A lecture that will explore themes of witchcraft will take place on Friday.
Professor Ronald Hutton will be presenting a public lecture on, ‘Folklore, History and Paganism’, at the Manx Museum in Douglas.
Professor Hutton is a leading authority on the history of the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries, on ancient and medieval paganism and magic, and on the global context of witchcraft beliefs.
Professor Hutton will question, why many British scholars between 1870 and 1970, especially folklore collectors, were obsessed with the idea that the countryside was a timeless place carrying on ancient practices and belief, particularly customs descended from ancient pagan religion.
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Within the lecture Hutton will dig into the Victorian and Edwardian subconscious, to discover the emotions behind this idea, which dominated folklore studies in the mid-20th century.
The lecture is hosted in collaboration with the Manx Museum exhibition ‘Sophia Morrison: The First Curator’, an exhibition commemorating the centenary of the death of Sophia Morrison, the devoted Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author.
Tickets are priced £10 and available from the Manx Museum Shop, email [email protected] or call 648033. Members receive 10 per cent off ticket price.
The lecture starts at 7.30pm with doors opening at 7pm.