of a cob wall in a farmhouse nearLiskeard at Easter,1998. Animals or images ofanimals were often concealed above or belowportals for protection.

Ceramic Hare-Woman

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HealingThere has been a resurgence of ancient healing methods. Witches of oldwere expert herbalists and have passed down thousands of remedies.

Cure a wart by placing a piece of stolen meaton it then burying the meat; as it decays thewart will vanish. Or tie knots in a piece of string,carefully touch each knot to the wart and burythe string. As it decays the wart will be cured. If

all that fails sell your wart to an ash tree. Placean offering of money or food under the tree andrecite this spell:

Ashen tree, Ashen tree,Pray thee buy this wart off me.

Poppets (dolls) can be used for healing. Thewax figurines we display were used to representpeople who had some form of illness. They can

be massaged with ointments or even have a pinstuck in the appropriate area to lance a boil. It isimportant to get permission from the ill personbefore any healing work is carried out.

You may notice several items shaped like partsof the body such as the breast-shaped jarsused to help women having trouble breastfeeding. This is based on the principle that likeaffects like or Sympathetic Magic.

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Some Uses of Herbs on Display

Meadowsweet: diarrhoea, nourishing the bowels.Echinacea: colds, flu, inflammatory skin conditions.StiJohns Wort: depression, anxiety and bruising.Garlic: antiviral, blood cleansing and infections.Borage: fevers, lung complaints and a diuretic.Burdock: boils, eczema, and rheumatic conditions.Sages: Sore throat, dyspepsia, blood cleansing.Wintergreen: an astringent, and for rheumatism.Juniper Berries: flatulence,kidney&bladderproblems.

(From Mrs Grieves Herbal)


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The Wise WomanThis display shows a typical late 19th century Wise Womans cottage.Joan sits at her table staring into the fishing float she uses as a crystalball to see into the future. Tarot cards are laid out on the table from herlast reading. Perhaps a young girl has consulted her regarding her future

husband.

Protection amulets hang around the room: a circle of conkers, hagstones, a horse shoe. A string of dried chillies hangs from the rafters togive extra warmth. A spirit house made from twigs and feathers is placednear the stairs to keep household spirits content and prevent them frombecoming troublesome.

She would often be asked to lift curses and heal the sick. Note the array

of herbs on her dresser along with the mortar and pestle she would haveused to mix her magic potions.

She is surrounded by her animal companions (familiars) who help herwith her magic. Familiars are magically attuned to the witch they workwith and warn her about evil influences. Cats are the most well known

familiars, but they can take the form ofany other creature; for example, stoats,dogs, owls, snakes or toads.

A typical spell she might use is theWitchs Ladder. Nine knots are tiedinto a rope whilst the following wordsare recited:

By knot of one the spells begunBy knot of two the spell is true

By knot of three so mote it beBy knot of four the open doorBy knot of five the spells aliveBy knot of six the spell I fixBy knot of seven the gates of heavenBy knot of eight the hand of fateBy knot of nine the spell is mine!

Joan at her table in the Wise Womans Cottage

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It is no accident that the Protection display hasbeen placed opposite the Curses. Weshow examples of these charms found

both locally and beyond.Mirrors are the simplest form of

protection. Simply position one behindyour door or visualise yourselfsurrounded by mirrors to deflect evil

intent. Note the large witch ball which issimilarly used to reflect evil.

There are a number of examples of hag stones(stones with a natural hole) hanging on cords throughout themuseum. They are usually placed above a door or window as

protection. Tie your keys to a hag stone to prevent them frombeing lost.

Our display features many charms with animal associations.The horseshoe is a well known symbol of good fortune, butensure the ends point upwards when it is nailed above the

door so the luck doesnt fall out. The horses skull ondisplay was found suspended in a barn to protect thebuilding and its occupants.

Look below the main display cabinet and you will see adead cat posed as if chasing a rat. Similar cats have beenfound buried in the walls of buildings all over the countryand were used as an effective charm to deter rats and mice.

