Fabulous Folklore: Ashwell Sacred Spring

I’ve been searching for holy wells and sacred springs in my area, of which there are quite a few. I have been unable to find the one at nearby Ladywell, but my husband accidentally found the Ashwell spring on his travels. We went to see it and it is one of those sites that is tantalisingly close to the road, but easily missed! 

Ash trees are often associated with wells, and at the top left hand side of the picture you can see the trunk and leaves of the ash tree situated next to the site of the spring. It’s possible that the village is named literally after this spot, “Ash-well,” although it started off as “Exwell” in the 11th century. 

Ash trees have long been associated with Yggdrasil, the immense sacred tree in Norse mythology that is central to the cosmos, with all else existing around it. At the base of Yggdrasil was a spring where the Norns (Fate, Being, Necessity) lived. The ash was considered sacred in Britain as well as Scandinavia. 

The spring arises in a stone well house, not dissimilar to the one at nearby Greetham, and bearing an inscription that is nearly the same:

“All ye who hither come to drink. Rest not your thoughts below. Look at the sacred sign and think. Whence living waters flow.”

It was really dry when we had a look, but I’m hoping that as we edge toward the winter and have a bit more rain we’ll be able to see the small pool the spring is said to create, and perhaps I can take some sacred water.

Do you have any sacred springs or holy wells near you?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Sheela-na-Gig

NEXT - Pagan Holidays: Imbolc

Simple Magick: More Ways to Connect with the Land

I’ve done a few posts recently about connecting with the land and how to utilise a connection you’ve made with the land in your magickal practice. We spoke about visiting a place often, observing what goes on there, saying thanks, and generally building on the connection, like you would a relationship with a person. I thought I would give you some more ideas for forging a connection:

Learn Names

Learn the names of local people, the people who lived in your house, any family living in that area. County museums are brilliant for finding out about the past.

Native Plants

Learn native plants - learn how to spot them, how to use them and what their folk names are.

Forage 

After learning local native plants start to use them. Create teas, jams, syrups and medicines.

Crafts

Research local crafts, whether that be seasonal decorations, gifts, or even charms and spells.

Customs and Traditions 

Learn about local customs and traditions, high days and holidays, and how they were celebrated. Weave them into your calendar.

Folklore

Research local folklore stories, myths and legends. These will help you form an understanding of local people; what they once thought, felt, feared, behaved, believed.

Gather 

Enjoy the land. Hold seasonal gatherings outside and invite friends and family. Get people to bring a seasonal dish for a potluck meal. Give thanks.

What other activities could you do to connect to a place?

NEXT - Simple Magick: Repeating Spell Work
NEXT - Simple Magick: How To Utilise A Connection With The Land
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Land & People 

Simple Magick: How to Utilise a Special Connection with the Land

Further to my post “How to Connect to the Land or a Special Place” here are my suggestions for using the connection you have built with the land or a special place:

Spells and Workings 

You can use the land (provided its suitable) as an actual place in which to carry out your magick. But you can also use this connection from afar. You can recall the feelings you get, and create a mental picture of this place in your mind’s eye. For example, if you are creating a spell for safety, and you feel safe there, you can conjure those feelings and images for your working.

Meditation 

You can visit a special place on your meditative journeys. Maybe you feel relaxed in this special place, and so you meditate on it to enter a deep state of peace. Maybe your special place is at a distance, and this is one way to regularly visit, and to connect in.

Grounding Yourself 

Visiting your special place is a great way to ground yourself. Take your shoes and socks off and walk the Earth. You can also call upon the feeling of safety and security you feel at this special place to ground you, when you’re feeling stressed or scared.

Invoking the Elements When Casting a Circle 

You can use experiences of your special place(s) when casting a Circle. Recall how the wind feels stood atop a hillfort, “see” the image of water at a nearby lake, feel the warmth of a hot and sunny place. All are experiences you can use in your magick.

