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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 14:09 GMT (UK)

Title: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 14:09 GMT (UK)
Dear Friends whats the tradition about the so called Eye of God at St Mary's Newchurch in Pendle?
Thanks Ruslan
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 14:18 GMT (UK)
There's an article here:
http://www.martintop.org.uk/blog/eye-god-newchurch-pendle

"The tower has an interesting feature called ‘the eye of God’, an eye-shaped carving in the tower wall. The local information boards trot out the idea that this was to ward off witches. Seventeenth century folk were certainly superstitious, but they weren’t stupid. If carvings could really keep witches away, every church in the country would have had one. More likely, it was carved so bell-ringers or their assistants could see approaching wedding and funeral parties, and wasn’t originally filled in. This is, after all, one of the few churches in the country that affords no views whatever of the road that approaches it."
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 14:24 GMT (UK)
Also mentioned on another site, blog of Dr David Harrison, History of NW England.
https://drdavidharrison.blogspot.com/2016/03/pendle-symbolism-magic-and-freemasonry.html

"In Newchurch there is a rich array of symbolism, the most prominent being what is referred to as the 'All-Seeing Eye' on the tower of St. Mary's Church. According to the Church literature, it is known as the 'Eye of God' and was used by the Wardens of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a viewpoint to watch for wedding or funeral processions approaching the Church. Another theory put forward is that it was a representation of the eye of God watching the locals. It is certainly made to look like an eye today, and it has become a popular tourist landmark. "
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 14:26 GMT (UK)
hahaha I dont think freemasonry existed in the 1600's in Lancashire though
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 14:28 GMT (UK)
all seeing eye is an old christian symbol...so is skull and bones...one is emblematic of god another is symbolic of the first human Adam...they have it at many churches all around the Europe.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 14:43 GMT (UK)
The skull-and-crossbones ia a fairly common element on gravestones - and subject to many theories.
First time I've heard of it being connected to Adam, though! ;D
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 14:48 GMT (UK)
yeah its an old tradition usually when they depicted the Golgotha Cross...skull and bones (Adam's Death) under it and Jesus (Resurrection of son of god) on it.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Rena on Thursday 18 January 18 14:53 GMT (UK)
Interestingly the church tower was restored in 1653 and the "Eye" may or may not have had a bearing on what occurred in 1612.

You might like to read up on the Pendle Witches.   "The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area surrounding Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged with the murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft"

Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 15:11 GMT (UK)
yeah they had witch trials all over the place...real reason was to threaten believers...keep them under total control, scary them to death...yeah some sort of medieval propaganda, hahaha.
Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal covers that subject totally and completely...one of the heroes the man who was painting the church says - more horror images on the walls, that will scare them and keep them faithful believers.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 15:42 GMT (UK)
Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal covers that subject totally and completely...on of the heroes the man who was painting the church says - more horror images on the walls, that will scare them and keep them faithful believers.

 :o  You're basing your views on a Swedish Historical Fantasy film?!

A skull and crossbones was a Memento Mori - a reminder to start thinking about your own mortality.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: lancsann on Thursday 18 January 18 15:44 GMT (UK)
Interestingly the church tower was restored in 1653 and the "Eye" may or may not have had a bearing on what occurred in 1612.

You might like to read up on the Pendle Witches.   "The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area surrounding Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged with the murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft"

St Mary's church was at the centre of where the witches reportedly lived and also has a 'witches grave' (as incidentally does Woodplumpton Church). One of the witches, Chattox, is said to have desecrated graves ther
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Viktoria on Thursday 18 January 18 16:24 GMT (UK)
Yes Ruslan, it was Jesus who was crucified at Golgotha.
The skull and crossed bones was indeed a reminder that we are all mortal and some  day will die,
we never know when so we have to live well and be good people all our lives,not just before we die, assuming we could know that!
There was a very old village church where I lived as a child, it had   the skull and crossed bones above the door. We children were convinced it was a pirates` church.
If you have not already done so look up the Pendle Witches.I think there were three women who ere associated with unexpected deaths etc and in the those times people were very superstitious .
I can remember the names, Demdyke, Chattox and Ann Nutter. Roughlee was the home of one.
We are talking of the early 1600`s.
Best of luck with your research.Viktoria.
 
