PAGAN OBITUARIES

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Georgia's Psychic and Spiritual Power Points

  Merlin Stone 1931 -2011

"The Goddess is not just the female version of God. She represents a different concept," says Merlin Stone, author of "When God Was a Woman." While the Judeo-Christian God is transcendent, the Goddess is located "within each individual and all things in nature," she says.   When God Was a Woman Time Magazine 1991  Merlin Stone 1931 – 2011  (born 9/27/1931 and died 2/23/2011)

In Search of Merlin Stone

by Bobbie Grennier

Merlin Stone is best remembered for her impressive literary body of work. From 1971-1976, she traveled to Turkey, Lebanon, Cyprus, Crete, Greece, among others, where she uncovered the lost Goddess culture. She wrote about her discoveries in two landmark books: When God was a Woman (originally titled The Paradise Papers) and Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood – Our Goddess and Heroine Heritage. She also wrote a third book called Three Thousand Years of Racism, and she was also published in many magazines and anthologies.

I remember Merlin when we met in 1986 to film Goddess Remembered in San Francisco. She was not originally scheduled to be at the ‘dinner party’ we filmed but mysterious forces made it possible for her to arrive in SF just in time. I enjoyed Merlin’s contribution to the conversation we filmed and especially enjoyed some pleasant hours months later in New York with her. I feel her passing very much and remember her life as one of the great blessings all women have shared. In love may she return again.  - Donna Read, director of Goddess Remembered, The Burning Times, and Full Circle

  LADY CIRCE - (2004)

I first met Lady Circe when she asked if one of her students could open a Witchcraft Botique in Atlanta (in those days she practiced the "Old" Etiquette where you asked permission to establish a Coven when you were entering someone elses Turf, especially if there were no other Witches around.)  I of course agreed to meet with the student (she was a stripper by the name of Sintana) and went to a adult club on Peachtree Street.  When she finished a set, she came down to meet me and the priestess that accompanied me.  She explained what she was going to do and verified that she had been initiated by Lady Circe.  I wrote back to Lady Circe and agreed to Sintana moving into Atlanta.  Per an agreement I had with Lady Circe, I watched over Sintana and even taught for a short time at her botique, the House of Ravenwood.   Sintana was later initiated by Circe and Lord Cyprian (see below) to a third degree.  Circe was an excellent Tarot reader and we had several conversations as to where she received her training.  Sorry to see another Pagan Leader die.  There have been so many....Rhuddlwm Gawr

Following is from the Circle of the Sacred Grove (http://www.circleofthesacredgrove.org/index.php)

In Memory of Lady Circe

Bona Dea

  LORD CYPRIAN - (1983)

Lord Cyprian was born and raised in Nashville Tennessee. He loved nature and grew up on a small farm. He was a loving husband and the father of 4.   He loved plant life and collected many different types of native plants. He was initiated into the wicca lifestyle through a coven in England and until his death in 1983 served the lord and lady well as a High Priest and teacher and mentor.  He filled all these roles well.  This is one of the many articles he wrote during his time here.

Cyprian Creed

I believe in the Goddess and her consort, the God. They have made my beautiful Earth and created me, it's guardian.  I will not profane Their Creation.  I am their Custodian of all life and I gladly bear my duties.  The God and Goddess have given me Mind and Body and Spirit and with these I worship Them; not through fear but in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.   And when this life is ended I will return to the God and Goddess for rest and strength and wisdom.  When I am prepared, They will return me to my beautiful Earth to live again amongst those I love.  So Mote It Be!

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The Celtic Knotwork Ferret Graphic dividers below, were drawn by Alicia Folberth for an SCA publication about 15 years ago.   More of her art can be found at the Panthean Temple - www.PaganCommunitychurch.org

SCOTT CUNNINGHAM - (1956 - 1993)

We will be placing a obituary for Scott here later

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   DOREEN VALIENTE - GARDNERIAN -(1999)

On September 1st 1999, Doreen Valiente passed away to the Summerland.

Doreen was the mother Wicca, one of the fastest growing religions in the Western World.   Her books introduced literally hundreds of thousands of seekers to the concepts of Wicca and Witchcraft.  She brought them knowledge, love and power and taught that the Goddess is alive and well.

