Paul Watts - Magic and Witchcraft in Medieval England

About the show

Paul gives a talk from his book, Myths and Legends of the Medieval World about the fascinating history of magic and witchcraft in medieval England.

Join Paul as he explores how magic was practiced, who practiced it and how the medieval Church responded. Contrary to popular opinion, medieval England saw no widespread persecution of witches on the scale that followed during early modern times. But why was this? And what changed? Paul tracks how attitudes to magic evolved by exploring medieval myths, folklore, and religious thought. He charts the tragic tale of how a culture of relative tolerance, even fascination, evolved into one of vehement condemnation and persecution.

Paul is a local author and blogger who writes on a wide range of topics from medieval history. His blog is currently the top ranked medieval history blog on google.

Duration: 60 mins inc audience Q&A