✨ 🌘 Cunning Folk: Life in the era of practical magic

Name: ✨ 🌘 Cunning Folk: Life in the era of practical magic
Start: 2025-10-28T12:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-10-28T14:00:00+00:00
Location: The Mary Rose

Schedule

Tue Oct 28 2025 at 12:00 pm to 02:00 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

The Mary Rose | Portsmouth, EN

The sea can be a dangerous place. How did travellers in the past cope with the risks and dangers that they faced? Especially in the sixteenth century, when sailors were at the mercy of the wind and waves, relying on stars to find their way across the ocean, it’s not surprising that magic and superstitions abounded.
Join Dr Tabitha Stanmore in an exploration of practical magic in English history. We will hear about the role magic played in everyday life, and especially the spells used aboard ships like the Mary Rose. There were charms to call the wind and calm the waters, amulets to protect against the sea, and magical contracts to bring sailors safely home. By the end of the talk, you’ll know how important the supernatural was to our ancestors’ lives and why it made sense to them.
Dr Tabitha Stanmore is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter, and a specialist in early modern magic and witchcraft. She has appeared on BBC Radio 3 and BBC 4, and written for BBC History Magazine, TIME magazine, and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Cunning Folk: Life in the era of practical magic is based on her PhD research and out in paperback on 28th May.
Tickets cost £30 per person
Timetable: 13:00 – Book signing
14:00 – Talk by author
15:00 – Talk to finish and book signing and Q&A
15:30-17:00 Chance to explore the museum
Please Note: This experience price includes entry to The Mary Rose Museum for the day of, and time of the event only, and does not include a Mary Rose ticket. This experience does not include a copy of the book this will be available to purchase separately.