With the worst recession since the Norman Conquest of 1066, and unemployment at its highest levels since the Great Plague of 1665, jobs are hard to find.
But if you are good at cackling, not allergic to cats, and do not mind living in a cave, then why not become a witch?
A job is on offer to be a witch in the Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills of Somerset.
But you don't have to be a woman to be this witch - this is because they are unable to definitively prove if the REAL Wookey Witch - said to have lived with pets in the caves hundreds of years ago - was male or female.
For the past six years, the job has been held by Jane Brenner, 66, who is moving to another post at the tourist attraction.
The £50,000 salary is pro-rata, and will depend on the number of shifts, but organisers say there is every likelihood the new witch will earn this amount.
The original Witch of Wookey Hole is now a stalagmite in the first chamber of the caves and the central character in an ancient English legend.
According to the legend, a man from nearby Glastonbury was betrothed to a girl from Wookey. A witch living in Wookey Hole Caves cursed the romance so that it failed.
The man became a monk and sought revenge on this witch who—having been jilted herself—frequently spoiled budding relationships.
The monk stalked the witch into the cave and she hid in a dark corner near one of the underground rivers. The monk blessed the water and splashed some of it at the dark parts of the cave.
Catching the witch off guard, the monk splashed the water at the dark corner she is hiding in. The blessed water immediately petrified the witch, and she remains in the cave to this day as a stalagmite.
Wookey Hole Cave was formed by the action of the River Axe on the limestone hills. Before emerging at Wookey Hole the water enters underground streams and passes through other caves with names such as Swildon's Hole and St Cuthbert's Swallet.
The waters of the River Axe are used in a handmade paper mill, the oldest extant in Britain, and a corn grinding mill operated there since at least 1086.
Wookey Hole Caves was a location for the Most Haunted team, in the latest series of the popular paranormal documentary reality series, in an episode which was aired in March.
Job Centre advertises for £50,000-a-year witch to live in Wookey Hole
By Luke Salkeld
08th July 2009
Daily Mail
Enlarge
Magical job: Jane Brenner, the previous witch at Wookey Hole. Her replacement will get £50,000 pro rata, must be able to cackle and not be allergic to cats
It is not so much a recruitment drive as a witch hunt.
A tourist attraction in the West Country is looking for someone to fill the role of local hag.
The advert for the job at Wookey Hole specifies that the successful applicant 'must be able to cackle' and 'must not be allergic to cats'.
Equality requirements mean the attraction is not permitted to specify the witch's gender.
Ooh arr!: Wookey Hole Caves are a major tourist attraction in the cider county of Somerset
This is because they are unable to definitively prove if the 'real' Wookey Witch - said to have lived with pets in the caves hundreds of years ago - was male or female.
For the past six years, the job has been held by Jane Brenner, 66, who is moving to another post at the tourist attraction.
The £50,000 salary is pro-rata, and will depend on the number of shifts, but organisers say there is every likelihood the new witch will earn this amount.
According to legend, the original Wookey Witch was turned to stone by Father Bernard, who had been appointed by the Abbott of Glastonbury to rid villagers of her curse.
Daniel Medley for the caves said yesterday: 'Wookey Hole wants the appointee to go about her everyday business as a hag, so that people passing through the caves can get a sense of what the place was like in the Dark Ages.
Spellbound: Wookey Hole's witch must be prepared to live in one of its caves
'This was when an old woman lived in the caves with some goats and a dog, causing a variety of social ills including crop failures and disease.
'So the job is straightforward: live in the cave, be a witch, and do the things witches do.'
He added: 'Wookey Hole is advertising nationally and hopes to attract a strong field of candidates, with the £50,000 salary serving as a major incentive.
'We are witchless at the moment so we need to get the role filled as soon as possible.
'We are looking for someone who is friendly, a little mischievous and with lots of character'.
The advert for the role, for which auditions will be held at the end of the month, explains: 'Wookey Hole Human Resources has been advised that under sexual
discrimination law, unless it can provide documentary proof that the original witch was female it can't issue a gender-specific job description.
'Since Wookey Hole can't furnish the required legally binding proof, it has had to accept that the post might eventually be awarded to a man.'
Auditions for the role are being held on July 28 in front of a panel of judges who will assess applicants' costume and character as well as the ability to perform witch tests.
Mr Medley added: 'Ambitious witches, looking for a key career move, should turn up dressed for work and bring any essential witch accoutrements.
