Museo Lara in Ronda, Spain

Have just been to a rather fun little museum in Ronda in Andalucia. It has a section on witchcraft which is worth visiting purely to check out the gigantic phallus on the life size Pan statue. I hope to add a photo when I return. I'm unable to download pics at the moment. There was a rather fabulous collection of mandrakes & other herbs and some interesting tableaux of how witches were thought to behave in the middle ages. I cannot sign off without mentioning the rather disturbing phallic dildoe-esque wooden machines which were used for god knows what....the mind boggles.....there was no actual text to describe whether they were used by the witches themselves or by the torturers. I'm sure you'd be able to find them on an S & M website somewhere these days. Quite an eye-waterer I would have thought. There is a mermaid there as well. Quite a place to visit.

The Dolmen at The AGM

I've been sent some photos of The Dolmen visiting the museum & playing at the AGM last weekend. The pics were taken by Andrew Hartup & his weblink is below. Thanks again to The Dolmen for giving everyone such a fab night of music & merriment & thanks to Andrew for sending the pics.

http://www.holedstonepictures.webeden.co.uk/

Webcam update

We have decided to remove the webcam from this blog until further notice. Of course a camera will remain for security purposes but pictures will not be broadcast on the website probably until next spring/summer. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Happy Yule Fest from The Museum

The museum staff would like to wish everyone a Happy Yule. As I will be taking a break for a short while, Carole (who some of you may know from the museum booth) will be taking the helm & processing your Occult Art Company orders until my return. I will be updating the museum blog occasionally until the museum reopens at Easter.

Kerriann

Friends 'Do' 2008

Well what a great time was had by all this weekend! Back to the fun of old as the Friends of the Museum of Witchcraft had their annual meeting at The Wellington Hotel in Boscastle.

We had some excellent speakers: Joyce Froome (pictured right with Martin), who is the museum's resident historian, gave a talk which is a taster for her new book (coming out next year) entitled Wicked Enchantments. She looks at the Pendle witches of Lancaster and spell casting around the 17th Century. If the talk is anything to go by the book should make fascinating reading.

Professor Ron Hutton of Bristol University gave the second talk of the day on the subject of 'New Thoughts on the Great Witchhunt' which he wrote for this meeting. As always, Ron was a lively and erudite speaker with a fascinating subject. FYI he is also Patron of 'Friends of the Museum of Witchcraft'. Here he is pictured with Graham.

The speakers were followed by the AGM where 4 new Trustees were chosen - more on that later.

The evening was capped off by a performance by the fabulous band 'The Dolmen' who donated their fee to the Friends as they are great supporters of the museum. So thanks dudes. Much bopping and drinking was done for which we paid dearly on Sunday. This did not stop a handful of diehards from attending the annual walk up the valley to visit the headstone of Joan Whytte & Minster. The rabble are pictured right.

All in all it was a fun weekend and we recommend it for next year. If you would like to become a Friend of the museum please email us for details. More info about it should be coming soon.

Check this out

Gemma Gary has an interesting website which features a bit about the museum. She also has a new book out on the topic of Cornish Witchcraft which is available through her site. Have not read it yet as it's hot off the press but reviews have been positive so far. Let us know if you like it. Access her site through the following link:
http://www.cornishwitchcraft.co.uk/museum.html