Using Items Found at Your Special Place 

You can forage items such as fallen leaves, acorns, berries, herbs etc. to use in your magick. This further establishes the connection you have. Don’t forget to ask permission, and to give thanks.

NEXT - Simple Magick: Spellcasting Ethics
NEXT - Simple Magick: The Witch's Stang
NEXT - Snowdrop Magick: 8 Correspondences For Strength & Hope

Fabulous Folklore: My Personal Story About Talking Trees

I thought I’d share a story I told back in 2020. It’s a very personal story about a tree.

It’s not the tree whose shadow is featured in the picture, but a beautiful Oak I met on a sacred site many moons ago. I say “met” because this is where it gets interesting. The tree spoke to me.

Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that I know this story will sound far-fetched to some, and that by omitting certain details detracts from its credibility; but I must recall the story in the way that feels right.

I was visiting a hill fort at a particularly difficult time in my life, but I was making the most of the beautiful day I had been gifted. The Sun was shining, the birds were singing, and despite things being tricky, I was otherwise enjoying life.

My then-partner wandered off to look at something, and I made my way over to the most beautiful of Oaks. I wanted to stand beneath it, touch its bark, and connect in with it; this majestic being.

I cuddled the tree with my arms, and said hello. In my mind I told the tree how beautiful it was, and I was relaying some one-sided chatter before asking the tree what I should about my current situation. I never expected an answer. It was at once the voice in my mind, but also the voice of something ~ someone ~ else, too.

I decided my imagination was playing tricks on me, but I was aware that there was no way I could think and talk inside my mind at the same time. I did what I think anyone else would do, and I asked their name, which the tree told me. Please do not ask me to repeat the name, because I have promised to keep it a secret.

We conversed a little longer, but not wanting to be greedy or “push my luck” I thanked the tree for its insight, and ended the conversation. I stayed a little longer under the tree, happy but stunned, before moving on. An experience I will never forget, but one I no longer find extraordinary - several plants have revealed information about themselves since.

When I got home I was shocked to discover that I could not find anything under that name on Google.

Has anything unexpected like that ever happened to you? Tell me your witchy stories.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Fairy Rings

Fabulous Folklore: Yew

                

Yews (Taxus baccata) are easily Britain’s oldest native trees. Yews are considered “ancient” when they reach their 900th birthday, and can live for thousands of years longer, up to about 3000 years old.

They are often found in church graveyards, our cemetery being no exception, due to churches being built on sacred pagan sites, and due to a spate of church building after the Norman Conquest, which led to many being planted. In fact, it is very rare to find very old specimens of yew outside of church grounds; this beauty (pictured) is a fine example, and is found within the grounds of Waverley Abbey, Surrey.

The yew has been associated with death and eternity by both Christians and Pagans; perhaps because of the length of time they live. The Druids held the yew sacred, observing new trunks being rooted where old branches touched the ground; symbolising the cycle of death and rebirth. Thankfully, the representation of everlasting life was largely forgotten by the 17th century, as it is noted that yews probably wouldn’t have survived the religious destruction of the Puritans. They are planted in a very deliberate manner in churchyards, in relation to funeral processions, and in our cemetery they are dotted along the paths, crowning the entrances to the chapels. The remains of Anglo Saxon churches suggests they were planted around the building in a circle.

Although poisonous, yews have a rich magickal history. Sacred to Hecate, the Yew was said to purify the souls of the dead as they entered the underworld of Hades, and it is one of the five sacred trees in Irish mythology.

It is popular for decorations at Yule; firstly because it is an evergreen, but also because the winter solstice represents the cusp between the season of death and the season of life, the days soon getting longer.

Yew should never be used by the lay herbalist due to its toxicity.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: My Personal Story About Talking Trees

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Evergreens of Yule

NEXT - The Woodland Trust's 2022 Tree of the Year

Simple Magick: Experiencing the Land Wights

I’ve spoken before about land wights, the unique spirits that reside in natural things such as mineral, animal, herb, rock, plant, and stone. Collectively they form the genius loci, the spirit of a place.

