History Museum of Witchcraft and Magic

1 history

1.1 origins: 1947–60
1.2 williamson-gardner split: 1953–64
1.3 boscastle: 1960-present

history
origins: 1947–60

a sculpture of horned god of wicca @ museum

after second world war, former film producer cecil williamson decided move museum business, and—probably influenced personal interest—decided open 1 devoted subject of witchcraft. williamson tried open museum hold collection of witchcraft , occult artifacts in stratford-upon-avon in 1947, faced local opposition , had abandon plans. decided open in castletown on isle of man, area had folklore surrounding fairies , witches, tourist season, , local laws congenial establishment of museum. had set in dilapidated old mill known locally witches mill had purchased in 1948, and, @ advice of wife, opened adjacent restaurant, known witches kitchen.

the museum first named folklore centre of superstition , witchcraft. launch of museum timed coincide government s repeal of witchcraft , vagrancy acts in june 1951. in interview sunday pictorial newspaper, williamson claimed friends @ least dozen witches, , had invited coven southern england come , practice rituals @ museum. historian ronald hutton deemed reference bricket wood coven based in hertfordshire , run wiccan gerald gardner. in press interviews, gardner described museum s resident witch , performed magical ritual @ museum s opening ceremony. williamson, press interest served promote museum, while gardner gave opportunity promote wicca @ safe distance main coven.

williamson had practical interest in magic, , in 1952 interview popular magazine illustrated described himself consultant on subject remove curses people, akin old cunning man. acknowledged knew many of these spells reading them in books. took interest in late ceremonial magician aleister crowley , wrote crowley s friend gerald yorke enquire whether send him instructions of crowley s rituals.

however, gardner fell out williamson on saw sensationalist displays. williamson, in retaliation, removed photograph of gardner display. williamson sold museum gardner.

the williamson-gardner split: 1953–64

williamson decided return england, , took collection of witchcraft artefacts him. in 1954 gardner bought witches mill him, , renamed museum of magic , witchcraft, filling own collection of artefacts. during 1950s, gardner discussed moving museum london friend, charles cardell, decided not to. according historian ronald hutton, left gardner secure , congenial base promote wicca writing such books witchcraft today (1954) , meaning of witchcraft (1959). gardner continued run museum till death in 1964, when briefly run high priestess monique wilson before shut down , collection sold off. ripley s entertainment inc. bought collection , in 1972 opened museum of witchcraft , magic @ gatlinburg, tn , san francisco, ca. in 1975, due pressure local church , religious groups, ripley s changed name of museums world of unexplained . more attractions , items added present witchcraft collection. in 1985, ripley s closed both museums due poor ticket sales. collection disbursted other ripley s museums. lot of witchcraft collection sent ripley s believe or not museum @ blackpool, england.

in will, gardner left museum assistant there, proviso if did not want go initiate monique wilson, happened.

on return england in 1954, williamson opened museum, known museum of witchcraft, windsor. here stayed open tourist season, , quite successful, local opinion still against it, , williamson decided move again. in 1954 williamson moved museum bourton-on-the-water in gloucestershire. museum suffered various persecutions, including signs being painted on walls , dead cats hung trees, , largely damaged in arson attack.

boscastle: 1960-present

in 1960 williamson moved museum boscastle in cornwall. williamson displayed artefacts associated ceremonial magic, largely interested in folk magic , practices of called wayside witch .

the exterior of museum

williamson retired in 1996, selling museum graham king , liz crow. practicing pagan interests in witchcraft, king owned business manufacturing specialist cameras in hampshire when discovered museum sale in newspaper article. king , williamson finalised purchase @ midnight on halloween 1996. king , crow reorganised museum , removed of more sensationalist exhibits, such partially clothed female mannequin had been laid on altar represent black mass. king appeared on bbc television series such seaside parish , antiques roadshow. organised burial of joan wytte, woman died in bodmin jail under accusations of witchcraft in 1813, , corpse had been @ museum many years. buried in local area of woodland in 1998. museum damaged during heavy floods in august 2004, resulting in being closed repairs until march 2005.

after king took over, group known friends of museum established; holds annual weekend of lectures. subsequently converted charity. commemorate museum s sixtieth anniversary, in 2011 occult art company published anthology entitled museum of witchcraft: magical history. idea work had been provided chair of friends, judith noble, volume being edited kerrian godwin. contained contributions 51 individuals involved in esoteric , pagan communities, including prominent figures ronald hutton, philip heselton, patricia crowther, , marian green. reviewed pagan studies scholar ethan doyle white in pomegranate journal, welcomed volume yet described contents mixed bag, articles varying in quality , relevance subject @ hand.

on halloween 2013 king transferred ownership of museum, collection , library, designer , curator simon costin, had founded museum of british folklore in 2009. king retained ownership of museum s building, leased costin s museum.

costin informed cornish guardian museum continue run is. won t change @ all.