Witch Krafting with Kat

Herne the Hunter Cernunnos Digital Art by Angela Jayne Latham I had a lovely Winter Solstice article ready to post up and instead of posting it I accidentally deleted it! Lol! I didn't have time to repost as I had to travel down to meet up with my Mum. We spent a lovely Winter Solstice day at Charlecote Park which has a beautiful Elizabethan house and deer park. A really beautiful place and even though it's the Christmas holidays it was quiet enough to grab some peace and quite and a hot cup of tea! The house though closed for winter still was interesting to visit as are the surrounded countryside. A wonderful area for long walks, photography and getting inspired for painting. They have a large deer park and we were delighted to spot three White Hart's! Which are quite rare and are a very magical sight! Funny enough in the morning before we headed off I watched an episode of Robin of Sherwood. Those of you who have seen this series will know the character Herne the Hunter o...

Joan's Cottage at The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic Boscastle Cornwall.  I found a video on YouTube totally by accident of Cassandra Latham Jones who was the original voice of the witch Joan's Cottage at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic from 1997 to 2015. I often visited during this time so was delighted to hear her chants again online and see the lady herself.  The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic now have a new soundtrack to Joan's Cottage voice by  Elaine Gill. To see Cassandra version please visit YouTube link below.  https://youtu.be/wisewomanspellsandcharms The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic is a fabulous place and even though they are shut for the winter their website is still a great source for information and for studying the arts. Please visit  https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/

To all my blog readers happy Krampusnacht! I hope you all been good boys and girls or you might get taken away in a basket!   Here are some fab images I found online as you can see there are various images of a Krampus some frightening and others more laced with humor.    For more information on Krampus please visit this link https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krampus

The No No tree at Abington Park Northampton. Saw this online it really made me chuckle! 😄 Called the No No tree as it looks like it's waving it's hand in a disapproving tutting motion! It's behind the cafe if any of you care to spot it! There have always been folk stories about trees and I can imagine a few hundred years ago this tree would have become the perfect object for a folk tale. Maybe stories would have said the tree was possessed by fairy folk, or it was the entrance to a path that lead to a Witches house and the hand was a warning to children to keep away! Or maybe that the tree was possessed by the dead! Many trees where sadly used as public gallows and were sometimes known as dule or dool trees.  Come follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow me. Whither shall I follow follow follow, Whither shall I follow follow thee. To the Gallows To the Gallows To the Gallows, Gallows Tree. Interesting Medieval song found on Wikipedia about a Gallow tree.  Tut Tut tre...

 In 1834 Thomas Haynes Bayley(1797-1839) wrote 'The Mistletoe Bough' a folk ballad which soon became  drawing room favourite in Victorian times. It tells of a wedding festivities taking place on Christmas Eve with guest playing hide and speek. The bride is the first to hide and finds an oak chest to hide in. When she climbs in the lid snaps shut and she is unable to get out and her body is sadly not found for several years! Information from a book I own called  From Folklore of Northamptonshire by Peter Hill. I highly recommend buying or hiring out a copy from your local library. 

  Found this really interesting article online about the English Werewolf known as Old Stinker also know as The Beast of Barmston Drain.  Article by Sam George ,  University of Hertfordshire October 30, 2016  Please visit this link 🔗    https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/why-we-should-welcome-the-return-of-old-stinker-the-english-werewolf Update I found another fab article by Maggie Clendenin update 23rd September 2021. Please visit this link 🔗 https://www.ranker.com/list/old-stinker-werewolf-legend

The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic (MWM) is now closed until April 2022 but good news is their online shop will be open for festive gift buying. Please visit their website for details and also for interesting articles.  https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/news/