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In the 1920s and 30s, the Egyptologist Dr Margaret Alice Murray published several books (THE WITCH-CULT IN WESTERN EUROPE mentioned above being the most well known) detailing her theories that those persecuted as witches during the Early Modern period in Europe were not, as the persecutors had claimed, followers of Satanism, but adherents of a surviving pre-Christian pagan religion - the Witch-Cult. In the decades following the publication of Dr Murray’s works the Witch-Cult grew with new covens springing up in places such as Norfolk, Cheshire and the New Forest. These new witches drew their inspiration not only from Murray’s writings but from a broad sphere of influences including classical mythology, Aleister Crowley’s writings, folk magic, and Freemasonry. The New Forest Coven, for example, was formed as a Neopagan off-shoot of The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry - a non-Christian Scouting-like movement founded in 1916 by Ernest Westlake. One, perhaps rather unlikely, initiate of the New Forest Coven was a white-haired, retired Civil Servant named Gerald Gardner.
Gerald Brosseau Gardner was born in Blundellsands, Merseyside in 1884 but lived in places as diverse as Portugal and British Malaya before returning to England in 1936. Following his involvement in the New Forest Coven, Gardner formed his own group known as the Bricket Wood Coven.
On 31 July 1940 the Bricket Wood Coven met with other members of the Witch-Cult at the Rufus Stone (marking the spot where King Rufus was killed in a hunting accident in 1100) in the New Forest for a very serious Lammas Eve ritual. Their goal was the magical protection of England from the threat of Nazi invasion. Gardner later recalled:
“We were taken at night to a place in the Forest, where the Great Circle was erected; and that was done which may not be done except in great emergency. And the great cone of power was raised and slowly directed in the general direction of Hitler. The command was given: ‘You cannot cross the sea, you cannot cross the sea, you cannot come, you cannot come.’ Just as was done, we were told, to Napoleon, when he had his army ready to invade England and never came. And, as was done to the Spanish Armada, mighty forces were used, of which I may not speak.”
Five witches of the seventeen who took part in the 1940 ritual died soon after.
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Gerald Gardener wrote several books on the subject of modern witchcraft – HIGH MAGIC'S AID (1949), WITCHCRAFT TODAY (1954) and THE MEANING OF WITCHCRAFT (1959) – all of which attracted much media attention at the time. Today he is known as the Father of “Wicca” – the name now commonly used for the modern duo-theistic pagan religion which grew out of Gardner’s writings and Bricket Wood’s practices (although Gardner seems to have preferred Murray’s term “Witch-Cult” himself).
Today the 1st of August is one of the sabbats in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year - eight festivals, spaced at even intervals throughout the calendar. No doubt Guazzo and the Mathers would be glad (or perhaps disappointed?) to learn that there is no flying-goat riding, or Devil-arse kissing involved in the modern Witch-Cult’s Lammas celebrations. Wicca.com gives the following as suggested activities/practices for Lughnasadh:
“As summer passes, many Pagans celebrate this time to remember its warmth and bounty in a celebrated feast shared with family or Coven members. Save and plant the seeds from the fruits consumed during the feast or ritual. If they sprout, grow the plant or tree with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Lord and Lady. Walk through the fields and orchards or spend time along springs, creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes reflecting on the bounty and love of the Lord and Lady.”
REFERENCES
http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/wcwe/wcwe08.htm
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...ief-salem.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca#O...1.E2.80.931959
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Forest_coven
http://www.forteantimes.com/features...f_britain.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasadh
http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/lammas.htm
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