Land wights are definitely the spirits that communicate with me most, and something which has developed as I have got older. I felt an instant connection to this place when I moved here ~ a later DNA test would reveal to me that many of my ancestors actually came from this area ~ and the longer I have spent time treading the land, the more information the land wights have passed to me.

It begun as information about the landscape, and moved on to the identification of plants. My plant knowledge has always been quite good, but it has sped up since I moved here. I feel like the land ~ the spirits residing within the land ~ are slowly revealing themselves to me, furthering my knowledge. They will say “I am an X” and when I go home and research, I find they are right.

It’s not just the identification of plants, it’s also their personalities. I get a certain feeling when I approach, spend time with, think about, or use a plant. These are distinct feelings or emotions that I simply have no human words for. They are very specific, and differ hugely from plant to plant. I suppose you could say it is their “essence”.

There is clearly more work to be done with this. There are hundreds of plants yet to be identified, and personalities to understand; and that’s before we get into the realm of using them magickally. What’s interesting is that as someone who has terrible cognitive issues ~ especially a terrible memory ~ one thing I CAN remember is the names of all these friends.

Have you ever felt instantly connected to a place? Did it reveal its secrets to you? Have you experienced what I am?

NEXT - Simple Magick: 9 Uses For Graveyard Dirt
NEXT - Simple Magick: Horse Brasses
NEXT - Natural Remedies: Stinging Nettle & Rosemary Hair Rinse

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Foxgloves

Fabulous Folklore: The Land and People

This month @witch.with.me are hosting a challenge based on #regionalwitchcraft and they get started this week with the prompt “Land and People”, two things that are deeply interwoven here.

I’m a “Raddleman” which means I’m an inhabitant of the smallest county in England - Rutland - which is nestled between Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Our agricultural landscape boasts hills and valleys, sacred wells, a Sheela na gig, a labyrinth, a Norman castle, a Bede house, and lots of churches built on old, sacred ground. We are a beautiful county, steeped in the rich history, folklore and traditions of the surrounding area, much of which has made its way into our magick.

Aside from smiths and farriers, we are the only people that may display a horseshoe pointing downwards to bring us luck, for fear that the Devil will make its home in the hollow when displayed the other way round. Apparently we need to keep an eye on the Devil as he’s always hard at work putting temptation in the way of the people! We nail horseshoes with nine nails over the stable door, and keep one in the fire at all times. A horse-shoe nailed on a door renders the evil power of a witch that may enter of non-effect, and many local houses display them.

Our local produce, broad beans, also feature a lot in our folklore, especially remedies - “take the pod of a broad bean, rub it on a wart, and then bury it or throw it over the shoulder without looking back”, and you can spot someone from Leicestershire as the beans will (apparently!) rattle in their belly.

If you drop a knife, a male visitor will come to the house. If you drop a spoon, a female visitor will come. If one person begins to pour out the tea, and another takes charge of the tea-pot to finish, there will be a birth in the family within twelve months.

We have loads of legends, many of them ghost stories. The spectral lady of Braunston, Swift Nick, Nicodemus, the Black Annis, the Witch of Edmondthorpe Hall, a magic hedge that bows when you walk past it, and a bogeyman. All yet to be shared with you. 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Knockers of Cornwall

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: King Arthur £23 Note 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Doniert Stone - The King's Cross

Fabulous Folklore: Spring Blossom

One of the best things about this time of year is the blossom!

Blossom is the flowers of stone fruit trees (genus Prunus), and similar; such as the Apple (Malus). At this time of year they are bursting with flowers, and the loud hum of busy bees collecting pollen.

