Book Description

The Lancashire Witch Conspiracy draws upon the experience of an author well versed and qualified in the history of his locality - namely the Forest of Pendle. John A Clayton provides here an in-depth study of the Lancashire Witch Trials of 1612 and, in so doing, many new discoveries of the event come to light. For instance; the most famous 'witch' of them all, Old Demdike (Elizabeth Southern), is found amongst the dusty records of Whalley parish church where she was both baptised and married. Demdike's husband, a farmer, brought his new wife and her illigitimate child into Pendle Forest and this would eventually trigger the trials at Lancaster of 19 people upon charges of witchcraft. The ancestors of Old Demdike, along with those of Chattox, Elizabeth Device, Alice Nutter et al are covered in a detail never before seen. The history of the Pendle Forest is covered in a depth that provides an unrivalled understanding of the subject of the Pendle Witches. The religious and political climate within the forest provide us with a fascinating idea of the times and, above all, new evidence is offered to show that the gentry would go to any lengths in the advancement of their estates - this would lead to tragedy for whole families within Pendle.