St Sidwell 2026 - Women and Witchcraft in Tudor and Stuart St Sidwells talk by Professor Mark

About

St Sidwells is the largest parish in Exeter with a rich and vibrant history. Named after the citys native saint, Sidwella, the manor of St Sidwell formerly belonged to the Cathedrals Dean and Chapter and was the scene of many bitter disputes between the cathedral and city authorities during the medieval and early modern periods. The most populous of all of Exeters parishes, St Sidwells was burnt to the ground during the Civil War of the 1640s, forcing the inhabitants to seek shelter elsewhere, and it took decades for the destroyed properties to be rebuilt. St Sidwells was also a hotbed of witch-belief, and a St Sidwells woman is the first person known to have been executed for that alleged crime in the whole of South West England.

In this lively talk, historian Professor Mark Stoyle will provide an overview of St Sidwells turbulent past, concentrating on the stories of the local women (and some men) who were accused of witchcraft by their terrified neighbours.