Devon's Forgotten Witches 1860–1910

There are many famous witchcraft cases which are often written of and discussed: The Pendle Witches, Isabel Gowdie, the Salem Witch Trials and, in Devon, the Bideford Witches. But hidden away in the archives of libraries, museums and heritage centres are records of long-forgotten cases. Many of these are tragic, some are unusual (perhaps even inexplicable) but all are fascinating.

This book takes a deep dive through these archive records and brings to the surface a number of accusations of witchcraft in the county which have gone undiscussed for many years. The authors examine the cases in their historical context but also draw modern comparisons in an effort to explain what might have actually been happening to the people involved. Most importantly, they provide a new voice to those whom the historical record has forever silenced.

Tracey Norman is a historian and author with a particular interest in witchcraft cases. She wrote the acclaimed play WITCH, which uses actual witch trial documents to tell the story of a fictional woman accused of witchcraft by her neighbour. Tracey co-authored Dark Folklore with her husband, Mark, for The History Press in 2020, and also published the pamphlet Cards, Cocoa and Charms, exploring obscure Devon witchcraft cases. Together, Tracey and Mark give talks on folklore-related subjects and write columns and articles for newspapers, periodicals, and online publications.

Mark Norman is a folklore author and researcher. He is a council member of The Folklore Society and has served on the judging panel for the Katharine Briggs Book Awards for the past three years. He is also the creator and host of The Folklore Podcast and the founding curator of The Folklore Library and Archive. Listened to around the world, the podcast explores all aspects of traditional folklore and has received over 1.5 million downloads, placing it in the top 5% globally in its genre. Mark lectures across the UK on folklore topics and writes regularly for newspapers, magazines, and websites. He lives in Devon.

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