Love Spells and Sex Magic – Boscastle Witchcraft Museum

I was fascinated by the range of charms and spells relating to Love and Sex when visiting the Witchcraft Museum in Boscastle (Cornwall, UK)

Below is a small selection of my favourite pieces. I recommend visiting them to discover the many magical items that they have on display.

 

 

Sea Witches Love Charm to improve a wife’s relationship with her husband. Red wax covered shell stuck to a scallop shell with a certain substance along with the wife’s stocking.

 

St Neot Corn Dolly from Cornwall: Corn dollies may have been used in pagan ceremonies to worship Fertility Gods / Goddesses

 

Terracotta Jars: These 3 Breast shaped jars with Nipple shaped stoppers were used as charms for barren or pregnant women in a wide range of fertility rituals. They were often filled with milk in spells for women having trouble breastfeeding.

 

This lead Heart and Breast combination was made by ‘Singing Sals’ of Wells. This charm was used for nursing mothers who had milk flow problems.

The sexual imagery (below) ranges from fertility charms to items used in Sex Magic. This form of magic involved harnessing the creative energy aroused by sexual contact. Sex magic was often associated with the rejection of Victorian morality.