As one of London’s oldest botanic gardens and a herbal witches’ paradise, it contains a unique living collection of around 5,000 different edible, unusual and medicinal plants that have changed the world.

Calendar arrived safely in plastic-free packaging - which I've not seen before with a calendar, so kudos for that. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. The Knights Templar outgrew their headquarters and built Temple Church between Fleet Street and the River Thames, a round church based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.In this episode, we embark on a journey through the mystical and esoteric significances embedded in the Christmas and Yule celebrations. Since 1982, Mysteries has been London’s self-proclaimed new age hub for all your mind, body and spirit needs.

Dr John Dee (1527 – 1608), who used a crystal ball and scrying mirror to guide Queen Elizabeth through one of the most challenging eras in British history, is perhaps the most renowned example. The purple and gold exterior contains a multitude of gems, stones, pendants, oils, compasses, cards, sundials, bracelets, interesting zodiac and and of course horoscopes and astrology books.

This is a fascinating jaunt through the specific occult history of London, using famous or notorious figures like John Dee, Madame Blavatsky and Nicholas Hawksmoor to explain the little peculiarities that make London such an interesting place to live. The topics range from astrology to black arts, passing by masonry, mythology, Wicca, paganism, Celts, taoism, buddhism, Zen, Christianity, Judaism, yoga, hermeticism, hermeneutics, philosophy, fables, and countless other occult and religious texts. Valery was an amazing tour guide and takes great care to make sure that the places you visit are tailored to exactly what you want to see. This is not a reference to the ninth-best song ever written by John Squire, but rather the catchphrase of Aleister Crowley.

From the Elizabethan magic of Dr Dee and Simon Forman, to the occult designs of Wren and Hawksmoor; from the Victorian London of Spring-Heeled Jack, to the  fin de siècle  heyday of Madame Blavatsky and Aleister Crowley. Valery was highly communicative and resourceful in helping me plan my proposal to my now fiancé at the end of this tour. Across town, the Knights Templar established a base in High Holborn, in a Roman temple once revered by Hugues de Payens. Sadly, it is now embedded in an abandoned building across from Cannon Street Tube Station, its former glory but a distant memory. It gives the reader a nice introduction about the occult history of the city, but it is rather brief, more a summary than a decent treatment on the subject.Come the Second World War an urban myth arose in which British witches were said to have gathered to assist Winston Churchill in deterring Hitler from advancing on Britain. Greenwich Park, we read, is home to a water fountain built from the remnants of an ancient stone circle. The practice of Satanism was not uncommon in London and some believe that the creature with the fiery eyes was manifested by satanic rituals and remained in this realm, only later becoming known as Spring-Heeled Jack and the Highgate Vampire.

If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published. The strange carvings and eerie atmosphere make it well worth the trip to this southeast London suburb. The crypts are of one of the largest in Europe, and seeing the huge amounts of bones, coffins and gravestones is a definitive glimpse into London’s sinister and formidable past.Also check out Kate Hodges’ new book, Warriors, Witches, Women – “the stories of 50 goddesses, ghosts, and half-monsters, revisited from a modern, feminist perspective”, with a foreword by Maxine Peak. Sure enough, London’s native tribes appear to have paid homage to their gods for protection from the Romans, as indicated by a decorative bronze shield with inlaid coloured glass found in the Thames near Battersea that dates to this time.