Pendle Witches

In Lancashire, England, is a grim landscape with looming Pendle Hill, full of dark history and hauntings. While today there are ghost walks in the misty gloomy woods on the hill, in the castles, graveyards and churches, it's most famous for it's witches. This is the infamous Pendle Witches and the witch trails that happened in the early 17th century. Besides ghosts, the hill has been a place of strange eerie lights, UFO's and unknown voices. Many believe that they've encountered the ghosts of the Pendle Witches who were executed in one of the most brutal witch trials in English history.

In 1612 many as 12 people were accused of witchcraft in that area, and they all came from different families. The accused were Elizabeth Southerns or alias Demdike, her daughter Elizabeth Device and grandchildren Alison and James Device; then Anne Whittle or alias Chattox and her daughter Anne Redferne; Alice Nutter; Jane Bulcock and her son John Bulcock; Katherine Hewitt (nicknamed "Mould Heels"); Isabel Robey, and Margaret Pearson. These are called the Witches of Pendle Forest. They were also accused of murder, theft and killing animals using witchcraft. People made accusations against them while some of the accused became convinced they were guilty. They were terrified.

What's also very curious is that a young girl named Jennet Device was their biggest accuser. She was the granddaughter of matriarch Elizabeth Southerns. Jennet claimed that her own grandmother had a familiar (a spirit in the shape of an animal) and it looked like a large dog with red shining eyes named Ball. She said this creature talked with her grandmother in English! She also made more accusations towards others, including Alice Nutter, a daughter of a wealthy landowner who was also among the group executed for witchcraft. There's a statue of Alice today in the Pendle village of Roughlee. The girl Jennet Device was feared and infamous as the one who testified against many people including members of her family. She became known as the Pendle Witch Child.   

Ten of those twelve who stood trial were executed at Lancaster Castle. Today the area of Pendle is a magnet for tourists who are eager to experience the spooky atmosphere and Halloween celebrations with witch themes. To this day, the Pendle Witches have not been pardoned. 

For a lot more info on this visit Pendle Witches page Wikipedia   

Info on the documentary The Pendle Witch Child at IMDB. 

She Wolf Night