Based on local stories and the history of Matthew Hopkins Witchfinder, who is believed to have prosecuted 300 women from East Anglia during 1645 and 1647, this selection of work has been created in response to local tales and recorded fact. Those who have incorporated stained glass into their piece have done so as a representation of the Christian beliefs at the time being at odds with wicca practices.
Legendary Essex note: At Churchill School in Haverhill is just over the border from Essex, students learned about lots of local folklore and were inspired to create these artworks. East Anglian folklore includes various methods of protection against witchcraft, such as witch marks (symbols carved into buildings to ward off evil spirits), witch bottles (containing personal items to deflect curses), and the hiding of objects like shoes in walls.
King James I authored “Daemonologie”, a book published in 1597, which served as a guide to understanding and combating witchcraft. It explores the nature of demons, witchcraft, and related topics, and was used to justify the persecution and execution of individuals accused of witchcraft – it is tragic that one man’s misogyny fuelled so much torture and persecution over the following centuries.
The accusation of witchcraft was also an effective (and fatal) way of ridding any female landowners of their property.
