The History of Fairies & Women

Once, there was a realm ruled by a powerful Queen – a figure who could shape her appearance, take lovers, and command a kingdom beneath the earth that included the dead. Known by many names, she was most often called the Queen of the Fairies.

In this talk, we’ll explore Britain’s lost fairy traditions through this enigmatic figure. From early medieval pagan beliefs – including links to the goddess Diana – to later connections with saints and angels, we’ll trace how her story evolved across time. We’ll uncover accounts of Scottish witches said to draw power from her, alongside those who feared her influence – and explore why the Presbyterian Kirk sought to suppress these stories. Finally, we’ll examine what these stories reveal about women, power and belief in Britain’s past.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Speaker Bio:

Diane Purkiss is Professor of English at the University of Oxford, and a fellow of Keble College. She has published on witchcraft, fairies, and also on the English Civil War, the occasion of England's biggest witchhunt. She has been in more than a dozen television documentaries; she even has an IMdb entry and a Wikipedia page… She has spoken to general audiences at numerous literary festivals and to many local history societies.

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