Resources for those Seeking British Traditional Craft
Books
High Magic’s Aid by Scire (Gerald B Gardner)
Witchcraft Today by Gerald B Gardner
Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald B Gardner
-These are the books that started the modern revival of witchcraft. When I was starting to research BTW, I was surprised in myself that I had actually never read Gardner’s books all the way through. I was further surprised by how much traditional lore is in the books themselves. I could see how it trickled down into traditional witchcraft as it is known today.
Witchcraft for Tomorrow by Doreen Valiente
-If you’re looking for a great primer to witchcraft in general, as well as some rituals and rites to try as you are Seeking, Valiente’s book is excellent. Her writing is very conversational, but she fills you in on everything you need to know in order to understand witchcraft through comparisons with other traditions. She hows you how the traditions that we have today came to be.
Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente
-If you want to the Tea, henny, you need to read this book. Valiente is one shady witch, and she tells you all the gossip about Gardner, Cochrane, Montebank, Howard, and others!
Covensense by Patricia Crowther
-I love this book. It’s an interview format with Crowther, who founded one of the more secretive lines of Sheffield. Her idiosyncrasies are abound in this book!
Lid Off the Cauldron by Patricia Crowther
-This is Crowther’s more practical book, akin to Witchcraft Today. There is information in here that will interested traditional crafters, including the Lame Foot Dance, certain calls, and the use of the Stang.
Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton
-This should be on everyone’s shelf
Trials of the Moon by Ben Whitmore
-And this book should also be on your shelf. It is a response to Hutton’s work, criticizing his sources, and his conclusions, much like how people critiqued Murray’s work.
Witch Amongst Us by Lois Bourne
Dances with Witches by Lois Bourne
-These two books are autobiographies of the high priestess of Bricket Wood coven, Lois Bourne. I find them charming and witty.
King of the Witches by June Johns
-The biography of Alex Sanders, founder of the Alexandrian tradition.
What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar
-A look into Farrar’s coven. He was a journalist investigating witchcraft when he decided to join in!
Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide by Thorn Mooney
-This is such a great book, and I wish I had read it before my initiation. I still enjoyed it, but it answered a lot of the questions that I pelted at my high priest and priestess. Thorn goes over some of the history of initiatory witchcraft; some questions Seeker’s may have about ritual nudity, coven structure, and training; and also some red flags to watch out for that may alert the Seeker to a fake or abusive coven.
Documentaries
Power of the Witch - 1971 ft Eleanor Bone and Doreen Valiente
Witch - 1964 ft Eleanor Bone
A Spell of Witchcraft Radio Series - Patricia and Arnold Crowther
Radio Recordings with Gerald Gardner
A Very British Witchcraft
Legend of the Witches
Seeker’s Groups
Here is a group for those Seeking Gardnerian Craft
And here is one for those Seeking Alexandrian Craft
