On the 2nd of June 1634 at the Reading Borough Court William and Edith Walls were accused of making Edward Bonavant ill by witchcraft. This serious accusation was made in a troubled town at a time when witchcraft was believed to be real, and causing harm by witchcraft a capital crime. The local authorities took […]
This essay compares religion in Reading in the middle of the 19th century with nearby southern counties and the rest of England to determine if Reading was typical or not. This essay will show Reading had a higher proportion of the population attending church and a more diverse religious population, and that this was due to local historical factors.
There are three entries in the burial register for St. Mary’s Minster Church, Reading for January, 1631 which say the deceased was apprehend for a witch.[1] “Jan 10. Katheren Roose, apprehended for a wich” “Jan 13. Joane Patey, apprehended for a wich”. “Jan 13. Anne Clinch, apprehended for a wich” These three women had been […]
There were some witchcraft accusations before the courts in the later 17th century that I don’t know much about. Joan Harding was imprisoned in Reading accused of witchcraft but was freed on 20th July 1658 because the case against her was considered insufficient. On 22nd February 1662, Christina Wicks was on trial accused of incantation and the care […]
Below are the notes by Sir Francis Windebank on the hearing in the Court of the Star Chamber on 13th November 1635 of the accusation by John Prowting of conspiracy by John, Elizabeth and Anne Waldron of Lambourn in West Berkshire. For a detailed review of this case see A Witchcraft Accusation in 17th Century […]
In 1635 Anne Waldron of Lambourn was ill, and her father John Waldron accused Mary Prowting of causing this illness by witchcraft. The illness was investigated and discovered to be a fraud. In November 1635 John Prowting, husband of Mary, sued John Waldron in the Court of the Star Chamber for conspiracy. This article examines […]
Witchcraft accusations were remembered for many years after they occurred but not always accurately. These witchcraft stories could inspire new accusations. This article follows a chain of stories of witchcraft back in time starting with the late seventeenth century. In the late seventeenth century, between 1656 and 1691, antiquarian John Aubrey wrote his book ‘The […]
Witchcraft accusations and keeping the peace. On Saturday 26th August 1626, Elizabeth Griffyn is accused in Reading Borough Quarter Sessions of making a charm against her neighbours Hugh Patye and his wife. Both Hugh Patye, Elizabeth and her husband William Griffyn were ordered by the court to keep the peace or be liable to pay […]
The visible effects of belief 