British Traditional Wicca
Encyclopedia
British Traditional Wicca (abbreviated BTW) is a term used to describe some Wicca
n traditions which have their origins in the New Forest region
of England. The most prominent such traditions are Gardnerian Wicca
and Alexandrian Wicca
, but other traditions either derived from them or claiming a shared New Forest history
(notably Central Valley Wicca
), are also considered to be British Traditional Wicca. In the case of some traditions (such as Blue Star Wicca
), some lines are considered to be British Traditional Wicca and some are not.
British Traditional Wicca is not to be confused with British Traditional Witchcraft (see below).
word for "[male] witch", the female form being "wicce" both older forms of the Modern English "witch". In modern usage, however, it came into the public lexicon with the works of Gerald Gardner
, with the spelling "wica". That the term (in either spelling) was used solely for a particular group of witches was generally accepted both by Gardner's initiates and unrelated witches who did not use the word to describe themselves, and in some cases would speak scornfully of the "Wiccans".
Initially, "the Wica" was used as the term for the group in question. Members of the group were described as "of the Wica", and their religion was merely labelled "The Old Religion". The usage changed to the current trend of referring the religion and priesthood as "Wicca" and its practitioners as "Wiccan" (used both as a noun and an adjective).
Due to the impact of Gardner, Alex Sanders
, and their initiatory descendants, upon Pagan witchcraft, and possibly due to the term being originally relatively unknown and hence not sharing nuances and preconceptions that "witch" and "witchcraft" have, the term "Wicca" became the term used for almost all Neopagan witchcraft.
This led to three groups using the term in different ways:
This difference in definition led to some hostility between the first and second groups. The New Forest-derived covens saw the Neopagan Witches as claiming a name that did not belong to them, but only to "family". The Neopagan Witches saw the New Forest-derived covens' claim to the term as elitist and disparaging of their own paths. As historical hostility between Gardnerians and Alexandrians waned, the differences between them and others using the term "Wicca" became all the more apparent.
The term "British Traditional Witchcraft" was suggested, mainly in the United States, as an uncontroversial label for the New Forest-descended covens, but that term is used in Britain to refer to those traditions, such as Cochrane's, that claim a heritage predating Gardner's publications, but not related to Gardner's groups or recent predecessors of it.
Hence the term "British Traditional Wicca" became the term used to uncontroversially label the New Forest traditions, though they will generally use "Wicca" amongst themselves to refer only to British Traditional Wicca.
However, it is also a requirement that the training they received, and the tradition they continue to work, remain consistent with BTW practice. The exact requirements of this are not well defined, and apparently contain at least a few oath-bound matters not discussed with non-initiates.
Notably, Isaac Bonewits
defined BTW not as Neopagan (which he categorises other Wiccan paths as) but as Mesopagan.
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n traditions which have their origins in the New Forest region
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
of England. The most prominent such traditions are Gardnerian Wicca
Gardnerian Wicca
Gardnerian Wicca, or Gardnerian Witchcraft, is a mystery cult tradition or denomination in the neopagan religion of Wicca, whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner. The tradition is itself named after Gardner , a British civil servant and scholar of magic...
and Alexandrian Wicca
Alexandrian Wicca
Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition of the Neopagan religion of Wicca, founded by Alex Sanders who, with his wife Maxine Sanders, established the tradition in the United Kingdom in the 1960s...
, but other traditions either derived from them or claiming a shared New Forest history
New Forest coven
The New Forest coven were a group of Neopagan witches or Wiccans who allegedly met around the area of the New Forest in southern England during the 1930s and 1940s...
(notably Central Valley Wicca
Central Valley Wicca
Central Valley Wicca, sometimes abbreviated as CVW, refers to a particular group of traditions within the Neopagan religion of Wicca which trace their roots to a group of Wiccan practitioners who brought their practice from England to the Central Valley of California at some point in the early 1960s...
), are also considered to be British Traditional Wicca. In the case of some traditions (such as Blue Star Wicca
Blue Star Wicca
Blue Star Wicca is one of a number of Wiccan traditions, and was created in the United States in the 1970s based loosely on the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions...
), some lines are considered to be British Traditional Wicca and some are not.
British Traditional Wicca is not to be confused with British Traditional Witchcraft (see below).
