The Last Witches of England

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On 29 June 1682, a magpie's unsettling visit to a prosperous Devon merchant sparked fear among his family and servants, who soon believed the bird was a devilish messenger sent by witches to ruin their lives. This led to the wrongful condemnation of three women from Bideford as witches, resulting in their execution—the last of its kind in England. Despite the passage of time, the stigma of witchcraft persisted in Bideford, a town long associated with such beliefs. For over a century, the memory of these women endured, evolving from a source of shame to one of regret and ultimately celebration. Their story was invoked during the 1951 Parliamentary debates that repealed the last witchcraft laws, and their names resonated with the women protesting at Greenham Common. In this work, John Callow delves into the extraordinary transformation of the Bideford Witches' legacy, highlighting their journey from vilification to a symbol of resilience and empowerment in contemporary society.