Doreen Valiente
An early Gardnerian priestess, often called the mother of modern witchcraft, who wrote much of the liturgy still used in Wicca.
2 min read · Updated 11 November 2026 · Last checked 11 November 2026
Life and work #
Doreen Valiente lived from 1922 to 1999. She was an author and poet and took part in several early traditions, including Gardnerian Wicca and Cochrane’s Craft.1
She was initiated by Gardner in 1953, became High Priestess of his coven, and is credited with much of the early Gardnerian liturgy, including the Charge of the Goddess.2
Her books include An ABC of Witchcraft (1973) and Witchcraft for Tomorrow (1978), which still calls the festivals by their seasonal names.3,4
What to be careful about #
The foundation that carries her name is not an independent source, and I have taken the details of her part in the liturgy from an encyclopedia entry. Neither is a substitute for her own books or for a full biography.
On this site #
See also: Gerald Gardner.
Notes
- 'About us', Doreen Valiente Foundation. ↩
- 'Doreen Valiente', Wikipedia. ↩
- Doreen Valiente, An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present (Robert Hale, 1973). ↩
- 'Wheel of the Year', Wikipedia. ↩
Modern works cited
- 'Wheel of the Year', Wikipedia — read online
A tertiary source, used here only for dates and for who coined which name. Check anything important against the books above. - 'About us', Doreen Valiente Foundation — read online
A foundation set up in her name, so it is not an independent source. It gives her dates as 1922 to 1999 and says she took part in several early traditions, including Gardnerian Wicca and Cochrane's Craft. - 'Doreen Valiente', Wikipedia — read online
An encyclopedia entry, used for the usual account: initiated by Gardner in 1953, High Priestess of his coven, and credited with much of the early Gardnerian liturgy, including the Charge of the Goddess. - Doreen Valiente, An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present (Robert Hale, 1973)
By a leading early Gardnerian. Listed as a place to read.
Cite this page. The Garden, ‘Doreen Valiente’, https://camelmaps.org/garden/person.php, last updated 11 November 2026, last checked 11 November 2026. What has changed.