🇬🇧 Magic in the United Kingdom
221 entries from the United Kingdom, best known first, across 80 places of magic.
Cunning folk were European practitioners of helpful magic, healing, and divination from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. They operated alongside established religions, often using Christian prayers or local spirits to protect communities from harm.
- Black books in Scandinavia contained healing formulas attributed to Cyprian of Antioch
- Italian healers used la forza to remove the evil eye malocchio
- Swedish punishments for superstition often increased clients seeking help
- British law shifted from punishing magic to treating it as fraud in 1735
- Irish bean feasa provided oracular authority for community experiences
Overview
The cunning craft was a widespread tradition across Europe, blending folk medicine with protective magic. Practitioners served as community healers and diviners, helping people find lost items or cure ailments believed to be caused by evil forces. While some authorities tried to label them as witches, most common people distinguished clearly between harmful sorcery and the helpful work of these wise individuals. Their methods often incorporated elements of the dominant religion, such as Catholic saints in Italy or Christian prayers in Ireland, showing how folk belief adapted to official faiths rather than opposing them entirely.
Practices and beliefs
Practitioners used charms, rhymes, and herbal remedies to treat physical and spiritual problems. In Scandinavia, texts known as black books contained formulas for curing toothaches or aiding childbirth. Italian healers removed the evil eye through spiritual power called la forza. Irish cunning women recited prayers to Jesus or Mary while performing ritual motions. Diviners found stolen property, and midwives assisted in births. These services were practical responses to daily hardships, offering comfort and solutions when formal medicine was unavailable or ineffective.
Rites and charms
Rituals varied by region but shared a focus on tangible actions paired with words. A Scandinavian charm might involve writing specific names on paper and burning pieces of it. Irish healers combined repetitive movements with sacred objects. Italian practitioners performed gestures to break curses. Funeral duties included preparing bodies for wakes. These customs were not secret ceremonies but open community services. The rites relied on the belief that specific actions, when spoken correctly, could influence health and fortune.
Who practises
These figures were usually elders, often women, respected for their knowledge. In Sweden, klok gumma were wise old women who acted as midwives and healers. Famous figures like Biddy Early in Ireland or Mor Sæther in Norway gained national fame. They were chosen by reputation rather than formal training, though some learned from family lines. Authorities sometimes punished them for superstition, but this rarely stopped their practice. Clients sought them out for their perceived inner power or connection to spirit beings.
Regions and communities
Each area had its own terms and styles. Denmark used kloge folk, while Germany had Hexenmeister. Ireland featured bean feasa, and Italy employed fattucchiere. British cunning men were distinct from Scandinavian wise ones. German practitioners were mostly female, except for male witch-finders. Regional differences reflected local languages and religious contexts. Despite variations, the core role remained consistent: providing healing and protection against unseen harms within the community framework.
The calendar
Services were requested during life events or crises rather than fixed festivals. People visited healers for illnesses, difficult labours, or lost property. Funerals involved specific ritual preparations. There is no evidence of seasonal magical calendars governing their work. Instead, their activity depended on community need. As modern medicine became accessible, demand decreased gradually throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Law and the state
Legal status shifted over time. Early laws allowed execution for harmful magic, but cunning folk were rarely accused. Later Enlightenment laws, like Britain's Witchcraft Act 1735, treated magic claims as fraud. Swedish courts punished practitioners for superstition, yet this often increased their popularity. German authorities used banishment rather than execution. Persecution was limited compared to witch trials, as society generally valued their helpful services.
Today
The tradition largely faded as professional healthcare replaced folk medicine. Knowledge survived longer in rural areas and among migrants to the Americas. Some practices persisted into the 21st century in Italy. Modern interest exists in historical studies, but living practitioners are rare. The legacy remains in cultural memory and academic research into European folk beliefs.
