Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival

Wiccan Roots, rather than being an overview of the Craft, is a genuinely fascinating account of way more than just the beginnings of British Witchraft's modern format, it's a close look at the key characters that formed and shaped it.Part biography and part historical investigation, Heselton unearths the story of the founder of modern Wicca, Gerald Gardner, and paints a wonderful picture of another age; a time of explorers and experimenters and a rich pool of characters that inhabited it.From Gardner's involvement with Naturists, the Rosicrucian "Crotona Fellowship" to his initiation into what he later referred to as "Wicce", the story leads us through the esoteric side of the early 20th century to the now-infamous Battle Of Britain magical working in 1940 that claimed the lives of some of the initiates.It's a thoroughly enjoyable read, and it doesn't end here; at the time of writing this, Philip Heselton has another book in the pipeline and if his lectures are an indication of its content, more questions have been answered and more characters have been revealed, and I look forward to reading it!

Wiccan Roots is a fairly weak attempt to challenge the findings of Professor Ronald Hutton's scholarly work on the history of modern pagan witchcraft; at least two other books by different authors seeking to question Hutton's research have also since been published. Unfortunately the major failing of many writers who take a revisionist view of history is an inability to remain critically objective. As any scientist will tell you, the first step in establishing the truth or otherwise of a proposition is to seek to disprove it. Heselton, on the contrary, is eager to substantiate his position and throughout his book frequently falls victim to speculation, circular arguments and third party "evidence". At the end of the day, he produces no solid additional proof and his book will only convince those who already share his views.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned a lot about Gardner that I didn't know.The author has done a considerable amount of research resulting not just in an interesting read, but a thoroughly enjoyable one.I would recommend this book to all with no hesitation.

Philip Heselton is perhaps better known as a writer on Earth Mysteries, but in this book he has taken on the subject of the origins of Wicca. As well as giving an excellent account of what was already known on the subject, he also describes the results of a great deal of original historical research he has done on the subject. While the results fall short of conclusive proof that Gerald Gardner's account of his initiation into a surviving witch coven is true in all respects, Philip Heselton has turned up evidence confirming a number of previously unconfirmed aspects of Gardner's account. Mr. Heselton has even located a number of very plausible candidates for the identity of the other members of the New Forest Coven. While the origins of Wicca still remain uncertain, this book does a good deal to part the mists surrounding them.I find it striking that Gardner's story has withstood a good deal of reaserch by a number of able schollars, Mr. Heselton included: if it was a fabrication, it was one considerably more bulletproof than was required to fool the people Gardner told it to.

Great book!I thoroughly enjoyed reading this (and its sequel), interesting research. Well written, a stunner.Featuring slightly newer research than 'Triumph of the Moon' by Ronald Hutton - I would say it is a must read.Not everyone will agree with the conclusions made in the book, but the evidence is previously unseen. Photos, diary entries...

This is a great book; once I picked it up I just couldn't put it down. Anyone how has read and enjoyed Ron Hutton's `Triumph of the Moon' would find this book of great interest as it adds, updates and sometimes questions information found in that book.

Interesting