The Cunning Folk's Book of Cottage Witchcraft: Spells, Charms & Traditions of Wild Folk Magic is a very long title for a great book.
If you are wondering what Cottage Witchcraft is, Forest describes it thus:
"As opposed to the high magic of the learned upper classes of the past (particularly in northern Europe), wild witchcraft or folk magic—the magic of the common people—has always existed alongside Christianity and Catholicism, perhaps as part of the long evolution of beliefs related to the local spirits of the landscape, its mythology, folklore, and traditions that existed long ago in the pre-Christian past. . . It is closely entwined with what is called An Creideamh Sí (“the fairy faith”) in Ireland, a collection of practises with different but equivalent counterparts in Britain that are all to do with relations with the spirit realm and what are known in Britian as the Fairies and the Sidhe in Ireland. These are the native spirits found in the landscape, long feared and yet the focus on wonder and power, found in our folklore and superstitions."
Forest goes on to say, "Cunning men and women are still found across the British Isles to this day, and go by many names: wisewomen, folk witches; Pellars (a hexbreaker, from the word “expel”), is a popular term found in Cornwall and in much of the southwest, as is the term “conjurer,” which has been popular for centuries, referring to someone who conjures spirits. There are also charmers—people who perform healing charms, and in Ireland we find the Bean Feasa (“wisewoman”) and fairy doctors, they who consult with fairies and ease relations between them and humans. A popular term in Wales is a Swynwraig, a charmer or witch.
A wild witch or a folk witch is someone who uses and adapts folk magic, and could go by any of the names above depending on their unique perspective. They tend to work closely with nature without attaching themselves to a coven or an initiatory tradition- although traces of these lineages can some times be found bound up with certain practises. Folk magic is made of many cultural and historical layers, with few clearly defined lines."
Part one, “The Cunning Path,” guides the reader through the main ideas and practices of Cottage Witchcraft, their applications, and how one could incorporate them into their own work. Part two, “A Cottage Grimoire,” is a collection of traditional spells, charms and magical lore, including the recipes for various potions, powders, and incenses.
I truly enjoyed reading The Cunning Folk's Book of Cottage Witchcraft and highly recommend it for any witch, no matter their level of experience or personal practice.
~review by Lisa McSherry
Author: Danu Forest
Llewellyn Publications, 2025
pp. 256, $18.99