History of the term
The term "wicca" is well-attested as the Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
word for "[male] witch", the female form being "wicce" both older forms of the Modern English "witch". In modern usage, however, it came into the public lexicon with the works of Gerald Gardner
Gerald Gardner
Gerald Brousseau Gardner , who sometimes used the craft name Scire, was an influential English Wiccan, as well as an amateur anthropologist and archaeologist, writer, weaponry expert and occultist. He was instrumental in bringing the Neopagan religion of Wicca to public attention in Britain and...
, with the spelling "wica". That the term (in either spelling) was used solely for a particular group of witches was generally accepted both by Gardner's initiates and unrelated witches who did not use the word to describe themselves, and in some cases would speak scornfully of the "Wiccans".
Initially, "the Wica" was used as the term for the group in question. Members of the group were described as "of the Wica", and their religion was merely labelled "The Old Religion". The usage changed to the current trend of referring the religion and priesthood as "Wicca" and its practitioners as "Wiccan" (used both as a noun and an adjective).
Due to the impact of Gardner, Alex Sanders
Alex Sanders (Wiccan)
Alex Sanders , born Orrell Alexander Carter, was an English occultist and High Priest in the Neopagan religion of Wicca, responsible for founding the tradition of Alexandrian Wicca during the 1960s. He was a figure who often appeared in tabloid newspapers...
, and their initiatory descendants, upon Pagan witchcraft, and possibly due to the term being originally relatively unknown and hence not sharing nuances and preconceptions that "witch" and "witchcraft" have, the term "Wicca" became the term used for almost all Neopagan witchcraft.
This led to three groups using the term in different ways:
- The New Forest-descended covens were using the term "Wicca" solely to describe themselves.
- Neopagan Witches were using the term "Wicca" to describe all or nearly all Pagan witches, certainly including themselves as well as the New Forest-descended covens, and often including those witches that disassociated themselves from the term. In many cases arguing that "Wiccan" and "Witch" were synonymous.
- Some who would label themselves "witches" (some of these also labelling themselves "Pagan", some not) would be aware of the term "Wicca" but, however they understood it, not consider themselves Wiccan.
This difference in definition led to some hostility between the first and second groups. The New Forest-derived covens saw the Neopagan Witches as claiming a name that did not belong to them, but only to "family". The Neopagan Witches saw the New Forest-derived covens' claim to the term as elitist and disparaging of their own paths. As historical hostility between Gardnerians and Alexandrians waned, the differences between them and others using the term "Wicca" became all the more apparent.
The term "British Traditional Witchcraft" was suggested, mainly in the United States, as an uncontroversial label for the New Forest-descended covens, but that term is used in Britain to refer to those traditions, such as Cochrane's, that claim a heritage predating Gardner's publications, but not related to Gardner's groups or recent predecessors of it.
Hence the term "British Traditional Wicca" became the term used to uncontroversially label the New Forest traditions, though they will generally use "Wicca" amongst themselves to refer only to British Traditional Wicca.
Recognition as British Traditional Wicca
For someone to be recognised as practising British Traditional Wicca by another practitioner the most basic requirement is that they were initiated into the tradition by someone who was themselves a BTW initiate of sufficient degree - and hence having an initiatory heritage traceable back to someone indisputably of the Tradition, generally being traced as far as Gardner, Sanders, etc.However, it is also a requirement that the training they received, and the tradition they continue to work, remain consistent with BTW practice. The exact requirements of this are not well defined, and apparently contain at least a few oath-bound matters not discussed with non-initiates.
Defining features
British Traditional Wicca has been highly influential upon other Wiccan traditions, with several non-BTW traditions modeling themselves after the BTW. Even the importance of initiatory lineage is found in some - whether because they are traditions descended from BTW, but having departed from it, or because they have a similar, but unlinked, place for initiatory lineage.Notably, Isaac Bonewits
Isaac Bonewits
Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits was an influential American Druid who published a number of books on the subject of Neopaganism and magic. He was also a liturgist, singer and songwriter, and founded the Druidic organisation Ár nDraíocht Féin, as well as the Neopagan civil rights group, the Aquarian...
defined BTW not as Neopagan (which he categorises other Wiccan paths as) but as Mesopagan.