While many seekers claimed to be initiated by their grandmothers, and collected initiations like stamps,  her honest humility prevented her from ever calling herself 'Queen of the Witches'.  

Not only was she responsible for Wicca's early growth, but she created the beautiful liturgy of poetry and ritual, which most witches refer to today when they obtain their first Book of Shadows.

Goodbye Doreen, we will miss you greatly.

...Rhuddlwm Gawr

"Come yea as the charm is made!
Queen of heaven, Queen of hell,
Horned Hunter of the night
Lend your power unto the spell,
And work our will by magic rite!
By all the power of land and sea,
By all the might of moon and sun
I call the Earth to bind my spell.
Air to speed it well.
Bright as Fire shall it glow.
Deep as tide of Water flow.
Count the elements fourfold,
In the fifth the spell shall hold."

Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985

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 GWENDOLYN WINN - GWYDDON - WELSH WITCHCRAFT - (1934  - 1999)

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   CECIL WILLIAMSON - NEO-PAGAN, HISTORIAN, FOLKLORIST, AND WISE MAN 1909-1999

On Thursday, 9th December 1999, at 10:00am., Cecil Williamson Died peacefully and passed from this world into the care of the Old Ones, in Devon, England after a long illness aged 90 years.

An eccentric elder statesman of the Craft, he was, from the age of seven, totally committed to the furtherance of the Old Religion and its customs.  Founder of the Witchcraft Research Centre, Museum of Magic & Witchcraft at Castleton on the Isle of Man and the Witches' House Museum at Boscastle, North Cornwall, he will be missed by many.

Although Cecil has gone from us to join the Ancestors, we will hold his memory in affection and respect until we meet again.  At his own request there was no funeral service. All who would like to mark his passing are asked to conduct their own ritual at 10:00pm GMT Sat 18th December. They will be linked to the many friends and colleagues who will be remembering Cecil at that time.

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again

Original Obituary is at http://www.witchcraft.org/cecil.htm

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   STEWART FARRAR - ALEXANDRIAN - (1916  -  2000)

Stewart and Janet Farrar came to our 1991 Gathering of the Tribes held at the Renaissance fairgrounds outside of Atlanta Georgia.   They were very impressive and extremely knowledgeable about Gardnerian and Alexandrian Witchcraft.  Stewart and Janet have been the initiating force throughout the 80's and 90s of the Witchcraft Movement, through the publishing of their many books....Rhuddlwm Gawr

The Official Stewart Farrar memorial page can be found at  http://www.witchvox.com/passages/farrar_memorial.html

Reprinted in it's entirety from the Official Obituary at http://www.sothisfilms.com/main.htm

"Suffice to say that Farrar was, is and may remain the most prolific writer on the subject of contemporary witchcraft that perhaps the world has ever known.  He more than anybody else has put his shoulder to the wheel of the Western Mystery Tradition to make Wicca a viable and workable path for many to tread."

Peter J. Doyle -Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin. Ireland. 7th February 2000

Dr. Leo Louis Martello was a member of the Universal Federation of Pagans and was involved in the conference call which officially organized and created the federation in 1993.  He had much to say about the philosophy he thought should be emphasized by the Federation.  He will be missed....Rhuddlwm Gawr Co-Facilitator, UFP

From the NYC Pagan Resource Guide: http://www.waningmoon.com/guide/content/spotlight/1.shtml

January 2001 Community Spotlight Dr. Leo Louis Martello

The first community spotlight of the NYC Pagan Resource Guide serves as a memorial to the late Dr. Leo Louis Martello who was a very active and prominent member in the local NY community until his death near the end of June, 2000.

Since the 1960's Dr. Martello has contributed much to civil and gay rights, and his 'colorful and outspoken' manner added to his reputation for being a formidable opponent in these matters.

Born in 1931 in Massachusetts and descending from Sicilian Witches (known as streghe) of which he knew nothing about, Leo was raised catholic, spending much of his early years in a catholic boarding school.  Having psychic experiences at an early age, Leo began studying palmistry and Tarot with a Gypsy and by age 16 was making radio appearances and giving handwriting analysis.

