The Newcastle witch trials were a series of events that occurred in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, during the 17th century. The trials were part of the larger witch-hunting craze that swept through Europe and North America during this time period. It is estimated that between 10,000 and 100,000 people, mostly women, were executed for witchcraft during this era. The first known witch trial in Newcastle took place in 1649 when Joan Wright was accused of using witchcraft to cause illness and death. Wright was found guilty and subsequently hanged. This trial set a precedent for the following years, as more accusations of witchcraft began to surface.

Boston had witch trials, too. A group wants justice for those accused across Mass.

In 1648, Margaret Jones, a midwife, became the first person in Massachusetts — the second in New England — to be executed for witchcraft, decades before the infamous Salem witch trials.

Nearly four centuries later, the state and region are still working to come to grips with the scope of its witch trial legacy.

The latest effort comes from a group dedicated to clearing the names of all those accused, arrested or indicted for Massachusetts is working to fully atone for its witch trial legacy nearly 400 years after the first person was executed there for witchcraft. The latest push comes from a group dedicated to clearing the names of all those accused, arrested or indicted for witchcraft in the state.

The Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project, made up of history buffs and descendants, is hoping to persuade the state to take a fuller reckoning of its early history, according to Josh Hutchinson, the group's leader.

Hundreds of individuals were accused of witchcraft in what would become the Commonwealth of Massachusetts between 1638 and 1693. Most escaped execution.

While much attention has focused on clearing the names of those put to death in Salem, most of those caught up in witch trials throughout the 1600s have largely been ignored, including five women hanged for witchcraft in Boston between 1648 and 1688.

“It’s important that we correct the injustices of the past,” said Hutchinson, who noted he counts both accusers and victims among his ancestors. "We’d like an apology for all of the accused or indicted or arrested.”

For now, the group has been collecting signatures for a petition but hopes to take their case to the State House.

Among those accused of witchcraft in Boston was Ann Hibbins, sister-in-law to Massachusetts Gov. Richard Bellingham, who was executed in 1656. A character based on Hibbins would later appear in Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter,” published in 1850.

Another accused Boston witch, known as Goodwife Ann Glover or Goody Glover, was hanged in the city in 1688. A plaque dedicated to her is located on the front of a Catholic church in the city's North End neighborhood, describing her as “the first Catholic martyr in Massachusetts." It's one of the few physical reminders of the city's witch trial history.

A plaque memorializing Goodwife Ann Glover or Goody Glover, hanged as a witch in Boston in 1688, is located on the front of a Catholic church in the city's North End neighborhood. (Steve LeBlanc/AP)

The witch justice group helped successfully spearhead a similar effort in Connecticut, home of the first person executed for witchcraft in the American colonies in 1647 — Alse Young. The last witchcraft trial in Connecticut happened in 1697 and ended with the charges being dismissed.

Connecticut state senators in May voted by 34-1 to absolve 12 women and men convicted of witchcraft — 11 of whom were executed — more than 370 years ago and apologize for the “miscarriage of justice” that occurred over a dark 15-year-period of the state’s colonial history.

The resolution, which lists the nine women and two men who were executed and the one woman who was convicted and given a reprieve, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 121-30. Because it’s a resolution, it doesn't require the governor’s signature.

For many, the distant events in Boston, Salem and beyond are both fascinating and personal. That includes David Allen Lambert, chief genealogist for the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Lambert counts his 10th great grandmother — Mary Perkins Bradbury — among the accused who was supposed to be hanged in 1692 in Salem but escaped execution.

“We can’t change history but maybe we can send the accused an apology,” he said. “It kind of closes the chapter in a way.”

Massachusetts has already made efforts to come to terms with its history of witch trials — proceedings that allowed “spectral evidence" in which victims could testify that the accused harmed them in a dream or vision.

That effort began almost immediately when Samuel Sewall, a judge in the 1692-1693 Salem witch trials, issued a public confession in a Boston church five years later, taking “the blame and shame of" the trials and asking for forgiveness.

The Boston grave site of Samuel Sewall, a judge in the 1692-1693 Salem witch trials. (Steve LeBlanc/AP)

In 1711, colonial leaders passed a bill clearing the names of some convicted in Salem.

In 1957, the state Legislature issued a kind of apology for Ann Pudeator and others who "were indicted, tried, found guilty, sentenced to death and executed” in 1692 for witchcraft. The resolution declared the Salem trials “shocking, and the result of a wave of popular hysterical fear of the Devil in the community.”

In 2001, acting Gov. Jane Swift signed a bill exonerating five women executed during the witch trials in Salem.

In 2017, Salem unveiled a memorial for the victims. The ceremony came 325 years to the day when Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Wildes were hanged at a site in Salem known as Proctor’s Ledge. Nineteen were hanged during the Salem witch trials while a 20th victim was pressed to death.

In 2022, lawmakers exonerated Elizabeth Johnson Jr., clearing her name 329 years after she was convicted of witchcraft in 1693 and sentenced to death at the height of the Salem witch trials. Johnson is believed to be the last accused Salem witch to have her conviction set aside.