Animal organs pierced with thorns or slivers of wood aresometimes found in the chimneys of old cottages. The organrepresents the witch who has overlooked or cursed thehouse. As the charm disintegrates, so does the power of the

witchs curse.

A witch post carved with the typical symbols of heartsand crescent moons, as our example shows, is placed

within the fireplace or door frame to protect the home.

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Protection


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This collection of carved mandrake roots is on loan from the family of thelate Bob Richel of Amsterdam.

Historically, the mandrake was closely associated with magic and was

valued as an aphrodisiac, a fertility drug and a powerful anaesthetic. It ismentioned in the Bible: Rachel uses its fruits to help her conceiveJoseph.

Mandrake should be treated with great reverence. The GreekPhilosopher Theophrastus (4th century BC) recommends that anyonedigging up the plant should draw three circles round it with a sword, facewest and dance around it chanting about love.

Medieval manuscripts depict the mandrake root as human in shape, andtell how it lets out such a terrible scream when uprooted that it wouldstrike dead anyone who heard it. Dogs were often used to pull up theplant to save people from its fatal screams.

It was thought that mandrakes sprang up beneath gallows and took onthe shape of the person whod been hanged. The 17th centuryphilosopher Rist believed the mandrake took its life force from thehanged man, and describes the plant being kept in miniature coffins.

Our beautifully made coffins are from the Richel Collection and have adark and mysterious quality, presumably relating to ideas of spiritualtransformation and rebirth.

It is said that you should never give a mandrake away - if you do it willeither bring you bad luck or it will come back to you. The mandrake in themiddle of those shown below was given to Bob Richel by the museumand it has returned to us since his death.

Mandrakes have come back into the public eye since featuring in therecent Harry Potter books.

Mandrakes

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Cursing or ill wishing is the use of magic to harm someone orsomething. Most cursing is based on Sympathetic Magic which

is the belief that like attracts like.

The best known and most effective method of cursing isthe use of a poppet or doll fashioned into a likeness of

the target individual which is then ritually harmed,usually by stabbing with pins.

Placing something that belongs to the victim, likehair or nail parings, within the poppet makes thecurse especially effective. One of the poppets on

display here has human pubic hair sewn in place toensure the spell works.

Many of the items in the museum show intricate worksuggesting the seriousness with which the curseswere carried out. To aid the concentration whenconstructing a poppet, repetition of the intent isrequired. Examples of this are the two knittedpoppets. Knitting is an excellent way of focusing

and involves a lot of input from the witchcarrying out the curse. It would be simple towork strands of hair into the dolls for addedeffect.

Nowadays the use of photographs is becomingmore popular with pins being stuck into thepicture of the intended victim.

Many modern witches believe in the law ofthreefold return: that is, what you give out willcome back to you with three times the intensity.Most Wiccans also live by the Wiccan Rede of:

An it harm none do what you will

In other words do whatever you like as long as itdoes not harm anything or anyone, including

yourself. Not everyone lives by this rule andcursing still goes on today to some degree.

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Cursing and Curses

Poppet

A KnittedPoppet


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Several ancient systems of magic involve elaboraterituals and regalia.

Ritual magic is not witchcraft but many of the theories

and methods used by ritual magicians are incorporatedinto Freemasonry and modern witchcraft. Many of thepeople responsible for the revival of interest in witchcraftwere also involved in these secret magical societies.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was one ofthe most influential occult societies of the late 19thand early 20th centuries. It was formed in 1888 andinvolves a hierarchy based on the ten sephira of theCabalistic Tree of Life plus an eleventh degree forneophytes (trainees). It is still in existence today. Picturedhere are a Golden Dawn ceremonial staff and a ritualsword.

Famous occultist Aleister Crowley was initiated into TheGolden Dawn in 1898, but by 1900 had fallen out with thehigher ranks and was expelled. He went on to found the

AA Argentum Astrum in 1909. On display is a FrenchAA robe which is lavishly embroidered with a lion,scorpion, feathers and a heart.

Between 1581 and 1587 the Enochian system of magicwas developed through the work of John Dee and EdwardKelly. It involves ritually summoning and commandingangels and spirits.

