Haunted Plymouth has been known as America’s hometown over more than four centuries, and its history stretches back even further than that. Ghosts and hauntings seem to attach themselves to locations over time … houses, buildings of all sorts, even woods and entire towns. Plymouth has seen its share of real life horror stories, and […]
Monkshood: A deadly poison and essential ingredient in witch’s flying ointments makes its first appearance in the witch’s garden
This was the first year I’ve had Monkshood in my witch’s garden. I had tried growing it from seed with no luck. I have little patience for slow germinating seeds. But I found a source for live plants and ordered a couple. Both survived and even bloomed, unusual for Monkshood in its first year. It […]
What is Halloween? On visitations by the dead, a bit of necromancy, sixties trick or treating in in drag, and a seismic switch in films that changed Halloween forever
What is Halloween? A look at Halloween traditions of the past What is Halloween and why the focus on the dead? It’s a boon to necromancers, the day when the dead are most inclined to rise up and join us in the world. Perhaps all it takes is a little pull from this side, and […]
Dame Alice Kyteler of Kilkenny, Ireland: A poisoner? Quite likely. A witch? Perhaps. A fighter? Absolutely.
DAME ALICE KYTELER was the culprit in the first successful witch trial in Ireland, if you can consider having an unfortunate woman burned at the stake successful. Alice however didn’t burn. She escaped the flames, leaving her maid servant Petronella de Meath to become the first Irish victim of the witch hunts. A wildcat of […]
Eating Poe: Poe in Baltimore, his last act on the mortal stage, living and dying in the shadow of the sea
And so we find Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore. Those who look to unravel the mystery of how Poe died here are chasing windmills or chasing a buck. There’s a good reason we’ll never know the truth about Poe in Baltimore on his fateful last visit. It’s none of our business. Dying is a private […]
An Incomplete Herbal, a curious little book of haunting herbs and flowers from UK artist Cate Davies
Cate’s beautiful botanical art wedded to quotes on the flowering of love, this seductive 7″ x 7″ fine art book deserves a spot on your bedside table. Book Available October View and purchase fine art prints from the book The work of Cate Davies as fine art prints, from the book and countless more. […]
The Antiquarian’s Folio, A Portfolio of Prehistoric British Sites with art from Cate Davies and Todd Atteberry
Step into ancient landscapes which still bear the mysterious marks of humanity thousands of years later Everybody knows Stonehenge, but there are countless sites just as fascinating and beautiful littered across the island of Britain. Long shrouded in mystery with little chance the full truth will ever be known, these sites have inspired generations of […]
The spring quarterly … Raising the Dead: A look at the dark side of love
Love can’t always be depravity, torture racks and snipping the heads off flowers … sometimes love turns dark In the spring 2018 issue of our quarterly periodical, Hung, Drawn and Quartered, we take a look at the loss of love, and how to survive a broken heart. With essays from A Gothic Curiosity Cabinet as […]
Our summer magazine looks at Edgar Allan Poe’s life and finds some surprises
Living with Edgar, or how Poe crept into my head and taught me the truth about the raven The summer issue of our magazine takes a tour of Poe related sights and eateries in Charleston, New York City and Baltimore, with a side trip into Richmond where Poe grew up. Also included is Living With […]
Into The Mist: A fine art book of British atmospheres by Cate Davies
The British landscape cloaked in mist, from the churchyard to the witchwood Explore the misty British countryside and towns with atmospheres by Cate Davies. From ruins in the churchyard at Bury St. Edmunds, to the woods of Wiltshire, Cate captures a timelessness in the landscape that sucks you in and keeps you there. It’s the […]
Eating Poe: Part Three, Poe’s life New York City, where he found fame, tragedy and madness, and I search Il Buco for The Cask of Amontillado
It’s a tantalizing legend, that the building that now houses Il Buco in New York City was the macabre inspiration in Poe’s life for the setting of The Cask of Amontillado. The places Poe touched in Manhattan and the Bronx can still be found, though in most cases the surroundings are unrecognizable from his day. So […]
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
I first read The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe in high school. I was lucky enough to attend a school which gave the option of studying the literature of Poe and Twain in more depth, and I jumped at the chance. My teacher, Gary Harrison loves both authors, but was particularly animated about Poe. […]
