Spirit of Old Essex draws together Arthur Morrison's lost treasure of a novel „Cunning Murrell", a jocular tale of witchcraft, old salts, pugilists, smuggling and country life long lost, together with additional background information on Morrison's research and inspiration. „Cunning Murrell" is a fictionalized biography of James Murrell, also known as Cunning Murrell, who was an English cunning man, or professional folk magician. In this capacity, he reportedly employed magical means to aid in healing both humans and animals, exorcising malevolent spirits, countering witches, and restoring lost or stolen property to its owner.