At 18 Leo moved to NYC where he attended several colleges focusing on psychology. It was during this time that he learned of his ancestral heritage from cousins who claimed to have been watching him for several years as a potential candidate for the Old Religion. He was told of his grandmother, who was renown in Sicily for her magical skill, and on September 26, 1951 Leo was initiated into his cousins' secret Sicilian coven.

It wasn't’t until 1969, shortly before the publication of his first book on witchcraft, Weird Ways of Witchcraft, that Leo decided to go public as a Witch in order to promote the truth about Witchcraft. During this time he was contacted and initiated into Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Traditionalist traditions.

Among his many accomplishments, Leo was the first public Witch to champion the establishment of legally incorporated, tax-exempt Wiccan churches as well as paid legal holidays for Witches. He founded the Witches Liberation Movement and the Witches International Craft Association (WICA) to further his work in civil liberties. Leo later formed the Witches Anti-Defamation League (later renamed the Witches Anti-Discrimination Lobby), which by 1980 had chapters being established in every state of the United States dedicated to ensuring Witches’ religious rights.

One of his most well known achievements in New York occurred in 1970 when the city parks department refused to issue Leo a permit for a Samhain “Witch-in” he had organized in Central Park. After securing the aid of the NY Civil Liberties Union and threatening to file a law suit for discrimination against a minority religion, the city parks department relented and the Witch-In, attended by around 1000 people, was filmed into a documentary.

Dr. Martello worked as a writer, graphologist and lecturer, making many public appearances to educate others about the Craft and to speak at major Pagan Festivals and Gatherings. He also officiated several ceremonies at the NYC Witches Ball. He authored several articles and books, including Witchcraft: The Old Religion; How to Prevent Psychic Blackmail; Your Pen Personality; The Hidden World of Hypnotism; and Witches’ Liberation and Practical Guide to Witch Covens.

Sadly, Dr. Martello died near the end of the end of June 2000. Following Leo’s wishes, Rev. HPS Lori Bruno of Medford, MA. an elder of Leo’s tradition and administrator of his estate, had his remains cremated. Lori also officiated a very moving memorial service in NY in October 2000 at the Gay and Lesbian Center where many people shared their experiences with Leo throughout the years. It was a touching service, and I will always remember the wisdom of Leo’s that Lori shared with us: “The strong find a way, the weak find an excuse.” Dr. Leo Louis Martello truly lived by these words, and because of his convictions, secured a great amount of the freedom we now take for granted.

Official obituary below is from http://www.aren.org/

It is with great sadness and heavy heart AREN, formerly know as WADL, mourns the passing to Summerland of Dr. Leo Luis Martello, our founder.

Dr. Martello will be sorely missed by both AREN and Our Community his wisdom, guidance and advice were both sought and respected by all Traditions. While Dr. Martello was of the Strega Tradition his sage council and advice was sought by Witches and Pagans of all Traditions. Dr. Martello freely offered help to any who asked or needed assistance when discrimination arose.

Dr. Martello was the first to recognize a need for someone to publicly speak for the Pagan/Witch Community when he founded Witches Anti-Defamation League (WADL) later changed to Witches Anti- Discrimination Lobby then to Witches Anti-Discrimination League,. Dr. Martello lovingly nurtured this fledgling organization through its growth pains and established it as a voice for equal rights for Our Community.

Dr. Martello was a prolific author, writing several books on Our Craft that are still considered to be some of the best reference works written.

Dr. Martello retired from public life in the early 1990's however his advice was still sought by many leaders and groups.

Per his wishes his remains have been cremated by the Administrator of his estate. The following Memorial has been issued by Dr. Martello's Trinacrian Rose Coven (Church) based in Medford, Massachusetts:

It was with a heaviness of heart, that we announced to the magickal community the unexpected passage of Dr. Leo Louis Martello, who crossed over into the Sumerland at the end of June 2000.

Born of a Sicilian immigrant farming family during the Depression Era, he eventually settled in New York City where he lived most of his adult life and through to his death.

Leo was the first to sponsor a public magickal circle in New York back in the 70s when Witchcraft as a religion was little-known, let alone public. During his life he consulted to a number of traditions and covens and aided in the development of their unique books of shadows. He was a respected elder of the Trinacrian Rose Coven (Church) based in Medford, Massachusetts.

