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There’s a new article on Witchvox giving us an overview of some of the main traditions of Cornish Witchcraft. Cornwall, the ‘horn’ of land at the very south west of England has been described as one of the ‘last strongholds of Witchcraft’ in Britain. Indeed Cornwall is rich in Witch lore and heritage with many Witchcraft traditions, stories and legends most of which are connected to specific sites or locations in Cornwall. There are many mysterious ancient sacred sites in Cornwall – particularly in the Penwith region at the far western end of Cornwall. These include stone circles, quoits or chamber tombes, standing stones or menhirs, fogous – mysterious underground passages or chambers and holy wells. Today many of these sites retain a deep association with magic, the supernatural, divinatory and healing practices, which at some sites may have continued unchanged for centuries.

Cornwall was once home to many practicing professional Witches who also went under the titles of Pellar, charmers, conjurors and Cunning Folk. Some achieved some fame and notoriety, particularly “Tammy Blee”1798-1856 who practiced around the Helston area. She is known to have used a staff in rituals, to conjure magic circles and to have used hallucinogenic substances to aid her trance induced workings and her dealings with spirits. She was widely consulted by clients, many of whom travelled great distances for her services in charm making, divination, healing, herb lore, necromancy and spell breaking. Many of the charms made by Cornish Witches and supplied to their clients consisted of small square bags containing written charms and substances such as magic powders. Another famous Cornish Witch who also worked the Helston area is Granny Boswell 1813-1906 who was an hereditary Wisewoman of Romany Blood. She became famous and well respected by the people of Helston for her Wisdom and her knowledge of Charms. Her magical skills included assisting young woman in the finding of a partner, curing the scrofular by the aid of a small bag full of black spiders, curing ringworm in cattle and breaking curses.

The traditional magic of Cornish Witches commonly included the work of counter cursing, curse lifting, magical protection from ‘ill-wishing’, the healing of disease and injury in people and cattle, divining the whereabouts of lost items and the uncovering of the identity of thieves. The work commonly involved the making and provision of magical charms, simple rituals and magical gestures with muttered incantations, hands on healing and absent work.

Traditional Cornish Witchcraft, or, the Cornish Witchcraft Tradition has seen a recent resurgence of interest popularised by the work and writing of JackDaw – a West Country Cunning Man and Gemma Gary a Traditional Witch practicing in Cornwall’s Penwith region. JackDaw grew up within a West Country family where traditional and practical ways of magic and divinatory techniques were maintained and often employed. This fostered an interest in the Occult and lead JackDaw to investigate many forms of magic, becoming involved with a variety of Occult groups along the way. Eventually though he was drawn back to his roots, and investigated the Traditional West Country and Cornish Craft and received instruction in Traditional Craft practice from a number of teachers. Alongside perusing the path of Traditional Cornish Witchcraft, JackDaw has over the years given many talks and practical workshops on subjects relating to Traditional Witchcraft as well as writing on the subject of the Cornish Craft.

Cornish Traditional Witches tend to observe a six-fold ritual year, the ritual celebrations relating to Traditional seasonal Cornish folk customs and festivals. These are Allantide, Montol, Candlemas, May’s Eve, Golowan and Guldize. In Penwith, the seasonal energies are embodied by Penglaz, who appears during the solstice festivals in the form of a mare skull ‘Oss lead by a figure known as the Bucca. At Midwinter Bucca Dhu – the Black God presides over Penglaz as the vehicle of the winter seasonal energies of death and rebirth. At Midsummer, Penglaz becomes the vessel for the summer season tide and is lead by the White God – Bucca Dhu.

Read the full article at Witchvox.

Traditional Witchcraft – A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary

JackDaw’s Website

The Museum of Witchcraft
The Penglaz Website

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