Henry VIII’s Act against Conjurations, Witchcrafts, Sorcery and Inchantments in 1541, defined witchcraft as a crime to be punishable by death or by the forfeiture of goods. This addressed the use of magic with “unlawfull intente or purpose” such as causing harm to animals or manipulating a person’s feelings towards another.Edward VI repealed this act 5 years later. Under the reign of Elizabeth I, the crime of witchcraft was once again punishable by…
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Book Review: The Lighthouse Witches
The Lighthouse Witches threw me through the wringer (or should I say the Longing). I am always very hesitant to pick up historical fiction books based around witchcraft, as many authors do not look at the events from a deepened historical perspective and the history…
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Webinar Appearance on Be Bold History Network
I appeared on Be Bold History Network and provided an introduction to seventeenth-century England, by taking a closer look at the Lancashire witches and the East Anglia witch-hunt. You can find the recording here.
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Peter Stumpp: The Werewolf of Bedburg
In the German town of Bedburg, a series of cattle mutilations and monstrous killings took place between the years of 1564 and 1589. The investigation went beyond suspected wolf attacks to circulating lycanthropy accusations in the 1580s. Rumours of a wolf-like creature initially stemmed from…
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Book Review: 1612
Christine Goodier has produced a wonderfully informative, yet condense book based on Thomas Potts’ Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancashire 1612 . Published in 2011 to coincide with the upcoming 400th anniversary, Goodier draws on Potts’ confusing and extremely bias publication. She…
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King James I: The Royal Witch-Hunter
King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England on 25 July 1603. The unification of Scotland and England created a space, which fostered James’ obsession with witchcraft. His personal experiences, in combination with his political position as king, created an extremely dangerous…
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Myths & Monsters: A Netflix Series
I am always looking for something new to watch on Netflix and a couple of months ago, I stumbled across this 2017 series – Myths & Monsters. From the journey of Odysseus to the Vikings and Valkyries, Nicholas Patrick Day narrates the series through six…
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Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The claims of Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams sparked these infamous trials that echo throughout history. Parris and Williams claimed to be possessed by the Devil and exhibited a variety…
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What is a Banshee?
A banshee is a female spirit stemming from Irish folklore. The tales tell the story of a ‘wailing woman’ who is able to predict the death of a family member. The banshee is represented in Irish, Scottish and Welsh folklore. The spirit presents itself in…