Storm in a teacup - Occult Bristol Talk with William Player

Occult Bristol: Hidden Orders, Haunted Histories, and Forbidden Texts

Occult Bristol takes you on a tour of the city’s stranger side—its unique Masonic traditions, Templar rumours, Golden Dawn magic, Crowley stories, famous hauntings, witchcraft cases, old alchemy myths, and even legends about Jesus visiting the West Country. You’ll also get to see a bunch of rare occult books and artefacts from William’s personal collection

What we’ll explore

• The Freemasons of Bristol
Discover why Bristol is considered one of the most unusual Masonic centres in the world: the unique Bristol Ritual, the mysterious Rite of Baldwyn, and the globally singular “passing the veil” initiation of the Holy Royal Arch. William will offer insight from the perspective of a modern Freemason.

• Knights Templar in the West Country
Did the Templars move sacred or stolen treasures through Bristol’s medieval ports? Explore legends of underground passages beneath St Mary Redcliffe, the ancient cathedral crypts of College Green, and hints of Templar alchemy.

• The Golden Dawn in Bristol
Bristol once hosted its own temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn—the same order that trained many of the 20th century’s most influential magicians. Meet the elusive Hermes Temple, its connection to Israel Regardie, and its slow dissolution into the 1970s.

• Crowley in Bristol
Did Aleister Crowley himself walk the city’s steep, shadowed hills? Hear the rumours of his Golden Dawn connections, magical visits, and the tale that he once owned a property in Cotham near Nine Tree Hill.

• Ghosts & the Paranormal
From Christmas Steps to the SS Great Britain, Bristol Old Vic to the Llandoger Trow, the city is dense with hauntings. Explore execution sites, phantom hitchhikers, poltergeists, and centuries of spectral folklore.

• Demonism & Merchant Sigils
Did Bristol’s medieval merchants hide demonic sigils in their trade marks and church carvings? Examine curious symbols found in St Mary Redcliffe, the old city gates, and other gothic corners of Bristol.

• Witchcraft in the City
Uncover forgotten local witchcraft cases, including the astonishing 1761 haunting at the Lamb Inn—complete with poltergeist phenomena, coded spirit communication, clerical interrogations, and the infamous witch-bottle remedy.

• The Alchemical City
Explore Bristol’s legacy as one of England’s alchemical capitals—home to Thomas Norton (author of The Ordinal of Alchemy), the Norton family lineage, connections to George Ripley, and rumours of alchemy at Clifton College.

• Jesus in Britain?
Dive into the old legends claiming Jesus or Joseph of Arimathea travelled the ancient tin routes to the West Country, leaving early Christian footprints between Bristol and Glastonbury.

• The Occult Art of Invisibility
A look at historical magical texts and traditions that claim to teach literal invisibility—and what those rituals actually meant.

A Rare Occult Showcase

William will also be bringing several extremely rare esoteric books from his personal collection, including:
• Black books by A. E. Waite
• Original alchemical works such as The Triumphal Chariot of Basil Valentine and Norton’s Ordinal of Alchemy
• John Dee’s Enochian magic materials
• A massive early edition of the Egyptian Book of the Dead (including reproductions of a papyrus Waite is said to have removed from Egypt)
• Grimoire texts, Templar manuscripts, and more

These are seldom-seen artefacts, shown only for this event.

**Please note that some of the subjects we will be discussing are speculative, as there is not enough historical evidence or research to support definitive conclusions.