Hell Hath No Fury? Anne Armstrong and the Derwent Valley Witchcraft Accusations of 1673

This activity is completed or marked as expired

Practical

Enjoy code: 911039
Type
Lecture
Target groups
Elderly, Youth, Adult
Source
TheList
External information

Details

This one hour talk will explore the accounts of Anne Armstrong and the Derwent Witchcraft Accusations of the late 17th century.

In 1673, Anne Armstrong appeared in court as an eye-witness to a witches’ sabbath. Her stories of magical feasts, the transformation of witches into cats, hares and bees, and the witches’ attempts to get her to join their cult echoed through the centuries into the Victorian period and beyond. Early historians called Anne herself a ‘neurotic wench’ and even claimed she was a ‘professional’ witchfinder. But what about the three men that corroborated her claims, coming forward to confirm that their cattle and children were sick just as Anne’s visions had said, and John March claiming a sabbath had taken place under his own roof? This talk takes a closer look at Anne’s stories and why she found herself at the centre of a witch trial that spanned Northumberland at a time when witch-hunting was quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Katie Liddane is an expert in the supernatural and social history of the North East, with a focus on seventeenth century witch-trials. Following local stories from past to present: her work covers the relationship between historical events and folklore, and how this is represented in fiction and film.

Maps