Occult Reliquary Released

Hoorah!! The Occult Reliquary (book featuring the Richel Eldermans images) has arrived in store at the Museum. Th collection comes from the Netherlands and the images mainly relate to ritual/sex magic along with mandrakes, pendulums and secret societies. The Special Edition sold out before its release but ther are some deluxe & standard editions avaialble from the Museum & shortly online at The Occult Art Company. I'll pop some photos on shortly.

The Occult Reliquary

Just had news that the much anticipated book 'The Occult reliquary' has just been shipped from the US & hopefully will be with us in a couple of weeks.

This book by Three Hands Press is based around the Richel Eldermans collection of images. The Special Edition has already sold out. Those who have preordered their copies will receive notification as soon as they arrive.

Wicked Enchantments Review

Graham found a review of Joyce's book on Tara Hanks' website & thought you might like to take a look.

here 'tis

http://tarahanks.com/2010/07/24/wicked-enchantments/

US students

We had a great time with the students from New Jersey who recently came over to assist with our database. They were extremely friendly, helpful & professional - a credit to their Professor, the lovely Shelley. We had a couple of excursions out & about - walked the coast path to Tintagel & went out to Stannen Stone Circle & the Logan stone nearby. I think we'll see a few of them back next year. Here are a few pics of the dewds out & about. Graham couldn't control his urge to have a bit of a rockarama on the Logan stone himself.

Knit for a spell

We're thinking of doing a few videos to put on the site so this is our first try to see if it works. It's a piece about the glass knitting needles in the museum, a bit about how you use them, how to get them. We'll be doing more if people find them interesting.  

                                         

Trigg Morris Men come to Boscastle

On the 8th JULY 2010 Trigg Morris will be in BOSCASTLE at THE NAPOLEON INN at 8pm then on the BRIDGE at 9pm. The MUSIC & SINGING SESSION will follow at THE COBWEB.

They look forward to seeing both old and new friends and supporters.

New Book Donations

Two authors have recently donated their latest books to the museum library. Emma Wilby’s book ‘The Visions of Isobel Gowdie’ includes a full transcript of the Scottish witch Isobel Gowdie’s famous, but often misunderstood, confession. It also contains a wealth of other material such as examples of fairy lore in trial records. Like Emma’s previous book, ‘Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits’, it is a fascinating and insightful study, and explores the connections between early modern magic and shamanic traditions.

After reading about Joyce’s book, Mary Sharratt, who lives near Pendle, has sent us her novel ‘Daughters of the Witching Hill’, which tells the story of the Pendle case from the point of view of two of the suspects, Elizabeth Southerns and her granddaughter Alizon Device. It is a moving account, which conveys the toughness and resourcefulness of cunning folk, and contains some wonderfully evocative and convincing descriptions of magic. Mary has also posted an atmospheric documentary filmed at Pendle on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBQMzRkeTiI&feature=related

Thank you, Emma and Mary!

T shirts Summer Sale Online

Fans of the Museum of Witchcraft T shirt can now get a reduced rate online for V necks - normally £12.00 down to £10.00 & there is free postage on all T shirts for the summer too.

Order through The Occult Art Company

Busy Painting

Graham took advantage of a fine weekend to do a bit of retouching to the outer door. Here he is, brush in hand, preparing the surface for his upcoming artistic skills.

Wicked Enchantments Launch bash

Here are a few photos of Joyce's book launch last Saturday. We had around 45 people attending - a glass of wine on arrival followed by a 30 minute talk by Joyce & her glamorous assistant Kerriann in the upstairs gallery, then onto The Wellington Hotel for a bevvie & a meal. Quite a number of her books were sold to the adoring public so we can't wait to hear what they think. Thanks to Harbour Lights cafe across the car park for lending us their chairs. Deborah, the membership secretary for Friends, came down to help out in the booth on the day. We'll soonn be selling some of her fabulous amber & jet necklaces in the shop along with her herbal bath products. We aslo have some interesting publishing ideas of our own - we'll keep you posted when things are happening.

