Do you scare easily?

It’s a challenge that faces every visitor to the Creaky Cauldron and the Museum of Witchcraft and Wizardology in Henley Street Stratford upon Avon – Warwickshire’s most haunted museum and scare attraction.

Spread over three floors of a genuinely haunted building that dates back over 450 years, the experience is not one you are likely to forget and it’s definitely not for the faint hearted!  Scene of a terrifying murder in the late 1700’s and more than just one tragic accident and unusual death over the centuries, the atmosphere is truly spine tingling!

By day, the museum is about the Stratford Witchcraft Murders of 1875 and 1945 as well as charting the history of the Bombay family – one of England’s most eccentric families – that did more than just dabble in the dark arts! Will you be able to face your fears in the Victorian Spirit Cabinet, walk past the Haunted Toy Shoppe or venture into the Witch’s Apothecary?

But by night... that's a whole different ball game.  Transformed into the Stratford Ripper Experience there are reports of over 40 separate and identified spirits and ghosts roaming the halls and stairs of this terrifying museum and who knows who, or what, you might meet in the hallways.

Wait! Did that mannequin actually move – or was it just a trick of the light? 

Find out, if you think you’re brave enough……

The Creaky Cauldron is open to restless souls every day apart from Christmas Day and New Years Day from 10.00am until 5.00pm.  Candlelit Ghost Tours take place every night at 7.30pm and Ghost Hunts take place every Saturday at 9.30pm – but prebooking for the evening events is essential to avoid disappointment

The Creaky Cauldron – where every hour is the witching hour!

21 Henley Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6QW

Telephone 01789 290969     Website www.seekthemagic.org

A Passion for Potions and Poltergeists

                       a chat with Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews is one of the owners of the Creaky Cauldron and has been interested in all matters super and hyper natural since an early age.

“Reading Dennis Wheatley as a child was a startling revelation,” he says. “The fact that magic and ghostly beings were real gripped my imagination and it’s a passion that I’ve never lost.”

All the way through school and college Dave pursued this interest and not only studied Latin, Greek and Ancient History but went on to do a degree in Religious Studies and become part of a local Ministry team.

“It wasn’t for me though, the natural world held far more interest for me than just preaching the gospel according to the pagan emperor Constantine and the council of Nicea.  Don’t get me wrong, the Bible is a fascinating book full of home truths and its presentation of what today would be called witchcraft and necromancy as miracles is quite inspiring.”

Over the years these interests have grown and lead to bigger and better things, including the founding of the Wiccan Institute and the Real Magic Spell Company fourteen years ago both of which are now based at the Creaky Cauldron in Stratford upon Avon.

“Since the beginning of time people of all cultures and traditions have used symbols, plants, fire, water, charms and other amulets more to communicate with a higher realm, to honour life's journey and to empower themselves with courage, wisdom and love.

In the Old Craft, ritual is used to connect with the magical life force, to kindle the power and magic that resides in the human heart, to reach clarity and direction by inviting a higher energy to intervene so that your own sacred destiny can unfold.  Whether that energy be a spirit or guiding guardian angel is simply a matter of conjecture.”

Dave believes that the magic ritual of the Earth traditions is about connecting with nature and the Universe through the four elements Earth, Fire, Wind and Water and creating the life you want through love, truth and transformation.

Our modern world has lost its connection with the old magic and has tried to replace it with other things that have no heart. Yet ritual magic of the old ways transforms everything into the extraordinary as all are deemed magical and life a thrilling adventure. The Wiccan Institute holds the essence of ancient mysteries and a connection with old magical methods and would like to share this by offering people the tools and knowledge to help them discover the magic within themselves and in our beautiful natural world for themselves.

Seek The Magic…

Magic Ritual is an ancient practice found in just about every culture throughout history, it is, however, lost to a great extent, in our modern world, which is focused on more material values.  The practice is about creating positive energy you may want in your life by inviting it in with pure intentions.  It is about spending time with your heart to clarify issues and reach inner truth.  It works like meditation, except that many find it easier.

How does it work?

We are all capable of great things. What holds us back is fear, not ability. Living consciously means thinking about our actions, our words, our ideas and our feelings. We are all in touch with the greater unity, with the cosmic consciousness, with magic. The practice of magic allows us to connect with the essential elements of life. It opens our hearts to the joy of love.

A connection with the magical life force happens when your eyes meet the beauty of the moonlight or when you hear the rustling voice of the autumn leaves dancing in the wind. When you bring this energy into your heart you are creating a magic spell. The art of ritual magic is intuitive in all of us, you don't have to have inherited it from your grandmother, you don't have to be a member of a coven or call yourself a 'witch' to be able to cast a magic spell. We all create magic everyday (either good or bad) without necessarily being aware of the energy we are conjuring.

When you use ritual tools to create magic you are consciously harnessing energy in order to bring about change in your life. Next time you hear the voice of the wind, or feel inspired by a starry night or want to run for the sheer joy of being alive know that you have made the connection

Founded before the turn of the century as the Real Magic Spell Company, the Creaky Cauldron is recognised the world over as being the leading and most traditional manufacturer of magical wares. We make everything the old fashioned way ~ by hand, and our attention to detail is legendary. We know exactly what goes into every spell as we pack every box and bag ourselves.

Everything we make reflects our love for where we live, our faith in the world and our hope for the future as well as drawing upon the heritage of our past ~ in fact some of our herbal recipes are over 350 years old and some of the incense blends date back over 2000 years! Our labels are your assurance that, in an increasingly disaffected and impersonal world, our boxes and bags are filled with only good things.

Everything, from the blending of the herbs to the final packaging where the magic is sealed inside is done in a truly magical environment in the mystical heart of Shakespeare's England, Stratford upon Avon.

We are committed to producing these beautifully handcrafted products in an ethical way, and in a magical environment.  And what’s more, we do it all ourselves, right down to sticking on the labels ~ and if you get one which is a little wonky, then you know that it was probably applied very late at night with love and laughter.

The Creaky Cauldron catalogue contains over 350 (yes that's right) spell products and over 300 spell ingredients to chose from so we can truthfully claim to be not only the oldest makers and purveyors of magical wares - but the largest one too!

Welcome to our magical, mystical world!