In Search of the
New Forest Coven
Philip Heselton
Published by Fenix Flames Publishing, 2020
"Any new book from the foremost historian of the immediate
origins of Wicca is a splendid event, and Philip Heselton's
characteristic meticulous research makes this another important
addition to our knowledge."
- Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at the University of Bristol
In 1954 a book was published which claimed that the author,
Gerald Gardner, had been initiated into a witch coven in the
New Forest, Hampshire, England in 1939.
Many dismissed his claims, but Philip Heselton, who has
been investigating the story for over 20 years, is convinced
that what Gardner wrote about the witch coven was essentially true.
He has found that the coven was started by a group of esoteric
intellectuals in the early 20th century who believed in
reincarnation and that they had been witches in a previous lifetime.
Philip Heselton has uncovered the likely membership of
the coven and has brought them to life as never before.
Philip Heselton was born in 1946. He has written extensively on earth
mysteries and the history of the modern witchcraft revival. He is one
of the world's foremost experts on the subject and his acclaimed
biographies of Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente were published in
2012 and 2016 respectively.
(The text above comes from the back of the book)