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Post by JoannaL on Jul 14, 2019 11:27:17 GMT -5
Restoration of Aleister Crowley's Boleskine HouseFollowing its purchase, plans are moving forward to restore Scotland’s “Boleskine House,” once owned by infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. The house – or what’s left of it – stands on the shore of Scotland’s Loch Ness, famed for its monster, and Crowley was said to have purchased the house in order to perform an elaborate ritual, which involved abstinence from sex and alcohol and required the summoning of 12 Kings and Dukes of Hell in order to bind them and remove their influence from the magician’s life.
Crowley owned the house from 1899 to 1913. It changed hands several times thereafter and was marked by tragedy – one owner ended his life with a shotgun in Crowley’s former bedroom – before its purchase by musician Jimmy Page in 1970. Page himself was an avid occultist and follower of Crowley. Page sold Boleskine in 1992 and the house changed hands twice more before the fire in 2015.
The property was purchased in 2019 by Kyra Readdy, who bought Lots 1 and 3, and William Clifford-Banks, who bought Lot 2. Readdy and Clifford-Banks are members of a board of trustees belonging to the Boleskine House Foundation, a “not-for-profit group aimed at restoring and maintaining the Boleskine House estate.”
A video released by the foundation highlighted the property’s occult history and significance as a place of worship for followers of Crowley’s teachings. “When it comes to heritage property, I feel that we are guardians for future generations,” Readdy said in a statement on the Boleskine House Foundation website. “It is my privilege and honor to work on this project and to be able to secure the future of the house.”
In a similar statement, Clifford-Banks commented, “I would like to dispel the negative rumors about Aleister Crowley and restore the estate as a space to host well-being and mindfulness events such as yoga and meditation retreats, and provide a place for lectures, conferences and even ceremonies.”
The foundation has reportedly been in talks with occult organization Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) regarding the restoration project and the property’s use following its completion. The OTO is an initiatory secret society known to include sexual elements in its magickal practices. The organization was founded at the beginning of the 20th century and is still active today. Aleister Crowley was its best known member.
The following statement was issued by the OTO:
“The new owners have confirmed to us that they wish to restore the house and eventually open parts of the house and its surrounding gardens to the public as a heritage landmark. The new owners wish to honor Crowley’s legacy as part of the estate’s history. They intend to cooperate with OTO to provide opportunities for access to the house and land in a way which has hitherto not been possible.
“The new owners intend to transfer ownership of the estate to a public charity so that it can be preserved for many generations to come. OTO intends to cooperate with the charity in the coming weeks, months and years as this exciting project gets underway.
“Private fundraising efforts have been launched to help start the renovation. Once the public charity is established and formal agreement has been reached, OTO will provide an opportunity for interested parties to make US-tax-exempt donations specifically dedicated to support this project, in full compliance with non-profit rules and regulations. No funds from OTO’s operating budget (member dues, fees and general donations) will be allocated to the project.”
Restoration efforts are estimated at around $1.25 million and the Boleskine House Foundation hopes “to restore the house and open it to the public by spring 2021.”Source: Tobias Wayland, Singular Fortean, July 14, 2019; and Abraxas Books, Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Post by jason on Jul 14, 2019 15:36:01 GMT -5
There isn't anything left to restore. The only things left of the old house are the foundation and front outer wall. It will have to be completely rebuilt.
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Post by Graveyardbride on Aug 3, 2019 15:14:31 GMT -5
Boleskine House Burns Again and Authorities Suspect Arson
Another fire has destroyed most of what was left of Boleskine House, the former Loch Ness home of Aleister Crowley, and this time, authorities suspect arson.
A spokesman for the Boleskine House Foundation said, “It is with great sadness that we report that the remainder of the building’s interior has now been destroyed, and along with it important historical clues to the features of this important piece of Scottish heritage. We would like to thank the fire fighters who put their lives at risk to save what is left of the building. We can also confirm that this is suspected arson and investigations by the police will be ongoing. Please support us to fund emergency works to protect the structure.”
The house where Crowley performed occult rituals was also badly damaged by fire in 2015, leaving little more than the front outer walls. However, just last month, the new owners announced plans to restore the building as a wellness-type retreat for followers of Crowley’s teachings, with parts of the property open to the public.
Though police enquiries are in their early stage, Detective Inspector Eddie Ross said, “We are working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the full circumstances. We would encourage anybody who may have seen any activity around Boleskine House or nearby to come forward as soon as they can. It should go without saying that deliberately setting fires is incredibly dangerous as you have limited control over how they may develop.”
Of interest to some, the fire was set July 31st, during the “dog days of summer” when Sirius, the Dog Star, often cited in Crowley’s writings, was at its brightest.
Boleskine was built as a hunting lodge in the 18th century and according to local lore, there was once a church on the site that caught fire and the entire congregation was burned to death. This tragedy, it is said, is what prompted Crowley to purchase the property in 1899. Dubbing himself “Laird of Boleskine and Abertarff,” the self-styled “Beast” allegedly evoked evil entities on the site. In 1904, these same entities were supposedly channeled through his wife, Rose Edith Crowley, and provided the information for Crowley’s Liber AL vel Legis, aka The Book of the Law.
The “magick” Crowley performed at Boleskine House is known as the “Abramelin Operation” from The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, a famous grimoire. Crowley performed the complicated ritual in order to communicate with his guardian angel, or higher self, through the dominance of numerous demons. There are those who believe the demonic entities raised by Crowley haunt the area in and around Boleskine to this day.
Crowley sold Boleskine in 1913, more than a hundred years ago, but his short 14-year ownership will always overshadow the property.
