Recovering the Bideford Witches (Book)

The Bideford Witches were three women who were accused of being witches a long time ago in England, unfortunately here in Bideford.

They were poor and not treated nicely by the people around them. They were accused of using magic to hurt others, even though they probably didn’t do anything wrong.

They were punished for it and became the last group of women to be executed for witchcraft in England.

But nowadays, people remember the Bideford Witches in a different way.

They see them as heroes for standing up against injustice, even though they had tough lives. Women especially see them as role models, because they showed that even in tough times, they could be strong and stand up for what they believed in.

The Last Witches of England

John Callow wrote a book called “The Last Witches of England: A Tragedy of Sorcery and Superstition” in which he explores the changing reputation and modern-day memorialisation of the Bideford Witches.

He looks at old records and stories that were written about them a long time ago and finds out that these women had difficult lives and were treated unfairly.

The book talks about how people realized that the way the witches were treated was very unfair. They started to remember them in a better way and even saw them as heroes for standing up against injustice.

Women especially saw them as role models, because they showed that even in tough times, they could be strong and stand up for what they believed in.

And Today

Nowadays, people remember the Bideford Witches in a positive way.

They hold events and memorials in their honour and even have picnics dressed up as witches! Even though they had a hard life, their story can still bring joy and laughter to people today.

In Summary

The Bideford Witches were accused of being witches and punished for it, even though they were probably innocent.

But nowadays, people remember them in a different way and see them as heroes for standing up against injustice. John Callow’s book “The Last Witches of England: A Tragedy of Sorcery and Superstition” explores the changing reputation and modern-day memorialisation of these women.