A FILM ABOUT THE TEMPLE
A fascinating and informative documentary film about the Newark Odinist Temple is available on Youtube. If you search for “England’s Only Odinist Temple”, you will find the link. It also talks about the work of the Odinist Fellowship, including information about our Book of Rites, and about our campaigns, such as our CROW (Campaign for Recognition of Odinist Warriors) campaign that achieved the right to display a Thor’s Hammer symbol to be engraved on British military headstones, and has commentators from overseas analysing the rise of Odinism in Great Britain. The film has been very professionally produced by the “Wessex Nomad” and has been viewed by thousands. It lasts about an hour. Do take a look! And if you decide you want to visit our Temple, do get in touch.
A HARVEST FOR ODINISM
Our Harvest Eve moot on 21 September 2025, which was the Eve of the Equinox, was a wonderful event, welcoming twenty-four attendees, including four children. The musical accompaniments by RP were delightful. What a voice! His rendition of “John Barleycorn” and “The Farmer’s Toast”, two traditional seasonal folk songs, were really enjoyed by all.
John Barleycorn is, of course, a personalisation of the barley harvest and of ale-brewing, and is known in the Eddas as the God, Byggvir, who is a companion of Frey, and therefore almost certainly one of the Vanir deities. His other companion, Beyla, is divine patron of bee-keeping and mead-making. I think it is fascinating how England’s old religion can persist in its influences, operating “under the radar”, so to speak, in the form of folk songs, despite the centuries in which the church reigned supreme.
Two Pledges of Faith were carried out in which CV, a local, elderly blind gentleman, and ZC, who travelled all the way up from Hampshire for the occasion, solemnly swore allegiance to the Gods. And this was followed by a lively and friendly discussion. As always, it was a very friendly and memorable moot.
MARVELLOUS MIDSUMMER GATHERING
A fantastic Midsummer Gathering 2025 took place at the Temple with just under three dozen people attending. And what a wonderful atmosphere, which was rather like a family reunion, with members from around the country. We started with the Cup of Remembrance rite for Midsummer, and I was struck by the vigour and fervour of the people’s responses. With our doors and window open because of the warm weather, I am sure we could be heard half way down the next street! And a lady member took the Pledge of Faith, and was congratulated all round. There is always plenty of opportunity for making new friends and catching up on the news with old comrades. After a break we held our business meeting. One item decided on, after much debate, was that next year’s Gathering will be scheduled for late September, as this seems a better time of year for getting down to business. However, a member who owns a farm in Norfolk, Primrose Farm, invited us all for a Midsummer Moot and Feast to his place. So look out for notices about Primrose Farm in future! After the conclusion of business, many of us retired to a nice, local hostelry for a meal or a drink, and we continued our convivial conversations till later in the evening. It was another memorable day!
SIGURD'S DAY PAGEANT
Sigurd’s Day celebrates the famed dragon-slayer of ancient Germanic legend, who is better known by many today in his later avatar of St. George. The 23rd April is England’s national festival, and I think one can tell the difference between a patriot and an indifferentist by whether one celebrates the day or not. Well, at the Newark Odinist Temple we certainly celebrated it in style with a costumed pageant performed on the podium to the great amusement of our congregation. One visitor waxed lyrical in his praise of our efforts which he had not expected to be part of the day’s events. May I extend hearty thanks to Leo (Sigurd), Paul (Greybeard), George (Fafnir), Finn (King Hjalprek), Richard (musical accompaniment) and me, who played the baddy, Regin! All I can say, is that if we put on the pageant again, it can only improve!
RADIO INTERVIEW
The Newark Odinist Temple is discussed, among other Odinist-related matters, in this interview between the priest-in-charge and Fyrgen Radio. You can copy the link below and paste it into your search engine to listen to it. It is quite amusing. Warning: it is one and a half hours long!