‘Hail and welcome Kerridwin Queen of the Underworld, Keeper of the Cauldron of transformation. Walk with us through the shadows, and hold us in your darkness.’

This A3 Print is also available as a gift card and A4 Print.

Kerridwin The Crone A3 Print by Caroline Lir

Kerridwin is such a well known Welsh Goddess (sometimes spelt Cerridwin). Her name is familiar to many people, as is the story of Her magical cauldron, in which the potion that she has brewed for her son is accidently splashed on the boy stirring the pot for a year and a day. The boy instantly becomes the holder of all wisdom and Cerridwin soon realises what has happened. She seeks to destroy him, however he outruns Her. Kerridwin shape shifts from animal to animal to catch him, but so does he. Finally he changes into a grain and Cerridwin into a hen, which promptly eats him, only to give birth to him nine months later.

This is a myth of transformation, for Kerridwin is Queen of the Underworld, Midwife of Souls, She brings death, transformation and rebirth. It is She who waits for us as we descend into the underworld, and sits patiently, as we come face to face with our shadows. For She is the ancient crone, She knows that enough time spent with her in Her Underworld Realm, as She tends Her Cauldron, will transform our feelings for our shadow selves. We will eventually embrace the dark, hidden aspects of ourselves and emerge transformed and whole….For Kerridwin knows and loves us as we truly are.

Here, in this painting, we meet Kerridwin waiting for us with Her magical Cauldron of Transformation. She sits outside of West Kennet Long Barrow, here at Samhain She brings ancestors of our land, our blood and our souls. She is full of transformative energy, the very air crackles around Her. Her Hawk hovers over Her head, from Her ragged black cloak crows fly all around Her and on her thigh rests her shape shifting toad of fairytales from time out of time. Beside Kerridwin is Her White Sow, who devours all that no longer serves.

This night Kerridwin weaves Her magic over the land, dancing with the dead, as the veil thins. It is Her truth that you can trust.

Kerridwin’s animals are the white sow, toad, hawk and crow. Her tree is the yew and Her symbols are the cauldron, sickle and scissors. Her colour is black.

Kerridwin The Crone A3 Print by Caroline Lir depicts all of Her qualities and associations. This painting can be seen in the Goddess Hall at Glastonbury, where the Priestess training takes place.  Caroline painted her way around the wheel of the year when she was training to become a Priestess of Avalon, as a way of processing all that she was learning, which now in turn benefits all students who take the Priestess training.