The Knights Templar were founded in France in 1130.They initially protected pilgrims to the Holy Land but werelater seen as a threat to the Church and accused ofsecretly worshipping Baphomet in their rites. There is a modernOrder of the Knights Templar within Freemasonry and we showhere a robe worn by a Preceptor of this order (circa 1950s).

Other magical orders include: The Rosicrucians, Ordo TempliOrientis, The Hell Fire Club, Freemasons (some degrees) and

M.M.M.

Ritual Magic & Golden Dawn


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In March 2000 the museum inherited one of the worlds best collectionsof ritual/sex magic artefacts from the Dutch collector Bob Richel. Heinherited much of it from his father-in-law Mr Eldermans.

Due to the nature of the artefacts we believeEldermans was involved with one or moremagical groups. The magical societiesrepresented in the display are: Aleister Crowleys

A A A r g e n t e u mAstrum (Silver Star) andthe Dutch group Ars

Amatoria (The Art ofLove), the O.T.O. (Order

Templi Orientis), the MM (Medicinalia Magica)and Loge Heley.

There is an interestingcombination of traditional witchcraft items such asscourges and birds feet with more ritual magic

tools like the phallic wands. Note the painting ofthe ritual sword plunged into the skull.

Many of the artefacts represent male and female sex organs. Phallicpendulums and carved wooden vulvas show sex obviously played animportant role in the rituals of this group as it does in many magicalsocieties.

Of interest are the depictions of hands(notice the middle fingertips arepainted red), and the use of magicalalphabets. We are still trying todecipher much of what was written.

The collection is undergoing furtherstudy with the combined assistance ofBristol University and the University of

Amsterdam.

The Richel Collection

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Painting from theRichel Collection

Painting from theRichel Collection

Carved wooden hands


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The media loves to incorrectly portray witches asevil devil worshippers and Satanists. Themuseum includes this display to try and correct

these popular misconceptions.

During the witchcraft trials in the 16th and 17thcenturies witches were often accused of making apact with the Devil, and were said to have

attended Sabbats wherehe was invoked. To showtheir devotion theysupposedly kissed him onthe backside.

During the 1980s therew a s m u c h m e d i acoverage of alleged ritualchild abuse in whichwitches and Satanic cults

were accused of incest, indecent assault and

cruelty. A government inquiry concluded there isno evidence of ritual abuse and stated that it isdoubtful whether the practice of this type ofSatanic ritual abuse exists.

Various Satanic groups exist, the most wellknown being the Church of Satan founded in1966 by Anton LeVey, based in California, USA.He has written many books on the subjectincluding The Satanic Bible. These groupshave nothing to do with witchcraft.

Some British groups, however, do believe in theDevil as Lucifer, Fallen Angel and Bringer ofLight, not as the evil devil of the Christians.

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Devil Worship and Satanism

The obscene kiss,Guazzos Compendium

Maleficarum 1626

Bronze devil candlesticks


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Horned gods have been worshipped in most parts of the worldsince ancient times. The displays include images from China toGreece and other parts of Europe.

His names and guises are well known: Herne The Hunter,Cernunnos, Pan, Azazel, Gwynn, the Dorset

Ooser, Puck, and Robin Goodfellow.

In ritual the high priest of a coven willsometimes wear an antlered mask andtake on the image of The HornedOne. He represents valour,sacrifice, life and death; both thehunter and the hunted. Christianityhas transformed the Horned Godinto its Devil with evil associations.

Old Horny, as he is affectionately known, sits inthe corner of the gallery and holds court over ourarray of early woodcuts, paintings and altar

pieces. He is one of our most photographedexhibits and can be seen in many books onwitchcraft.

BaphometMost of these Baphomet images are from theRichel collection and are based on the famousdescription by Eliphas Levi. The figure combinesattributes of masculine, feminine and the animalworld which symbolise perfection: the absolute.Dont miss the beautifully carved examplelocated top left of the exhibit.

It is said Baphomet was worshipped by theKnights Templar, although these claims comefrom confessions made under torture during the

Inquisition - thus it remains a contentious issue.

