Friends of Hecate is a British occult order that was brought to public attention in 1987 in the book The Demonic Connection.
The book was written by Toyne Newton, Charles Walker and Alan Brown and linked the Friends of Hecate to Clapham Wood. Charles Walker described an incident in the woods in which he had been approached by an initiate of the FoH who claimed responsibility for the slaughter and sacrifice of dogs and other animals. The Friends of Hecate, it is claimed, had earmarked the woods for a decade of occult activity and had contacts in high places in society.
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It is said that a number of dogs have gone missing in the woods or have become surprisingly aggressive after visiting.
Clapham Wood, unfortunately, is directly linked to four human deaths.
In June 1972, police officer Peter Goldsmith vanished, and his body was discovered 6 months later.
In August 1975, Leon Fosterโs body was discovered after a three-week search.
Clapham vicar Reverend Harry Neil Snelling vanished in 1978. Three years later, his body was found in the woods.
Finally, in September 1981, the homeless schizophrenic Jillian Matthews vanished, and her body was found 6 weeks later in Clapham Wood.
Hecate is an old Greek goddess of the household and the newly born. She is often portrayed as a hag or a crone these days, but was once a powerful and beautiful goddess. When Zeus overthrew the Titans and took control of Olympus he allowed Hecate to retain her position. In fact, Hecate is the only one of the ancient Titans who retained her position.
The connection between the Greek goddess and a quasi-pagan British occult order is not entirely clear. However, Hecate is also the goddess of witchcraft, and this alone may be a strong enough focus for the Friends of Hecate order.
Image Credit: Clapham Woods by Davbid Haygarth.
The article above is factually inaccurate Andrew.
The murder of Jillian Mathews happened in Wiston not Clapham.
PC Goldsmith was found at Pepperscombe, Steyning and Rev Snelling on the then Ministry of Defence grounds belonging to Wiston House, near Steyning. My source is the book written by Toyne Newton and Charles Walker – The Demonic Connection, Chapter Seven – Victims of Dark Forces.
Rev Tapsell
Thanks. I took the information above from the internet – so it's certainly fallable! Do you have the Amazon link to the book you're using? Readers might find it useful.
As the Rev pointed out, the deaths did not occur in the wood. The authors try to link them to supposed strange events in the wood. The wood allegedly was liked to UFO activity, apparitions, disappearing dogs and occasional unexplained mechanical failures of autos when driving near the wood (among other things).
Demonic Connection is an interesting read with a fair bit of history of the Sussex area.
I don't think they prove their point though. It seems more likely that they fell victim to a prankster.
Here is the link to Demonic Connection:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Demonic-Connection-Invest…
Newton and Walker also authored a follow up entitled The Dark Worship: The Occult's Quest for World Domination:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Worship-Occults-Ques…
Both are recommended reading if you live in the Sussex area, especially Demonic Connection. If you can find a cheap copy, get it. It is usually rather pricey used.
I don't wish to seem pendantic but the 'Dark Worship' is penned by Toyne Newton alone.
Easy for people to thing that as alot of the research was down to myself.
Charles
FOH was originally a result of my investigations and they seem to continue in the area. Just about all books that cover that subject are based on my research.
This worth watching if you’re interested in FOH.
http://www.huntinghecate.com/
UFOs. Animal disappearances. Human deaths. These are just some of the things that have haunted the mysterious Clapham Woods of West Sussex in recent times. With claims of occult activity in the area, is there any evidence to suggest this is true or is it all an elaborate hoax?
Hunting Hecate follows by day and night, local resident Charles Walker, a paranormal investigator who has been investigating a satanic cult, the Friends of Hecate, for over 30 years.
There is evil in Clapham Wood.
hey looking for recruits, so to speak, i'm planning on travelling to clapham woods and trecking every inch of the common, if anyone is interested than find me through youtube, Muffincakemix, i'm just very intrigued by all this and it gives me something to do lol
hey dude ,,,need some receuits ?
The Hunting Hecate video erroneously states that Reverend Snelling disappeared in Clapham Wood.
An oft repeated mistake.
Rev Snelling was my grandfather
I have just left clapham woods.. I understand you have to give it time and a number of visits but I felt/saw nothing of any significance, except a note on the board at the church reading- if anyone see's the rev's cat acting distressed please contact etc, this I found to be a little strange. Clapham wood is such a large area I never know where to start, apart from of course the style at the church which you speak of (Charles walker) I plan to go again and again until I find something that satisfies my hunger for what ever it is I am hungry for. Clapham wood and chanctonbury ring have always fascinated me since I was a very young girl and my late stepfather used to take me. I would find it very interesting to speak with you (Charles walker) if that would be possible some time.
of course like your web-site but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I’ll surely come back again.
I have spent much time in clapham woods and I am drawn as well to Highdown hill, an old hill fort near Clapham. I am a hedge witch based just in the seaside town near these places. I have a black Shetland pony which has accompanied me on many trips into these woods. We have felt much but never felt intimidation or evil. and at times the pony has sensed something very deep but at this moment I have not felt negativity though I am open to the fact that could change. Woods are deeply spiritual places and are my draw. I have collected many trinkets from the wood to use in my own solitary practices. I am reading through other comments with great interest.
I read this book When it first came out in the 80s. Hecate isnโt anything to do with Satanic rituals by the way. Iโve not visited the woods but I know some can be very powerful. Might pop down on my motorbike this Summer.
The whole area was full of child sex abuse rings. Linked via the masonic police. There are a variety of cases documented.