It was with this background of unease that the two judges made their investigations and sentenced the Pendle witches. The story began with an altercation between one of the accused, Alizon Device, and a pedlar, John Law .
What was Alice Nutter accused of?
Alice Nutter was one of the group of people tried for murder after being accused of using witchcraft 400 years ago. The two-day trials in 1612 led to 10 people being hanged at Gallows Hill in Lancaster, after being found guilty of causing death or harm.
Why did the Pendle witch trials happen?
The Pendle witches were tried in a group that also included the Samlesbury witches, Jane Southworth, Jennet Brierley, and Ellen Brierley, the charges against whom included child murder, cannibalism ; Margaret Pearson, the so-called Padiham witch, who was facing her third trial for witchcraft, this time for killing a ...
When was the trial of the Pendle witches?
The trials in Lancaster in August 1612 are among the most famous witchcraft trials in history.
Why did the witch trials in Europe happen?
Socio-political turmoil. Various suggestions have been made that the witch trials emerged as a response to socio-political turmoil in the Early Modern world. One form of this is that the prosecution of witches was a reaction to a disaster that had befallen the community , such as crop failure, war, or disease.
What were the Pendle witches called?
In addition to the ten defendants from the Pendle locality, the so-called Samlesbury Witches – John Ramsden, Elizabeth Astley, Isabel Southgraves, Lawrence Haye, Jane Southworth, Jennet Brierly and Ellen Brierly – along with Isobel Robey from Windle, near St Helens and Margaret Pearson, the Padiham Witch, were also ...
How were the Pendle witches killed?
Of the eleven who went to trial – nine women and two men – ten were found guilty and executed by hanging ; one was found not guilty.
When was the last witch burning in England?
The last execution for witchcraft in England was in 1684 , when Alice Molland was hanged in Exeter. James I's statute was repealed in 1736 by George II. In Scotland, the church outlawed witchcraft in 1563 and 1,500 people were executed, the last, Janet Horne, in 1722.
Why is there a statue of Alice Nutter?
A statue to commemorate one of the Pendle Witches has been unveiled in her home village of Roughlee. Alice Nutter was one of the group of people tried for murder after being accused of using witchcraft 400 years ago.
Where is the area of Pendle?
The Borough of Pendle is located in north-west England, on the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire . It is one of 12 district councils in the ‘red rose county' and forms part of the Pennine Lancashire sub-region; which is home to the largest concentration of aerospace and advanced engineering businesses in the UK.
How many witches were killed in England?
The Witch trials in England were conducted from the 15th century until the 18th century. They are estimated to have resulted in the death of between 500 and 1000 people , 90 percent of whom were women. The witch hunt was as its most intense stage during the civil war and the Puritan era of the mid 17th century.
Who started the witch trials in England?
In the 1590s, King James I of Scotland's fear of witchcraft began stirring up national panics, resulting in the torture and death of thousands.
Were witches burned at the stake in England?
Twenty people were eventually executed as witches, but contrary to popular belief, none of the condemned was burned at the stake . In accordance with English law, 19 of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials were instead taken to the infamous Gallows Hill to die by hanging.
Why was there an increase in witchcraft accusations?
Women were more likely to be accused because of the church's teaching that women were the weaker sex , seen as more vulnerable to the seductive powers of the Devil. Therefore, accusations of witchcraft became another way for women to be oppressed in early modern society.
How can you spot a witch?
- They always wear gloves. A real witch will always be wearing gloves when you meet her because she doesn't have finger-nails. ...
- They'll be as ‘bald as a boiled egg' ...
- They'll have large nose-holes. ...
- Their eyes change colour. ...
- They have no toes. ...
- They have blue spit.
Who started the witch trials?
The Salem witch trials began when 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams began suffering from fits, body contortions and uncontrolled screaming (today, it is believed that they were poisoned by a fungus that caused spasms and delusions).