Other states have worked to confront similar histories.

In Pownal, Vermont, a town that borders Massachusetts and New York, a dedication ceremony was held last month for a historical marker recognizing the survivor of Vermont’s only recorded witch trial. Widow Krieger was said to have escaped drowning in the Hoosic River when tried as a witch in 1785, according to the Legends and Lore marker.

Accusers believed witches floated but Krieger sank and was saved, the marker states.

The Sept. 16 dedication ceremony included a witches’ walk, in which people dressed as witches walked across a bridge to the marker site along the Hoosic River.

“I am sure Widow Krieger would have been quite happy to join our witches’ walk today in defiance of those who feel they have the right to accuse someone they feel looks different, acts different or has a personality that they might find odd, of being a witch,” said Joyce Held, a member of the Pownal Historical Society, which worked with the Bennington Museum to get the marker.

Associated Press reporter Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont, contributed.

This trial set a precedent for the following years, as more accusations of witchcraft began to surface. The trials gained momentum in 1650 when 30 individuals were accused of practicing witchcraft, including Elizabeth Anderson and Margaret Brown. Anderson confessed under torture and implicated others, leading to multiple trials and executions.

Related:

• Exhibit looks at how to restore justice to those accused during the Salem Witch Trials
• 8th-Graders Lead Effort To Pardon Wrongly Convicted 'Witch'

Newcastle witch trials

The Newcastle Witches is a Candle & Bell Podcast about the Newcastle witch trials. The podcast is available now on Spotify, Anchor and other podcast platforms.

The Newcastle Witch Trials took place from 1649 to 1650,
ending when 15 women and 1 man were executed on Newcastle’s town moor for Witchcraft on the 21st of August in 1650.

The most important thing about the podcast are the innocent people who were killed. We try to discover who they were, why they would be accused of witchcraft, and why this horrible crime happened in Newcastle. Beyond the historical facts, we also draw parallels to modern day witch trials and witch hunts, which is a little frightening, but I think really important to raise these issues. Witch trials aren’t a thing of the past, they still happen today in 2022.

The podcasts features several expert guests, such as Prof. Diane Purkiss, Prof. Marion Gibson, Prof. Alec Ryrie, Dr. Jo Bath, Dr. Tabitha Stanmore, David Silk from Newcastle Castle and Katie Liddane.

“ I think listeners are going to be surprised by some of the information we share on the podcast. It isn’t a typical story about witchcraft - over the course of the podcast we unpick a lot of the civil, socio-political and religious factors that created the witches in Newcastle and condemned them to death. ”

Brown, however, maintained her innocence and was acquitted. This highlighted the questionable methods used during the trials, including torture and coerced confessions. In 1658, a major witch trial took place in Newcastle, known as the Great Newcastle Witch Hunt. Over 30 individuals were accused, and 16 were executed, including Isabel and Katherine Watson. The trials lasted for several months, attracting significant attention and spreading fear throughout the community. The Newcastle witch trials came to an end in 1663 with the execution of Anne Armstrong, the last recorded witch trial in the city. Throughout the trials, numerous innocent individuals were accused and executed based on allegations of witchcraft. Many of these accusations were driven by superstition, fear, and societal prejudices. In recent years, the Newcastle witch trials have gained attention as a disturbing chapter in the history of witch hunting. They serve as a reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the injustices that can be committed in the name of witchcraft. Today, they are studied as examples of the misuse of power and the importance of skepticism and critical thinking in the face of unverified allegations..

Reviews for "The Witchfinders of Newcastle: Examining the Perpetrators of the Witch Trials"

1. Emily - ★★☆☆☆

I found "Newcastle witch trials" to be quite disappointing. The storyline lacked originality and felt unengaging. The characters were one-dimensional and their actions seemed forced. Additionally, the pacing was extremely slow, and I found myself losing interest throughout the book. Overall, I expected more from this novel and was left feeling unsatisfied.

2. Daniel - ★☆☆☆☆

I really struggled to get through "Newcastle witch trials". The plot was confusing and hard to follow, with too many unnecessary subplots that distracted from the main story. The writing style was choppy and disjointed, making it difficult to connect with the characters or their experiences. The book needed better editing, as there were numerous grammatical errors and typos that further distracted from the reading experience. I would not recommend this book to others.

3. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆

I had high hopes for "Newcastle witch trials", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The dialogue between characters felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in their interactions. The book lacked depth and failed to explore the emotional aspects of the witch trials, instead opting for a surface-level portrayal. Moreover, the ending felt rushed and provided unsatisfying closure. Overall, I was disappointed by this novel and would not recommend it to fellow readers.

4. Alex - ★★☆☆☆

"Newcastle witch trials" failed to captivate me from the start. The storytelling lacked depth and failed to provide a fresh perspective on the topic of witch trials. The pacing was slow and inconsistent, making it a tedious read. Additionally, the characters lacked development and were unrelatable. I expected more from this novel, and it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.

The Women of Newcastle: Victims or Villains?