Witchcraft and Secret Societies of Rural England
Destiny Books,U.S. (Verlag)
978-1-62055-760-0 (ISBN)
Lese- und Medienproben
Centuries ago the remote, marshy plains of eastern England--the Fens--were drained to create agricultural land. The Fens remained isolated up until the nineteenth century, and it was this very isolation that helped preserve the ancient traditions of this area, traditions ruthlessly eradicated elsewhere in the British Isles. These magical folk traditions also owe their survival to secret rural societies, from craft guilds and trade unions to Morris dancers and village bands.
Exploring the folk customs and magical traditions of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers and Horsemen and the secrets guarded by the Free Gardeners, Witches, Toadmen, and Bonesmen, Nigel Pennick shows how the common working people of the Fens belonged to secret societies based on their specific trade. He details the hidden aspects of rural life that most historians ignore--the magical current that flowed through the lives of working people--and describes the secret rites, ceremonies, oaths, and initiation rituals of the guilds and fraternities to which the folk belonged.
Drawing not only on scholarly research but also his personal contacts within these still living traditions, Pennick explains their use of masks, black face, and other disguises to avoid persecution and describes how wise woman healers and witches in rural villages were sought-after for their remedies. He shares the secrets of the toad-bone rite, which gave the Toadman control over animals and members of the opposite sex, and explores the guardian spirits thought to inhabit the Fens, including those of the Wild Hunt.
Providing insight into a world that has largely disappeared, one whose magic still echoes in lore and legend, Pennick shows that the rites, customs, and ceremonies of guilds and rural fraternities connect individuals to a wider community and, through collective action, to the power of Nature and the Cosmos.
Nigel Pennick is an authority on ancient belief systems, traditions, runes, and geomancy and has traveled and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States. He is the author and illustrator of more than 50 books, including The Pagan Book of Days. The founder of the Institute of Geomantic Research and the Library of the European Tradition, he lives near Cambridge, England.
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
Keeping Up the Day
1 The Geographical Region and Its Links
2 The Drovers
3 Markets and Fairs
4 Secrets of the Trade and Craft Guilds
5 Secrets of the Horsemen
6 Millers, Gardeners, and Bonesmen
7 The Confraternity of the Plough
8 Ritual Disguise and Resistance
9 Witches, Wise Women, Quack Doctresses, and Cunning Men
10 Handywomen, Witches, and Witchcraft
11 Geomantic Traditions and the Magic of Place
12 Devilish Definitions
13 Magic, Farming, and the Land
14 Tools of the Craft
Postscript
Bibliography
Index
| Erscheinungsdatum | 27.03.2019 |
|---|---|
| Zusatzinfo | 60 b&w illustrations |
| Verlagsort | Rochester |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 152 x 229 mm |
| Gewicht | 370 g |
| Themenwelt | Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie ► Esoterik / Spiritualität |
| Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie ► Östliche Weisheit / Alte Kulturen | |
| ISBN-10 | 1-62055-760-6 / 1620557606 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1-62055-760-0 / 9781620557600 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
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