Want to know more about witches, past and present?
Content
- Do Witches do Magic?
- The Bible and Witches
- Burning Witches
- Witches in England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland
- Fire and the Devil
- The Witchfinder General
- Modern Witches
- Paganism and Religion in the UK
- The Spirit of the Witch
- Find Your Spirit – Something for every age group
Witches, were and still are, people.
Not so long ago it was believed in the UK and Ireland witches were beings that possessed supernatural powers and could do destruction with a few simple spells.You may be surprised to know witches and the art of a good spell continues to exist.
Witches now and in the past have held and still hold a certain fascination for a lot of us. The thought that the possibility of a rhyming chant followed by a puff of smoke could kill a disliked neighbour’s field of cows, ruining his whole life’s work in an instant, or sending a black crow to spy on your sister for proof of ‘stealing’ your husband, makes you first want to laugh; but remembering the suffering they endured not so very long ago and how some very innocent people came to their end, is indeed a reality shaker.
It is said that hundreds of ‘witches’ were executed in England, Scotland and Wales, maybe up to 500 people; actual numbers proof is a bit tricky, as you can imagine secrets and lies were abound through the middle ages and beyond.
Here we will uncover the past and the history of the ‘witch’. These poor souls were mostly women, with the exception of a few men. These men however were usually associated with the accused in some way.
Suspicion of witchcraft was at its height in the 16th and 17th centuries.The first law of Witchcraft was introduced in the reign of Henry Vlll in 1542 –
An Act against – Conjurations, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Enchantments’.
This and the later Act of 1562 were largely repealed. But it was a different story in Europe and the Roman Empire.
Here, with the change from a happy acceptance of pagan Roman beliefs in magic, worship and incantations, a new Europe was emerging one that poured scorn on such practices and with the emergence of Christianity condemned any deviation from the church as unholy practices. With the belief it is better to hunt ‘witches’ down rather than tolerate or ‘look the other way’ to their outrageous behaviour.
The Bible and Witches
There are some bible passages condemning witchcraft and this conveniently at the time could be used to have reinforced the new ways.
The bible says ‘people should seek power from God alone and not from lying spirits’
Some Chapters and Verses –
Micah 3:7 Condemns black magic
Galatians 5 Teaches that Christ has set believers free from the bondage of fleshy habits and desires, including sorcery.
Exodus 22:18 ‘You shall not tolerate a sorceress’
Leviticus 19:26 ‘A man or a woman who has a ghost shall be put to death’
Deuteronomy 18:10-2 ‘Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or cast’s spells’
Burning Witches
Burning of witches across Europe likely came from the then practice of burning heretics (a person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted)
In 1563 in England under Elizabeth 1 (proposed in part to counteract catholic uprising) a new act focused not only on ‘harmful and disruptive magic’ but also the emphasis on demonology carrying the penalty of death.
However, Sorcery, as a matter of religion, was never mentioned in this law. An explanation of this possibly lies in the fact that Elizabeth’s mother Ann Boleyn was accused of being a witch, apart from her other ‘deviant’ practices she was reported to have had a large mole on her neck and a sixth finger on one of her hands! (Stuff happens!)
These later Acts of Law were transferred from the church to the ordinary courts. Here the English Parliament passed yet another measure, one with penalties against using human corpses for rituals, entertaining evil spirits, another for those- ‘That harm, but do not kill someone’.
By Johann Jakob Wick and content from Switzerland – mostly ‘witches’ were hung and not burned in the UK.
Witches in England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland
It was normal in England, Scotland and Wales to hang convicted witches and not to burn them as in Europe.
Scotland had a high number of accused, with more than 200 people being executed for witchcraft. It seems that the Welsh culture including everyday magic and religion played a part in halting the number of accused of witchcraft, with about 5 people seeing their lives lost for such sorcery. Wales didn’t really see a witch hunt as such; as neighbours it seems were quite good at sorting out their own arguments.
Want to know more? Here (a survey of Scottish Witches)
Ireland itself was relatively free from witch trials, where ‘witches’ were thought of as healers and wise- women on the whole. Witchcraft being accepted as traditional, and the ‘old ways’. Even today Ireland has a strong connection with magic, leprechauns and fairies.
A Leprechauns engraving – counting his gold.
Ireland did see however, the burning of Petronilla of Meath. (Meath being just North of Dublin and now known for its Neolithic sites) Petronilla was the first woman (you can’t really call her a woman, she was just 12 years old) to be burned at the stake for witchcraft.
In 1324 It seems Petronilla was a young impoverished follower of the famous Irish witch Alice Kytler. Alice was rich, and had been married 4 times. Her power began to be a concern for learned men and at the time, the Bishop of Kilkenny (Ossory- a medieval Irish Kingdom) seems to have laid trumped up charges of devil worship, and sorcery upon her, and 7 other women, one being Petronilla- and 4 men.
