Raymond Buckland (31 August 1934 – 27 September 2017),
Craft name Robat, was a British-born author, Wiccan high priest, and occultist widely regarded as the “Father of American Witchcraft.” He played a pivotal role in introducing and popularising Gardnerian Wicca in the United States and creating his own tradition, Seax-Wica.
Early Life
Buckland was born in London, England, to Stanley Thomas Buckland (of Romanichal/Romani descent) and Eileen Lizzie Wells (English). The family moved to Nottingham during World War II, where he attended Nottingham High School and developed interests in amateur theater and the occult/spiritualism, inspired by a Spiritualist uncle around age 12. He later attended King’s College School and earned a doctorate in anthropology from Brantridge Forest College.
In 1955, he married his first wife, Rosemary Moss. He served in the Royal Air Force (1957–1959) and worked in a London publishing company before emigrating with his family to the United States in 1962, settling on Long Island, New York. There, he worked for British Airways (BOAC).
Introduction of Wicca to America
While in the US, Buckland read Margaret Murray’s The Witch-Cult in Western Europe and Gerald Gardner’s Witchcraft Today, sparking his deep interest.
He corresponded with Gardner and, in 1963, he and Rosemary traveled to Perth, Scotland, where they were initiated into Gardnerian Wicca by High Priestess Monique Wilson (Lady Olwen). They returned with a copy of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows and established the first Gardnerian coven in the United States on Long Island in 1964.
Buckland was one of the first people in the US to publicly identify as a Wiccan practitioner. Initially keeping a low profile, he and his wife were outed by the media, leading to public appearances (including on talk shows). He also founded the First Museum of Witchcraft and Magick in the US (starting in his basement in 1968 and later moving locations), inspired by Gardner’s museum on the Isle of Man.
Major Contributions and Traditions
After separating from Rosemary in 1973, Buckland left the original coven. In 1974, he created Seax-Wica (or Saxon Witchcraft), a tradition drawing on Anglo-Saxon pagan symbolism that emphasised solitary practice and did not require formal initiation.
He detailed it in The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft and ran a successful correspondence course that attracted around 1,000 students.
He was a strong advocate for making Wicca accessible, supporting “outer court” practices and solitary paths, which influenced the broader growth of eclectic and solitary Wicca in America. His Long Island coven/lineage produced many influential figures in modern Paganism.
Books and Writings
Buckland was a prolific author with over 40 titles on Wicca, magic, the occult, Spiritualism, and fiction.
Key works include:
• Witchcraft from the Inside (1971) — One of his early influential books.
• Practical Candleburning Rituals (widely popular).
• Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft (1986, often called “The Big Blue Book”) — A comprehensive “how-to” guide that became a staple for many practitioners.
• The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft (1974).
• Others: Signs, Symbols & Omens, The Witch Book (encyclopedia ), books on Romani Tarot, Scottish Witchcraft, and more.
In later years, he wrote fiction (mysteries, fantasy, sci-fi) and continued some nonfiction.
Personal Life and Later Years
Buckland married three times: first to Rosemary (divorced 1973), then Joan Helen Taylor (1974), and finally Tara (around the mid-1980s), with whom he shared a long and happy marriage. They moved to a farm in north-central Ohio in 1992, where he lived as a solitary practitioner.
He maintained diverse interests including acting, stand-up comedy, ultralight flying, sports cars, music, and Spiritualism (frequenting Lily Dale). He largely stepped back from public Pagan life but remained respected and occasionally appeared at events or in media.
His health declined in 2015 with pneumonia and a heart attack; he recovered somewhat but passed away on 27 September 2017 in Ohio from heart and lung complications at age 83.
Legacy
Buckland’s museum collection has been preserved and is displayed as the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick in Cleveland, Ohio.
A detailed biography, High Priest: Raymond Buckland, the Father of American Witchcraftby Jason Mankey (drawing on unpublished memoirs), was published in 2025.
He is remembered as a gentleman, visionary, and trailblazer who helped transition Wicca from secrecy to a more open, diverse, and accessible spiritual path in America. His influence spans generations through his books, initiatory lines, and emphasis on personal practice.