The Horned God

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Old Horny

Baphomet depiction fromthe Richel Collection

Bronze oil lamp


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Modern witches worship the Goddess and her partner the Horned God.She is worshipped in many forms, often as a triple deity representing theMaiden, Mother and Crone - the waxing, full, and waning moon.

In the Middle Ages, witches were sometimes accused of following theclassical Goddess Diana. The Canon Episcopi, an ecclesiasticaldocument written in 900AD, portrays Diana as leader of the witches:...some wicked women, perverted by the Devil, seduced by illusions andphantasms of the night, to ride upon certain beasts with Diana, thegoddess of the pagans

In 1899, Charles Leland published a book entitled Aradia, The Gospel ofthe Witches which tells the legend of Aradia, daughter of Diana, whowas sent to earth to establish witchcraft. Leland claims to have translatedthe book from a document given to him by a traditional Etruscan witch.

Aradia is one of the many Goddesses recognised and worshipped bywitches today.

Hidden amongst the carvings in medieval churches, onemay sometimes find a Sheela-na-Gig. She usually has

prominent or enlarged genitalia held open by her hands,and is thought to be a fertility symbol or protective deityalthough no one is sure.

The Goddess

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Sheela-Na-Gig

With the arrival of Christianity, many of the attributes of the

Goddess were taken on by the Virgin Mary. In the MiddleAges and Tudor and Stuart times, most people whopractised magic were devout Christians. Their charmscalled on the help of Jesus, Mary, angels and saints. Theyused crucifixes and the communion bread in healing andprotection magic. In many countries, the Church stillencourages magical practices such as placing wax imagesin shrines to heal the sick.

The Magic of Christianity

Wax Leg - a Christianvotive offering


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Scrying is the ancient technique of seeing into the past or future using acrystal ball, mirror or any other reflective object.Scrying is a form of clairvoyance or clear vision.

Scrying involves staring into a reflective surfacelike a crystal ball or dark mirror and focusing theeye, thus entering a state where apparitionsappear. Calling down the moon is a tradition thatinvolves using the reflection of the full moon onwater. The Reverend Hawker of Morwenstow issaid to have mastered this technique with the aidof a local witch.

Mirrors have always been thought to have magicalproperties. Our dark mirrors are particularly rare

examples. They are less reflective than conventional mirrors and areused as one would use a crystal ball. We display Cecil Williamsons darkmirror, and by quietly looking into it, one can be put in direct contact withthe magical forces and spirits that were so important to Cecil. Try it!

Tarot cards date from at least the Renaissance period and are verypopular today. The symbolism held within the cards is extremely ancient.We keep an ever growing collection in our library. Ordinary playing cardscan be used for divination and have the advantage of not being obviouslyoccult.

Dowsing with pendulums and rods is a form ofdivination and is also an accepted means oflocating an underground water supply. Ourexhibit includes some hand-forged Cornishdowsing rods.

Tea-leaf reading (tasseomancy) is stronglyassociated with the Gypsies and the English. The readerpredicts the future from the patterns made by the leaves.

Ouija Boards are used to contact spirits and were popular in the late 19th

and early 20th centuries. They went out of favour but have recentlyexperienced a resurgence.

Scrying and Divination

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Williamsons Dark Mirror

Fortune telling cup


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Witches are greatly influenced by their surroundings and in Cornwallthere has always been an affinity with the sea. Witches work with theelements and it was, and still is, believed that they can influence the wind

and rain. Predicting and controlling the weatherwas vital to sailors, fishermen andfarmers. Before going to sea, sailorswould buy the wind tied in ahandkerchief or rope from a witch. Thewind was released by untying the knotsas required. The first knot produced agentle wind to fill their sails; the secondknot produced a strong wind and thethird a tempest. We have not found anyspells for calming the wind.

One of the museums prized possessions is a caul, amembrane sometimes covering a childs head at birth.They were much sought after by seamen as they weresupposed to prevent drowning.

It is common to find glass fishing floats hanging incottage windows in Cornwall. These are the localequivalent of witchballs and will offer protection fromcurses and evil. They can also be used for scrying.

