Holythorn Press
Esoteric Publishers
Mysterious Rose - the life and work of Althea Gyles
by
Sally North
Contains unpublished poems and prose by Gyles and a newly discovered artwork with significant Yeats association.
Althea Gyles (1867-1949) was an enigmatic Anglo-Irish poet and artist. Born into wealth and high social status, she defied the conventions of her family and her times to forge an independent life in bohemian London of the 1890s. Collaborating with W. B. Yeats on some of his most iconic book covers. He himself publicly praised her work, saying "One finds in them what a friend, whose work has no other passion, calls “the passion for the impossible beauty"; for the beauty which cannot be seen with the bodily eyes, or pictured otherwise than by symbols."
A scandalous love affair with the notorious publisher Leonard Smithers and subsequent breakdown leading to long hospitalisation ended her career for a time. She retired to the south coast and almost complete obscurity to spend the rest of her life writing, and campaigning for animal welfare.
In Mysterious Rose Sally North situates Gyles not as a tragic side-note to more famous characters, but as an important person in her own right. If Althea Gyles was only remembered for her book cover designs, she would still have to be acknowledged as an important and original designer whose small output in no way defines her quality.
Now available in the online shop.
PUBLICATIONS 2025 - 2026
Flowering Dusk – Ella Young
This is her fascinating autobiography only published once before (in 1944). From her respectable but stifling Irish Presbyterian family, to theosophy and mysticism, the sacred land, nature beings, fairies. Then America in all its splendours, her life with the mystics of Halcyon and the “Dunites” a free-wheeling community of painters, writers, poets and visionaries in San Luis Opisbo. Ella transplanted her magical Irish ritual order to America, which continued her work until the 1980s.
Mysterious Rose: Althea Gyles and W. B. Yeats – Sally North
The enigmatic Althea Gyles is best known for the remarkable cover illustrations she created for W. B. Yeats, that and her rather scandalous love life. We usually see glimpses of her through the eyes of others, mainly Yeats, who frequently helped her financially and professionally. This book explores the relationship of Gyles with Yeats and others, including Aleister Crowley, her rejected lover. Sally discovered a previously unknown artwork by Althea Gyles, a print of this work will be included in the book.
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The Curse on Bally na Bride - J. W. Brodie-Innes
John William Brodie-Innes (1848-1923) was a prominent occultist and head of the Amen-Ra Golden Dawn temple in Scotland. He was a prolific writer on his two passions: the law and the occult. He wrote a number of well-regarded occult novels such as For the Soul of a Witch, Morag the Seal, and The Devil’s Mistress. Late in life he wrote another, unpublished novel called ‘The Curse on Bally na Bride’. This is a wild Irish tale of ancestral curses, black magic, and thwarted romance, all set near the village of Bally na Bride in the west of Ireland. The main characters are a beautiful heiress and her friend a learned professor of ancient religions, a wise priest, an aristocratic (and autocratic) Anglo-Irish lady, a Crowleyian villain, and, of course, the Devil himself. Part occult drama, part romance, with a generous sprinkling of philosophical musings ‘The Curse’ is an entertaining read on all fronts.
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Glastonbury Abbey: Great Memoria – Paul Weston
We discussed doing this book with Paul some time ago and are delighted that it’s now underway. Paul’s deep researches into the Abbey – its saints, kings, nobles, and sinners is sure to be a fascinating read. Anyone familiar with Paul’s previous works in history, myth, psycho-geography and synchronicity can look forward to another thrilling and strange journey, this time into the Abbey and its secrets.
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The Sphere Group – Sally North and Tony Fuller
A comprehensive collection of the Sphere Group documents, with biographical notes on each of the members. The book will include unpublished material and full colour illustrations of the ritual diagrams with expanded material. Also included will be a discussion of the “controversy” about the legitimacy of the group, actioned by Annie Horniman.
Our hardback editions are very limited in number. We are taking pre-orders and expressions of interest informally at the moment on a first come, first served basis. Please get in touch at holythornpress@gmail.com if you’d like to reserve a copy or copies – there is no obligation on your part.
If time allows we will also be bringing out a series of booklets on topics of esoteric interest – more to follow on this in the next newsletter.
