"Deeply personal and immersed in myth and folklore, [this] book draws from the old and the new in a manner that will resonate with the modern Witch today." —Christopher Penczak, author of The Temple of Witchcraft and The Feast of the MorrighanHear the Call of the Highlands for Powerful Magick, Healing, and DivinationTake a journey through the magickal folk traditions of Scotland. Barbar...

This "magisterial account" explores the fear of witchcraft across the globe from the ancient world to the notorious witch trials of early modern Europe ( The Guardian, UK).The witch came to prominence—and often a painful death—in early modern Europe, yet her origins are much more geographically diverse and historically deep. In The Witch, historian Ronald Hutton sets the European witch trials in the widest and deepest possible perspective and trace...

The acclaimed author of Witches, Druids, and King Arthur presents a "lucid, open-minded" cultural history of the Druids as part of British identity (Terry Jones).Crushed by the Romans in the first century A.D., the ancient Druids of Britain left almost no reliable evidence behind. Historian Ronald Hutton shows how this lack of definite information has allowed succeeding British generations to reimagine, reinterpret, and reinvent the Druids. Hutton's captiv...

This Is Chaos showcases where chaos magic has come from, where it is now, and most importantly, where it is going. Helmed by one of the originators of chaos magic, Peter J. Carroll, this book is filled with essays by some of the most respected chaos magic workers who are redefining magic for the modern practitioner.Chaos magic has always been about pushing new boundaries, with a focus on belief and utilizing aspects of magic such as sigils and magical serv...

The second volume in an acclaimed biography of Oliver Cromwell, from the capture of Charles I to the expulsion of the Long ParliamentIn 1647, the Parliamentarians were divided. They had won the first civil war and the king was in custody, but disagreements over the way forward had led to a stalemate. As the leader of one party, Oliver Cromwell found himself again at the centre of events.In the second volume of his pioneering biography, Ronald Hutton traces ...

The first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell—providing a major new interpretation of one of the greatest figures in historyOliver Cromwell (1599–1658)—the only English commoner to become the overall head of state—is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell’s speeches...

Britain's pagan past, with its mysterious monuments, atmospheric sites, enigmatic artifacts, bloodthirsty legends, and cryptic inscriptions, is both enthralling and perplexing to a resident of the twenty-first century. In this ambitious and thoroughly up-to-date book, Ronald Hutton reveals the long development, rapid suppression, and enduring cultural significance of paganism, from the Paleolithic Era to the coming of Christianity. He draws on an array of recently discovered evidence and s...

Ronald Hutton is known for his colourful and provocative writings on original subjects. This work is no exception: for the first full-scale scholarly study of the only religion England has ever given the world; that of modern pagan witchcraft, which has now spread from English shores across four continents. Hutton examines the nature of that religion and its development, and offers a microhistory of attitudes to paganism, witchcraft, and magic in British society since 1800. Itspages reveal...

The conversation, sometimes heated, about the influence of Christianity on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien has a long history. What has been lacking is a forum for a civilized discussion about the topic, as well as a chronological overview of the major arguments and themes that have engaged scholars about the impact of Christianity on Tolkien's oeuvre, with particular reference to The Lord of the Rings. The Ring and the Cross addresses these two needs through an articulate...

This volume investigates the physical evidence for magic in medieval and modern Britain, including ritual mark, concealed objects, amulets, and magical equipment. The contributors are the current experts in each area of the subject, and show between them how ample the evidence is and how important it is for an understanding of history.

The blue plaque helps us make poetry from the everyday, infusing the hard materials of the city with the feeling of lives lived: a memory of the past making the present richer.' Antony Gormley, GuardianThe official English Heritage guide, with over 900 of London's most interesting inhabitants and their former homes brought to life.Blue plaques, bearing names both familiar and intriguing, can be found all across the capital. From VIRGINIA WOOLF to VINCENT VAN GOGH, CHRISTOPH...

'a brilliant history' The Sunday Times 'makes for riveting reading' The Independent Modern pagan witchcraft is arguably the only fully-formed religion England has given the world, and has now spread across four continents. This second edition of The Triumph of the Moon extensively revises the first full-scale scholarly study of modern pagan witchcraft. Ronald Hutton examines the nature and development of this religion, and offers a history of att...