Robert Neill's novel is a classic tale of witchcraft set in a wild inaccessible corner of Lancashire and in a time when the ancient fear of demons and witches was still a part of life... and death. Read more Details

The Lancashire Witch trials of 1612 were the basis for this story. We have a young puritan girl, Margery, sent to her cousin Roger Nowell because her family doesn’t know what to do with her (she is distinctly un-puritan) and nobody can provide her with a dowry to marry her off. Roger’s way of life is more to Margery’s taste and, freed of the restrictions her upbringing had imposed on her, we see her blossom into an intelligent young woman. She accompanies her cousin, a Justice of the Peace, on his investigations into increasingly frequent accusations of witchcraft, soon becoming an integral part of the inquiries, her actions leading to at least one incidence of romance and several incidences of execution. Ocr tesseract 5.0.0-alpha-20201231-10-g1236 Ocr_detected_lang en Ocr_detected_lang_conf 1.0000 Ocr_detected_script Latin Ocr_detected_script_conf 1.0000 Ocr_module_version 0.0.13 Ocr_parameters -l eng Old_pallet IA18012 Openlibrary_editionPublications in 2012 inspired by the trials include two novellas, The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson and Malkin Child by Livi Michael. Blake Morrison published a volume of poetry, A Discoverie of Witches. [102] See also [ edit ] See also: European witchcraft Pendle Hill from the northwest. On the right is the eastern edge of Longridge Fell, which is separated from Pendle Hill by the Ribble valley.

Swain, John (2002), "Witchcraft, Economy and Society in the Forest of Pendle", in Poole, Robert (ed.), The Lancashire Witches: Histories and Stories, Manchester University Press, pp.73–87, ISBN 978-0-7190-6204-9 The minor elements of romance (after all, she was there to find a dowry if not a husband) were handled delicately and left me smiling It has been estimated that all the English witch trials between the early 15th and early 18th centuries resulted in fewer than 500 executions, so this one series of trials in July and August 1612 accounts for more than two per cent of that total. [74] Court records show that Lancashire was unusual in the north of England for the frequency of its witch trials. Neighbouring Cheshire, for instance, also suffered from economic problems and religious activists, but there only 47 people were indicted for causing harm by witchcraft between 1589 and 1675, of whom 11 were found guilty. [75]Margery is a young woman of uncommon intelligence, raised in penury by a strict Puritan family which views her as disobedient and dangerous. Sent away to live with her distant cousin Roger in Pendle, Margery soon becomes Roger's partner in investigation, as a series of hideous desecrations force Roger to look further into the rumours of witchcraft. Pendle was part of the parish of Whalley, an area covering 180 square miles (470km 2), too large to be effective in preaching and teaching the doctrines of the Church of England: both the survival of Catholicism and the upsurge of witchcraft in Lancashire have been attributed to its over-stretched parochial structure. Until its dissolution, the spiritual needs of the people of Pendle and surrounding districts had been served by nearby Whalley Abbey, but its closure in 1537 left a moral vacuum. [76]

Alice Grey was accused with Katherine Hewitt of the murder of Anne Foulds. Potts does not provide an account of Alice Grey's trial, simply recording her as one of the Samlesbury witches – which she was not, as she was one of those identified as having been at the Malkin Tower meeting – and naming her in the list of those found not guilty. [66] Woodhouse, Lisa (20 August 2012). "Pendle hosts record-breaking gathering of witches". Lancashire Telegraph . Retrieved 5 September 2020.Below is one of the newly framed pieces for the Harrogate Art Fair (which is just a week away!). 'Through the Veil' is an original acrylic moodscape evoking a misty mountain scene inspired by my travels through the West Coast of Scotland. Often my paintings reflect something of the 'inner landscape' at the same time as the outer landscape. As I return to the world of art after a break, the way forward is not always clear and I have this sense of great opportunities, shrouded in mystery. Sometimes, as with the Harrogate art Fair, I have to take the next step in faith and trust that all will unfold in positive and exciting ways. Morrison, Blake (20 July 2012). "Blake Morrison: under the witches' spell". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 December 2012. Winsham, Willow (2018), "Families at war: the Pendle Witches - 1612", England's Witchcraft Trials, Pen and Sword Press, pp.50–75, ISBN 1473870941