Witches, Druids and King Arthur

Witches, Druids and King Arthur is a collection of essays on paganism, myth, ritual and the changing meanings attached to them. Ronald Hutton considers how myths are made, examines academic approaches to Arthurian tradition, and investigates Glastonbury’s alternative histories, where antiquarian claims and modern beliefs have become closely entwined.

The book’s central essays turn to modern paganism in Britain and the wider British Isles, including Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Cornwall. Further chapters discuss ritual nudity, pagan themes among the Inklings, the development of modern Druidry and the experience of living with witchcraft. Throughout, historical evidence is set against later interpretations, showing how older identities and traditions have been reconstructed, adapted and contested.