The witch – malevolent, magical, multi-faceted - has walked among us for centuries.

Demonic and deviant or liberated and revered, in this enchantingly illustrated book, Willow Winsham explores the many guises of the witch across folklore, history and superstition.

From Hekate to Baba Yaga, from shape-shifting hares to Macbeth, the book starts with a rich dive into the ideas of the witch in myth, legend and fairytale. Next follows an exploration of popular belief and superstition during the witch trials across Europe and the United States, one of the most tumultuous and bloody of our collective history. The last section brings us to more recent times, exploring how how the image and identity of the witch has been reclaimed and reinvented, the significance of the Wheel of the Year, the advent of Wicca and modern Witchcraft and beyond.

Finally and most crucially, we are left with the vital question: what have we learned from the past and what is the best way to approach our – often terrible – shared history of the witch?



Willow Winsham is a historian of witchcraft, specialising in English witchcraft cases. She is author of Accused: British Witches Throughout History and England's Witchcraft Trials. She is co-founder of #FolkloreThursday, a popular website and X account that brings fascinating tales and traditions from all corners of the globe to its followers every Thursday. She is based in Derbyshire.



Part One:  From Hecate to Baba Yaga - Witches of Fairytale, Myth and Legend

Goddess of Witches: The Many Faces of Hecate

NicNevin: Scottish Witch Queen

Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble: The Witches of Macbeth

From Mother Gothel to Snow White: Witches in Folk and Fairy Tales

The Witch with the Chicken Legged Hut: Baba Yaga

Milk Magic: Butter Stealing and Milk Thieves

Milk Hares and Troll Cats

Witches and Hares

From Ale Wives to The Wicked Witch of the West: Why do Witches Wear Pointed Hats?

'Tis the Season: The Witches of Christmas



- Perchta

- Frau Holle

- La Befana

- Gryla

 

Part Two: The Witch Amongst Us - The Witch Trials and Beyond

Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch To Live

The Hammer of Witches: Malleus Maleficarum

Babyfat and Sex with Satan: The Witches' Sabbath

From Midsummer to Halloween: When Witches Meet

The Witches Sabbath Continued.

In the Name of the Devil

Taking to the Skies: Witches and Broomsticks

Pricking and Swimming: A Discovery of Witches



- Swimming a Witch

- Witch Pricking

- Searching for Teats

- Waking and Walking

- Weighing against the Bible

- Touch Test

- Reciting the Lord's Prayer

- Making a Witch Cake

Imps and Demons: The Witch and Her Familiars

Protection and Charms: How to Foil a Witch.



- Iron

- Scratch the Witch

- Fire

- Words and Charms and gestures

- Born lucky

- Trees and Plants

Witch Bottles

 

Part Three: From Wicca to X – The Many Faces of The Witch Today

The History of Wicca:



- Margaret Murray and the Myth of the Witch Cult

- Witchcraft Today: The Advent of Wicca and Beyond

- Boxout: The Mother of Modern Witchcraft: Doreen Valiente

- Boxout: The Fraudulent Mediums Act: An historicfreedom for Wicca

- King of the Witches: Alexandrian Wicca

- Dianic Wicca.

- Starhawk and The Reclaiming Tradition

Wicca in Practice:



- The Wiccan Rede

- Maiden, Mother, Crone: The Great Goddess

- The Solitary Witch: Hedge Witches.

- The Horned God

 

The Wheel of the Year



- The Thinning of the Veil: Samhain

- Burning the Yule Log: Yule

- In the Belly: Imbolc

- New Life: Ostara

- Welcoming the Sun: Beltane

- The Longest Day: Litha

- Start of the Harvest: Lughnasadh

- Gerald Gardner and Operation Cone of Power

- Harvest Home: Mabon

The Power of the Moon: Esbats

A Dark Heritage: Remembering Our Witches

Conclusion

Acknowledgements



'The Story of Witches really cast a spell over me.'



'Of UK writing about witchcraft, Willow Winsham's name should be firmly at the top.'



'The Story of Witches offers a fun, fast, well researched historical summary that is also a stunning work of art.'



'Winsham's expertise is undeniable and expansive'