Witchcraft, Modern-Day Witches & Wicca
To some a witch is the embodiment of evil capable of acting out the worst deeds of humanity from cursing to cannibalism, grave robbing to pacts with the Devil. To others, the witch is the haggard, old lady - the outsider in society.
While some would say that witched existed in a very specific point in history, there are others that know witchcraft lives on to this day and understand what it really means to be a witch. Historically witches have been the victim, the scapegoat of a patriarchal society.
Witches have been portrayed in popular culture in every way imaginable. In film and fiction, witches have been depicted as a powerful enchantress, a playful person who enlivens boring suburban existence or a figure of true terror and malevolence, a child murderer, one with psychic abilities such as the Blair Witch.
Away from pop culture and amongst those more spiritual, a witch is often described as a goddess, a child of nature, attuned to the seasons and in touch with the old ways of our ancestors. She is a wise woman, who can be a beautiful, powerful being. As a positive image of womanhood who rejects male values and follows her own path she has sometimes been misunderstood.
Cecil Williamson , the founder of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, Cornwall Museum, described what he thinks a witch is, "the human skull is the symbol of death. For the witch death holds a strange fascination. Each and every one of wis born to die, but is death a final end to life? The witch says no. For she knows that 'there are other places and other things.' Her whole life and being is devoted to the ever present but unseen world of the spirit. To the witch, the spirit world is a reality, a living thing. To her everything has a spirit, a soul, a personality, be it animal, mineral or vegetable."
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June 19, 2022We've planned out your perfect day trip to Pendle Hill taking in the history of witchcraft in Newchurch-in-Pendle and Barley, including a great place to grab a bite to eat.
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February 15, 2022Watch the trailer for a new supernatural thriller from director Richard John Taylor that delves into the paranormal mystery surrounding the infamous Pendle Hill in Lancashire.
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November 27, 2021A petition has launched calling the government to seek a royal pardon for the innocent people convicted and hanged for witchcraft during the Lancashire Witch Trials of 1612.
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March 22, 2021A Kickstarter project aiming to produce a bewitching board book for tiny magic makers has met its funding target and is now shipping worldwide.
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October 28, 2020Find out why you can't stream 'The Craft: Legacy' in the UK despite it being released on October 28 and the news that it would go straight to streaming services.
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October 27, 2020The new movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic 1983 children's book landed on Amazon Prime Video this Halloween and it's the perfect watch for kids this October.
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October 24, 2020Find out where in the world it is currently the witching hour with this real-time witching hour clock, and read about the history of the witching hour.
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October 10, 2020
Blumhouse have confirmed that 'The Craft: Legacy', the new version of cult the 90s supernatural horror classic, will stream on Amazon Prime this Halloween.
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June 17, 2020Mary Beattie continues her series of witchcraft videos as she re-caps some of the things she's learnt on her journey so far and answers questions from those who've been watching.
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June 10, 2020Mary Beattie continues her video series exploring witchcraft, this week she talks about how the spirit world relates to and influences witchcraft.
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June 03, 2020Mary Beattie continues her series of witchcraft exploration videos by demonstrating how to perform a spell to help with sleep.
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May 27, 2020Mary Beattie continues her series of witchcraft videos and talks about how crystals can be used to focus you intent without the need for a spell, especially when it comes to mental healing.
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May 20, 2020In the fifth of nine weekly witchcraft guides, Mary Beattie shares her thoughts on how witchcraft can help with positivity in the workplace and mental health.
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May 13, 2020In the fourth of nine weekly videos documenting her exploration of witchcraft, Mary Beattie shares two love spells for beginner witches to try.
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May 06, 2020In the third of nine weekly on her exploration of witchcraft, Mary Beattie shares with viewers how to cast a spell to get more friends.
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April 29, 2020In the second of nine weekly videos on her exploration of witchcraft, Mary Beattie shares her understanding of how to cast a circle of protection.
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April 22, 2020Mary Bettie, daughter of television ghost hunter Yvette Fielding, starts a series of videos based around her exploration of witchcraft.
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March 18, 2020This week, Barry Dodds amuses us with a 19th century legend from the southern US states, but can he convince Ian Boldsworth that the case is credible?
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October 14, 2019The month of Halloween has started with countless posts being shared on Facebook about a new social media tool that can detect and out witches in the comments.
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August 30, 2019Earlier this year Creswell Crags caves made headlines after ancient 'witches marks' were discovered, now those who are brave enough can visit the caves after dark.
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February 16, 2019
At Creswell Crags on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, heritage experts have found hundreds of examples of apotropaic marks, which were made to ward off evil.
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February 11, 2019It's been confirmed that the cult witchcraft movie 'The Craft' will be the next classic to be given a Hollywood remake, which could see the original cast return.
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May 13, 2017When William Shakespeare wrote 'Macbeth' it was said that he used an actual witches brew, much to the anger of the witches of the time, but does that mean the nasty sounding ingredients such as eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog were actually used in witchcraft?
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December 02, 2016Witchcraft and the general practice of spellcraft have long been the cause of panic and mistrust within civilisations and communities. Whether or not the accusations of witchcraft were accurate or simply the product of hysteria, there are detailed accounts of the people involved and their demise at the hands of authorities and mobs of frightened citizens.
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