Most studies of witchcraft and magic have been concerned with the era of the witch trials, a period which officially came to an end in Britain with the passing of the Witchcraft Act of 1736. However, the majority of people continued to fear witches and put their faith in magic long after this law was passed. This book traces the history of witchcraft and magic from 1736 to the year 1951, when the passing of the Fraudulent Mediums Act finally erased the concept of witchcraft from the statute books. This study examines the extent to which witchcraft, magic, and fortune telling influenced the thoughts and actions of the people of England and Wales in a period when the forces of ""progress"" are often thought to have vanquished such beliefs.
By:
Owen Davies
Other:
Rebecca Mortimer
Imprint: Manchester Univ. Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 19mm
Weight: 494g
ISBN: 9780719056567
ISBN 10: 071905656X
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 15 July 1999
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
General/trade
,
A / AS level
,
Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction 1. Educated attitudes towards the popular belief in witchcraft and magic 2. Popular justice and witchcraft 3. The witch 4. Cunning-folk, astrologers, and fortune-tellers 5. Magic and medicine 6. Witchcraft, magic, literacy and literature 7. Cultural Change Conclusion -- .
Owen Davies is a cultural historian who has published widely on the subject of witchcraft and magic
Reviews for Witchcraft, Magic and Culture 1736–1951
Davies presebnts an often stimulating... survey of witch-belief.... Choice <br>