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: lancsann on Thursday 18 January 18 17:59 GMT (UK)
There is a little known village just outside Lancaster called Golgotha which is where the Lancashire witches were hung
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Viktoria on Thursday 18 January 18 20:28 GMT (UK)
Thanks Lancsman,I did not know that but I was meaning the hill outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified.It was the usual execution place during the Roman occupation.
Seemingly in the rocks there are small caves and some have a resemblance to a skull in that there are two openings and lower down a third one looking vaguely like two eyes and a mouth .
But there might have been real skulls there as it was the execution site.
Viktoria.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:31 GMT (UK)
No, its not that I base opinion on the movie etc, by the way its a great movie as well as script itself is amazing, I read it several times, quite impressive, and like I mentioned it covers the subject of decoration of medieval churches quite completely. Here's the traditional cross full version as practiced by Orthodox people of Europe. You can see Adam's head and bones...Jesus on the cross (it says NIKA victory in Greek), and shroud of Turin on top emblematic of the Resurrection and Salvation.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:34 GMT (UK)
also Catholic Encyclopedia says:
There was a tradition current among the Jews that the skull of Adam, after having been confided by Noah to his son Shem, and by the latter to Melchisedech, was finally deposited at the place called, for that reason, Golgotha. The Talmudists and the Fathers of the Church were aware of this tradition, and it survives in the skulls and bones placed at the foot of the crucifix. The Evangelists are not opposed to it, inasmuch as they speak of one and not of many skulls. (Luke, Mark, John, loc. cit.)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:38 GMT (UK)
medieval believers were mostly illiterate, so paintings, carvings, murals that was the ONLY language they could understand...again they didn't speak any Latin which was official language of church. So basically church building had to speak to them...and yes the horrors of hell etc. as well as angelic life in the paradise its all was there for the purpose TO SPEAK.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:41 GMT (UK)
It was quite early that Christian churches had established "unified" system of symbols which were used everywhere in Christian Universe (former Roman Empire). I am trying to understand what was the point of having all seeing eye outside...may be it wasn't originally an "eye" and was something else and the reasons of having it there were different. They call it "eye" now, that doesn't mean it always was an "eye".
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:43 GMT (UK)
Dear Viktoria, thanks again for all the details, appreciate !!! I wonder what was the real reason of all those Lancashire trials...obviously witches do not exist neither Santa does, hahaha
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 20:55 GMT (UK)
And some of us believe Christ didn't exist, either! ;D

Witches do indeed exist - some of them are friends of mine.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 20:59 GMT (UK)
You are right there's no credible historical evidences of such character as Jesus Christ. But as we know ...."Credo quia impossibile" (I believe it because it is impossible)...hahaha, yeah those Church Fathers, they were great at phrasing things, hahaha
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 21:04 GMT (UK)
and yeah I have a student of mine shes member of some non-denominational church (Pentecostal in fact) she always tells me how she met a devil-worshiper here and there or an actual witch etc...I don't know what to say...other than everyone has a right to have a hobby, and call themselves what they want unless its harmful to others. Those trials in the 1600's were based on some "harm, damage" those (I am pretty sure innocent) women reportedly done to locals etc...hard to figure what were real reasons...we had witches trials here in States during 1600's as well.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Viktoria on Thursday 18 January 18 21:11 GMT (UK)
Am I wrong in thinking that there are Roman records that do indeed mention Jesus?
At the very least in connection with Christians who were sent to the arena as amusement for Roman crowds.
Why would people be sacrificed like that for their belief in a non existent person?
Whoever or whatever Jesus was it would be interesting to know exactly what records there are still in existence.
I did R.E. as a G.C.E.subject, it was dealt with like a history subject. Very matter of fact and factual.
Enlighten me someone please.
Viktoria.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 21:16 GMT (UK)
Dear Viktoria, unfortunately...there's no credible evidences in existence, all of the so-called "mentioning" of Christ by contemporary Roman sources were "added" to original text by Fathers of Church when they were "re-writing" the works of Antique authors.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 21:22 GMT (UK)
Why would people be sacrificed like that for their belief in a non existent person?