Poor 12 year old Petronilla was eventually charged for the deeds, and confessed under examination and interrogation to boiling babies brains, with herbs, worms, corpse fingernails, and chicken guts, to make a witches brew for her coven being the other accused Alice Kytler, in order to cast spells and curses on their neighbours.
Wealth gives power and influence to those that possess it and Alice Kertler got away, Petronilla took the rap!
She was burned alive on November 3rd 1324.
For more information: HERE
Fires as we know are meant to purify. And there were several ways a fire could be set for these poor souls.
- The ‘witch’ would be half strangled, placed upon a huge faggot of sticks and wood – She then might be lucky enough to have died of smoke inhalation.
- The ‘witch’ would be bound at a stake and firewood be built all around them, effectively being burned in a wall of fire.
- Or build a heap of firewood and attach the ‘witch’ to a wooden stake – this way everyone in the crowd could get a good look at justice being done and so ridding of them of the ‘ills of the world’
Nearly 300 hundred years later a village near the county of Meath, Castlejordon, another such witch was burned. In 1649 Ellen McGillway was burned at the stake for making away with her illegitimate child.
The burning of heretics, who were seen as straying from the good ways, and walking the path of the devil, if found guilty, were put to death by fire.
It seems punishment and purification by burning was a bit of a thing!
Fire and The Devil
As fire is associated with the devil and burning in eternity being seen as a fitting and good punishment, the accused would get a glimpse of what was to come for them, and a chance to repent at the last minute to at least save their soul; and if they did not, the on-looker would be given a stark warning!
Witchcraft too at this time was seen as practices against the normal and not generally accepted amongst those that practiced early medieval Christianity.
Witchcraft was perceived to facilitate evil spirits and demons to do harm to others. People at this time believing that witchcraft rather than the work of God, offered a more convincing explanation of a sudden unexpected death, loss of a livelihood, or other ill-fortune. And a hot fiery death was regarded on the whole as a just punishment and retribution along with your usual heresy (having no respect for an official opinion).
In 1604 under King James 1 things really started hotting up.
‘Fearful abundance at this time in this country, of these detestable slaves of the Devil, the witches or enchanters’. Daemonologie by King James 1
There is no doubt James 1 had a particular interest or even a real fear of witches, so much so he wrote a book about it Daemononlogie first published in 1597.
There are several accounts of this story but it seems ‘James of England and Scotland‘ really believed in witches, – onboard a ship in 1590 which was bringing him and his new wife to Scotland, their vessel was battered by prolonged, ferocious heavy storms, he suspected foul play and the order of the day was to hinder their safe arrival. Evil forces were suspected.
These later Acts of Law were transferred from the church to the ordinary courts.Here the English Parliament passed yet another measure, one with penalties was against ‘using human corpses for rituals and entertaining evil spirits’, another for ‘those that harm, but do not kill someone’
For more information: HERE
James VI of Scotland at about 20 years old here – later he was James 1 of England and Ireland.
Unexplainable events needed a meaning, and who better in light of the lack of scientific knowledge to blame single women with no one to really speak up for them; the old, the disabled, or one of the ‘cunning folk’ – who at the time a white witch, who was a non- harmful version of The black witch!
Daemonologie published in 1597 by King James was written to convince the doubtful – as on the whole people up until then throughout the British Isles had accepted a certain number of these wise women as healers or midwives, and their abilities to bring comfort and relief was much regarded in the community.
There are no total accurate figures for those who were either accused or executed under the 22 year reign of James 1. It is reported to be as many as 2500 people having been accused or charged with occult and demonology practices. He mentions too, the evil practices of being a werewolf, or a vampire and how they should be prosecuted under the christian law.
James 1 did play a big part in exacerbating paranoia and fear about witches and their powers. While in Europe and Ireland this type of hysteria was beginning to die down, obvious scars were left. In England a certain Mathew Hopkins was about to leave his mark.
The Witch finder General
Mathew Hopkins and his colleague John Strerne were in cahoots together, to rid England and especially East Anglia and Essex (doable, as usually being a day or two’s ride away from home to each assize to evidence gathering was not too effortful) of ‘these detestable creatures’.
Assize = A court which formally sat at intervals in each county of England.
At the time, England was in upheaval, there being civil wars and unrest – Edgehill, Dunbar, Nasby and Marston Moor were events that carried much sorrow, mortality, disease and disability. Battles fought between those loyal to King Charles1 and those loyal to Parliament.
With a lot of menfolk away at war, people like Stearn (an experienced ‘Witchfinder’ and more than 10 years older than Hopkins) and Hopkins (in his mid 20’s at the time) had the upper hand with local people. Both of them had come from an educated background and wealthy families.
