The Early Years
Wicca was developed in the late 1940’s by Gerald Brousseau Gardner. Gardner spent much of his early life and career in the civil service, traveling the world, fostering his interest in shamanic and ritual elements of the indigenous cultures he encountered.
Gardnerian Wicca
Following his retirement and return to England, Gardner developed contacts within British occult circles. He spent time corresponding and working with notable names, such as Aleister Crowley, and with a local theatre organization called the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship. Through these contacts, Gardner encountered and was initiated into a coven of witches located in the New Forest. From this experience in September 1939, Gardner began to bring together his knowledge and experiences and began to build the magical tradition we know as Gardnerian Wicca today.
The Sheffield Line
During his magical life Gardner initiated a number of High Priestesses who carried on the tradition that he created. One of these women was actress Patricia Crowther. Patricia was initiated into the Craft in 1960, establishing the Sheffield Coven with her High Priest and husband Arnold in 1961. Alone, and in conjunction with Arnold, Patricia became a vocal advocate for the growing tradition and ensuring that the repeal of the Witchcraft Act, which was achieved in 1951, remained in place despite various cultural panics. Through her articles, interviews, books and radio appearances Patricia’s openness brought in a new generation into the tradition, leading to her becoming known as one of the mothers of the tradition. Though the Sheffield Coven closed its doors in the late 1990’s Patricia continued to oversee the propagation of the lineage she founded with Arnold, ensuring that it was able to survive in the form of the Leeds based granddaughter coven known as the Coven of the Red Kite.
The Coven of the Laughing Magpie
The Coven of the Laughing Magpie is a continuation of this lineage. Maggie was initiated into The Coven of the Red Kite in November 2015. Although the mother coven has moved from Leeds to Wakefield, Maggie is honored to be able to continue to offer a Gardnerian presence in the city of Leeds in the form of the great-granddaughter coven known as the Coven of the Laughing Magpie.
So what is Wicca?
Wicca is an initiatory, oathbound, orthopraxic mystery tradition that traced its roots directly to Gerald Gardner. This tradition honours the Goddess and the God of Wicca, whose names are secret and bound by oaths, by celebrating Esbats and Sabbats throughout the turning of the year.
An orthopraxic tradition is one which is more concerned with the right conduct and practice of a tradition, rather than desiring a conformity of faith and belief. This means that there is a lot of variety within the beliefs of Wiccans around the world but there are liturgical practices which unite us and define our connection to Gardner’s tradition. These connections are broad, reflecting as much the evolution of Gardner’s thought during the development of the tradition as well as the evolutions through his many High Priestesses. The Sheffield line represents one of these lineages but it is one which can be clearly traces through initiation and praxis to Gardner himself.
Want to find out more about Gardnerian Wicca?
The Coven of the Laughing Magpie 