Gerald Gardner and Wicca on the Isle of Man

A talk by John Callow about the "father of modern witchcraft," Gerald Gardner, and his time in the Isle of Man.

Still well-remembered for his time at the "Witches' Mill" on the edge of Castletown, Gardner has always held a fascination for Manx people.
John Callow here explains Gardner's background, how he came to the Island, the contacts he made and the people he inspired. Unpicking the facts from the fiction, Callow explains the absolute importance of the Manx years in Gardner's life, and how it gave rise to the Wicca religion practiced all over the world today.

John Callow is an author, historian and trade unionist. He has written widely on Early Modern witchcraft, politics and popular culture.

This talk was delivered as a part of Manx Litfest in September 2022.

A video version of this talk is available here.