Thanks to Beltane Bash Attendees

Just want to say a big thank you to Dee Pearce (who was responsible for coordinating the fundraiser for Friends of the Museum) & all those who attended last weekend's Beltane Bash in London. Fifty pounds was raised thanks to the generosity of the attendees. This will go towards the upkeep of the archives in the museum. Hoorah!!!:))

Countdown to Wicked Enchantments Cornwall Launch

Joyce is getting very excited about her Museum book launch on Saturday night - remember she'll be signing books throughout the day & giving a talk at the museum at 630pm followed by an informal gathering & witchy menu Saturday night at The Welly Hotel in the upper gallery.

Generous donor gives books to Library

Attached is a photo of the books donated to us by 'a generous donor from the west coast of the U.S.' Thank you for your generous donation!

Meet Pendle’s black magic woman - Lifestyle - lep.co.uk

Meet Pendle’s black magic woman - Lifestyle - lep.co.uk

Altar Box For Sale

We have been asked to notify people of the sale of a beautiful 'portable' altar that is for sale. The measurements are:

Wide 37 inches (94 cm) x high 19 inches (48 cm) x deep 19 inches (48 cm)

I have attached two photos of the altar. One is closed and the other is open and shows all the storage space

that was used for everything needed at an open ritual. There is a photo of it being used in the museum. The altar has been in constant use by the House of the Old Ways since it was first purchased in the 1980s.

The guide price is £150 but the owners are open to offers as they are interested in it going to a good home.

It is no light weight and the buyer would have to collect it form the Glastonbury area. Please email houseoftheoldways@talktalk.net for details if you are interested.

Sian Thomas' Poem as Promised

Spirit Bottle

Here is a body,

a container

of the correct proportions,

a little long perhaps,

a little thin.

Here are sinews,

muscles, bones,

coils and strings

of red and white;

hard, turned sticks

and ivory dowels;

the threads of veins.

Here is a centre,

a lump of a heart

to jig, to flex,

for the rhythm

in the dancing.

Here are lungs,

to squeeze,

to wheeze,

airbags, a throat

for the singing.

Here everything moves,

quivers, pulses,

trills, resounds.

Here’s a home for a spirit,

fill it, fill it.

CCTV

A most unpleasant experience greeted Hannah & Graham as they opened the museum on Friday - someone had placed a rather 'well-thumbed' (so to speak) pornographic magazine through the letter box. Graham will be going through the CCTV footage to see if he can discover the culprit & he is considering reinstating the web cam. The police have been informed as we do with any untoward activity like this and they have been very supportive and are keeping an eye out on their patrols. It occurred between 8 and 9 am Friday morning. There are some very strange people out there!

Cauldron Magazine

The latest edition of Mike Howard's fabulous Cauldron magazine has an article on Cecil Williamson & The Museum of Witchcraft written by our very own Graham King. There is also a glowing review of The Occult Reliquary which is the book published by Three Hands Press relating to The Richel-Eldermans Collection.  The Cauldron is always a fascinating read & this edition is even more so - or is it that I'm biased.

Joyce's Lancaster Book Launch

April 17 was a busy day for all at the museum as we had Scarlett Imprint's launch of Dartura in the museum itself & Joyce Froome, our historian, had her very own book launch up in Pendle. Joyce's book 'Wicked Enchantments' focuses on The Pendle Witches and the magic used in their era.
Here is a photo of Joyce with Jacqui Leviston. Jacqui was one of the people behind the Lancashire Witch Project,which organised a touring exhibition about the Pendle Witches.When the exhibition was over they kindly donated some of their displays to The Museum of Witchcraft.They also arranged for a plaque commemorating the witches to be put up in Lancaster's Golden Lion Hotel.
We're planning a book launch for Joyce in the museum - probably 29th May. We'll let you know when the date is finalised. 'Wicked Enchantments' will shortly be available form the museum or online at The Occult Art Company.

Poet in Residence

For the last week we've the lovely Sian Thomas as 'poet in residence' for the Museum of Witchcraft. Sian, who has also been poet in residence at Tunbridge Wells Museum, hails from East Sussex and has quite a body of work behind her. She has been published in Agenda and The Telegraph & won the Chapter One competition last year. She chose our museum because "it's so amazing and is such an inspiration". She has been sitting up near the goddess display chatting with gusts and getting inspiration for future poems. You can read more about Sian & some of her work on her blog http://www.wealdwife.blogspot.com/ . When asked what display inspired her most she found it hard to pin down but said she felt most moved by a small bird wrapped lovingly in a blanket which was found in the beams above someone's bed. I'm hoping to post one of Sian's poems here in the near future.