During his life, Dr. Martello founded the "Witches Anti-Defamation League". later renamed the "Witches Anti-Discrimination Lobby" (WADL), as one of the first Witch and Pagan Civil Rights organizations in the USA. Its existence eventually spawned many similar groups with similar names long after Leo passed its operation on to other capable hands.

Leo Martello was an author of a book and manuscripts on the "Craft of the Wise" from his perspective of a Sicilian heritage. His works were the first to be published in the USA regarding Sicilian Witchcraft within the constraints placed on him by his elders.

Following Leo's wishes, Rev. HPS Lori Bruno of Medford, MA. an elder of Leo's tradition and administrator of his estate, had his remains cremated.

This memorial web page and guest book has been set up to offer some insight into his life and teachings.

Stories, remembrances, or messages of condolence may be posted at the memorial web site, or may be sent to Lori Bruno per below.

Those seeking to issue a more substantial remembrance may wish to consider making a donation in Leo's name to their local HIV/AIDS related charity or local animal shelter. Both were favorite charities of his.

Within these pages are included some of Leo's writings, and a biography written by Lori Bruno which has also appeared in the Llwellyn Almanac. It is reproduced here with the permission of the author.

Questions, inquiries, or other letters may be forwarded to:

The Estate of Leo Martello
c/o Lori Bruno
33 Everlyn Ave.
Medford, Ma. 02155
lorib1818@aol.com

I met Jessie in her apartment near the port of Canaveral in Florida back in the early 80s.   She was a very happy go luck person.  We talked about Magick Spells, about our common aquaintences, and where we had traveled during our life.  Upon leaving that night, she autographed three of her books which had been published by Llewellyn and I autographed one of my books (The Quest) and presented her with it.....Rhuddlwm Gawr

Lady Sheba passes into the Summerland Monday, March 20, 2002  Patricia, her daughter, wrote this:

"In accordance with her final wishes, she was cremated and her ashes will be spread over the Wicker family graveyard in Kentucky. We sent with her, to be mingled with her ashes, a copy of THE BOOK OF SHADOWS, because it was such a part of who mother was. She had accomplished many things in her life, but the publication of that book was her proudest moment. She spoke often and fondly of Carl and Sandra and her association with Llewellyn. She was so thrilled when Llewellyn chose to re-issue her books for a new generation and died knowing her works were not forgotten."

Llewellyn publisher Carl Weschcke on Lady Sheba’s historical impact & influence on Wicca - Feature Story New Worlds issue 14

Blessed Be A traditional Witch by heritage, Lady Sheba was one of the first people this side of the Atlantic to make the Craft public. Her efforts were instrumental in the growth of modern Wicca in the United States. On August 13, 1971, Lady Sheba registered “the American Order of the Brotherhood of the Wicca” in Michigan, marking an important step towards the legal recognition of Wicca as a religion.

Thirty years later, Llewellyn is re-issuing The Grimoire of Lady Sheba, the first Wiccan grimoire ever published in the United States.   Lady Sheba hand-copied this grimoire at the time of her initiation into her first coven. She also added spells and ancient ritual practices handed down for generations in her family tradition. This beautiful hardcover edition of The Grimoire of Lady Sheba is an indispensable guide for anyone interested in the history and practices of the Craft.   Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, president of Llewellyn Publications and himself a leading figure in the Wiccan community, took time to speak with New Worlds about Lady Sheba, her books, and the future of Wicca.

New Worlds: Why did you decide to re-issue Lady’s Sheba’s The Book of Shadows and The Grimoire of Lady Sheba?

Carl Weschcke: I had wanted to reprint both these books for years, but had hoped to do so with new material from Lady Sheba. We had lost touch with her a number of years ago, and tried to contact her through all the addresses we’d ever had without success.  And then we heard that she had passed away. We were reluctant to merely reprint the books without regard to her relatives and again sought unsuccessfully to locate her heirs.  Finally, as the result of a listing on eBay for a signed copy, we did locate her daughter and learned that Lady Sheba is indeed alive and living in retirement. She was eager to have the books brought back into print, but did not feel anything new should be added to these two classics.