The museum shows many examples of charms madewith the fruits of the sea; for example, shell charms for

love and fertility, mermaids purses used as spirithouses, sea horse charms to protect against the evileye, and lobster claws containing written spells toattract a good catch.

If you meet some fishermen we recommend that youask them about their superstitions and taboos. You willfind many are still followed today.

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Sea Witchcraft

A sorcerer selling the wind tied inknots to sailors.

1555

A Mermaids Purse


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On display is a vast selection of tools used during rituals. Some witchesuse beautiful, elaborate paraphernalia whilst others prefer simplehandmade tools.

An altar may be a simple cloth laid on the ground or a convenient flatstone in a sacred place. The four elements are represented along withthe Goddess and God. Often something seasonal is included likeflowers, grain or leaves.

Earth: represented by a pentacle, a dish of salt or earth. Ourpentacles are fashioned out of wood, brass and stone.

Air: represented by feathers, a bell or smoke from incense in acenser or thurible. Our display includes Alex Sanders censer which

he claimed was given to him by Aleister Crowley.

Fire: represented by a candle or lantern. A log fire is recommendedwhen circumstances permit.

Water: represented by a chalice, bowl or cauldron. Water for

use in ritual is often collected from a sacred well or specialplace.

Athame: The black handled knife directs magicalpower and represents the God and male energy. Itis never used to cut or draw blood.

Bolline: The white handled knife is used for cuttingmagical herbs etc. and may be inscribed with magical symbols.

Wands: are generally used for directing the flow of energy. Differentwoods have different magical qualities.

Broomsticks/Besoms: are used to symbolicallysweep the ritual area clean of any unhelpful energies.They are also a convenient means of transport for themore accomplished witch!

Scourges: are used symbolically in some traditions

during initiation. They are not used to cause harm tothe initiate.

Working Tools


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Since the repeal of the 1735 Witchcraft Act in1951, it has been legal to practice witchcraftin Britain. Several personalities influenced

the revival of witchcraft but none more sothan Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders.They both formed and documented systemsof beliefs and rituals that incorporatedtraditional material gathered from practisingwitches. Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wiccaform the basis of most, but not all, modernwitchcraft.

In Cornwall and other remote counties,remnants of the traditional craft surviveunaffected by modern trends. Some witchesmeet in covens while others prefer topractise as a solitary or with their magicalpartners, but most will celebrate the sameseasonal festivals. Many prefer to work

outdoors in ancient sacred sites but this is not always practical.

Throughout the country thousands of temples or ritual areas have beencreated in attics, cellars and spare bedrooms of urban houses. Somewitches prefer to work skyclad (naked) as clothing can impair energyflow. This is obviously not always appropriate especially if celebratingoutdoors at the Winter Solstice!

Modern witchcraft is a religion: witches worship the Goddess in her manyforms and the Horned God. The religion does not have a set of rules

other than Do what thou will, but harm none. Followers come fromdiverse backgrounds and all walks of life.

Wicca or Witchcraft is a Pagan religion along with Druidry, Shamanism,Odinism and many others. Throughout the country there are manyPagan groups and organisations that arrange open rituals and socialmeetings that anyone can attend. Correspondence courses and trainingare also available.

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Modern Witchcraft

Painting of Gerald Gardnercourtesy of Patricia Crowther


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The HarbourBoscastleCornwall

PL35 0HD

e-mail:[email protected]

Or visit our website at:www.museumofwitchcraft.com

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The owner of the Museum of Witchcraft acknowledges thetremendous help and support given by:

The late Cecil WilliamsonThe Friends of the Museum

The Pagan FederationThe Children of Artemis

Rosalie BastenJohn Hooper/Hoopix

Also in Boscastle

The OtherworldBooks, Music, Incense, Pictures, Crystal Balls,

Tarot, Crystals, Magical Artefacts

and Paraphernalia.(Next to the Old Mill)


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The museum is totally dependant on visitors; unlike most museums it doesnot receive any grants. The museum cannot survive without you, our

visitors. It is your museum.

Published by the Museum of Witchcraft2011

guia del museo de brujeria

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