Dr Julia Phillips
Historian, Folkorist and Lecturer at Bristol University
Dr Julia Phillips is a historian, author, and captivating speaker whose work explores the fascinating intersection of folklore, belief, and Britain’s hidden social history.
An Honorary Senior Research Associate and lecturer at University of Bristol, she holds a PhD in history, with acclaimed research examining how witches and witchcraft were portrayed in Victorian Britain, shedding new light on the endurance of supernatural belief in the modern age.
Specialising in social history, folklore, and the often overlooked stories of women, Dr Phillips explores themes of witchcraft, superstition, ritual, and everyday belief from the medieval period through to the 19th century, while also examining how these traditions evolved into modern Pagan witchcraft.
Her work has been published in academic journals, books, and popular publications, and she is a respected voice at conferences, lectures, and public events across the UK.
Blending rigorous scholarship with vivid storytelling, Dr Phillips has a rare gift for making history feel immediate, atmospheric, and deeply human.
Her talks are renowned for their warmth, intelligence, and immersive quality, transporting audiences into a world where folklore, fear, and belief shaped daily life, and where the unseen was never far from the minds of ordinary people.
You can learn more about Julias work here:
LIVE TALK
WITCHES, FAIRIES & FAMILIAR SPIRITS
Step into a world where witches, fairies, and familiar spirits collide, as real lives from the 12th to 19th centuries reveal eerie encounters with shapeshifting and the otherworld.
ALL TALKS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE.
V.I.P Ticket Holders will have
priority seating.
YOU CAN BOOK YOUR ENTRY TICKET FOR X-CON HERE