NW: How did you meet Lady Sheba?

CW: She wrote to me back in the late 1960s. We invited her to come to St. Paul and she brought the manuscript for The Book of Shadows with her and we signed a publication contract. She said that the Goddess had instructed her to come to Llewellyn.  It was at this same time that I was working with a small group of people in our own coven, and Lady Sheba initiated us into her tradition.  Following that first visit, Lady Sheba visited us yearly to participate in the annual “Gnosticons” that we sponsored in Minneapolis, and to meet with the growing number of local Wicca.

NW: What was it like to study with Lady Sheba?

CW: My study with Lady Sheba was largely informal since I had long been involved in the study and practice of Ritual Magick, had corresponded with Gerald Gardner, and had done a great deal of experimentation with our own group. Lots of questions and her answers exchanged by correspondence.

NW: Did you have any unusual experiences?

CW: There are a number of “stories” I could tell, but a few stand out. Before I talk about them, however, I do want to remark that the early 1970s was the time of the “Witch Wars” during which people were surfacing all over the place claiming this lineage or that, and most of them were name-calling and challenging each other. As Isaac Bonewitz once characterized it, people were essentially saying: “My Tradition is better than yours!” And very few of them had much to prove their claims. It was also a time of intense interest in Wicca, and many people were attracted to some unsavory “teachers” who abused and mislead them.   Some people have criticized Lady Sheba for breaking vows and publishing secrets. Her response was that the Goddess instructed her to do so. Others wrote that she was an impostor who had no “tradition” and no “power.” I learned differently. 

When Lady Sheba initiated me—willing me “the Power” as she described it—I was taken totally by surprise for I had anticipated little more than a symbolic drama. Instead, I first had a psychic vision of her standing as if at the threshold of creation itself, calling powers into her own body. Then I was thrown out of my physical body and watched “lines of energy” passing from her hands through my body. I felt as if I was undergoing a cleansing and readjustment of my etheric matrix. I felt the Power as my own to pass on to others.

Another time Lady Sheba held out her “Queen’s Necklace” [pictured in the Grimoire of Lady Sheba] for me to kiss. As I did so, I felt my astral self grow and extend far up above my physical body, and I was filled with bliss. My psychic awareness and perception has remained at some level greater than before this experience.

Another, somewhat more amusing story, concerned an editorial discussion. One of our editors had wanted to change the archaic language in the Book of Shadows and Lady Sheba wrote from Michigan and said absolutely not. Later, that evening, our editor’s husband and one of our bookstore employees were laughing about this in a local Minneapolis bar. He appeared at work the next day with complaint of the most severe headache of his life. Two days later I had a letter from Lady Sheba writing that she had been “out on the Astral” and had witnessed this bar talk. “I took my Holy Book and hit Ron on the head with it.” It was enough to make a believer.

NW: What was the response from the public when Lady Sheba’s books were originally published in the early 1970s?

CW: Both positive and negative, as can be perceived from some of the above. Lady Sheba referred to herself as an “American Witch Queen” at a time when this very concept was anathema to most people who perceived in it a declaration of a theological hierarchy—the very antithesis of what attracted most of us to this non-institutional Nature-based free religion. Now the queen concept is more often seen in terms of “daughter” covens and recognition of lines of succession. Indeed, the truth of such succession lies within the actual transmittal of “Power” as I truly experienced it in my initiation. She had the Power. And I presume she still does. I believe I still do.

NW: How has the Craft changed since these books were originally published?

CW: Witchcraft has become Wicca, and Wicca has gone “mainstream.” Even though non-institutional (independent from theological colleges and professional clergy )people practice the Craft across the land and Wicca is respected and honored as a legitimate spiritual path.

Some groups have freely chosen to go “legal” and secure IRS recognition. Some have established colleges to grant ministerial degrees. Many have not. And all have found truth and satisfaction in their practice.

NW: What would you say to younger Wiccans who feel that the Wicca as practiced by Lady Sheba isn't’t the same Wicca that they practice today?

