Devon's Forgotten Witches

An examination of some obscure witchcraft cases from Devon’s past, using archive records and drawing modern comparisons

Witchcraft and witches throughout history have long captured the imagination, and many famous cases are still studied today: the Pendle Witches, Isobel Gowdie, the Salem Witch Trials and the Bideford Witches of Devon. Yet hidden away in archives are records of long-forgotten cases. Many of these are tragic, some are unusual –perhaps even inexplicable – but all are fascinating in their own right.

Devon’s Forgotten Witches 1860–1910 takes a deep dive through some of these records, bringing to the surface accusations of witchcraft in the county that have languished, unacknowledged, in the British Newspaper Archives for decades. These are the stories of ordinary people whose lives were touched in some way by witchcraft, either as a profession or as a solution to life’s difficulties.

Authors Tracey Norman and Mark Norman examine these cases within their historical context, pulling together details from various news reports to explore what might really have happened to those involved. This work provides an intriguing snapshot of press coverage in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, showing how the public were urged to view those who still put their faith in ‘incredible superstition’. Most importantly, the retelling of these stories gives a new voice to those whom the historical record has silenced.