The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Cunning folk", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
Places of magic in the United Kingdom
🇬🇧 United KingdomWilliam Lilly
A seventeenth-century English astrologer and author who shaped Western tradition.Text · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomMother Shipton
An English prophetess and herbalist from folklore, known for predictions printed long after her death.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Healing Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomWitch ball
A glass sphere hung in windows to trap spirits and ward off evilCharm · Protection Historical
🇸🇪 Sweden and 4 moreEmanuel Swedenborg
An 18th-century Swedish scientist who became a mystic and claimed to visit the afterlife.Text · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreFirst-footciad-chuairt
The first visitor on New Year's Day, believed to set the household's fortune for the year aheadTradition · Luck and prosperity Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWitch bottle
A container filled with personal items and sharp objects to trap harmful magicCharm · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreEdward Kelley
An English occultist and scryer who worked with John Dee to contact angels and practice alchemy.Figure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreCrossroads (folklore)
A junction between worlds where spirits are met and deals are madeBelief · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Cursing and harm Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreMichael Scot
A medieval scholar and astrologer who became a legendary magician in folklore.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreCunning folk
European practitioners of folk medicine and helpful magic from the Middle Ages to the twentieth centuryTradition · Protection · Healing Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomCharmer
English folk healers who used gifts or verses to treat natural ailments without chargeTradition · Healing Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomMyrddin Wyllt
A wild prophet of Welsh legend who inspired the wizard MerlinFigure · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomCeridwenCerridwen
A Welsh enchantress and modern goddess of poetic inspiration and transformation.Being · Change and initiation Revived
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreMorgause
A legendary queen of Orkney and sister to King Arthur in British mythFigure · Power and authority Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomAfanc
A lake monster from Welsh mythology that dwells in dark waters and preys on the unwary.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreEach-uisge
A fierce water spirit of the Scottish Highlands and Irish shores that takes the form of a horse.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBlue men of the Minchna fir ghorma
Mythical blue-skinned spirits of the Scottish strait who challenge sailors to poetry contestsBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomCat-sìth
A spectral feline from Celtic lore that haunts the Scottish Highlands and guards the dead.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomGhillie DhuGille Dubh
A solitary Scottish fairy known for protecting forests and guiding lost childrenBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇬🇷 Greece and 3 moreHellhound
A mythological canine that guards the underworld or serves demonic forces across global folkloreBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomGlaistig
A Scottish shape-shifting spirit linked to cattle, deer, and haunted castles.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreKnocker
A mine spirit of Cornwall and Devon that warns of danger and plays tricks on workersBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomGwyllion
Welsh spirits that lead travellers astray and are feared in mountain folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomPixie
A mischievous sprite of British folklore from the southwest countiesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomTylwyth Teg
Welsh mythological beings linked to the fairy folk of neighboring traditionsBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBlack dog
A spectral hound from English folklore that signals death or guards the living.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBarghest
A mythical black dog from Northern England that foretells death and haunts the countryside.Being · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomCŵn Annwn
Spectral hounds of the Welsh otherworld that hunt souls and signal deathBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreChurch grim
A guardian spirit of Christian churchyards, often appearing as a black dog or lamb.Being · Protection Historical
🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling
A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomHob
A small household spirit of Northern England and the Anglo-Scottish border.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomBoggart
A malevolent household spirit from northern English folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBugbear
A medieval English creature used to frighten children into obedienceFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBrowniebrùnaidh
A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy ring
A natural ring of mushrooms surrounded by folklore about dancing spirits and witches.Belief · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy
A European spirit with magical powers and human form found in folklore and artBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreAos Sí
Supernatural beings of Irish and Scottish folklore, said to dwell in mounds and influence the human world.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSelkie
Mythical seal-people who shed their skin to walk as humans on landBeing · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreBeating the bounds
A ceremonial walk along parish or town borders to reaffirm boundaries and community memory.Rite · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreHoly well
A water source revered for healing and ritual across pagan and Christian traditionsTradition · Healing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreWell dressing
A rural English custom of decorating water sources with natural designsTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreConcealed shoes
Shoes hidden in building structures as folk charms for protection and fertilityCharm · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreScottish folkloreBeul-aithris na h-Alba
The myths, creatures and beliefs of the Scottish people, recorded from ancient times to the present.Tradition · Seeing and foretelling · Protection Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreWelsh mythologyY Chwedlau
The ancient legends of Wales and the Celtic Britons, preserved in medieval manuscripts.Tradition · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomCornish mythology
The folk tales and legends of Cornwall, shared with Brittany and Wales.Tradition · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWheel of the Year
An annual cycle of eight seasonal festivals observed by modern pagans.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇬🇧 United KingdomGreen Children of Woolpit
A medieval English legend about two green-skinned siblings who appeared in a Suffolk village.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomMari LwydY Fari Lwyd
A Welsh winter custom featuring a horse skull carried through villages for song and hospitality.Rite · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Revived
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Well dressing: User:WhaleyTim, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pixie: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
- Crossroads (folklore): MiddleOfAfrica, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Selkie: Carolyn Emerick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- William Lilly: Simon Harriyott, CC BY 2.0, source
- Emanuel Swedenborg: Carl Frederik von Breda, Public domain, source
- Witch bottle: British Museum, Daniel Pett, 2004-10-25 15:27:22, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Edward Kelley: Thomas Pennant, Public domain, source
- Michael Scot: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Myrddin Wyllt: Rosser1954 Roger Griffith, Public domain, source
- Ceridwen: Chris Denny, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Morgause: H. S. Campbell, Public domain, source
- Hellhound: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Cat-sìth: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
- Church grim: Inès Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hob: Jo Turner, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Boggart: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Fairy ring: User:Mrs skippy, Public domain, source
- Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Aos Sí: AE [George William Russell] (1867-1935), CC BY 4.0, source
- Beating the bounds: Andrew Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Holy well: The Speckled Bird, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mari Lwyd: Thomas Christopher Evans (Cadrawd), Public domain, source
- Witch ball: John W. Schulze, CC BY 2.0, source
- Welsh mythology: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Cornish mythology: waterborough, Public domain, source
- Wheel of the Year: Sunblade1500, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mother Shipton: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Concealed shoes: Edmund Patrick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Each-uisge: John Allan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Blue men of the Minch: Lord P in the Commons 17:16, 17 June 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
The weekly digest
Every Monday: seven entries you may not know, what is on the calendar this week, and one rite drawn step by step.