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Wytchery: A Gothic Cabinet of Curiosities and Mysteries

Wytchery: A Gothic Cabinet of Curiosities and Mysteries

A collection of gothic horror stories, urban legends, ghosts, haunted houses & other curiosities

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Growing up gothic; Of devil worshippers, Satanists and the Dark Secret of Harvest Home

It’s the fall of 1978, I’m a junior in high school in the middle of nowhere. I grew up there and know the landscape well.

My hometown had a shade under 6,000 people, and is surrounded by corn fields for several miles. It was small town life, like Norman Rockwell.

Or if you prefer, Cornwall Coombe.

You can be forgiven for never having heard of the place. It was the fictional setting of Thomas Tyron’s book, Harvest Home. And you’re forgiven for not having heard of that either.

But if you were around in 1978, there’s a good chance you saw the mini series on tv.

In short, a couple from New York City moves to a small village in New England with their young daughter – Cornwall Coome, which is lost in time. They work their fields together and celebrate according to the cycles of the earth. And the highest celebration of all is Harvest Home. Of course, the locals are locked in time too, complete with ancient blood-letting rituals, and a truly chilling ending.

For two nights we sat transfixed to the screen. Following the last episode, I accompanied a friend of mine to put up his horses for the night, a few miles out in the country. It was dark and we were scared shitless.

In a small community, it’s possible to believe in secret societies, dark secrets which stretch back generations. And those two words that used to cover the whole genre, devil worshippers.

Little boys of my generation, and most generations probably, loved horror. Ghost stories, monster movies and of course, one of the most popular threads through horror was the devil worshipper. Or a coven of witches. As I said, living where I did, it was very easy to believe that groups like this could be living right beneath your nose.

To a 12 year old in 1973, Satan’s School for Girls, another tv movie, was scary as hell.

I got to thinking about that this week, first because I’ve been living back here for over a month now. And second, because I got an interesting email from a reader this week. It was from a woman who was wondering how to get rid of Satanists who seem to be following her, placing curses on her and doing all kinds of mischief.

My own belief about Satanists, is that if they are the official brand of Satanist, unless you’ve done something to them, they won’t mess with you. Satanism is to a large degree, about doing want you want, and sensory pleasures. Going to the trouble of pestering strangers can’t compete with orgies. Beyond those, you have people who have seen too many devil worshipping films and sides with the wrong side. I think one reason people form covens, cults, and others believe in them, is because they want to believe in them. And if you’re being harassed by your garden variety devil worshipper, it pays to remember that there are precious few incidents of black magic working, or even appearing to work.

Crowley gave a couple of demonstrations as I recall, though the one I read about was surprisingly low key. And then there’s the curse on Jayne Mansfield supposedly placed by the Church of Satan. But that could have just been bad driving or an unfortunate coincidence.

Or it could have been she believed she was cursed. The one certain way I believe that a curse will work on you, is if you believe in the curse. By the same token, if you’re looking for devil worshippers, or witches, you’re likely to see evidence everywhere. The best example of course, is Salem Village in 1692.

So it’s 1978, and in a small town like this, there’s little else to do but drive around the country at night. We were still in that strange age between childhood and adulthood. Still young enough to believe in Satanic cults, to want to believe in witches, and for many, the first time out on our own in real country darkness.

It also helped that quite often we were stoned.

Old houses, old barns, old bridges still lay scattered across the landscape. You would still see abandoned, Victorian era houses that you couldn’t help but think haunted.

And there was the music of the time. Guys gravitated to heavy metal. Black Sabbath was still big. Alice Cooper had a bit left in him. Blue Oyster Cult had been all over the radio with Don’t Fear the Reaper. Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio before he was just Dio, was introducing a new generation to heavy metal mysticism.

While on the endless cruise one evening, some kids from our school said they were accosted by devil worshippers. They had driven by a house earlier, and the yard was decorated with bizarre artwork, with a a large painting of Satan in a tree. When they drove back later, a well-known person in our hometown jumped out of the bushes in front of their car, in a black cape and top hat and tried to make them stop. They didn’t.

The second night a few of us drove by the house ourselves. The paintings were gone, but the house was old, dilapitated, and the mood tense. After driving by three or four times, a car whipped out of the driveway and chased us down. They trapped us in a cul-de-sac, but the driver of our car cut through the yard and to safety.

