Firstly, I’d like to say what a privilege it is to be invited to contribute to PaganSquare I hope this will lead to a greater understanding of what witchcraft was like in Britain before the introduction of Wicca from those who still practice the Old Ways. Many of us have been around for a long time some would say too long but that’s another story.
I personally belong to the Coven of the Scales, a group founded by Aleister ‘Bob’ Clay-Egerton and his wife Mériém in the 1960s, after the first anti-witchcraft campaign destroyed their Warwickshire coven and drove them from their home. These roots can also be traced back to the Cheshire coven, which in turn had its antecedents in a copper-miners’ coven going back to the early-mid 1880s.
In future posts I will be explaining the differences between traditional British Old Craft and giving a brief insight into what makes it such a fascinating Tradition to follow. We already have several American students on our Arcanum course and they never cease to be amazed by the old way of teaching but I think it’s fair to say that they have fun, too!
Naturally, I am perfectly willing to answer your questions about traditional British Old Craft and would begin by quoting an old CoS adage:
Remember that the only foolish question is the one you didn’t ask.