Talk on Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 to Support Animal Care Fundraiser

Written by Simon Williams

Historian and speaker Shaun Corkerry is bringing the story of the Pendle witch trials to the stage in a talk supporting Animal Care's fundraising efforts. The talk covers the 1612 trials themselves, the world of Lancaster that produced them, and the long afterlife of the case in literature, film, theatre and popular culture right through to the last witchcraft trials in Britain and echoes of witch-hunting as late as the Second World War.

"As part of Animal Care's fundraising efforts I will be presenting my talk on the Pendle witch trials of 1612," Corkerry said. "Not just the trials themselves but the lead up to them and what the world of 1612 was like especially in Lancaster, and the afterlife of the trials in the form of literature, screen, stage and popular culture. I will also look at the last witchcraft trials and the echoes of witch trials even during World War Two."

For readers who want to go deeper before or after the talk, Histories and Castles has covered the case in Pendle Witches: The Real Story Behind England's Most Notorious Witch Trials, and Simon A. Williams' book The Pendle Witch Trials offers a full account for anyone wanting a closer look at the trials and their aftermath.

Regular podcasts by Histories and Castles to help you get a deep dive understanding of histories events and figures.