Talking Anglican exorcism at Pembroke College, Cambridge
Today I spoke to the Theology Society at Pembroke College, Cambridge on the subject of exorcism in the Church of England, from the Middle Ages to the present day. This … Continue reading
Five years of The Cambridge Book of Magic
Today marks five years since the publication of my edition and translation of Cambridge University Library MS Additional 3544, a working manual for a practising Tudor ritual magician which I … Continue reading
A forgotten portrait of the man who gave us the greengage
I was recently able to confirm the identity of the sitter in a hitherto forgotten portrait of Sir William Gage, 2nd Baronet of Hengrave Hall (c. 1650-1727), which was painted … Continue reading
Demonology at the Defence Academy of the UK
Yesterday evening I spoke on the theme ‘Demonological traditions and warfare in medieval and early modern Europe’ at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, which is part of the … Continue reading
St Edmund: a Christmas saint
It might seem strange to associate a saint whose feast day falls even before the start of Advent with Christmas, and yet in the Middle Ages St Edmund was strongly … Continue reading
Peter John Payne 1924-2019
Today I delivered the address at the funeral of my relative Peter Payne, who died aged 95 on 28 October. Peter was one of the leading computer scientists of the … Continue reading
Why the millennium of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds matters
Today the Abbey of St Edmund Heritage Partnership formally launched the 2020 celebrations of the millennium of St Edmunds Abbey in St Edmundsbury Cathedral, an event which I was sadly … Continue reading
