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11th Century England
Catweazle would have been regarded as a heretic by the Normans. He believed in spirits and spells, demons and devils, witchcraft and enchantments, of sorcerers and Gods and symbolism and magic! He would have lived with and by nature and the power of astrology and perhaps a knowledge of alchemy. In this section we will delve a little into his world in his time.
Places of Enchantment
Woods were special places, spirits were said to live there and so did Herne the hunter and the green man.You can read about Herne at this address. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/herne01.html
Of course, Catweazle's own dwelling was in the woods as well.
Many people believe in ley lines... and Britain is rich with ley-line mythology. Ley lines are described as lines of earth power, directly linking in a straight, unbroken line the ancient sites of pagan places of worship. Many Norman churches & cathedrals were built on these ancient original pagan worship sites, and along with burial chambers, stone circles, standing stones and other places, are recognised as natural sources of ancient power by ley line believers.
Nearly every town or village in Britain seems to have its own special stone, steeped in history or deemed o have magical powers, and these stone remain throughout the centuries never decaying, always there! www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Stones.htm <http://www.historicuk.com/CultureUK/Stones.htm>
A familiar, or an imp, is an attendant subordinate demon in the form of an animal. Familiars behaved in ways that no natural pet was believed to. They ran errands, brought messages, and aided in worship.
We all know that Catweazle had dear old Touchwood a toad.
Other animals viewed at the time as familiars were  cats, dogs,  wolves, bees, bats, blackbirds, owls, spiders, flies, chickens.
Woods, Trees and Stones
Familiars
The word is derived from the Latin, “famulus,” which means a servant or slave.
The Witches' Knife: Athame

This is the Witches' Knife (Catweazle calls his Adamcos) also knows as Seax or Yag-dirk used for commanding and manipulating power.
It is always a double edged knife with a blade usually from five to six inches long and is never used to 'cut' anything on the physical plane. The athame is a witches primary tool for rituals and circle magic. It is the instrument used to draw magical circles and other diagrams, in the midst of which many spells are cast and stands for intellect, right thinking, and calculation.
The Owl is a nocturnal bird of prey possessing a hawk-like beak, claws and large head with front-facing, round eyes. The owl has been considered both good and bad throughout history. The screech of the owl is considered to be a bad omen in some parts of the world, perhaps a portent of death. Since they are nocturnal creatures, an association was formed with magic. Medieval wizards relied upon owls for their powers of observation, and for their ability to memorize long, complicated spells and formulas. Their eerie-sounding cries can send shivers up otherwise steadfast spines.
Omens
In Medieval times the "Endless Knot" was a symbol of truth and was a protection against demons. It was used as an amulet of personal protection and to guard windows and doors.
The pentagram has long been associated with mystery and magic. It is the simplest form of star shape that can be drawn unicursally - with a single line - hence it is sometimes called the Endless Knot. Other names are the Goblin's Cross, the Pentalpha, the Witch's Foot, the Devil's Star and the Seal of Solomon (more correctly attributed to the hexagram).
It has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil and demons,hence a symbol of safety, and was sometimes worn as an amulet for happy homecoming. The old folk-song : "Green Grow the Rushes,O!" refers to the use of the pentagram above doors and windows in the line: "Five is the symbol at your door."

The Pentagram is a symbol of a star encased in a circle. Always with 5 points (one pointing upward), each has its own meaning. The upward point of the star is representative of the spirit. The other four points all represent an element; earth, air, fire, and water. All these things contribute to life and are a part of each of us. To wear a pentagram necklace, is to say you feel the connection with the elements and respect the earth.
Pentagrams and Magic Circles
The Zodiac Magic Circle
Though the word "zodiac" is originally Greek -- from zodiakos kyrklos, "circle of little animals" -- the Greeks borrowed the idea from the Babylonians, who had already determined that the sun passed through twelve "signs" whose figures -- lion, ram, bull, and so forth -- could be sketched out of the constellations by connecting the dots. But once the Greeks had appropriated the concept and most of the figures -- most likely in the sixth century BC -- they then came up with their own explanations of how all those animals and people had gotten into the sky.