CW: I am sure that many do and should. Wicca has evolved. And Wicca should evolve. It may be “the Old Religion,” but spirituality is not static, and we are moving into a New Age of expanding consciousness. Wicca has and is serving the needs of many people not only in America and Europe, but in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Wicca uniquely provides the personal religious experience that many hunger for and have not found in the traditional churches and temples of so-called “organized religion.” And because it is personal, it has been free to evolve just as its practitioners have freely
evolved. That’s the message of this New Age: that we grow as individuals and accept personal responsibility for our role in planetary well-being. We are “co-creators.” What we believe and what we do shapes the world in which we have our being, and Wicca (and Magick) teaches us that thoughts are real and powerful.

NW: Now that Wicca has become more accepted as a religion, do you think that people still need to follow the Laws as published in the Book of Shadows? If not, what is their purpose in modern Wicca?

CW: The “Laws” of The Book of Shadows have served their purpose. In many cases they were practical rules suited for the times when they were set down. In other cases they represent knowledge expressed in ways suited for personal and group guidance. They
are, in many cases, “principles” for the practice of a magical religion. For some, I think they express a basic set of ethical concepts very much suited for the times in which we live.

They should be read, and they should find “life” in the minds of the readers. As living principles and concepts, they will grow and serve to mature the magical personality of the practitioner.

And this is important. The Laws should come alive in the Wiccan as should the symbols and tools of the Craft. One’s athame should live within the psyche; as should the wand, the cords, and other magical and religious implements. And the images of God and Goddess. If only “external,” they will lack “Power.” Take them within, and they live, and evolve.

ELEANOR BONE  - 1910-2001

The following article was adapted from the obituary presented by Hexagon Media, 63 Wilbury Crescent, Brighton, Sussex, BN3 6FH, UK  For more information go to http://www.occulture.tv

Eleanor Bone was an English Witch who was instrumental in the revival of modern Witchcraft.   She was born in London, England and was the daughter of a Headmistress of a School for Girls.   Because of her parents, she received a wide and varied education.

An experience in early childhood after a family pet died convinced the young child that reincarnation existed and from that time on she began to read on subjects connected with folklore, magic and ghosts.

During the Second World War, Eleanor was drafted to Cumbria in the North of England and became friendly with an older couple. On one occasion conversation fell to reincarnation and Eleanor said she believed in it – the couple revealed that they were hereditary Witches.   They Initiated Eleanor into the Cumbrian tradition in 1941 and she practiced with them for four years before returning to London at the war’s end.

In London, Eleanor married ad settled down running a home for the elderly.  Later she was introduced to Gerald Brosseau Gardner and the two became friends.  Eleanor was made a Priestess of one of Gardner’s covens.  Her connections in the magical and mystical world included the mysterious ‘Dafo’ of the New Forest coven, Jack Bracelin, Patricia Crowther, Doreen Valiente and Sufi teacher Idris Shah, of whom she was particularly fond.

Visiting Dafo on many occasions Eleanor learnt that the New Forest coven were a hereditary coven that followed the old ways of the Hampshire region. She was a close confidant of Dafo and learnt that the coven believed to have been formed at the time of the death of King Rufus in the Norman era. Dafo told Eleanor during intimate discussions that among the Witches present at the famous spell against Hitler were herself, Dorothy Clutterbuck and Gerald Gardner.

During the late 1960’s Eleanor found herself being called upon to speak about the Craft. One memorable appearance on a US television chat show, had Eleanor seated next to the eccentric English Witch Sybil Leek. An exchange of dry witty insults ended when down-to-earth Eleanor was asked to turn Sybil into a toad and replied, ‘Why should I improve on nature’.

The sixties saw a multitude of coffee table books on Witchcraft and Eleanor was always willing to pose for the photographer, skyclad with sword in hand or spend time talking to authors, journalists and researchers. Motivated by trying to represent Wicca in a positive light her hope was that modern society would finally accept Wicca as a legitimate religion alongside Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism etc.

Visiting Tunis in 1968 to see the grave of her old friend Gerald Gardner she was informed by the Chaplain that the Tunisian Government was turning the cemetery into a public park. The Chaplain said that if she wished to disinter her friend’s remains and move them to a cemetery out of town then that could be arranged. Donations made by members of the Craft made this possible and his remains were laid to rest close to the ancient city of Carthage, once a prominent religious Centre of the Great Goddess. Eleanor arranged all of this in honour of her fellow Witch without ever mentioning it again publicly.