Well we were convinced. For a few days the talk of the town was of the devil worshippers. Over the weekend I talked about it with a fellow I worked for, who made a good point. “If there’s a god, there’s a devil, and people who worship him are something to be afraid of.”

And so we were. But then the next week at school, the sister of the accused devil worshipper started talking. I happened to share a class with her, and she said that they weren’t devil worshippers, and told me who else was hanging out in the house. And among those were some people I was familiar with, including my former art teacher and drum teacher. And suddenly I knew the truth. They weren’t devil worshippers. They were dadaists. Artists who create bizarre and sometimes jarring artwork, particularly if you don’t get the meaning, or lack a sense of humor.

Eventually the police shut down the circus by arresting the accused devil worshipper for possession of marijuana, and the house was abandoned. And sure, they were trying to keep people off that road. Particularly when they were getting thirty or forty people driving by each night.

And the magic was sucked out of the situation by the truth. Just like a curse is lifted when you stop believing in it.

But all these years later, I still want to believe. I still want to see witches in the fields under the full moon. I still want to believe there’s a secret pagan sect in the corn fields surrounding the town. I want to believe that someplace there’s still an isolated little town, where the people still believe in the old ways. And I want to be the outsider that moves in.

Till then I’m driving around the country, trying to get the feeling back. The years pile up behind you and your forget how to believe. Even if the houses are gone, the barns have fallen in, the country is still there. And the darkness.

Gothic Travel Guide: City dwellers are out of luck with this one. To do it right you need real country dark, where the glow of lights from town doesn’t obscure the stars. Corn standing in the fields help, as does a full moon. You need a deserted area, with little to no traffic. You’ll know it when you find it. And if you know of a deserted country graveyard, so much the better.

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May 31, 2010 By gothiccurios 18 Comments

Filed Under: Behind Urban Legends, Southern Illinois Hauntings and Legends, The best in haunted travel tips Tagged With: gothic horror art, haunting stories, real urban legends, scary camp stories, true urban legends

About the author and artist

The haunted, macabre, the downright peculiar ….the curiously gothic world of Todd Atteberry

 

Gothic horror stories, haunted travelogues, a healthy dose of witchcraft, paganism, stone circles and ancient trackways.

Meet Todd

The Witch’s Gardener …

A look at witch’s garden plants, ideas, resources, moon gardens, folklore, herbalism and life with the witch’s gardener.

Enter The Garden

Gothic Travels …

Haunted travelogues, where to visit, where to stay, the history and truth behind the legends

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Memento Mori

Remember you are mortal. T-shirts, hoodies and gaiters, Premium fabrics and fit, eco friendly and ethically sourced.
Wear Memento Mori

Visit the shop …

Offering Wyrd and Wanton T-Shirts, Long Sleeve Tees and Hoodies, Books and Fine Art Prints … Literary love tokens for children of the night.


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LG

    February 2, 2011 at 2:07 am

    Wow. You captured it perfectly. I grew up in SW Nebraska, not the middle of nowhere but you can definitely see it from here. Boogey men were everywhere. Devil worshipers were hiding behind bushes at the edge of the school playground, waiting to grab any kid who wandered in there. All the “scary stories” every kid knew growing up, told to them by older kids on a dark summer night. The stories I told my kids on dark nights. The stories they told their friends on dark nights. The stories I will tell my grandchildren on a dark summer night. It comes full circle, from being scared to being the one doing the scaring.
    Life needs a little magic.

    Reply
  2. MANDLA

    December 25, 2011 at 5:46 am

    IF YOU ARE A DEVIL WOSHIPER GOD CAN SET YOU FREE LET ME PRAY FOR YOU

    Reply
  3. graham

    February 12, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    i want to join a devils covent in essex england
    keep trying to find on internet but no luck can any one help

    Reply
    • gothiccurios

      February 17, 2012 at 4:44 pm

      Can’t help you there. You might try visiting a deserted country graveyard at midnight and whisper Beetlejuice three times.

