Show Notes
What happens when a country suddenly decides witches don't exist? By the early 1700s, something extraordinary was happening. Across Europe, the great witch hunts were coming to an end. Courts were becoming more sceptical. Judges were beginning to question evidence that, only a generation earlier, had been accepted without hesitation. www.roamingraven.co.uk
More from Roaming Raven Podcast
How do modern witches celebrate Samhain, and what makes this time of year so meaningful in the world of witchcraft? Join Paula Rolls of Roaming Raven for Part Four of our five-part Samhain Special as we step away from the ancient legends and historical traditions to explore the magic of Samhain as it is celebrated today. From creating meaningful ancestor altars and honouring loved ones who have passed to candle rituals, herbal correspondences, divination and shadow work, we discover the many ways witches and Pagans embrace this powerful turning point in the Wheel of the Year. We'll explore the symbolism behind familiar Samhain practices, the importance of remembrance and reflection, and how to create your own personal traditions that feel authentic and meaningful to you. Along the way, we'll separate historical folklore from modern magical practices, exploring how centuries of beliefs, customs and spiritual traditions have helped shape the Witch's Samhain we recognise today. Whether you're an experienced witch, just beginning your magical journey or simply fascinated by the folklore and traditions of the season, this episode offers inspiration for celebrating the darker half of the year. So light a candle, settle in and join me as we explore the magic, mystery and meaning of Samhain. Roaming Raven – A Witchlore & Mystical Tales Podcast. www.roamingraven.co.uk
What did people really do to celebrate Samhain before pumpkins, trick-or-treating and modern Halloween? Join Paula Rolls of Roaming Raven for Part Three of our five-part Samhain Special as we step back into the homes and villages of old Ireland to discover the fascinating traditions, strange superstitions and magical customs of the season. From roaring bonfires and traditional Halloween feasts to barmbrack fortune telling, apple divination, midnight mirror rituals and the rather dangerous game of Snap Apple, we uncover a world where food, laughter, romance and a little supernatural mystery went hand in hand. Discover why turnips were carved into terrifying lanterns, how young people attempted to predict their future marriages, and why Halloween was once a night of mischief, disguises and community celebration. Blending historical accounts, Irish folklore and atmospheric storytelling, we explore how these traditions developed through the centuries and why so many still influence our celebrations today. So pour yourself something warming, light a candle and join us for another journey into the history, folklore and magic of Samhain. Roaming Raven – A Witchlore & Mystical Tales Podcast. www.roamingraven.co.uk
As the nights grow darker and the veil between worlds is said to grow thin, join Paula Rolls of Roaming Raven for the second instalment of our four-part Samhain Special. This week, we step into the mysterious and supernatural side of Samhain, exploring ancient Irish folklore, the powerful Aos Sí, the mischievous Púca, the Otherworld and the belief that spirits of the dead may return to visit the living. Discover eerie tales, forgotten superstitions, protective traditions and the origins of ancestor remembrance at this magical time of year. So light a candle, settle in and join us for another journey beyond the firelight, where history, folklore and witchcraft intertwine. Roaming Raven – A Witchlore & Mystical Tales Podcast.
Imagine for a moment that there are no electric lights. No street lamps. No headlights coming along the road. No central heating waiting when you get home. The sun has gone down, and when darkness arrives, it really is dark. Behind you lies summer. The crops have been gathered, the days of growth are ending, livestock are being brought closer to home and the land itself appears to be retreating. Ahead lies winter - cold, hunger, storms and months in which survival will depend upon what has been stored and prepared. And somewhere in that transition, we find Samhain. Tonight, we're going back to the beginning. Not to modern Halloween, not yet to pumpkins and trick-or-treating, and not even to the Samhain rituals that many witches and Pagans practise today. We're going much further back, into Ireland and the world preserved for us in early Irish stories. And we're going to begin with the name itself. Samhain. www.roamingraven.co.uk
Over the course of this series, we’ve travelled through several centuries of witch trials. We’ve seen people accused, interrogated, imprisoned and executed because their neighbours, their communities — and sometimes the law itself — believed that they were witches. And eventually, in the places we’ve mostly been talking about, the trials stopped. The laws changed. Witchcraft ceased to be a crime. So that should really be the end of the story. Except it isn’t. Because people are still being accused of witchcraft today. And I don't mean someone being criticised online and calling it a witch hunt. We’ve already talked about the way that phrase gets thrown around in the modern world. This time, we mean it literally. People living in modern Western countries have been accused of being witches, of casting spells, of causing illness or misfortune through supernatural means, or of being possessed by evil spirits. And some of those accusations have led to horrific abuse — and even murder. So for our final episode of this series, we’re bringing the witch hunt right up to the present day. And perhaps the most unsettling thing about these stories is that they didn't happen in some distant century, in a world completely unlike our own. Some of them happened here. In Britain. Within our lifetimes.