In her coven working Eleanor (Rae) Bone initiated a great many people. This remarkable Witch was responsible for a tremendous growth of Wicca in Britain, alongside Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and Patricia Crowther Two of her most famous pupils were Chris and Vivienne Crowley. Eleanor used ‘low’ or ‘country’ magic rather than the Garderian Wicca she had practiced in the fifties and slowly returned to the ways she had learnt in Cumbria. Some footage of her rites exists but the sensationalist US film ‘Witchcraft ‘70’, wrongly describes Eleanor as a Satanist!

Retiring to Cumbria in 1972, she lived in the tiny village of Alston. From here she lived a private life away from the burgeoning Witch cult that she had helped form.

The origin of her title ‘Matriarch of British Witchcraft’ is now unknown but there is little doubt that she enjoyed a special regard within the Witchcraft community. Her name commanded the respect of most Witches largely because she chose not engage in wrangles or disputes preferring her rather mystical stance on the Craft. One incident that Eleanor did decide to get involved with was to counteract the sensationalist propaganda being generated by one particular publicity seeking coven who were bringing the Craft into disrepute. The result was that the entire religion nearly got banned once more by the British Establishment until Eleanor, Patricia Crowther and Doreen Valiente stepped in. Thanks to their combined efforts they managed to persuade the media, Parliament and the public that the Craft was a harmless religion dedicated to harmony with nature.

In later years when Eleanor was approached by the Pagan Federation in 2001 to be listed as an honoury member she politely declined. Privately, she stated that part of the reason for this decision was that she did not recognize several of the traditions supported by the PF as she believed their origins to be spurious.

However, she was far from inactive during her final years and gave an interview for a Newcastle paper on Witchcraft. After the elderly Witch was inundated with correspondence from young people yearning to know more. In the summer of 2001 Eleanor gave her final performance at the annual Occulture festival. In a live link-up from her home the Cumbrian Witch spoke about the origins of modern Witchcraft. The historic address discussed little known facts about the New Forest coven. Her final comment on the live link-up was that she was proud that Wicca had finally taken its place side by side with other world religions. She reminded people that when she had first practiced the Craft it had been illegal. Her live link-up at Occulture received a standing ovation.

In August 2001, Eleanor stated that she would soon be "called back to the Old Gods" and made preparation to wrap up her affairs which included publishing her book.

With failing health not helped by the harsh weather of the Cumbrian hills ‘The Matriarch of British Witchcraft’ finally passed away on September 21^st 2001. She was buried alongside her husband Bill on unconsecrated ground at Garigill cemetery.

  EVAN JOHN JONES - 8/31/2003

Initate of Robert Cochrane and co-author of 'Rebirth of Witchcraft' with Doreen Valiente and a number of other books on Traditional Witchcraft passed from this Realm on Sunday, August 31 2003, aged 67.

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  ROBERT COCHRANE aka Roy Bowers aka Rex Nemorensis, Midsummer1966

EPITAPH FOR A WITCH

by DOREEN VALIENTE.


To think that you are gone over the crest of the Hill.

As the Moon passed from her fulness, riding the Sky,

And the White Mare took you with her.

To think that we must wait another life

To drink wine from the Horns and leap the Fire.

Farewell from this world, but not the Circle.

That place that is between worlds

Shall hold return in due time. Nothing is lost.

The half of a fruit from the Tree of Avalon

Shall be our reminder among the fallen leaves

This life treads underfoot. Let the rain weep.

Waken in sunlight from the realms of sleep!

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Author:  Dynion Mwyn  Copyright © 1977, 1992, 2003 Revised: 28 Nov 2011 20:52:24 -0500

For information on all individuals and organizations listed in this website, or the name of a contact person in your area that can give you further information on the Church of Y Dynion Mwyn, contact us at http://www.dynionmwyn.com/contactus.htm . Let us hear from you! You may also call us at 000-000-0000 If you access our voice mail, we will call you back collect if long distance. Or, you can write to: DM, P.O. Box 673206, Marietta, GA 30006-0006

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