Look at it from my point of view:
Why would people go to war for their belief in a non-existent person?
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 21:29 GMT (UK)
makes sense.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: lancsann on Thursday 18 January 18 22:04 GMT (UK)
Re my reply about the Lancashire Golgotha. I was really just giving more info about the witches who are very well known in Lancashire. Even today it is traditional on Halloween to climb Pendle Hill. From the accounts I have read (Harrison Ainsworth ‘the Lancashire Witches’ and the Robert Neill ‘Mist OverPendle’ ) witchcraft was very much feared. Today we can explain most of it by realising they were just country people with an advanced knowledge of poisonous plants etc who played on the superstition of the times.
As witches were believed to have robbed graves in Newchurch graveyard that eye could well have been there to deter them
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: RuslanPashayev on Thursday 18 January 18 22:45 GMT (UK)
brilliant description - country people with some knowledge on some herbs...and yeah I like the eye's explanation as well, as a protector of graves, which were robbed, I am assuming not just by witches. I hardly can imagine there was any kind of "witch-craft" in the 1600's Lancashire, like any sort of organized society of local witches. We have to remember all ancient rites, cultures, customs were called and identified as of  "demonic nature" by church authorities in medieval Europe. So I am not surprised that anything which didn't quite fit the mold was called - diabolique.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Rena on Thursday 18 January 18 22:56 GMT (UK)
My schooling was in the 1940s-1950s on the east coast, where we were taught that modern CofE rituals and religious calendar dates were most probably a mixture of ancient folklore, druids, and the teachings of Jesus.  We learnt generally about so called witches who most probably had countryside knowledge of which plants were medicinal and  to test whether they were telling the truth that they were not witches of the devil they would suffer the "ducking pool" - if they were guilty they survived the ducking and if they were innocent they drowned.

It's documented that ancient foreign merchants arrived in Britain to buy tin from Cornwall and copper & lead from Glastonbury in Somerset.  One such rich merchant was Joseph of Arimathea, who was the brother of Mary and thus the uncle of Jesus.  It is believed he took Jesus as a boy on his trips in the pursuit of his business and on one such trip to England it is believed the boy Jesus was with him.    From early Pagans to modern times, it is believed ley lines have some religious connotations.  There are leylines in Glastonbury, Somerset where Joseph of Arimathea is believed to have visited and thrust his staff into the ground which burstinto leaf and grew into an ash tree.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Rena on Thursday 18 January 18 22:57 GMT (UK)
BTW - did you know there are some people who believe all of us have a third Eye?  It's in the middle of our foreheads and has a spiritual connection.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 18 January 18 23:11 GMT (UK)
There are leylines in Glastonbury, Somerset where Joseph of Arimathea is believed to have visited and thrust his staff into the ground which burstinto leaf and grew into an ash tree.

Thorn tree, Rena!
The Glastonbury Thorn still flowers twice a year.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Rena on Friday 19 January 18 00:55 GMT (UK)
There are leylines in Glastonbury, Somerset where Joseph of Arimathea is believed to have visited and thrust his staff into the ground which burstinto leaf and grew into an ash tree.

Thorn tree, Rena!
The Glastonbury Thorn still flowers twice a year.

Thanks for the correction - I hadn't imagined walking sticks made from prickly hawthorn hedgerows, have surfed and discovered I was wrong - was tickled pink to see an Irish company advertising themselves as "Derry Hick Sticks"  ;D
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Friday 19 January 18 07:58 GMT (UK)
I'm a Somerset boy - so I know the tales of Glastonbury well ;D
And visited many times.

You should look at Jersey, and their Cabbage walking sticks! ;D
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Rena on Friday 19 January 18 12:43 GMT (UK)
I'm a Somerset boy - so I know the tales of Glastonbury well ;D
And visited many times.

