N.E.C.T.W. (The New England Coven of Traditionalist Witches) was founded in 1972 by Lady Gwen Thompson, a hereditary witch from New Haven, Connecticut. Her family tradition blended with popular occultism and was handed down in its present form.
The N.E.C.T.W. is of Traditionalist origin. It is a place for men and women to be trained in the Craft as handed down by Adrianna Porter through her granddaughter, Gwen Thompson. Although formally named in 1972, this family tradition was brought into the public in the late 1960's.
The Craft requires a strong follower with a sincere heart willing to train and practice in order to understand the ways of the Wise.
In our Tradition we celebrate the Wheel of the Year, the cycles of Light and Darkness, and the phases of the Moon. Not only are the Sabbats and Esbats a time to celebrate the Universal energies without, it is a time to celebrate those energies we carry within.
Gwen Thompson’s surviving letters show that she possessed the New Englander’s characteristic interest in her old ancestors. She knew the names and the circumstances of the lives of many of them, and told her initiates stories about some of them.
During the early years of the 20th century Pagan Renaissance Lady Gwynne Thompson (1928 - 1986) — primary teacher of N.E.C.T.W. — was publicly engaged at a high level with the resurgence of witchcraft in the United States. She was a prolific correspondent with just about every figure in the fledgling Pagan movement and a frequent contributor to The Green Egg — a publication that was arguably the lifeline which bound the movement together during that early era.
Gwen ran a small Coven out of her North Haven, CT home from which she mentored initiates in the lore she had inherited from her family line. At the time only a few others identified their Craft heritage as “Traditional Witchcraft.”
In "Green Egg" #69, Lady Gwen (aka Lady Gwynne) Thompson shared our Tradition’s version of the Rede attributing it to Adriana Porter, her paternal grandmother, who crossed over into the Summerland in 1946.
Being known as the counsel of the Wise Ones:
This version of the Rede has appeared in many publications, on various sites and in many stores in a frame for purchase by those who follow Wiccan values. These printed versions come from The Green Egg where it was first published by Lady Gwynne. There have been only a few instances when the name of Lady Gwynne has been mentioned.
Lady Gwynne gave this rede to the universe and for this and everything else she gave us, we honor her and carry on her Tradition.
Coven of Minerva, RI – Megan & Theitic
Nemed Cuculatii, WA – Raven & Ash
Needfire Grove, MD – Brigid & Merlin
Coven of Athena, RI – Eowyn & Theitic
Coven of the Crossroads, RI – Sparrow & Theitic
Raven Eyrie Coven, MA – Raven Willow & Talonquill
Hearth of Brighid, South-Wales, UK – Breo & Theitic
Grove of the Phoenix, Banbury England, UK – Jera & Theitic
Coven of Brigandu, Montreal, Canada – Gwalchtan
Coven of the Midnight Sun, RI – Eowyn & Lucius
This book is for the true seeker, willing to step behind the veil of the new Witchcraft to get a glimpse of those who live the Craft, those who treasure the Craft as an heirloom that passes through the generations either orally or in written form.
This is a tale told by Gwen Thompson about her grandmother, Adriana Porter, and how she came to be the last carrier of her ancestral Tradition of Witchcraft.
The information was researched by Robert Mathiesen, a medieval philologist and professor at Brown University, and Theitic, an Elder in the Tradition the Gwen Thompson founded.