      Reply
    • Ayaz

      October 25, 2012 at 8:54 pm

      it doesnt matter to you guyz as long as you are non-muslims. You are going to same place as are devil worshippers if you keep on being ignorant towards Islam. I have faced devil worshippers and they are real horror specially 100~ differnt kinds of curses and 100~ different breeds of themselves. In my country Pakistan they live like rats in the hole, came out attack muslims and then disappear. Suicide bombing seems to be following strangely same pattern as devil worshippers pattern of striking muslims. Christians and Jews are same for last 2K years but muslims fell under traps of devil worshippers and still not able to get out of their traps.

      Reply
  4. daniel

    April 4, 2012 at 9:44 am

    how can i join u

    Reply
    • Ayaz

      October 25, 2012 at 8:58 pm

      You dont have to join devil worshippers if you are worshipping anything other than Muhammad’s God. you might find them as your neighbors in hell.

      Reply
  5. zy

    May 22, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    WOw Deep Shidd

    Reply
  6. Xodus

    May 28, 2013 at 10:20 pm

    Devil worshiping and satanist have no role play in the true sense of Gothic. There was a time back in the day where people were considered centric. Their styles were unique ranging from their wardrobe to buildings and structures. They once upheld a state of class.
    Upon the new century things begin to change becoming more chaotic with abstraction which turned the tables on what once was. Today has become worsened with the illusion and folklore being taught to these new generations. I believe our four fathers of Gothic times would turn in their grave is they viewed this new time of age where a once world of beauty and a class of elegance turned into a clown like state. Those of today taught that being noticed in difference was the road to take and each one trying to out shine the next…….I miss the old days…….

    Reply
  7. eric

    October 14, 2013 at 8:09 am

    I have been to will hill and it is scary after 12 and I have seen a ghost by the trees but I was scaryed because the colts

    Reply
  8. greatness masuku

    November 23, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    Want to join illuminating groups near my place,live in Western Cape,Brackenfell South Africa

    Reply
  9. Ronni

    October 14, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    Hi Todd!
    I was Googling to see if I could get an uncut dvd of The Dark Secret Of Harvet Home to show my friends here in the UK, and I came across your website. I’m a Yank of the same age who remembers the great TV Movies of the Week, Creature Feature, Chiller Theatre, etc. from the 60’s and 70’s. I grew up in the NYC Metro/Philly area and am trying to compile all the horror/mystery/thriller stuff I saw growing up. One of my friends here is a horror buff, and I’m trying to find American tv films that he hasn’t seen. I do a Halloween-time film night and try to show non-Brit films, though it’s hard to find old stuff that beats Hammer, etc. Did you get Doctor Shock on tv out where you grew up? I remember Satan’s School For Girls, too! Home For The Holidays, Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark…. I haven’t looked through all of your site, but it looks fab!

    Reply
  10. Tumwebaze jordan

    May 20, 2015 at 6:06 pm

    Am a 15yr old boy who wants to become a devil worshipper but am asking that cant u send me somebody who can help me join

    Reply
  11. Angel

    September 1, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    I want to be a devil worshiper but its hard joining please help i wanna be 1 of dem as starting from 2day im in south africa pretoria

    Reply
    • turnicate

      September 6, 2015 at 2:28 am

      The quickest way to do that is to send $1,000 to the address in my contact information and I’ll send you a membership card. Good for the loss of your eternal soul.

      Reply
  12. Cernunnos

    August 10, 2016 at 9:57 am

    The premise of Harvest Home sounded familiar to me. I remember as a child watching some movie where a woman who was arguing with her boyfriend or husband jumped off of a train into a wheat field to leave him. She wandered for a time until near the evening she found an abandoned building to sleep in. She was awoken at night by a group of robed people leading some procession with torches. I remember she was perched above them somewhere, but, there was something so chilling about it all to me. Just the idea that she was observing something sinister and she was hidden from sight. I thought this sounded vaguely like that, but, I don’t remember. I do miss that sense of wonder and child-like fear that would couple with the imagination of youth.

    Reply
  13. Elizabeth

    October 31, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    Amazing work of rhythm in words the author feelings portrayed are so immensely I tense she makes you on edge. I loved it!!!
    Thanks

    Reply

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  1. About A Gothic Curiosity Cabinet says:
    September 17, 2017 at 8:59 am

    […] And if you want to know what it was like growing up in the gothic midwest of the 1970s, there’s this as well. […]

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