Sources: Leo Zagami, USAA News, August 2, 2019; Alison Campsie, The Scotsman, August 1, 2019; and Joseph Laws, The Daily Mail, August 1, 2019.
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Post by Kate on Aug 4, 2019 8:22:15 GMT -5
The people in the area probably don't want the place turned into something honoring Aleister Crowley because they know it will a attract a bunch of weirdos.
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Post by madeline on Aug 11, 2019 17:42:58 GMT -5
The people in the area probably don't want the place turned into something honoring Aleister Crowley because they know it will a attract a bunch of weirdos. |
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Post by Graveyardbride on Jan 9, 2020 19:40:36 GMT -5
Owners of Boleskine House Hope to Restore Property One Brick at the Time The pile of charred bricks was once the home of Aleister Crowley, the self-proclaimed “wickedest man in the world.” Crowley scandalized British society in the early 20th century and is said to have used Boleskine House and the surrounding area as a center for his experiments with sex, drugs and the occult. The house was later purchased by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page, who was intrigued by the property’s “evil” past. Now the current owners are hoping to rebuild the gutted building following a devastating fire in July 2019.
The house, which overlooks Loch Ness, was purchased by Keith and Kyra Readdy (above) last summer. Two days later, it went up in flames and, unfortunately, they had no insurance.
Boleskine House was built in 1760 by the Fraser family, who inspired the time-traveling saga, Outlander. The estate is rumored to stand on the site of a 13th-Century church that was destroyed by fire during services and many – possibly all – members of the congregation perished in the conflagration. Crowley bought the property from a descendant of the Fraser clan in 1899.
Fire seems to plague the site. On December 23, 2015, fire gutted the house, leaving little but the walls. Then on July 31, 2019, a second fire – believed to have been deliberately set – reduced what was left of the structure to rubble.
Still hoping to restore the property, the new owners have established a charitable trust, the Boleskine House Foundation, and turned to eBay, where they are selling salvaged stones and bags of remains. All proceeds will go toward rebuilding the house, which they estimate will cost around £700,000 ($914,912). The £49 ($64) eBay lot description states: “You are purchasing one original stone of up to 400g (14 oz.) and one bag of charred remains from the fire on 31 July, 2019, from Boleskine House.” The package comes with a certificate of authenticity and promise that all proceeds will be used for the restoration of Boleskine.
Additionally, a crowd-funding campaign was started last year and has so far generated in excess of £22,500 ($29,405) of the £220,000 ($287,516) target.
The owners are also hopeful the TV phenomenon Outlander, penned by Diane Gabaldon and starring Scottish actor Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser, will generate some cash to help with the restoration of the property. Sources: Rohese Devereaux Taylor, The Glasgow Herald, January 4, 2020; Alistair Munroe, The Aberdeen Press & Journal, June 26, 2018; and BBC News.
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Post by jason on Jan 11, 2020 15:14:56 GMT -5
So have you ordered your brick and bag of dirt, April?
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Post by aprillynn93 on Jan 11, 2020 22:40:28 GMT -5
So have you ordered your brick and bag of dirt, April? LOL! Not yet. |
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Post by Graveyardbride on Dec 6, 2020 4:41:17 GMT -5
Planning Commission Expected to Approve Rebuilding of Boleskine HouseHighland Council planning officials have recommended approval of The Boleskine House Foundation’s request to rebuild the infamous property once owned by notorious occultist Aleister Crowley. In addition to the rebuilding project, the owners are also proposing construction of 10 glass-roofed one- and two-bedroom holiday units.
Keith Readdy and his wife, Kyra, purchased the property in 2019, with the intention of restoring it, but arsonists set another fire that severely damaged what was left of the structure a few months later.
Readdy, author of One Truth and One Spirit: Aleister Crowley’s Spiritual Legacy, now denies the property is to become a place of pilgrimage for followers of Crowley and claims the Foundation’s goal is to restore the building to its original form as built by the Honorable Archibald Fraser.
“In addition to this, we have put in a planning application to build 10 cabins which will be sunken into the hillside with grass roofs,” he added. “The cabins are designed as a form of ‘hobbit hut’ with a large circular window and are designed to be hidden in the landscape.” In a letter, the Foundation explained the intention was for “these eco-cabins to be available for tourists and families who would like to visit the Highlands for a holiday to enjoy the Loch Ness area and for walking and cycling holidays.
“There is no intention for the house to become a place of pilgrimage or ritual, nefarious or otherwise,” the letter emphasized. “Indeed, such matters are strictly prohibited by the Foundation’s constitution, and it could not undertake such actions in any event as it would be a breach of Scottish charities law.
“The planning application of course is of public interest because this is Aleister Crowley’s former home. As historians and bastions of heritage conservation, our take on Aleister Crowley is not one of sensationalism or alarmist conjecture as many will find in the popular press, but rather academic in nature, seeing Crowley as a historical and cultural figure of his time.”Sources: Alison Campsie, The Scotsman, December 1, 2020; and BBC News, December 1, 2020.
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Post by pat on Dec 6, 2020 18:13:14 GMT -5
This is because they're afraid someone will burn it down again.
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Post by steve on Dec 7, 2020 9:32:56 GMT -5
People in Scotland must be very backward if they burned down the place because they really believed he raised demonic entities.
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Post by jason on Dec 7, 2020 13:16:23 GMT -5
People in Scotland must be very backward if they burned down the place because they really believed he raised demonic entities. There are crazy people who believe in demons everywhere. Crowley was a dope fiend who spouted a line of bull and some people didn't have any better sense than to believe it. |
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