Putting the Witch in her Place

This chapter focuses on Glastonbury, a town set in the heart of England's countryside that has become the main centre in England for spiritual tourism and is often described as a “pagan paradise”. Its legendary, sacred landscape attracts pilgrims from near and far. We trace the history of the area that attracts spiritual seekers of many faiths. Of particular interest to us in this chapter is that Glastonbury has become a vibrant place for celebration of the divine feminine, showcasing a plethora of small shops and service providers dedicated to goddess worship, magical thinking and especially witchcraft. We then explore the different groups associated with contemporary witchcraft, be they Wiccan practitioners, teenage girls finding self-expression or members of the Reclaiming movement, a modern witchcraft tradition that combines goddess worship with feminism and political activism (e.g. the famous writer and activist, Starhawk).