An article by Nicholas Banner in the Classical Receptions Journal

“This article examines the tropological use of the Latin language to evoke the diabolical in supernatural horror cinema. When Latin is intoned in a suitably Gothic context, horror-savvy audiences have every reason to foresee the Devil and his minions arriving in short order, and are rarely disappointed. This article examines the genealogy of this trope, modelling the prolegomena to an intellectual history of cinematic Satanic Latin. The first part of the analysis traces the development of the trope through literature via the European and American Gothic traditions, the writings of the Decadents, and supernatural horror literature. The analysis then broadens to encompass Occultism, the occult, and ‘occulture’ more generally as important aspects of the discourse-community within which Satanic Latin functions. Finally, the scholarly concept of ‘re-enchantment’ from the history of religions is brought to bear on the semiotic role of Satanic Latin in its performative cinematic context.”

https://academic.oup.com/crj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/crj/claa033/6067252?guestAccessKey=389158d9-a7b5-4c62-99d9-a235c1cc6882

Date/Time

Thursday 7 January  and Sunday 17 January 2021, 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Book Now: £10 or £8 or £5 – email boxoffice@ashburtonarts.org.uk

http://ashburtonarts.org.uk/whats-on/

Join our conjuror-in-residence,for a highly interactive, online event that uses magic to explore how we can live in challenging times by taking inspiration from the philosophy of the Buddha.

Brian isn’t an ordinary magician, and this isn’t your everyday magic performance. His day job is a Professor in Sociology at Exeter University. As part of that he has become interested in how entertainment magic can be used to promote dialogue. This all new format uses magic tricks to illustrate Buddhist ideas that can help meet today’s challenges.

So feel free to join in the fun if you have been to one of Brian’s previous sessions at the Centre or online.

ONLINE VIA ZOOM, 27 FEBRUARY 2021.

The Magickal Women Partnership proudly presents the Magical Fiction Forum: Fairy tales, fantasy, magical realism, surreal fiction: this forum aims to bring together leading authors and scholars to discuss the impact and influence of texts that transcend their genre and leave readers enchanted and transformed. Online via Zoom.

https://www.magickalwomenconference.com/magical-fiction-forum-2020

Missed the Popular Magic Cafe? Never worry, you can watch the discussion on YouTube, HERE

There were so many fascinating questions, that Crystal and I decided to compile a reading list and a travelling list inspired by our conversation. Though we did take very different approaches to it: while Crystal presented a selection of rigorous academic texts, I was mostly motivated by the feeling of ‘Is this book fun? It sounds like it would be fun…’

Find both our lists below, as well as some fascinating locations for your post-COVID travel plans.

Crystal’s List:

Champion, M., 2015. Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of England’s Churches. Ebury Press.

Easton, T., 2014. Portals of Protection. SPAB Winter, 53–57.

Easton, T., 2012. Burning Issues. SPAB 44–47.

French, K.L., 2001. The people of the parish: community life in a late medieval English diocese, The Middle Ages series. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, Pa.

Gardiner, M., 2007. Graffiti and their Use in Late Medieval England. Ruralia VI, 265–276.

Graves, C.P., 1989. Social space in the English medieval parish church. Econ. Soc. 18, 297–322.

Jones-Baker, D., 1993. English Mediaeval Graffiti and the Local Historian. Local Hist. 23, 4–19.

Marks, R., 2004. Image and devotion in late Medieval England. Sutton, Stroud.

Meeson, B., 2005. Ritual Marks and Graffiti Curiosities or Meaningful Symbols? Vernac. Archit. 36, 41–48.

Oliver, J., Neal, T. (Eds.), 2010. Wild signs: graffiti in archaeology and history, BAR international series. Archaeopress, Oxford.

Ovcharov, D., 1977. Ship Graffiti from Medieval Bulgaria. Int. J. Naut. Archaeol. Underw. Explor. 6, 59–61.

Pacey, A., 2007. Medieval architectural drawing: English craftsmen’s methods and their later persistence (c. 1200 – 1700). Tempus, Stroud.

Pritchard, V., 1967. English Medieval Graffiti. Cambridge University Press.

Anna’s List:

Various, 2019. Magic and Witchery in the Modern West: Celebrating the Twentieth Anniversary of ‘The Triumph of the Moon’, eds. Shai Feraro, Shai, Ethan Doyle White. Palgrave Macmillan.

Various, 2017. Cosmopolitanism, Nationalism, and Modern Paganism, ed. Kathryn Rountree. Palgrave Macmillan.

Various, ongoing. Folk Tales of Place. The History Press.[1]

Bailey, R. N., 1996. England’s Earliest Sculptors. Toronto.

Greenwood, S., 2005. The Nature of Magic. Routledge.

Hutton, R., 1996. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. OUP.

Roud, S., 2004. A Pocket Guide to Superstition of the British Isles. Penguin.

Hellebore zine: https://helleborezine.bigcartel.com/

The Enquiring Eye journal: https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/the-enquiring-eye-of-the-witchcraft-research-centre/

[1] This is a multi-volume project. Folk Tales are grouped by county or geographic location.

Places:

Bunhill Fields, London

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/city-gardens/find-a-garden/bunhill-fields-burial-ground

Crossbones Graveyard, London

http://crossbones.org.uk/

St Vedast alias Foster, London

https://www.vedast.org.uk/

St Margaret of Antioch Cowlinge, Suffolk

https://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/cowlinge/

St Clements, Rodel, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/st-clements-church/

Minster Church of St Mary, Stow in Lindsey, Lincolnshire

http://www.stowminster.co.uk/

Doon Hill, Aberfoyle

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/doon-hill-fairy-knowe

Bradford on Avon Barn, Bradford-on-Avon

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bradford-on-avon-tithe-barn/

Exeter Cathedral, Exeter, Devon

https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/

Tarr Steps, Exmoor National Park, Somerset

https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying/tarr-steps

Minster Church, Boscastle, Cornwall

http://www.strattondeanery.co.uk/minster.html

Men-an-Tol, Penzance, Cornwall

https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/sites/men_an_tol.htm

Date And Time

A Leverhulme-funded research project, University of Exeter, 2019-2022.

This project focuses on a collection of magical texts attributed to an influential medieval scholar of the Arabic language, Sirāj al-Dīn al-Sakkākī (d. 1229 CE). We are producing an edition and translation of his grimoire, accompanied by a co-authored volume of essays.

http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/thesorcerershandbook/

A new podcast by Magic and Esotericism Group member Samuel P. Gillis Hogan. Check out the introductory episode here!:

https://arcanehistory.podbean.com/e/episode-0-welcometo-arcane/?fbclid=IwAR08BaJA0CPCaTr521K2HEeq3Y66ioK2h74v4BIP7lk_LoYkMmA0mpxDFd4

“Magic has been practiced throughout our history, yet many people do not know that it was an ever-present part of our past. While the significance of magic in history has been established by scholars, Arcane attempts to bring this fascinating knowledge beyond academic circles to be enjoyed by everyone. This brief episode introduces: the podcast, its aims, and me – Samuel Gillis Hogan, a PhD researcher specializing in the history of magic.”

‘Ill met by moonlight’: Gothic encounters with enchantment and the Faerie realm in literature and culture

University of Hertfordshire, 8‒10 April 2021

http://www.opengravesopenminds.com/ill-met-by-moonlight-2021/

Magic and Esotericism research group member Dorka Tamas discusses the work of Sylvia Plath, focusing on witchcraft, witch imagery, and different cultural and literary influences in Plath’s poetry.
Listen here on the Plath & Co Podcast!

https://soundcloud.com/user-611388248/episode-six-plath-witchcraft