Mari Ellis Dunning, a creative writing lecturer at Aberystwyth University, will speak in Barry on Tuesday, October 27, as part of the Barry Arts Festival.
Her talk will take place at Môr on Barry High Street and will begin at 7pm.
She will explore the folklore and beliefs that led to perceptions of Wales as a land of magic and sorcery, drawing on research that inspired her debut novel, Witsh.
Ian Johnson, organiser of the Barry Arts Festival, said: “With spooky season on the way, we’re looking forward to learning more about the story of witchcraft in Wales, and why the outcome was so different here, compared to England and Scotland.
“This should be a fascinating event, from so many different angles – learning about Welsh social history, as well as hearing Mari’s poetry and fiction, based on her research work on witchcraft in Wales.
“A creative writing lecturer at Aberystwyth University, Mari has strong connections with the Barry area, and we are very pleased that she is coming back to Barry to present her work to us.”
During the talk, Ms Dunning will consider why only five people were hanged for witchcraft in Wales, compared to around 500 in England and thousands in Scotland.
She will also read from her poetry collections and from her novel Witsh.
Tickets for the event are priced at £10 and are available online through Ticketsource.
