The Witch of East Somerton

Witchcraft was denounced by the acting pope in 1484 as being heresy, and the church worked to spread word that practicing magic would lead to an eternity of suffering in the afterlife. Women were often accused of being witches for anything that made them “difficult,” and many women who were simply unpopular within their communities were condemned as witches. Sometimes, these individuals were indeed of non-Christian religious beliefs, but more often simple things such as being self sufficient, stubborn, or reading books would be enough to point the finger at a woman and claim that she was a witch.

In Britain, witchcraft was made a capital offence in 1563, almost a hundred years since the fear of witches began to spread across Europe. Around 200,000 women were tortured, executed, and imprisoned under the law of the church or of the state between the year 1484 and 1750. This widespread panic and the tragedy and suffering that came about because of it went on for hundreds of years, and many innocent women lost their lives in the process.

According to a popular story, one of these women was a resident of East Somerton in Norfolk. This woman’s name has been lost to history, but her tale prevails in local lore and is evidenced by one of the most mysterious pieces of ruins in Britain. She is now simply known as “The Witch of East Somerton.”