The search for enchantment

Medieval Europeans lived in a world steeped in magic – meeting fairies in barrows and consulting ‘cunning folk’ as we might a doctor or therapist. Magic was woven into the fabric of daily life and helped to make sense of the world’s profound uncertainty. But magic isn’t just in the distant past.

In today’s uncertain times, many people are craving a connection to a more mysterious and meaningful realm. From the pagan joy of summer festivals to the upsurge of TikTok tarot and the turn towards the healing power of nature, we seem to yearn for a more magical way of thinking. Is this a good thing, or is it taking us back into a darker, less ‘enlightened’ past? Join us for an evening of conversation and music with historian Tabitha Stanmore and Mercury Prize-nominated folk singer, conservationist and novelist Sam Lee.

Tabitha Stanmore

Speaker

Tabitha Stanmore is a specialist in medieval and early modern English magic and witchcraft. She completed her PhD in the history of practical magic at the University of Bristol, and recently completed postdoctoral research on the Leverhulme-funded Seven County Witch Hunt Project at the University of Exeter. Her book, Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic (2024), won the Katharine Briggs Award and was Editor’s Pick in the New York Times. She has featured on Radio 3’s Free Thinking and BBC 4’s Plague Fiction, and written for TIME Magazine, The Conversation and The Telegraph among others.

Tabitha can be found on Bluesky at @magicnotwitches.bsky.social

Sam Lee

Artist

Sam Lee is a singer, folk song collector, author, conservationist and activist. Nominated for the Mercury prize, Sam’s work takes old songs and leads them very much into the modern era through highly contemporary arrangements and rewritings of ancient songs. His latest album, ‘songdreaming’ (2024), underscores his commitment to evolving his music beyond traditional folk boundaries while maintaining a deep connection to the themes of nature and human experience. He has also used his music and public presence to advocate for environmental causes, working with organisations like Music Declares Emergency and EarthPercent and founding the much praised event series Singing With Nightingales. Sam’s work is a testament to his belief in the power of traditional songs to speak to modern audiences.

Sam can be found on instagram at @samleesong

Sally Davies

Host

Sally is a writer and former executive editor of Aeon magazine, with interests spanning philosophy, science, feminism and culture.