There is a large amount of history in the world regarding witches and members of other occult spiritual practices, but what is the real history? Jon G. Hughes and Sophie Gallagher look at historic Welsh magick items and practices in this title.
Before we really get into the book, I want to be clear that I do not like history but when it comes to a subject that I too find myself practicing…I make exceptions. I was happy to read this but worried it would be very “history text book.”
Witches, Druids, and Sin Eaters 
Author: Jon G. Hughes, Sophie Gallagher
Publisher: Inner Traditions (Destiny Books)
Published: September 20th 2022
Book Length: 312 Pages
Genre: Spirituality, Nonfiction,
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ (3.5)
Buy the book: Amazon, Inner Traditions
*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest, unbiased review*
• Describes the arcane rituals, ancient beliefs, and secret rites of the Welsh Marches, including those of the Sin Eaters, Eye Biters, and Spirit Hunters
• Shares extracts from ancient texts stored in the archives of the National Museum of Wales, along with many original photographs of related artifacts
• Includes a Grimoire of the Welsh Marches, a wide collection of spells and magical workings along with practical instruction on crafting and casting
In this collaboration between a Druid and a witchcraft researcher, Jon G. Hughes and Sophie Gallagher describe in intricate detail the arcane rituals, ancient beliefs, and secret rites of the Welsh Marches, the borderlands between Celtic Wales and Anglo-Saxon England–one of the oldest and most significant locations for early witchcraft and a lasting repository for ancient Druidic lore. The authors explore the repressed rituals and practices of sin eaters, those who take upon themselves the sins of a recently deceased person; eye biters, powerful Witches able to cast malevolent curses simply by looking at their victims; and spirit hunters, Witches who gain control of their victim’s spirit. Drawing on their personal access to the archives of the National Museum Wales, as well as the local museums found within the Welsh Marches, the authors share extracts from ancient texts, along with original photographs of related artifacts, such as charm and spell bottles used to ward off evil and “poppets,” wax effigies crafted by Witches to inflict pain and death on a targeted subject. In the second half of the book, the authors present a Grimoire of the Welsh Marches, a wide collection of spells and magical workings along with practical instruction on crafting and casting.
Offering a comprehensive look at the earth-based beliefs and practices of primal witchcraft and Druidic lore, the authors show not only how the traditions of the Welsh Marches had a profound influence on the cultural and spiritual history of the British Isles but also how their influence was exported to all corners of the world.
The first half of this book is loaded with history—as I expected. I did not enjoy this at all, though it is very thorough and informative. Those of you who enjoy learning about the past and reading in a more academic format may find the first section of the book entertaining. As the book moved more into practices and items that have been used in the past, that is where it caught my attention. The colored images in the center of the book were even better! I could see in detail some of the older talismans and ritual tools.
I do not know much about Gardnerian Witchcraft practices, but the book essentially outlined some of what I already learned in the past. What bothered me was that some facts were inaccurate based on further research into this spiritual path. Now, I am not sure if that is simply because the authors are not part of a Gardnerian circle or because that is what they have learned. I think the information provided is generally accepted by the public to be true about Garnerian practices. In my opinion, we need someone who has gone through initiation and belonged to a circle for a while to write information about their practices, if allowed.
That being said, I did enjoy the information about Druids. I have always been called to a more Earth-based belief system, and I now incorporate core shamanism into my spiritual practice. So, as one can imagine, Druids have always been an interest of mine. There was some good information here about the history of the Druidic people before and after the Romans. Very informative.
What I found interesting was the section on Sin-Eaters. I was not aware of these, and that is part of the reason I was pulled to read this title. Eye-biters were a new subject to me as well. They are feared among many for their alleged ability to curse someone simply by looking at them.
If you are looking for a book that is more like a Book of Shadows or spellbook, this is not it. Although, once you make it to chapter 12, there is some information about ritual tools and casting a circle. The chapters from there go into more detail about amulets, talismans, charms, libations, and other spiritual practices. While this was a very informative book, it is not one that I would purchase as a resource for my practice. I would say this book should be bought for the history it contains. It is important to learn from our past, and these authors help us do that through this text.
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