Friday Photo: The Wookey Hole Witch Hunt

Posted By Joshua Keating Friday, July 31, 2009 - 5:41 PM Share

Jobseekers audition for the role of a resident witch at Wookey Hole Caves on July 28 2009 in Wells, England. The Somerset tourist attraction is looking for a new witch to teach visitors about witchcraft and magic after its previous employee retired and it will come with a salary of 50,000 GBP pro rata. The job advert, which was advertised earlier this month states that the successful applicant 'must be able to cackle' and 'must not be allergic to cats'. and has recieved 2,319 applications as well as 23 letters of complaint from church or religious groups. Legend has it that the caves were home to the Wookey Witch who was turned to stone by Father Bernard who had been appointed by the Abbott of Glastonbury to rid villagers of her curse.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images 
EXPLORE:FRIDAY PHOTO
 

MANFRED OSTROWSKI

4:46 AM ET

August 1, 2009

Wookey Witch

I think there was no witch who had been "turned to stone",
but quite probably a woman who was killed for being considered "dangerous" by superstitious and cruel people who
claimed religious justification for their murder of a
helpless outsider. Many innocent "witches" were killed during the dark ages of superstitious fear. The tourists
should not be confronted with alleged "witchcraft" but
with the uncomfortable truth of unjustified witch-hunts
during many centuries, also in "civilized" England,
which brought death to many victims of hate, defamation,
and ill-disposed denunciation.

 

JIMMYM23412

6:10 AM ET

August 1, 2009

Thanks

Great article - thanks

Jimmy

 

JOSEPHSPARK107

9:00 AM ET

August 1, 2009

Early halowen

Very unusual job, Nice articles specially when Halloween.

mohel

 

MALLIVE777

2:11 PM ET

August 2, 2009

The job is fine, they paying

The job is fine, they paying very good money, no wounder so many people came.
dead sea premier

 

PAUL L.

4:14 PM ET

August 2, 2009

Much to difficult to selct

Much to difficult to selct the right appplicant. There is a much easier way, the official Witches Weighhouse. If you can fly, you will be very light.

'Visitors from all over the world visit for almost a hundred years the Witches Weighouse in Oudewater. They take place on the original scales and receive a certificate. In the building already in the 17th century this weighing took place'.

http://www.heksenwaag.nl/nl/talen/English?PHPSESSID=ac4da75993542de9855af4177568ac1d

 

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