The Witchcraft of Wales
Wales’ cultural legacy has always stood distinct from England, and the stories of the witches and cunning folk of Wales is no exception. In this short lecture, join folklorist Benjamin Stimpson into a deep dive into the legends and historical reality of magic and witchcraft of Wales. Exploring how the Welsh perceived magic and what common stories were shared we will meet the conjurors of spirits who took shifts being the vicar of the local church; the little old women who plied their divination in the markets of both North and South; and the dyn hysbys, the ‘knowing ones,’ who sold charms to protect and were sometimes hired for more ducious conflicts.
Speaker Bio:
Benjamin Stimpson (He/They/Them) (BA, MBACP) is an award-winning UK based writer, independent researcher, podcaster, and public speaker on folk practice, occultism, medieval history, and British folklore. Ben holds a BA (Hons) minoring in Classical, Medieval and Religious Studies from the University of Waterloo as well as a Diploma in Spiritual Psychotherapy. His research focusses on medieval and early modern folk practice, the folklore and history of magic and witchcraft, and applied modern spiritual practice. He is the author of the award-winning Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Developing Ancestral Veneration Practices (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2023), and Of Doves & Ravens: The Witches and Wisefolk of Wales and the Borders (History Press, 2025). An acclaimed public speaker, Benjamin has been a regular guest on hundreds of podcasts; and, at festivals and conferences in North America and Europe. www.benstimpson.com
Curated & Hosted by:
Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience
don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day
