If you’re looking to add more magic to your life after watching Practical Magic 2, one woman has praised a village which feels like the real deal – and it’s in the UK
The charming village has a magical history, as the most famous witch used to live there (stock image)(Image: Thomas Faull via Getty Images)
The highly anticipated sequel to the cult classic film Practical Magic recently premiered in cinemas. But while it’s always magical to return to the universe of your favourite film, what if you could visit a real life Practical Magic village?
In the book and the film, the Massachusetts small town where the Owens family lives appears to be the idyllic small town. And with the added element of having witches living there, many fans dream of visiting. But one village in the UK also has a unique connection to witches, making it the perfect alternative.
One holidaymaker named Emma decided to share snippets of her visit to the Hampshire village, naming it a ‘real life Practical Magic village’.
“POV: You found a real life Practical Magic village in England,” she wrote in the overlay text of the TikTok video, showing the various witchcraft and magic-inspired shops, as well as the wild horses that are known to explore the village of Burley.
Burley is a small village in Hampshire, located in the heart of the New Forest. It’s famous for its associations with witchcraft, as it had a self-proclaimed witch living there in the 1950s. However, there is plenty of other things to do there with an opportunity for walking, cycling, and horse-riding trails, plus horse-drawn carriage rides through the forest.
Emma added in the caption of the post: “Today, the village is filled with cosy cafes, witchy boutiques, and wild horses roaming down the streets.”
The village still maintains the ancient New Forest tradition of “commoning,” meaning ponies, cattle, and donkeys wander freely through the streets.
“It genuinely feels like stepping straight into the Owens family hometown,” she said. “Gather your coven and save this for your next UK day trip.”
Why is Burley considered a ‘witchy’ village?
Burley is associated with witches primarily because it was home to a woman named Sybil Leek. The famous self-proclaimed “white witch” lived in the Hampshire village during the 1950s.
She became a media sensation by openly practicing witchcraft shortly after the UK repealed the final Witchcraft Act in 1951. She regularly walked through the village wearing a long black cloak with her pet jackdaw, Mr. Hotfoot Jackson, perched on her shoulder.
But as locals were upset by her presence, Sybil decided to move to America where she continued to study and write about the occult and astrology.
Burley has since embraced its witchy history, as there are several shops specialising in magic, including A Coven of Witches, which was not only named by Sybil but you can also find a portrait of her hanging above the fireplace.