351 – Altar
- Physical description:
- Granite stone base with a small clay jug, a black and white quartz stone and a red granite stone. A forked stick laid in front. Stick lost in 2004 flood.
- Museum classification:
- Working Tools
- Size:
- 350 long
- Information:
Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'Devonian witches use the high remote places of Dartmoor for their magic making and contacting the spirit world. To get to their chosen place calls for a long trek on foot, so they travel light. The witch Alice of Ashburton used Bench Tor as her chosen pulse spot. This is her small altar formed of three bits of different coloured granite each of which is native to Bench Tor. A gorse twig, a tiny earthenware jug - a fine white bone chalice and two horn drinking cups. After use Alice buried the stone altar in a secret place, the horn chalice and cups she brought with her, together with her flask containing her home brewed fairy honey wine and a box of matches with which to kindle the ritual fire made from gorse twigs gathered on the Tor. It is as simple as that. To get up, out and away, to spirit lands.'
See also 1450 and 1451.- Resource:
- Object
- Materials:
- Stone, pottery
- Copyright ownership:
- Copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.
Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'Devonian witches use the high remote places of Dartmoor for their magic making and contacting the spirit world. To get to their chosen place calls for a long trek on foot, so they travel light. The witch Alice of Ashburton used Bench Tor as her chosen pulse spot. This is her small altar formed of three bits of different coloured granite each of which is native to Bench Tor. A gorse twig, a tiny earthenware jug - a fine white bone chalice and two horn drinking cups. After use Alice buried the stone altar in a secret place, the horn chalice and cups she brought with her, together with her flask containing her home brewed fairy honey wine and a box of matches with which to kindle the ritual fire made from gorse twigs gathered on the Tor. It is as simple as that. To get up, out and away, to spirit lands.'
See also 1450 and 1451.