Not everyone in the Pagan community may know who 
Gwydion Pendderwen was, especially those newer to the Craft. Gwydion was a musician, a poet and writer, and a Witch. He helped to found several organizations to help Pagan network with one another and he was always looking for ways to give back to the Pagan community and the world through his art and music. As today marks the 28th anniversary of his unfortunate and untimely death in an auto accident at the age of 36, we stop to remember and reflect on his many contributions to the NeoPagan path.
Gwydion Pendderwen was born Thomas deLong in May of 1946 in Berkeley, California. When Gwydion was 13 years old he had an bit of a row with another schoolmate name Victor Elon Anderson. Young Victor turned out to be the son of Pagan and poet Victor Henry Anderson who many know as the father and founder of the Feri Tradition. Once the two boys resolved their troubles they became good friends and Gwydion began to spend a great deal of time at the Anderson home.
In the time he spent there he began to take an interest in some of the slightly odder things he saw in the home and the elder Victor began to take notice of Gwydion’s way with words and poetry. Victor began to share stories of Celtic myth with Gwydion, something that he found quite fascinating, and he soon began to learn the ways of the Craft from Victor. Victor introduced Gwydion to the concept of the Goddess through the work of Robert Graves, something that Gwydion really embraced. Gwydion would continue to study with the Anderson’s, Victor becoming his prime teacher and mentor, well into his 20s. Gwydion helped contribute to the Anderson’s growing tradition, including naming the tradition (though the spelling since changed as his original spelling was “Faerie”), writing many pieces of poetry and liturgy for the tradition, and assisting in editing some of Victor’s published work, specifically Thorns of the Blood Rose.
When Gwydion attended California State University in the Los Angeles area in the 1960s he majored in theatre. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree and, while he had enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts program, he never completed the degree work. Gwydion enjoyed acting a great deal but didn’t like modern works and instead preferred to participate in plays and theatre focused on presenting Shakespeare and mythical work of the Greeks. He felt a deep connection through theatre and spirituality and saw the way that myths and spiritual truths were able to live on through such productions.
Gwydion’s love of words and language continued to grow while at college and he became very interested in the Celtic languages, most specifically Gaelic Welsh, which he began to learn to speak and write. This brought him to a correspondence with a practicing Pagan in Wales which would contribute to his growing interest in Celtic beliefs and ideas. Gwydion began to see himself more as a Druid than a Witch and he eventually joined the Reformed Druids of North America, led by the late Isaac Bonewits.
Gwydion was very active in the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism, an international organization focused on the research and reenactment of the art, skills, and lifestyle of the Middle Ages. The SCA is quite an expansive organization and during his time and held the position of Court Bard in the Kingdom of the West for many years, giving him more time to learn the myths and stories of European cultures and perfect his poetic voice further.
During his time with the Anderson’s, Gwydion also initiated some people into the Feri tradition. He did this through his own branch of the tradition that he formed which came to be known as Watchmaker. Little is known about the initiates and the specifics of this branch. One of Gwydion’s initiates, Alison Harlow, later became a partner with Gwydion to form a group called Nemeton (“sacred grove” in Welsh). This group was founded as a networking organization in the 1970s for Pagans in the US and soon had offices opening up across the country.
After college Gwydion took a job with the IRS and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, a job he didn’t particularly care for. In 1976 he was finally able to take a long desired trip to Wales where he was able to meet Deri Ap Arthur, his long time pen friend, and through him Gwydion also had the chance to meet some other well known and respected Pagan figures including Alex Saunders and Stuart Farrar. His trip to Wales would have a major impact on his life, and upon returning Gwydion quit his job and purchased a 5,600 acre ranch near Ukiah, CA. Gwydion took a 55 acre section of the late for himself and named it Annwfn (“underworld” in Welsh). An adjacent section of land, approximately 220 acres, was named Coeden Brith (“speckled forest” in Welsh) and owned by Alison Harlow.
The land at Annwfn was quite devastated from logging ventures carried out there for many years prior. Gwydion build a permanent home home and a temple there. It was while living at Annwfn that Gwydion and Alison would found the “Forever Forests” mission focused on planting trees and conserving forests in 1977.
Also in 1977 Oberon Zell and Morning Glory moved to Coeden Brith with Alison and together they co-founded HOME, the Holy Order of Mother Earth, a monastic nature sanctuary. In 1978 Nemeton merged with the Church of All Worlds to become its publishing arm releasing music, songbooks, t-shirts, jewelry, and more. In 1978 Gwydion started another subsidiary of the Church of All Worlds known as The Elliptical Congregation, focused on healing the 
earth. In later years Gwydion donated all of the land at Annwfn to the Church of All Worlds with the only stipulation being that it remains a nature sanctuary maintained by the organization and that it never be turned over to a single owner. The 55 acres in Medonsesia, CA is an active nature sanctuary today, still maintained by Church of All Worlds and the Caretakers of Annwfn where Sabbats and Moon festivals are honored today. You can find out more about them and the events happening there by visiting their website.
Aside from his many contributions to the earth and the Pagan community of this manner, Gwydion is very well known for his artistic and musical contributions. In 1975 he released his first album of music titled “Songs for the Old Religion”. This album contains songs dedicated to the Sabbats and honoring different aspects of the God and Goddess and has a distinct folk sound that you might expect from a Pagan musician living in Northern California in the 1970s. His second album, “The Fairy Shaman”, was recorded in 1981/1982 and has
more traditional Celtic elements with harps and pipes while still maintaining what would come to be seen as his own unique folk sound. In this album Gwydion’s voice as an artist seems strong and defined, all the more reason that his death soon after is seen as a blow to the Pagan community. The ability he had for conveying the messages and stories of the Pagan path was a great gift that was taken away far too soon.
In 2005 Anne Hill of Serpentine Music re-mastered Gwydion’s vinyl recordings and re-released them as a double album called “The Music of Gwydion”, making his music available for the first time on CD. This also made his music available to a whole new generation of Pagans for the very first time, assisting in carrying on the memory of one of modern Paganism’s great bards.
Gwydion Pendderwen was a great NeoPagan who contributed to the modern Pagan tradition in more ways than many people may realize. Through his work with Victor Anderson, his later work with Alison Harlow, Oberon Zell, and near the end of his life, his work with Starhawk and Reclaiming, Gwydion Pendderwen helped to develop programs and teachings that served both the earth and the Pagans who strive to keep their traditions alive and in harmony with the earth itself.
Through his music we can honor his memory, especially on a day like today where we aren’t mourning the fact that he is no longer here but remembering his many contributions to our path and the world. Below are two songs of Gwydion’s that ring true to the Pagan heart and spirit today as they have in the past and as they will in the future. Enjoy them and consider looking for the re-release of his music, The Music of Gwydion
In honor of the anniversary of Gwydion Pendderwen’s death, please considering donating to the continued efforts at Annwfn through the Church of All Worlds today. Anything you can give helps keep this beautiful land alive and safe for Pagans of future generations. Click here to find out how you can donate.
Sources:
Wikipedia: Gwydion Pendderwen
Controverscial.com: Gwydion Pendderwen
The Faerie Tradition, Gwydion Pendderwen, and the Passing of Cora Anderson
Where The Hell Is The Church Of All Worlds (on Sacred-Texts.com)
