The Strange History and Homelife of Renaissance Magicians

Fri Oct 17 2025 at 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm UTC+01:00

2/3 Castle Street, CB3 0AQ Cambridge, United Kingdom | Cambridge

The Museum of Cambridge
Publisher/HostThe Museum of Cambridge
The Strange History and Homelife of Renaissance Magicians
Advertisement
Join author Rachel Morris for a highly atmospheric exploration of the charismatic magicians of the Tudor and Renaissance courts and the wives and families who kept the whole magical show on the road.
All things were believable back then – wizards, alchemy, fairies, angels. This is the story of those magical times.
This event will offer a luminous deep dive into the lives of men from Dee to Kepler to Bruno, who were also scientists, astrologers, mathematicians and alchemists.
The remarkable ideas of these magical men still permeate modern culture, from Philip Pullman to C S Lewis. But what do we know of the rest of their households – the lovers, wives, mothers and daughters?
In The Years of the Wizard Rachel Morris also vividly reimagines the less documented lives of the magicians’ families and lovers whose stories have too often been overshadowed by those of the powerful men in their company.
Women supported the travelling households by packing up the libraries, feeding the assistants, entertaining the patrons and educating the children as well as archiving, documenting and collaborating on magical work. Without them, this astonishing era of discovery would have ground to an emphatic halt.
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

2/3 Castle Street, CB3 0AQ Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2 Castle Street, Cambridge, CB3 0AH, United Kingdom

Tickets

Sharing is Caring:

More Events in Cambridge

AUSTIN GOLD + Dead Reynolds - Live in CAMBRIDGE
Thu, 16 Oct at 06:30 pm AUSTIN GOLD + Dead Reynolds - Live in CAMBRIDGE

The Six Six Bar

Austin Gold + Dead Reynolds, Beat Me Outta Me @ The Six Six Bar, Cambridge
Thu, 16 Oct at 07:00 pm Austin Gold + Dead Reynolds, Beat Me Outta Me @ The Six Six Bar, Cambridge

170 East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1DB, United Kingdom

Lady Maisery \/\/ Storey's Field Centre, Cambridge
Thu, 16 Oct at 07:00 pm Lady Maisery // Storey's Field Centre, Cambridge

Storey's Field Centre

Practical Imaging Flow Cytometry - One Day
Fri, 17 Oct at 09:00 am Practical Imaging Flow Cytometry - One Day

Queen Edith Meeting Room, Cambridge Building

SCDC Local Climate Annual Conference
Fri, 17 Oct at 12:00 pm SCDC Local Climate Annual Conference

Storey's Field Centre

Quiz Night & AGM 2025
Fri, 17 Oct at 07:00 pm Quiz Night & AGM 2025

Cottenham Primary School

Bin Weasel @ The Fiver (Cambridge Junction)
Fri, 17 Oct at 07:00 pm Bin Weasel @ The Fiver (Cambridge Junction)

Cambridge Junction

EMO NIGHT LIVE with MySpace or Yours and HOUND - The Six Six Bar, Cambridge
Fri, 17 Oct at 07:00 pm EMO NIGHT LIVE with MySpace or Yours and HOUND - The Six Six Bar, Cambridge

170 East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1DB, United Kingdom

Elizabeth and Jameson
Fri, 17 Oct at 08:00 pm Elizabeth and Jameson

The Golden Hind, Milton Road, CB4 Cambridge, United Kingdom

The Cambridge Photography Show 2025
Sat, 18 Oct at 08:30 am The Cambridge Photography Show 2025

The Graduate Hotel, Cambridge

Cambridge is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Cambridge Events