'A limited range of potion ingredients will be available.'
dailymail.co.uk
But if you are good at cackling, not allergic to cats, and do not mind living in a cave, then why not become a witch?
A job is on offer to be a witch in the Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills of Somerset.
But you don't have to be a woman to be this witch - this is because they are unable to definitively prove if the REAL Wookey Witch - said to have lived with pets in the caves hundreds of years ago - was male or female.
For the past six years, the job has been held by Jane Brenner, 66, who is moving to another post at the tourist attraction.
The £50,000 salary is pro-rata, and will depend on the number of shifts, but organisers say there is every likelihood the new witch will earn this amount.
The original Witch of Wookey Hole is now a stalagmite in the first chamber of the caves and the central character in an ancient English legend.
According to the legend, a man from nearby Glastonbury was betrothed to a girl from Wookey. A witch living in Wookey Hole Caves cursed the romance so that it failed.
The man became a monk and sought revenge on this witch who—having been jilted herself—frequently spoiled budding relationships.
The monk stalked the witch into the cave and she hid in a dark corner near one of the underground rivers. The monk blessed the water and splashed some of it at the dark parts of the cave.
Catching the witch off guard, the monk splashed the water at the dark corner she is hiding in. The blessed water immediately petrified the witch, and she remains in the cave to this day as a stalagmite.
Wookey Hole Cave was formed by the action of the River Axe on the limestone hills. Before emerging at Wookey Hole the water enters underground streams and passes through other caves with names such as Swildon's Hole and St Cuthbert's Swallet.
The waters of the River Axe are used in a handmade paper mill, the oldest extant in Britain, and a corn grinding mill operated there since at least 1086.
Wookey Hole Caves was a location for the Most Haunted team, in the latest series of the popular paranormal documentary reality series, in an episode which was aired in March.
Job Centre advertises for £50,000-a-year witch to live in Wookey Hole
By Luke Salkeld
08th July 2009
Daily Mail
Enlarge
Magical job: Jane Brenner, the previous witch at Wookey Hole. Her replacement will get £50,000 pro rata, must be able to cackle and not be allergic to cats
It is not so much a recruitment drive as a witch hunt.
A tourist attraction in the West Country is looking for someone to fill the role of local hag.
The advert for the job at Wookey Hole specifies that the successful applicant 'must be able to cackle' and 'must not be allergic to cats'.
Equality requirements mean the attraction is not permitted to specify the witch's gender.
Ooh arr!: Wookey Hole Caves are a major tourist attraction in the cider county of Somerset
This is because they are unable to definitively prove if the 'real' Wookey Witch - said to have lived with pets in the caves hundreds of years ago - was male or female.
For the past six years, the job has been held by Jane Brenner, 66, who is moving to another post at the tourist attraction.
The £50,000 salary is pro-rata, and will depend on the number of shifts, but organisers say there is every likelihood the new witch will earn this amount.
According to legend, the original Wookey Witch was turned to stone by Father Bernard, who had been appointed by the Abbott of Glastonbury to rid villagers of her curse.
Daniel Medley for the caves said yesterday: 'Wookey Hole wants the appointee to go about her everyday business as a hag, so that people passing through the caves can get a sense of what the place was like in the Dark Ages.
Spellbound: Wookey Hole's witch must be prepared to live in one of its caves
'This was when an old woman lived in the caves with some goats and a dog, causing a variety of social ills including crop failures and disease.
'So the job is straightforward: live in the cave, be a witch, and do the things witches do.'
He added: 'Wookey Hole is advertising nationally and hopes to attract a strong field of candidates, with the £50,000 salary serving as a major incentive.
'We are witchless at the moment so we need to get the role filled as soon as possible.
'We are looking for someone who is friendly, a little mischievous and with lots of character'.
The advert for the role, for which auditions will be held at the end of the month, explains: 'Wookey Hole Human Resources has been advised that under sexual
discrimination law, unless it can provide documentary proof that the original witch was female it can't issue a gender-specific job description.
'Since Wookey Hole can't furnish the required legally binding proof, it has had to accept that the post might eventually be awarded to a man.'
Auditions for the role are being held on July 28 in front of a panel of judges who will assess applicants' costume and character as well as the ability to perform witch tests.
Mr Medley added: 'Ambitious witches, looking for a key career move, should turn up dressed for work and bring any essential witch accoutrements.
'A limited range of potion ingredients will be available.'
dailymail.co.uk
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