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Town's 1646 witchcraft trial ordeal re-enacted

Katy Prickett
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
John Beardsworth Two women and a man in mid-17th Century dress during a re-enactment of the Huntingdon witch trial. The women have white linen caps on their heads, white linen can be seen at their necks above woollen dresses, one in dark red and the other in navy. The man has a black cap on his head and a purple wool jacket. John Beardsworth
The nine accused came from villages including Keyston, Molesworth and Great Catworth, said historian Stuart Orme

When nine Huntingdonshire people were accused of witchcraft in 1646, during the English Civil Wars, their accusers knew who to turn to for help - Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins.

The six women and three men found themselves on trial for their lives - four of them would be found guilty and hanged.

The Civil Wars saw a "resurgence in witchcraft accusations" when "people were looking around for someone else to blame for their ills", said historian Stuart Orme.

The group's ordeal is being re-enacted on Saturday and Sunday in Huntingdon's Georgian courtroom, on the site of the building where the 17th Century trial took place.

John Beardsworth A re-enactment of the Huntingdon witch trial in an 18th Century courthouse. Three men and two women in mid 17th Century dress and two women are standing and above them is a balcony where other people in mid-17th Century dress can be seen. Two of the men are wearing broad brim black hats and dark clothing with wide lace-collars above their jackets. The women are in russet-toned dressed with white caps on their heads. John Beardsworth
The self-styled Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins was asked to come and lead the prosecution of the six women and three men - for a fee

"For many people, the Civil War was the world turned upside down, times were hard, the harvest was failing because of poor weather, thousands of people had died in the wars or of war-related disease," said Mr Orme, curator of The Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon.

They wanted someone to blame and, in an era when most people believed in witchcraft, the focus turned to those on the edges of society.

"In 90% of cases, those accused were women - they tended to be the poorest in society, they depended on the parish poor rate and were resented for that and they would be blamed for things like cursing animals or children," he said.

John Beardsworth Two men in mid-17th Century dress during a re-enactment of the Huntingdon witch trial. They are wearing black broad-brimmed hats and dark clothing from which white linen collars and cuffs can be seen, decorated with broad lace. They are holding white documents and appear to be conferring.John Beardsworth
It was a money-spinner for Hopkins, who made £23 for two days' work at Stowmarket, Suffolk, said Mr Orme

The nine, who were all from "a very humble background", were put on trial in 1646, during the 18 months in which Matthew Hopkins was active across East Anglia.

Hopkins accused "about 300 people of witchcraft and over 100 are executed", Mr Orme said.

The historian added: "If he is known at all, it's from the 1960s' horror film with an elderly Vincent Price, but the real Witchfinder General is only 25 years old when he begins his career."

Tigon Film Productions A slightly blurry image of Vincent Price (1911-1993), playing Matthew Hopkins. He is wearing a black wide-brimmed hat, a maroon jacket with gold buttons and braiding and over it a broad lace-trimmed collar. He is standing against a stone wall and mullioned window.Tigon Film Productions
The trial was a turning point for Hopkins (portrayed above by Vincent Price), whose torture methods appalled a local vicar

Hopkins made his first accusations in Manningtree, Essex, and from there his career took off, using brutal methods.

"The accused would be imprisoned, deprived of food, sleep, water, clothes, even the ability to sit down or lie down or sleep, and then after three or four days of this, whilst being harangued and interrogated, most people will crack and confess simply to make it stop," Mr Orme said.

The re-enactments are based on a pamphlet about the Huntingdonshire trial, recorded by John Stern from Hopkins' team.

One of the accused "mutters under their breath all the time", another is described as "a sottish [drunk] woman".

Getty Images A sepia-toned 17th Century woodcut which has written at the top Matthew Hopkins Witch Finder Generall (sic). Hopkins is in the middle wearing a broad-brimmed hat, a jacket and breeches, knee-high boots and a knee-length cloak over the top. On either side of him can be seen the head and shoulders of two seated women. They are in a room with a door on the left and two windows on either side of HopkinsGetty Images
The four found guilty and hanged were Anne Desborough, Frances Moore, Elizabeth Weed and John Winnick

However, the vicar of Great Staughton, Cambridgeshire, was deeply disturbed when he witnessed Hopkins' methods in Huntingdon and wrote a pamphlet condemning him.

Mr Orme said: "He's asking, 'How can you have a fair trial when these people are being tortured?' Torture is against English common law, it's illegal."

This led to a campaign against Hopkins and within a few months his activities ceased. He died the following year.

With the first Civil War (1642-1646) coming to an end, life began returning to normality and the witchcraft hysteria of the mid-1640s faded away.

John Beardsworth Two women in mid-17th Century dress during a re-enactment of the Huntingdon witch trial. They have white linen caps on their heads and are wearing russety-toned dresses of wool. They are looking frightened.John Beardsworth
The trials will be performed by volunteers from the Civil Wars re-enactment society The Sealed Knot

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