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The Pendle Witches

The Pendle Witches 1612 - 2012

The Pendle Witch trials of 1612 are perhaps the most famous of all the witch trials in English History and were recorded by the clerk to the court, Thomas Potts, in his book: The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster.

The twelve accused men and women lived in the area of Pendle Hill in Lancashire and were charged of murder by the use of Witchcraft.  Jennet Preston, from Gisburn, was sent to trial at the York Assizes on the 27th July, where she was found guilty and hanged. Elizabeth Southerns died while awaiting trial.

The nine others - Alizon Device, Elizabeth Device, James Device, Anne Whittle, Anne Redferne, Alice Nutter, Katherine Hewitt, John Bulcock and Jane Bulcock - were sent to trial at the Lancaster Assizes on the 18-19th August 1612.  They were found guilty and hanged at Gallows Hill in Lancaster on 20 August 1612.  Alice Grey, another of the accused, was found not guilty.

The Lancashire Witch Trials also included three women from Samlesbury - Jane Southworth, Jennet Bierley, and Ellen Bierley - known as the Samlesbury Witches. They were accused of practising witchcraft by a 14 year old girl, Grace Sowerbutts, however all three were acquitted.