Apple trees have been grown in U.K. for over a thousand years, and they tend to flower later in the Spring; the last week of April through to May. This blossom is from a cherry, and it has been in flower for a week or so now. Cherries can bloom as early as March if it has been warm - which it hasn’t! There are two native species of cherry in the British Isles; bird cherry and wild cherry. I don’t know enough about cherries to know which type this is, but it is from one of my favourite trees on the cemetery, and I look forward to seeing it every Spring.

I found out yesterday that there are loads of cherries in London! April is Sakura (cherry blossom) Month, and you can see them at Kew Gardens, Kyoto Garden, Greenwich Park, St Paul’s Cathedral and Regent’s Park.

In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse. Their delicate beauty and grace, and their short lived existence - they last about two weeks - are a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, and to many they represent destiny and karma. They represent Spring, and the cycle of life, death and renewal/rebirth. They tie closely into Buddhist themes of mindfulness, mortality, and living in the present.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: All Hail The Blackberry!

Simple Magick: 25 Ideas for Creating a Forest Altar

Yesterday’s prompt for the @witch.with.me hashtag challenge was “Forests & Trees” and it got me thinking about the witchy things you can forage from the forest floor for use in spells and on altars:

Acorns 

Oak Galls 

Pinecones

Conkers 

Feathers

Ferns 

Rowan berries 

Leaves 

Twigs

Nuts 

Antlers

Bones 

Fur

Moss 

Stones

Remember to always follow the Countryside Code - respect others, protect the natural environment, and enjoy the outdoors.

To create a Forest Altar add to your foraged items:

Potted plants 

Shades of green and brown 

Deity statues, for example Herne the Hunter, Elen of the Ways 

Altar cloth with forest/trees/leaves/mushroom print 

Forest sounds - birds singing, wind blowing, rainforest, thunderstorms and rain

Green, brown and cream candles 

Table top fountain

Wooden candle holders and incense holders 

Green and brown crystals for example tiger’s eye and moss agate 

Musky incense such as sandalwood or patchouli

Have I forgotten anything? If so let me know in the comments! And if you found this post helpful don’t forget to Save it in the folder for later.

NEXT - Simple Magick: Using Black, Pink & White Salt in Witchcraft
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Evergreens of Yule 

Plant Allies: Elderflower

The @witch.with.me prompt for the 16th was “My Plant Allies.”

One of my plant allies is Elderflower, which is a hugely magickal plant, and which I can’t wait to see flower again. I call her the “Plant of Preparation”. When I see those beautiful cream flowers at the start of the summer I am reminded that there are Midsummer celebrations to plan, and when I see the dark purple-black berries in the autumn I am reminded that winter is not too far away.

Elderflower features as card no.15 in the Herbs & Flowers Oracle Cards deck @herbsandflowersoraclecards by @taurus_tells who were kind enough to send me one of their beautiful decks (thank you).

Their beautiful little guidebook says of Elderflower:

“There is a longing to be released from restrictive patterns, people and groups. Showing a new side to the world could confuse a lot of people, but as long as it feels right, it really does not matter what they think. There is no holding back under this vibration, so no fear as boundaries are pushed with a new start and life is lived in the way and style chosen.”

Wise words indeed.

I can’t wait to get to know my herbs and flowers better using this charming deck. It has information and folklore for each plant, as well as a divinatory message and astrological associations. Flick through to the next picture to get a better look. 

NEXT - Flower Magick: 52 Floral Magickal Correspondences
NEXT - Review: Traditional Jams & Preserves by Eve Parker
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: All Hail the Blackberry! 

Fabulous Folklore: The Land I Live On

I’m a “Raddleman” which means I’m an inhabitant of the smallest county in England - Rutland - which is nestled between Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. We measure 18 miles from north to south, and 17 miles from east to west.

We are a beautiful county, steeped in history, folklore and tradition. Much of our county is taken up by Rutland Water, a huge reservoir, which is an important nature reserve serving as an overwintering site for wildfowl and a breeding site for ospreys.

