Witches of St Osyth

Not Just the Tudors

History Hit

History

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2023

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In March 1582, a number of women from the small Essex village of St Osyth, were hanged for the crime of witchcraft. Several others, including one man, died in prison, in what was a shocking and highly localised witch-hunt.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Marion Gibson, who offers revelatory new insights into the personal histories of those who were denied the chance to speak for themselves.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	In 1582, the small coastal Essex community of St. Osseth was torn apart by accusations
0:13.8	of witchcraft. Trials followed, and no fewer than 15 people were investigated for witchcraft,
0:21.8	two were eventually hanged. The circumstances in which the accusations occurred are, in some
0:28.1	ways, the classic scenario of witchcraft, we have neighbours falling out, accusations of physical
0:34.5	harm done through magic, women, the target of the accusations. In yet, the case also complicates
0:43.4	and challenges some of the ideas about witchcraft that historians hold dear. It suggests that
0:50.9	some of the things we have written off as myths aren't so legendary after all. Within weeks
0:56.5	of the executions, pre-trial materials were published in a pamphlet called a true and just
1:02.6	record of the information, examination and confession of all the witches taken at St. Osseth in the
1:10.3	county of Essex. It noted some of the details of the investigation conducted by the magistrate
1:15.5	and local landowner Brian Darcy. The case became notorious. The names of the witches'
1:22.0	familiars are even mentioned in Mukbeth, so why haven't you heard of it? Well, we shall
1:28.6	set that straight today. My guest has written all about it and brings it to life for us here.
1:34.9	Above all, she makes us think differently about how important it is to feel history as well as
1:41.6	analyse it. I'm delighted to be joined by Marion Gibson, professor of Renaissance and magical
1:47.6	literature, not an amazing title, at the University of Exeter and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
1:54.3	Professor Gibson is author of the Witches of St. Osseth, persecution, betrayal and murder. A powerful
2:02.7	intelligent and beautifully written book which was published in December 2022.
2:07.7	Professor Gibson, welcome to not just the tutors, absolutely delighted to be speaking to you. I'm
2:19.2	very interested in the stories of people accused of witchcraft in the past and your book is a wonderful
2:26.5	evocation of many of the sort of central questions and themes and also a very heartfelt look
2:34.6	at some of the people involved and so it's great to have a chance to talk about it.
	...

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