You should look at Jersey, and their Cabbage walking sticks! ;D

 :o :o :o :o Have surfed - my little brassicas are nothing compared to them  :o

My grandfather had several types of walking sticks in his hallstand but nothing compared to the one a fellow at work owned - the previous owner being a bull, that I'm sure was sorry to lose his pride & joy.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 14:22 GMT (UK)
Dear Viktoria, thanks again for all the details, appreciate !!! I wonder what was the real reason of all those Lancashire trials...obviously witches do not exist neither Santa does, hahaha
One important reason was that the newish king of England, James 1st of England & 6th of Scotland was very anti-witch. He definitely believed in them. Some scholars think that Shakespeare wrote "Macbeth" with its' 3 witches, to please him. So anti-witch feeling was encouraged. 
Another theory to add to the mix is that Alice Nutter, the only one of the Pendle Witches who wasn't a peasant was a Catholic and was on her way to a secret Mass when she went to/by Malkin Tower. When she was arrested and interrogated she didn't want to betray any Catholic associates. 1612 was only a few years after Robert Catesby's plot to blow up Houses of Parliament and stage a Catholic-led coup'd'etat. Lancashire was a Catholic heartland. Some of the so-called covens may have been groups of Catholics meeting secretly for Mass, in out-of-the-way places, sometimes outdoors.
Lack of knowledge of medical matters had a massive bearing on what happened with the Pendle witches, same as with other "witches". One of the so-called victims probably had a stroke.
There were commemorative events in Lancashire in 2012 for the 400th anniversary including an exhibition in the centre of Lancaster.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 14:25 GMT (UK)
According to folklore rowan deters witches. It was customary to plant one near a house to keep witches away.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 14:29 GMT (UK)
Returning to the original question about the "Eye of God" in the church, K Garrard's replies #2 & #3 seem  logical and practical.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 14:43 GMT (UK)
As in the Salem witch trials, chief prosecution witness against the Pendle witches was a young person, a 9 year-old girl, Jennet Device/Davis, youngest member of one of the families on trial. Whether her evidence was credible is a matter of opinion. Whether she understood what she was saying, whether she was coached or was trying to please Roger Nowell are all debateable.
Jennet, as an adult, suffered the same fate as the rest of her family.
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Friday 19 January 18 15:01 GMT (UK)
According to folklore rowan deters witches. It was customary to plant one near a house to keep witches away.

Hmmm? Interesting!

The Rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia) is one of the sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft and of old was a favoured tree of the ancient Druids.

The Rowan tree is a very dense tree and has been use for many years to make walking sticks and magician's staves, as well as Druid staffs and wands.  Even today is is still one of the most sought after woods for wands and amulets. It is believed to help psychic abilities and connections.  If you look at the berries when you remove them from the stick you will notice the pentacle symbol where they were attached. They are used in many Wiccan rituals and traditions today.

And, just in passing, you're spelling my name incorrectly! ;)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Friday 19 January 18 16:08 GMT (UK)
From our house I can see the Church of St Mary at Newchurch in Pendle - it is my parish church, my husband is church surveyor and some discoveries have come about during recent extensive restoration work on the tower.

The Eye of God feature predates the position of the 1653 date stone. Externally if consists of 2 individual curved stone pieces coming together to form a lozenge shape and the ‘eye’ is a piece of blue slate surrounded by a sand and cement infill. ie. it’s not lime mortar.  This puts the infill sometime later than 1850.  It is topped with a rectangular drip stone.  Internally (and I’ve been up the tower to have a look) the now infilled opening is roughly rectangular shaped and the shape is consistent with it having once been a window.

Therefore I think the bit that KGarrad quotes from http://www.martintop.org.uk/blog/eye-god-newchurch-pendle makes sense:-

Quote
More likely, it was carved so bell-ringers or their assistants could see approaching wedding and funeral parties, and wasn’t originally filled in. This is, after all, one of the few churches in the country that affords no views whatever of the road that approaches it.
However
Quote
"If carvings could really keep witches away, every church in the country would have had one.
I recently attended a day course of medieval graffiti on stone and wood and it was fascinating.  In more superstitious times stone and woodwork would be marked in a variety of ways in the belief that such marks would ward off evil spirits.  Doorways, window frames, gate posts etc would be marked in a huge variety of ways and most are easily missed unless you are aware what you are looking for and churches provide a rich source.  That is not to say that this explains the Eye of God at St Mary's though.

http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk/page7.html
http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk/page5.html

Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Friday 19 January 18 16:20 GMT (UK)
St Mary's church was at the centre of where the witches reportedly lived and also has a 'witches grave' (as incidentally does Woodplumpton Church). One of the witches, Chattox, is said to have desecrated graves ther

True they did live around here and bones were indeed dug up in the graveyard but the so called witches grave is in fact an ancient family grave containing various members of the Nutter family and does not contain the remains of a witch.  A convicted witch would not have been buried in consecrated ground, in fact the unfortunate Alice Nutter would have been slung into a pit after her hanging at Lancaster in 1612, poor lady.  Incidentally Alice married into the Nutter family and it's not known what her maiden name was.

