Esoteric Kent: Myths, Mysteries & Magical Histories

Kent is a county steeped in strangeness.  Is the Isle of Thanet really the Isle of the Dead? Was Margate’s Shell Grotto once a temple to the Phoenician goddess Tanit? Did Crowley really hold séances in Ramsgate Tunnels, or is that just a TripAdvisor tall tale? And how did this corner of England become entwined with the creation of the Rider–Waite–Smith tarot deck? Join local writer Anna — aka Esoteric Isle — for a fascinating deep dive into the myths, mysteries, and occult stories woven through Kent’s history.

Anna Willatt is the writer behind Esoteric Isle, a project uncovering Kent’s hidden esoteric connections. After a decade as a travel writer and editor, she fell headlong into the rabbit hole of local occult history in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. She now writes a regular column for Cene Magazine about the county’s esoteric lore, has spoken at the UK Tarot Conference Retreat, and curates a popular newsletter exploring the weird and wonderful. Anna’s work has recently expanded into international territory, with published pieces on vampire culture in New Orleans. Her love language? Sharing strange links and receiving them in return.