East Anglian Witches and Wizards

by Michael Howard

In his fourth book in the Witchcraft of the British Isles series, Michael Howard examines the Craft of East Anglia, one of the richest areas of historical witchcraft and folk magic in Eangland. From the private witch of William the Conqueror to the cunning men and women of the marshes and fens, to the Toad-witches and the appalling deeds of the witch-finders, the book is a trove of historical information on the actual folk magical practices of East Anglia. Also examined are the spirits of locality, such as Old Shuck, the spectral black dog known to haunt country lanes, and a special chapter on Imps and Familiars.

Genres: Witchcraft

185 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Michael Howard (United Kingdom) was the editor of The Cauldron magazine from 1976 to his death in 2015. He has written numerous articles for other occult and neo-pagan magazines and since the 1970s has had over thirty-five books published on the runes, witchcraft, angelic magic, folklore, herbal remedies, and occult parapolitics.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the various different accounts of magic from East Anglia, especially as this is where I have lived for the majority of my life. The book includes many different instances, and covers in detail the witch trials, the Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins, imps, local magic, and more. It was very interesting, however I would have liked more than just the accounts - the book was very much an involved list of different instances, with no real analysis or theorising alongside each one. Still, a good read and gave an interesting insight into historical magic in this geographical area.

[Sasha Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, especially for the anecdotal accounts of witchcraft in living memory and what seems to be original research by George Pickingill. I would have liked to see some actual analysis rather than just a loosely-themed collection of episodes.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of stories, cases and superstitions from East Anglia.

[Sven Davisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating history of witchcraft and witchcraft trials in the eastern coastal counties of England.