The Pendle Witch Trials
1612 saw the most notorious of England’s witch trials.
Twelve women and men from Pendle were accused and arraigned for witchcraft.
One was tried and hanged at York.
Ten were tried at Lancaster.
Of these ten, one was acquitted and nine were hanged.
One woman died whilst awaiting trial.
A Time Line
18th March 1612
Alizon Device set out to walk to market. On the way, she bumped into John Lawe, a well known pedlar and she begged him to open his pack and give her some pins.
John refused and carried on his way. Alizon cursed him and allegedly set her dog on him. A few steps further down the path, John collapsed with what in modern times would be known as a stroke. He was taken to the Black Dog Inn at Colne where the locals insisted he had been bewitched.
On the arrival of John’s son, Abraham and the local magistrate, Roger Nowell, a chain of events was unleashed that would change history.
30th March 1612
When questioned by Roger Nowell, Alizon confesses to bewitching John Lawe. She believes wholeheartedly in her power and the strength of her curse. Alizon tells of the long-standing feud between her family and another local family struggling to make a living providing charms to heal the sick and help the community. In doing so, she accuses her grandmother, Elizabeth Southerns (Demdike), Anne Whittle (Chattox) and Chattox’s daughter, Anne Redfearn of witchcraft.
2nd April 1612
Demdike, Chattox and Anne Redfearn are called upon to account for themselves. They tell stories of pacts with the Devil, mysterious familiars and acts of witchcraft.
3rd April 1612
Alizon Device, Demdike, Chattox and Anne Redfearn are sent to Lancaster Castle where they will be tried. They are made to walk the distance of 45 miles.
6th April 1612
On Good Friday, a gathering is held at Malkin Tower by Elizabeth Device, mother of Alizon and other family members.
It is later alleged that they plotted to kill the gaoler, blow up the keep at Lancaster and free the witches. When word of this gathering gets out, an investigation is made and human bones, teeth and clay pictures (clay dolls made for witchcraft purposes) are unearthed. The bones and teeth had been stolen from the graveyard at Newchurch-in-Pendle.
The attendants of the gathering are rounded up having been identified by Jennet Device, Alizon’s nine year old sister. They are all sent to trial.
17th & 18th August 1612
At the trial, Jennet Device becomes the star witness and helps set a precedent for the reliability of child witness in cases of witchcraft. This precedent would influence the witch trials of Salem later in the 17th century.
Jennet’s evidence condemns nine women and men of Pendle:
Elizabeth Device
Alizon Device
James Device
Anne Whittle
Anne Redfearn
Alice Nutter
Katherine Hewitt
Jane Bulcock
John Bulcock
Elizabeth Southerns (Demdike) was in her seventies and died in the dreadful conditions of Lancaster Gaol.
Jennet Preston was also at the Malkin Tower gathering on Good Friday. As a resident of Gisburn (in Yorkshire at the time), she was tried and hanged at York.
20th August 1612
Having been found guilty, the so-called Pendle Witches are led from Lancaster Castle to Gallows Hill where they are hanged in front of a huge crowd of excited onlookers.
Their legacy lives on in Pendle.
