Description
The Matthew Hopkins Trial of 1645 – from the perspective of the victims.
Discover the dark history of the greatest mass witch trial in English history. In the summer of 1645, fear and suspicion gripped the county of Essex. Under the watchful, predatory eye of Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled ‘Witchfinder General’, an unprecedented wave of hysteria culminated in the Chelmsford trials, where 33 innocent men and women were rounded up and accused of executing “wicked and damnable arts.”
Join renowned local historian and researcher John Worland for a gripping exploration of this bleak chapter in our past. Delving deep into contemporary records and legal testimonies, John will unpick how neighbour turned against neighbour, how torture was masked as ‘interrogation’, and how 17th-century political upheaval allowed a rogue opportunist to weaponize paranoia. Step back into a world of familiars, confessions, and catastrophic injustice. This talk offers a fascinating, meticulous look at the victims, the accusers, and the legacy of the 1645 trials that changed the landscape of British witchcraft forever. Don’t miss this captivating journey into Essex’s darkest secrets.
John Worland is passionate about giving a voice to the victims of the witch hunts. When people talk about the old Essex witch trials, they tend to focus on the well known villain of the tale.
Whilst you can’t avoid talking about him, John’s talk is centred very much on the first victims in the 1645 trial. Why were they targeted? What actually happened after their arrests? How many were convicted? Why was there no judge at the trial? (yes! – really)
Come along and hear the details that are usually just glossed over!
on Friday October 23rd at 7pm.
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