Marsh Wizards, Witches and Cunning Men: A Study of Cunning Murrell, George Pickingill, & Witchcraft in 19th Century Essex.
Hinckley, Leicestershire: Caduceus Books, 2008. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 98pp. Black cloth with gilt title on front board & gilt sigils on boards. Black and white illustrations and two colour reproductions of pages of a manuscript by Cunning Murrell. Edition limited to 100 numbered copies. A group of five essays on the magic and folklore of Essex, with particularly emphasis on the history and practices of the "cunning folk." The first, “A Wizard of Yesterday” is an essay that was originally published in "The Strand" magazine in 1900, in which Arthur Morrison describes James Murrell the authentic cunning man who served as the the inspiration for his novel "Cunning Murrell." The remaining four essays are all by Eric Maple, and were originally published in the journal "Folklore" in the 1960s. The first, "Cunning Murrell, A Study of a Nineteenth-Century Cunning Man in Hadleigh, Essex" returns (of course) to James Murrell, whilst the others "Witches of Canewdon," "Witchcraft & Magic in the Rochford Hundred," and "The Witches of Dengie" all deal with popular traditional witchcraft beliefs and practices. An Afterword gives a history of the golden talisman stamped on the covers of the book. A little rubbing to boards, otherwise a bright, tight Fine copy (no dust jacket issued). Item #53830
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