Along with two towns we boast a handful of beautiful hamlets, a flag featuring an upside-down horseshoe and 13 acorns, and our Latin motto: Multum in Parvo which means “much in little”.

Our agricultural landscape boasts hills and valleys, sacred wells, a labyrinth, yew topiary, a Sheela na gig, a castle, a viaduct, a windmill, a Bede house, and lots of churches. Our older cottages are built from local ironstone and many have roofs of Collyweston stone slate, or thatch. We have lots of old inns and public houses.

We have loads of legends, most of them in the form of ghost stories and there are some corkers! From the spectral lady who walks through Braunston holding a candle in front of her, to the haunted HMP Ashwell which now stands empty and hosts ghost hunting evenings, to the magic hedge that would bow down whenever someone walked past it.

This is such a magical little place, and in every sense Rutland lives up to its motto.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Lyddington Bede House

Simple Magick: Genius Loci

When we think of spirits what do we think of? The spirits of people, and perhaps animals, will most likely spring to mind, especially if you’re not a witch. But what about spirits of the land? The Genius Loci?

It was the Romans who brought the idea of genius loci into our minds and hearts, the idea that each place has a guardian spirit; an essence, almost tangible, that can be felt and understood.

Each home has a genius loci. I referred to ours earlier in my post about Copernicus, one of our House Guardians, but of course each place has one, too.

The depth of the connection to the genius loci of the land I live upon came something as a surprise to me this summer. I have only been here two years this month and yet the land wights - the unique spirits that reside in each plant, rock, stone, tree, animal, crystal and mineral - spoke to me by imparting some herbal and local knowledge to me, which upon later research turned out to be true. I can only describe this experience as a sudden and intense “knowing”, like someone had whispered this information in my ear, or the resurrection of information that had somehow been buried deep within me, many years ago, waiting for the right key to unlock it. That day I had definitely immersed myself in the energy and essence of the land, I felt connected to it even before these magical moments.

You can work with genius loci, as it’s a guardian spirit, however you must come to know it first. That means exploring and forming a connection with your local area, be it local or urban. Creating an altar in dedication to the genius loci is a great way to honour it. You can call upon the genius loci in your magical workings, and you can call upon the energy and feeling that the genius loci of a place gives you if you are away from that place.

I am still exploring this subject and look forward to learning more. Do you work with genius loci?

NEXT - Simple Magick: Our House Guardians 

Simple Magick: The Wisdom of Land Wights

Today I wanted to talk about finding and identifying herbs and plants, and gaining other local wisdom, in relation to land wights.

Land wights are the unique spirits that reside in each herb, plant, rock, crystal, mineral, animal, and stone. Collectively, they form the genius loci; the living, breathing, spirit of a place.

I moved to this area a year and a half ago, and felt instantly connected from Day 1, despite growing up several hours away. A recent genealogical DNA test has revealed that despite no family living here, my ancestors originate from here. Now here’s where it gets interesting.

Since moving here, I am being imparted with wisdom. Whilst I am fascinated by foraging and herbalism, I am by no means an expert. Weirdly, when I am travelling through the countryside I am being magnetically pulled to certain plants, which I am intuitively identifying. When I get home and research I find out I‘m correct! This has happened twice in the last week alone. I am also getting ‘the feels’ that a particular herb or plant is nearby, and sure enough it is. Last week we came across a small body of water which I was ‘told’, by some inner knowing, was a Canal. My husband who grew up here insisted it wasn’t, but my research revealed that this stretch of water was the last part of a Canal that was built in 1802, and has since been filled in except for the part we had found.

I feel like the land, and the spirits that reside within the land, are revealing themselves to me, furthering my education. It is a truly magical feeling.

Is this wisdom coming from the land wights? I know I am totally honoured if that’s the case, but it does feel that way.

Have you ever felt instantly connected to a place? Did it reveal its secrets to you? Have you experienced what I am?

NEXT - Simple Magick: Cleansing The Home Using The Element of Air