Tabitha Stanmore transports us to a time when magic was used to navigate life's challenges and solve problems of both trivial and deadly importance. It’s 1600 and you’ve lost your precious silver spoons, or maybe they’ve been stolen. Perhaps your child has a fever.
Or you’re facing trial. Maybe you’re looking for love or escaping a husband. What do you do?In medieval and early modern Europe, your first port of call might have been cunning folk: practitioners of ‘service magic’.
Neither feared (like witches), nor venerated (like saints), these people were essential: a ubiquitous presence at a time when the supernatural was surprisingly mundane and a cherished everyday resource. We meet lovelorn widows, selfless healers and renegade monks; we listen in on Queen Elizabeth I’s astrology readings and track treasure hunters who try to keep peace with fairies. Much like us, premodern people lived in bewildering times, buffeted by forces beyond their control – and their faith in magic has much to teach us about how we accommodate ourselves to the irrational in our allegedly enlightened lives today.
Charming in every sense of the word, Cunning Folk is an immersive reconstruction of a bygone world and a thought-provoking commentary on the beauty and bafflement of being human.
£71.99
Limited hardback edition
Archival transcript material provides the foundation of Cochrane’s early works constructed as a gramarye supplemented with insights and intimate knowledge of the Clan from within its discreet conclave. Driven by an insatiable thirst for Wisdom, Cochrane’s ruthless pursuit of Truth led him to explore all aspects of the Craft. This book reveals those early forays and formative experiences that molded Cochrane’s articulation of the Craft and his vision for the Clan he founded to demonstrate it as a lived tradition.
Tubelo’s Forge is an accessible work of immense value to those interested in Cochrane’s approach to the Craft, whether as a newcomer to his work, or a seasoned follower of his art. Capturing a significant moment of history, this unique body of work offers, for the first time, a working model as a platform for understanding the origins of the Clan of Tubal Cain, but most importantly, its evolution since, both in his time, and in continuance, through the legacy of the Clan in accordance with the tenets he prescribed for it.
Following the popular format of Tubelo’s Green Fire by Shani Oates, and Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed by Evan John Jones and Doreen Valiente, Tubelo’s Forge incorporates information relating to the Cosmology, Mythos and Ethos of the Clan, with writings that explore the working Compass, the Working Tools, Induction, Transmission, Tutelary Spirits, the Egregore, The Old Covenant, the Winds, Castles of the Mind and Compass, and Cochrane’s views on the use of Entheogens.
As a practical guide, Cochrane’s desire to combine all aspects mythical and mystical shine through these early works and Seasonal Rites that continue to inspire and intrigue. Though focussed heavily upon the practical elements of a working tradition, Tubelo’s Forge is substantially supplemented with Cochrane’s cerebral philosophy, being inexorably entwined, it could not be otherwise. Original sketches gathered from works relating to this period are sensitively recreated while other artworks offer inspired glimpses into his visionary world; words and images combine in this incredible tome to share a novel perspective on the Clan’s sacred mysteries.
£80.00
Limited, first edition hardback, published by the author. Now out of print.
Condition: Fine.
Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread takes readers on a captivating journey through Scotland’s landscapes, legends, and lore. This rich tapestry of folk belief and folk magic uncovers the enduring connections between land, community, and spirit, rooted in the ancestral traditions of Scotland. From animistic practices and seasonal celebrations to the struggles of resilience against suppression, this book reclaims a marginalised cultural heritage and invites readers to rediscover its relevance in the modern world. Blending deep archival research, personal storytelling, and vibrant explorations of ecology, history, and spirituality, this work is an evocative homage to Scotland’s past and a powerful call to embrace its enduring wisdom. Whether delving into the fairy faith, uncovering the rituals of ancient festivals, or examining the impact of societal upheaval, Mill Dust & Dreaming Bread offers a transformative perspective on our shared heritage and a vision of how it can inspire us today.
This limited edition, specially crafted book, supported by a Kickstarter, is for seekers, storytellers, and all who yearn to connect with the echoes of an ancient land.
£84.99
Second edition hardback.
The Discoverie of Witchcraft, published by Reginald Scot in 1584, is a groundbreaking work that challenges the existence of witchcraft and the widespread persecution of alleged witches. It is special for its comprehensive documentation of magical practices, spells, and conjurations, making it one of the earliest compendiums of magic and witchcraft. While aiming to debunk superstitions, Scot meticulously catalogued the occult knowledge of his time, preserving a wealth of information about historical magical traditions. The book promotes scepticism and rationalism while serving as an invaluable resource on early modern occultism.
Scot was deeply motivated by a desire to oppose the irrational and un-Christian prosecution of alleged witches. He held the Roman Catholic Church largely responsible for perpetuating these superstitions and targeted prominent writers such as Jean Bodin, author of Démonomanie des Sorciers, and Jacobus Sprenger, co-author of the infamous Malleus Maleficarum. In contrast, Scot respected figures like Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and Johann Weyer, adopting some of their more rational views on demonology.