For centuries people have been using horoscopes as a form of Divination, which is foreseeing future events or obtaining secret knowledge through divine sources, omens, or oracles. It is based on the belief that revelations are offered to humans in extrarational forms of knowledge: ancient Chaldeans studied birds' flight and patterns in water or entrails; the Greeks put their trust in the Oracle. Present-day forms of divination include crystal gazing, palmistry, and astrology.
Horoscopes are based on the theory that movements of the celestial bodies (stars, planets, sun, and moon) influence human affairs and determine events. In common usage, group of stars (e.g., Ursa Major) that are imagined to form a configuration in the sky; properly speaking, a constellation is a definite region of the sky in which the configuration of stars is contained. The entire celestial sphere is divided into 88
such regions, with boundaries fixed by international agreement along lines of right ascension and declination. The 12 constellations located along or near the ecliptic, or apparent path of the sun through the heavens, are known as the constellations of the zodiac.
The Pagan Circle or Wheel of Life
IMBOLG - 2nd FEBRUARY.
Celtic fire festival later christened as ‘Candlemas.’ This ‘Festival of First Light’ is the time when we see the earliest spring growth appear. The Christian Saint Brigid, who was celebrated at this time, was based on the much older Goddess of Spring - Brigid/Brid.
SPRING EQUINOX - 21st MARCH
A time when day and night are of equal length with light gaining prominence. The Christian Easter celebration is named after the Teutonic Goddess Ostara/Eostre. Many sacrificial Gods (such as Attis) were lamented at this period. 
BELTANE/BEALTINE (FIRE OF BEL) - 30th APRIL
 Start of summer festival held on May Eve. The Celtic Fire celebration has long associations with Pagan fertility rites such as the Maypole dance and Greenwood marriages. This is a particularly happy time marked by the flowering of the Hawthorn (White Goddess Tree). The early Christian Fathers realised this day to be most important to the indigenous folk so they Christianised it as St. Walpurgis Night. In order to further suppress Pagan tradition the Church demonised Beltane (as with Samhain) into a time associated with evil or so-called devil worship.
  MIDSUMMER 22nd JUNE
The life-giving solar orb is now at its zenith and all organic growth of earth at full power. From this point on the year must head down once again to its lowest time of midwinter. The Summer Solstice has been thinly disguised by the Church as St John the Baptist’s Day because of its associations with water. In ancient times many rites were performed to seek aid from the Gods to help the crops grow - via abundance of water.
 LUGHNASADH (FESTIVAL OF FIRST FRUITS) - 31st JULY
 Named after the Celtic God ‘Lugh.’ A corn festival later to be Christianised as Lammas/Loafmas. The rich bounty of nature’s harvest now heralds the sun’s slow descent back to winter’s chill.
  AUTUMN EQUINOX -21st SEPTEMBER
 As with the spring equinox, light and darkness are once more in harmony yet now darkness takes the leading role. The first leaves now start to fall as nature begins to close her doors to the darker months to come. Now is the time to harvest for the winter.
SAMHAIN (HALLOWEEN) 31st OCTOBER
 The start of the Celtic winter season. A special time of magick and divination when the thin veil betwixt the living and death is at it’s thinnest.
 YULE - 22nd DECEMBER
 The ‘Midwinter Solstice’ is the time when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky. From now on the days can only get lighter. Most modern day Christmas customs and traditions are based on the older Roman Pagan feast of the Saturnalia (in honour of the God Saturn). Northern cultures have also had a strong bearing on the traditions associated with this icy time of year. The word "Yule" is believed to come from the Nordic word for ‘Wheel’ which is ‘Iul’. Yuletide brings us to a fitting end for this brief study in the seasonal cycle.
