Cecil Williamson's Book of Witchcraft: A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft by Steve Pattenson (Troy Books, 2014) Special Edition #281/300

Steve Patterson. Cecil Williamson's Book of Witchcraft: A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft. Troy Books, 2014. Special edition in burgundy cloth with cream dust jacket. Limited to 300 hand-numbered copies (#281/300). 304 pages.

Condition: Near Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket. Bottom corners are slightly bumped. Minor shelf wear on dust jacket. 

Description from the publisher: 

Cecil Hugh Williamson (1909-1999) is, I believe, one of the great unsung heroes of the twilight world of folklore and witchcraft. He is probably best known for founding the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, North Cornwall, which he ran up until midnight on All Hallows Eve 1996; three years before his passing over in to the spirit world. Unbeknown to many however, this was just part of a colourful and magical career that spanned most of the 20th century. This included working in a Rhodesian tobacco plantation, the pre-war film industry, the British secret services and, most importantly, devoting his life to the study of traditional witchcraft”.

Steve Patterson

In 1996, whilst helping the then new owner Graham King in refurbishments to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Steve happened upon a handwritten manuscript entitled simply ‘Witchcraft’ and containing an intriguing pot-pourri of esoterica from the hand of the Museum’s founder; Cecil Williamson.

It is this manuscript which provides the basis for Steve’s book which includes a full annotated transcript of the ‘Witchcraft’ manuscript, a history of Cecil Williamson and the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, a treatise on Cecil Williamson’s vision of traditional Witchcraft – the practices and the philosophy of the wayside witches, an account of his meetings with Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner, and a controversial account of his witnessing of the birth of ‘Wicca’. The book is both a valuable reliquary of practices for the traditional witch, and a resource for folklorists and historians alike; telling the tale of a hitherto largely ignored, but hugely influential episode in modern occult history, and one of the great unsung heroes of the twilight world of folklore and witchcraft.

• A full annotated transcript of Cecil Williamson’s “Witchcraft” manuscript.
• A History of Cecil Williamson and the Museum of Witchcraft.
• A treatise on Cecil Williamson’s vision of traditional Witchcraft – the practices and the philosophy of the wayside witches.
• An account of his meetings with Alistair Crowley and Gerald Gardner, and a controversial account of his witnessing of the birth of ‘Wicca’.