Traditional Witchcraft
With November 2018 came ten years since the first publication of Gemma Gary’s first book Traditional Witchcraft – A Cornish Book of Ways. This tenth anniversary revised edition begins with a new preface, giving an insight into the backstory of events which informed and inspired this popular title.
Although nestled in the Cornish landscape and its lore, the beliefs and practices described within this book are rooted also in the traditional witchcraft current and an ‘Old Craft’ of multiple British streams. Its magic and charms are comparable also to those found elsewhere in the British Isles and beyond, making this a book adaptable for practitioners in any land.
‘Traditional Witchcraft – A Cornish Book of Ways is a 21st century version of traditional Cornish witchcraft, of the kind recorded by Hunt, Bottrell and others. This is no neo-pagan or modern wiccan manual, but rather a deep drawing up into modern times of some of the ancient practices of lore and magic practiced by the white witches, charmers, conjurers and pellars of the Cornish villages. Their presence was still current when the 18th and 19th century antiquarians and collectors recorded them, and, although the 20th century largely put paid to their activities, nevertheless their lore never completely disappeared, and it continues to provide inspiration for practitioners today. Gemma draws on this knowledge, not only from published material, but also from the experiences and workings of ‘wise women’ and country witches living today.
Topics include the Cunning Path, the Dead and the Underworld (Fairy Faith), the Bucca, Places of Power in the villages and landscape, the Tools used by Cunning Folk (working versions of what can be seen, for example, in the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic), Village Cunning, substances and charms, and Rites of the Year’s Round. This book gathers much material together, some of which has not been seen in print before, and thus provides a sourcebook of magical workings in Cornwall today, which will be an invaluable reference.’
Paperback Edition 2018 Edition gloss laminate cover
Original Price - £14.99
Standard Hardback Edition 2018 Edition The Hardback edition of Traditional Witchcraft – A Cornish Book of Ways, is presented as a claret case-binding, with black end-papers, black and red head and tail bands and with silver foil blocking to the front and spine.
Original Price - £24.99
Special Edition bound in green cloth with copper foil blocking to the front and spine, black end papers and red head and tail bands. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. Limited to 250 hand numbered examples.
Original Price - Unavailable
Black Edition – 2018 Edition a limited edition of 250 hand-numbered examples in Royal format 234 x 156mm, bound in beautifully grained black recycled leather fibers, with black foil blocking to the front and spine, black end papers, with red head and tail bands. 90gsm white paper stock.
Original Price - £35.00
Fine Edition a limited edition of 25 hand bound copies in scarlet hand finished goat leather with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, marbled end papers, red head and tail bands and marker ribbon. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. This edition will be issued with a lined slipcase covered in red library Buckram cloth.
Original Price - Unavailable
Special Fine Edition a limited edition of 5 hand bound copies in dark green fine hand polished and finished goat leather, with hand tooled raised labyrinth to the front, modelled on one of the two stone labyrinths found in The Rocky Valley, North Cornwall, gold foil blocking to the spine, marbled end papers, capped spine ends, gold marker ribbon. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. This edition will be issued with a lined slipcase covered in green library Buckram cloth.
Original Price - Unavailable
Audio book also available in audio book format from ‘Circle of Spears’ click here
Original Price - £14.99
Size All Editions – Royal 234 x 156mm.
Pagination 244 pages, profusely illustrated with new line drawings, plus 32 pages of black and white photographic plates. In this new revised second edition much of the text has been re-written, with the introduction and the chapter exploring The Bucca being particularly expanded upon from the first edition. Of the fifty photographs presented within this book, only thirteen appeared in the first edition.