Maggie
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: KGarrad on Friday 19 January 18 16:30 GMT (UK)
Thanks for that info, Maggie.
Nice to hear it from someone with intimate knowledge ;D
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Friday 19 January 18 16:36 GMT (UK)
Another theory to add to the mix is that Alice Nutter, the only one of the Pendle Witches who wasn't a peasant was a Catholic and was on her way to a secret Mass when she went to/by Malkin Tower. When she was arrested and interrogated she didn't want to betray any Catholic associates. 1612 was only a few years after Robert Catesby's plot to blow up Houses of Parliament and stage a Catholic-led coup'd'etat. Lancashire was a Catholic heartland.

I tend to agree with this view MS.  Here in these parts we have a soft spot for Alice Nutter who lived in Roughlee.  Little is known about her other than she was married to a yeoman farmer and therefore rather better placed that the rest of the so called witches.  A few years ago a bronze statue depicting how Alice may have looked was erected in Roughlee.  It has rapidly become a tourist attraction.

Maggie

Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Friday 19 January 18 16:42 GMT (UK)
Thanks for that info, Maggie.
Nice to hear it from someone with intimate knowledge ;D

You are very welcome KG.  I could twitter on about the Pendle Witches ad nauseam, also other less satanic aspects of the area, like George Fox and his vision whilst climbing Pendle Hill, or the dastardly and drunken deeds of various past incumbents of St Mary's, but perhaps for now it's time put my broomstick away and put the cauldron on the fire.   ;D

Maggie
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Lydart on Friday 19 January 18 16:55 GMT (UK)
Quote
"You are right, there's no credible historical evidences of such character as Jesus Christ"

Umm, I totally disagree ..... have you never read or even heard of Josephus ?    He wrote quite a lot about Christ, Pilate, Herod and so on ..........
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Viktoria on Friday 19 January 18 21:11 GMT (UK)
Thanks Lydart, I felt totally outnumbered so kept quiet--not like me at all.
 Surely the history of the  Colosseum bears witness to the fact that there were Christians and the Roman Emperors were very worried about the new sect.
However it was mainly the Jewish priests who wanted rid of Jesus,he was not what they thought of as the promised Messiah, indeed he never claimed to be that.
They had been promised a new king like David who would free them from Roman oppression.
Well Jesus was a peacemaker.He also saw the corruption in what was going on in the temple in Jerusalem. Awkward to have around.
 The  Dead Sea Scrolls also have content which upholds the gospel stories to some degree,
these have very  relatively recently  been found  many centuries after after the "additions"previously mentioned.
The gospels were written some years after Jesus was crucified and his age was about thirty at death. Several languages  and  their  many  translations will inevitably l have lost  meaning.
Greek, Coptic Aramaic Latin and English.
It is the essential message which is important and that boils down to "Love thy neighbour as thyself" and who is your neighbour? well everyone.It is as simple as that.
If you choose not to attend church it does not mean you are wicked ,as we know very many people do acts of great kindness and unselfishness who don`t attend church and don`t believe in any religion.They live good lives ,are honest and moral.
 If you do go to church but  are unkind and wicked  you can`t  consider  yourself  a Christian.
People always say " there is much evil done in the name of religion.."yes but that is because the essential message has been forgotten, it is the misinterpretation of religion that causes wars and hatred and cruelty.
I speak of Christianity because that was one of the points mentioned,of course I do not preclude other religions .Kindness and honesty are not only found in Christianity.
Enough from me .
If you walk around the Welsh borders ,namely Shropshire where many little settlements and hamlets and isolated cottages have been abandoned and are in ruins you will almost always see a Rowan tree at the gate .Superstition had it that they kept away evil spirits.You can also make a nice jelly from the berries  .
Viktoria
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 21:27 GMT (UK)
King James wrote his book "Daemonologie" when he was still in Scotland. His witch obsession began when he went to Denmark to collect his bride. Danish society was very anti witch at the time. A violent storm blew up during the homeward voyage. James feared it was caused by witches trying to kill him. Back home in Scotland 300 people, including nobles,  were arrested and accused of attempting to murder the king by witchcraft.
https://worcestercathedrallibrary.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/daemonologie-james-i-and-witchcraft/
The Witchcraft Act became law in 1604 after James became King of England.
"Thou must not suffer a poisoner to live" was changed in the King James Bible (1611) to "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". (Worcester Cathedral Library and Archive blog, as above.)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Friday 19 January 18 22:05 GMT (UK)
Two modern writers who have turned their gaze towards Pendle, using different media:
1. Novelist Jeanette Winterton "The Curse of Pendle" BBC Radio 4 Extra, broadcast 7th April 2017.
Synopsis www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nxzcj
Not currently available on BBC IPlayer.

