‘Alexandrian Witchcraft’ is a designation for the witchcraft practises of Alex and Maxine Sanders and was coined circa 1971 when Stewart Farrar, a journalist at the time, was writing ‘What Witches Do’ with Alex Sanders. Farrar, who based his book on hours of recorded interviews with Alex, wanted to know how the Sanders’ witchcraft practises should be described in the book.

First Edition — Great Britain 1971

Given the term was already in general use by the witches since the mid-late Sixties, it was decided at a meeting amongst Farrar, Alex, and Maxine to adopt that which was already in use.

Later editions of ‘What Witches Do’ were substantially edited; photographs depicting Alex and Maxine removed.

The origins of Alexandrian Witchcraft (some refer to as ‘Wicca’) deriving from Gardnerian Wicca are well documented; the connection between Alex Sanders and Gerald Gardner is also historically enshrined complete with colourful and controversial lore — a Sanders’ hallmark — eg ‘was Alex initiated by his grandmother’; ‘was Alex initiated Gardnerian and if so by whom’’; ‘what’s the bad blood between Alex and Pat Crowther’, just to name a few.

Since those early days, the ancestral tree of the Tradition has branched into many generations and lines in multiple countries. Although the rite of Initiation is what connects all First Wiccan Initiates of any derivation, covens are autonomous. As such, many will find variations on the original Sanders’ practices and teachings.

First Edition — USA 1971

There was never a head/leader of the Alexandrian Tradition. Each coven, as mentioned, is autonomous. It is always hoped that Alexandrian elders will take on the original role of humility and be approachable in times of need.

When an Initiate has passed all the tests of Initiation and received their Second and Third degrees, they are free to either stay with the coven or leave and establish their own, they can take with them any who wish to go. It is not necessary for there to be a High Priest and High Priestess, either one is enough. The Alexandrian Tradition focus is more on ritual and knowledge in action than on the propagation of large covens and extensive downlines.