The Lancashire Witch trials of 1612 were the basis for this story. We have a young puritan girl, Margery, sent to her cousin Roger Nowell because her family doesn’t know what to do with her (she is distinctly un-puritan) and nobody can provide her with a dowry to marry her off. Roger’s way of life is more to Margery’s taste and, freed of the restrictions her upbringing had imposed on her, we see her blossom into an intelligent young woman. She accompanies her cousin, a Justice of the Peace, on his investigations into increasingly frequent accusations of witchcraft, soon becoming an integral part of the inquiries, her actions leading to at least one incidence of romance and several incidences of execution. The trials of the three Samlesbury witches were heard before Anne Redferne's first appearance in court, [52] late in the afternoon, charged with the murder of Robert Nutter. The evidence against her was considered unsatisfactory, and she was acquitted. [55]

Robert Neill's novel is a classic tale of witchcraft set in a wild inaccessible corner of Lancashire and in a time when the ancient fear of demons and witches was still a part of life... and death. Read more Details Almost everything that is known about the trials comes from a report of the proceedings written by Thomas Potts, the clerk to the Lancaster Assizes. Potts was instructed to write his account by the trial judges, and had completed the work by 16 November 1612, when he submitted it for review. Bromley revised and corrected the manuscript before its publication in 1613, declaring it to be "truly reported" and "fit and worthie to be published". [69]For some reason, it's just never interested me......sooooooo tell me why you enjoyed the book 'Mist Over Pendle' so much? What's the fascination? The novel Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (later adapted for television) features several witch characters named after the original Pendle witches, including Agnes Nutter, a prophet burned at the stake, and her descendant Anathema Device. Gaiman confirmed the homage in a 2016 tweet. [94] [95]

Below is one of the newly framed pieces for the Harrogate Art Fair (which is just a week away!). 'Through the Veil' is an original acrylic moodscape evoking a misty mountain scene inspired by my travels through the West Coast of Scotland. Often my paintings reflect something of the 'inner landscape' at the same time as the outer landscape. As I return to the world of art after a break, the way forward is not always clear and I have this sense of great opportunities, shrouded in mystery. Sometimes, as with the Harrogate art Fair, I have to take the next step in faith and trust that all will unfold in positive and exciting ways. It's always weird when you realize that what you read is not what you thought you read. I had no idea until today that this story had a historical basis: the Pendle witches of Lancashire. Even though I was born, brought up and still live a few miles from Pendle Hill, I've never read any of the books about the Pendle witches Wilson, Richard (2002), "The pilot's thumb: Macbeth and the Jesuits", in Poole, Robert (ed.), The Lancashire Witches: Histories and Stories, Manchester University Press, pp.126–145, ISBN 978-0-7190-6204-9 Almond, Philip C. (2012), The Lancashire Witches: A Chronicle of Sorcery and Death on Pendle Hill, Tauris, ISBN 978-1-78076-062-9Richards, Jeffrey (2002), "The 'Lancashire novelist' and the Lancashire witches", in Poole, Robert (ed.), The Lancashire Witches: Histories and Stories, Manchester University Press, pp.166–187, ISBN 978-0-7190-6204-9

Chivers, Tom (15 January 2020). "Good Omens: How Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's friendship inspired their comic masterpiece". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 . Retrieved 1 September 2020. Alice Grey was accused with Katherine Hewitt of the murder of Anne Foulds. Potts does not provide an account of Alice Grey's trial, simply recording her as one of the Samlesbury witches – which she was not, as she was one of those identified as having been at the Malkin Tower meeting – and naming her in the list of those found not guilty. [66] The only negative aspect I found was that it was getting a little bogged down in the beginning with the descriptions of the area. I found that a little tedious but it was obviously meant to set the scene and introduce the different locations in the story.

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New statue gives Pendle 'witch' the respect she deserves", Lancashire Telegraph, 30 July 2012 , retrieved 3 August 2012