2. Poet simon Armitage  "The Pendle Witch Child" TV programme broadcast BBC Four 15thAugust 2016.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013fj47

On YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv-JDUfADiw

The Arts Desk review of "The Pendle Witch Child"
www.theartsdesk.com/tv/pendle-witch-child-bbc-four

The trial of the Lancashire Witches was the best-documented witchcraft trial in English history. That's one reason why they are remembered. The impact of the chid, Jennet's testimony influenced the later Salem witch trials. Jennet Device was hoist by her own petard 20+  years later, accused of witchcraft by a 10 year-old boy who travelled around identifying witches. Contary to what I said in an earlier post she wasn't hanged but may have died in prison.

Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Friday 19 January 18 22:30 GMT (UK)
Jennet Device was reprieved as attitudes to supposed witchcraft had softened by 1633 - I think I’m correct in that being the date of her trial. Edmund Robinson was her 10 year old accuser but he later confessed to making up the story as some sort of money making exercise in collusion with his father. At the time the episode became the subject of various London street plays if I remember correctly. Although reprieved Jennet was not freed as her incarceration had put her in debt so as MS says she most likely died in prison.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14490790 (looks like this link rather repeats MS’s last link)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Gadget on Friday 19 January 18 23:53 GMT (UK)
Maggie and I have had a few chats about the Pendle Witches over the years. Thought I'd put up this pic that I took a while back (? 2015) of part of Pendle Hill with a Rowan tree.

Gadget

(It was very wet that day!)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maiden Stone on Saturday 20 January 18 00:05 GMT (UK)
Jennet Device was reprieved as attitudes to supposed witchcraft had softened by 1633...

...and hardened again in the next decade during the English Civil War, thanks to a great extent to Matthew Hopkin, self-styled Witchfinder General and his mate. Hopkin's campaign against witches in East Anglia was estimated to have been responsible for around 300 deaths, almost a third of the total number of witch suspects executed in Britain from 1500-1660. He had 68 people executed in 1 town, Bury St. Edmunds. 19 were hanged in Chelmsford in 1 day. He received a large fee for each town he cleared of witches.
See:
Witches in Britain
www.historic.uk.com/CultureUK/Witches-in-Britain

The horrors of the 17thCentury Witch Hunts  -  Cambridgeshire
https://www.news.bbc.co.uk/local/cambridgeshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8998000/89998465.stm

Some believed that Prince Rupert,  the Royalist commander, used witchcraft to win battles and that his pet dog was his "familiar".
Witch Hunters & Black Magic Cavaliers during the English Civil War 1642-1647
www.warfarehistorian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/english-civil-war-1642-1647-witch.html

Executions of suspected witches 1500-1660 were much fewer in Britain (c1000) than Germany (c26,000) and France (c10,000).
The Witch Trials
www.witchcraftandwitches.com/trials.html
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: Maggie. on Saturday 20 January 18 00:06 GMT (UK)
That’s a very beautiful picture Gadget - I know exactly where that rowan is. I remember our chats too.  I hope you are well.

Maggie  :)
Title: Re: Eye of God...
Post by: lancsann on Saturday 20 January 18 17:07 GMT (UK)
"A convicted witch would not have been buried in consecrated ground"

They may have been buried in a part of the churchyard though as this one from Woodplumpton shows.

There’s a large boulder by the side of the path in the churchyard of St Anne’s in Woodplumpton. A small sign says it marks the grave of Meg Shelton - a local witch in the late seventeenth century. Meg was known as the "Fylde Hag" and apparently got up to all sorts of mischief - stealing the milk from other people’s cattle, transforming herself into animals etc.

It’s said she was killed when a barrel crushed her against a wall. The boulder’s about three feet by two feet - which doesn't seem big enough to cover a grave. But it turns out that Meg was buried in a narrow shaft… like a fence post… head down...so that if she tried to dig her way out she'd be going the wrong way. The boulder was put on top to keep her in the grave.

It is a very heavy boulder!