The Origins of Rune Stones:

According to the "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Divination" the word "rune" means "whisper" or "secret".  Indeed runes are thought by some to be a way of interacting with both the spirit and the living world.  The system of divination by runes can be attributed to two tribes who came together and produced a combination of symbols and old signs which were found on a variety of paintings, ritual and domestic items in the North from as early as Paleolithic times.  However there are other myths surrounding the origins of the runes including the Volsungr, a Northern ancestral tribe who crossed into Europe before the Ice Age.  There is also a myth relating to Odin a God of wisdom, divination and the Horde of the Dead".  After hanging
Rune Stones
down on the "World Tree for nine days", he realised or "saw" at the end of his "shamanistic journey":
"How the magical and systematic power of signs - and of the mind - could be put together.  He took up the runes"
As well as their use as an alphabet; it was their use as a divining tool and their supposed power to call up deities' influence over fertility, crops, tides, love, healing and curses, which led to people as late as 1700 being burned at the stake for using them.
As the runes spread throughout Europe by the Anglo Saxons, the runic alphabet which was quite varied in number depending upon geographical location, finally became settled into a basic alphabet of 24 Runes called the FuThark.
Dowsing is the same thing as water divining. From ancient times, some people (diviners or dowsers) have, usually with the aid of a forked hazel twig, been able to find underground water - a useful skill in any society to find a source of life-sustaining water.
The key thing is that it is the dowser's body which is sensitive. The dowsing twig, is only an indicator - like the needle on a meter - indicating what the dowser's body is detecting.
The two rods are held one in each hand, by wrapping all your fingers around the short lengths without gripping them tightly. The long lengths are allowed to point forwards and kept roughly parallel to each other and the ground, whilst one walks slowly forward. When you pass over an underground water source, the rods will cross over one another. The feeling is unmistakable and irresistible.
Water Divining or Dowsing
Spells, Charms and Incantations
Alchemy and The Philosopher's Stone
An amulet is a material object on which a charm has been written, Or over which a charm or spell has been cast. It is carried or worn in the belief that it will protect from evil, or bring good luck. It is used frequently as a shield against evil spirits or black magic, as well as protection from disease, adversity, or danger. Amulets are worn, for instance, by women during childbirth, individuals in dangerous occupations, the superstitious (including many actors, gamblers, and Gypsies), and by some who have been magically healed.
A charm basically means a chant or incantation recited in order to produce some good or bad effect magically (the term "charm" means "to sing"). An object may be charmed in this manner, or the charm may be written down. Such charms when worn or carried are amulets. The distinction between a recited charm and the amulet is generally overlooked and consequently the amulet itself which has been charmed is usually called a charm.
A spell may be spoken or written and involves the use of magical incantations, rituals, and symbols. The magician, charmer, or sorcerer cast a spell in order to curse, injure, harass, and bind (hence the term "spellbound"), or to bring to pass what he desires. Both humans and animals (as well as anything else from crops to marriage) may be charmed or have a spell cast over them in order to cure, harm, or protect, or to cause some other desired effect.
Alchemy was a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life 2 : a power or process of transforming something common into something special 3 : an inexplicable or mysterious transmuting
Because their goals were so unrealistic, and because they had so little success in achieving them, the practitioners of alchemy in the Middle Ages got a reputation as fakers and con artists. But this reputation is not fully deserved. While they never succeeded in turning lead into gold (one of their main goals), they did make discoveries that helped to shape modern chemistry. Alchemists invented early forms of some of the laboratory equipment used today, including beakers, crucibles, filters, and stirring rods. They also discovered and purified a number of chemical elements, including mercury, sulfur, and arsenic. And the methods they developed to separate mixtures and purify compounds by distillation and extraction are still important.
The philosopher's stone is a legendary substance, supposedly capable of turning inexpensive metals  into gold  it was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvination. and possibly for achieving  For a long time it was the most sought after goal in Western  alchemy . In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work.
Bird of night, hoot not! Feathered omen, hoot not! Son of Tanit, hoot not!
Ill luck, ill luck! I fear the owl that hoots by day as I fear water!