General

In 1542, during the reign of Henry VIII, the Witchcraft Act was introduced.  Witchcraft was defined as a felony to be tried through the courts with a maximum penalty of hanging.  Elizabeth I further strengthened this in 1563. A first time offender would be imprisoned for a year and placed into a pillory [sort of stock with holes for hands and feet] four times, a second offence would result in death by hanging unless the person was convicted of murder by witchcraft in the first instance.  In 1604 James IV of Scotland and James I of England strengthened English law to make death by hanging compulsory for those injured. King James was very interested in witchcraft, having written an earlier book entitled ‘Daemonologie’ and personally attending trials. Although, he did not take the opportunity to mirror the punishment carried out in Scotland of burning at the stake.  

In 1904 Balfour published “County Folklore Vol IV Northumberland” bringing together numerous sources to record different folklore stories across the county (other volumes were completed for other English counties).   Below are some of the stories told…

Acklington had a reputation for dealings in the magic arts including ‘invulation’ “by which the life, death or suffering of an enemy was attempted by means of a figure in which pins were struck” or was roasted on a fire.  Brinkburne Abbey was recorded as having its own witch living in a nearby cottage; she had an ‘evil eye’ and local villagers were afraid of her cat. The witch that lived in Hawkwell transformed herself into a hare.

A number of individuals, mostly women, are cited as being accused of being  witches; with the accounts often being heard by the then Mayor of Newcastle.   In 1659-60 Elisabeth Simpson of Tynmouth was refused a pot of beer by Frances Mason.  Elisabeth threatened Frances who became lame within days, taking to her bed claiming Elisabeth ‘did pinch her heart’.  In 1661, when Elizabeth Richardson of Blaydon took ill , Jane Watson was called. The pain disappeared, “but imediately after the paine left her, and a dogg which as in said house presently dyed”.  

Isabell Fletcher was at the Stanners near Morpeth one night and she saw a “white thing comeing through the water like a woman”.  The vision asked Isabell if she recognised her and she confirmed it was Margaret Milbourne of Bedlington “whome she was very well acquainted with, she being servant lately to…” her son William.  Isabell refused the visions instruction to visit ‘thy dame’, and was told “it would be worse for her”. When the vision came forward again, it caused Isabell to faint and be in a “distracted condition all the night”.

The case against Jane Simpson and Isabell Atcheson was heard in July 1664.  Jane had given some ‘threatening words’ towards Dorothy Hearon after selling her some cherries.  Within days Dorothy had taken ill to her bed where she suffered “sad and lamentable fitts to the admiration and astonishment of all spectators, being sometimes rageing madd, other tymes laughing and singing, other tymes dispareing and disconsolate, other tymes very solitary and mute”.  A couple of days later in her bed, crying, Dorothy said that it was Jane and Isabell that tormented her and were about to carry her away. She asked her husband Anthony Hearon, a baker and brewer, if he could see the ladies beside the bed. After moving the curtain he said that “he did clearly see Isable Atcheson standing att the bedd side, in her owne shape”, she vanished when he called for the Lord.  A footnote to this story is noted “The sick person draws blood from the suspected witch and recovers”.

How did these accusations come about?  In 1649-50 two sergeants, Thomas Stevel and Cuthbert Nicholson, from Newcastle magistrates were sent to Scotland to collect an unnamed witch-finder who could “find out witches by pricking them with pins”.  When he arrived in Newcastle a bellman was sent around the town asking anyone with a complaint against a woman for being a witch should come forward so that the women could be sent for trial with the witch-finder.

Belief in and accusations of witchcraft were commonplace in England, and indeed Europe, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.  Many of the denunciations and evidence given nowadays appear somewhat nonsensical and in many cases can be explained away by advancement in modern medicine or science.  However, in a society so grounded in religious belief, where the greatest fear was the Devil himself, it is a little easier to understand why allegations could have arisen out of situations that just could not be explained in any other way at the time.

Numerous individuals in Northumberland were accused of being witches, the evidence which seems flimsy by today’s standards, included night time visions or the use of threatening words.  The majority, but not all, of those who fell under suspicion were female. In “County Folklore Vol IV Northumberland” by M.C. Balfour the tale of Peter Banks is told. Although sadly we do not know exactly where Banks or his accusers were from, his story was heard by Robert Roddam, Mayor of Newcastle in 1673/4.

Peter Banks was described as “a most strange seducer and inticer of the king’s subjects and people, and deludes them in a wonderfull manner, perswadeing and makeing them beleive that he cann tell leases [charms] to people” (p.34); he was said to have confessed to the use of enchantments, magic arts and conjuring evil spirits.

Jane Crossby bought a charm for ten shillings and two new shirts compelling her husband to be pleasant to her for a year.  During this time the husband was said to be ‘loveing and kind’, however when she did not renew the charm at the end of the year her husband’s behaviour became ‘ill and untoward againe’.

Ellinor Pattison was terrified by night visions and apparitions after a disagreement with Banks.  He knew that she was bewitched and offered to cure her. She permitted him to cut out a small piece of her hair which was wrapped in paper and burned.  After this she ‘grew better’.

Sadly Balfour does not tell us the outcome for Peter Banks, this may be lost to history, but it offers a fantastic insight into the accusations made against this particular male witch.

Since the lockdown things have changed for us at Northumberland Archives. My usual routine was jump out of bed after a bit too long of a lay-in; a rushed breakfast and then a 30 minute car journey; shouting at drivers for doing silly things; getting wet when we clock-in; then opening and closing the gates behind us. A full day’s work in an office looking at white walls, no windows, then home in the dark, getting wet opening and shutting the gates behind us, then clocking out! 

Before the enforced lockdown lots of work was done behind the scenes to make sure we all had enough work to keep us going whilst home working.

Now my day consists of rolling out of bed, a leisurely breakfast and a nano second journey from lounge to dining room. Logged in and ready to go at the same time it would be, had I driven to work. Reduced carbon footprint. 

The peace is interrupted as my new colleagues appear one by one. The dining room has become a new office space with both my wife and eldest daughter; all working from our little hub. The youngest daughter appears around midday having finished school abruptly.  What no GCSE’s this year? She informs us that she is still alive and hungry.

My work day now allows me to see out a picture window. The green grass of home and bright blue skies. I have been working through my emails as I have amassed 26,000. I’m sure I don’t need all these so the delete button has been pushed over 2500 times so far. 

We have lists that have never gone onto our electronic catalogue to input; reports for research to write up; social media posts to research and pass on; emails to reply to; work to secure for when we return to normal; and, of course, keep in communication with the rest of the team. I am also using the opportunity to catch up on all the work my volunteers have transcribed since ‘Northumberland at War’. They are like prisoners of war that never went home as they love the place too much. And every now and again a video conference to see how things are going with the Head of Archives which reminds me of the Eurovision Song Contest – Gosforth is calling to give the vote of the Gosforth jury.

Life hasn’t changed too much, just the environment and work colleagues; although adjusting to working on a small chrome book has had its challenges. Work continues we just had to adjust to the type of it; no old books or lost treasures to look at.

Stay safe out there and let’s hope we can get back to normal sooner rather than later.