1645-1647- in just 2 years saw the pair of self-styled Witchfinders carry out more than 60% of the total witch trials in the whole of the British Isles and Ireland with more than 112 people being executed under them.
With torture methods like ‘pricking’ (usually on a mole or callus that did not bleed further evidence of the devil within) sleep and food deprivation, finding unexplained warts or scars (could mean you may have a pet familiar, which would suckle from such a place) walking or being dragged around and around a small room to point of exhaustion, they both were able to bring ‘evidence’ to the courts. I think these two were a couple of chancers and with up to £22 (which would have taken 1 years work for a skilled tradesman to earn) being paid to them for a successful trial, I guess they felt they were onto a good thing!
Modern Witches
Witches continued to be vilified and accused right up to the 20th century but nothing like what had happened during the previous 300 years. This time was known as the Witchcraze.
One of the last persons to be tried for Witchcraft in England was Helen Duncan, she was a Scottish lady found guilty and imprisoned for 9 months in Holloway prison in London after a week long trial.
Helen was a spiritualist and medium she was sentenced under the 1735 witchcraft Act. She travelled throughout Britain taking entertainment to the people.
Her shows would regularly include seance’s where she would produce the form of dead people by omitting ectoplasm (a strange white coloured viscous substance) from her mouth (you’d have to see it to believe it – but there are pictures!) People loved these shows and she had a great following.
Helen Duncan – at one of her celebrated seances (a french word for ‘session’ – a meeting or gathering).
Want to know more? Here
In 1941 she spoke to a dead sailor from HMS Barham and said that he had told her – the ship he was on in the Mediterranean had sunk. The War Office eventually got to hear of this tale and had not officially released these facts until several months later.
The wartime government had been trying to keep secret the huge loss of more than 800 British seamen quiet after a German U boat had torpedoed the HMS Barham.
Helen Duncan was charged with fraudulent witchcraft and conspiracy to contravene under the Witchcraft Act. She was charged on 7 counts of the Witchcraft Act of 1735 under section 4 – ‘Committing fraudulent ‘Spiritual’ activity’
As a result of this case, the Witchcraft Act was finally repealed in 1951. An act of parliament in 1954 saw Spiritualism recognised as a religion.
Want to know more? Here
There was another ‘Witch’ to be prosecuted after Helen in 1944 – more of that in another post.
Paganism and religion in the UK
Everyone loves a witch right? Just think of Halloween, Harry Potter, the Little Mermaid, the Wizard of Oz…….. Good or bad the fascination for witches continues.
Modern day British and Irish witches celebrate nature (are we going full circle here?) and use magic and spells to practice healing. Most of them I suspect follow the Wicca way, which is part of a contemporary pagan movement looking to find peace and harmony through practices which promote growth and faith.
Want to know more? HERE
The Spirit Of The Witch
The natural world of literature in children’s films, books, poems and story-telling is filled with spirits. Many of us in our adulthood are reluctant to abandon this glorious view of life. Paganism celebrating nature and the natural cycles of life and death bring to a lot of people guidance and solace in our confusing world. And if you’re not using a magic spell to do evil, what harm can it do?
And are you sure you’re not a witch? Just think when was the last time you ‘wished’ for something?
Modern spiritual movements including yoga, new age spiritualism, meditation and Wicca practices are fast becoming a way of life. People worshipping trees, deities, crops, seasonal ceremonies, the full moon, mountains and lakes, may only mean we are looking for a more natural pace of life, one which offers us balance and an improvement in our mental and physical well being.
The established church of England and other religions have created wonderful buildings and literature for us, but with this most popular denomination in our nation now seeing less than 1 million regular weekly attendees; Neopagan practices hold an obvious place in our spiritual needs.
Take a Wicca Online course – Take a course
The Witch, you know her, she’s the poor old hag that was hung until dead, (sometimes if they were able family and friends would pull on her legs to save her agony, as it can if not done right, take up to 20 minutes to suffocate) The ugly, creepy one with the big hook nose from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.
And then there’s the one who is your neighbour, today and now, she looks quite normal, acts quite normal and as far as you know is quite normal. She’s just looking for a little magic in her life.
Find Your Spirit
Something for every age group
Kentwell Hall – Suffolk – A wonderful Privately Owned Tudor House, with parts of the mansion and kitchen little altered from the Tudor times!
Tudor Midsummer
Step back in history, to over 500 years ago and enjoy a family day out. Immerse yourself in the smells and sounds of 16th century England – Sat 21st-22nd June 2025 and 28th-29th June 2025
Magic Weekend – Kentwell, Suffolk
House, garden and farm open – experience a land of magic, with fairies, magicians, wizards, mermaids and gnomes mid July- something for the whole family.
Want to know more Here
Until next time dear friends …… cackle, cackle, cackle……………………..
