The Witches of Selwood Forest: Witchcraft and Demonism in the West of England, 1625-1700

by Andrew Pickering

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The ancient forest of Selwood straddles the borders of Somerset and Wiltshire and terminates in the south where these counties meet Dorset. Until now, a comprehensive study of its exceptionally rich history of demonological beliefs and witchcraft persecution in the early modern period has not been attempted. This book explores the connections between important theological texts written in the region, notably Richard Bernard's Guide to the Grand-Jury Men (1627) and Joseph Glanvill's Saducismus Triumphatus (1681), influential local families such as the Hunts and the Hills, and the extraordinary witchcraft episodes associated with Shepton Mallet, Brewham, Stoke Trister, and elsewhere. In particular, it focuses on a little-known case in the village of Beckington in 1689, and shows how this was not a late, isolated episode, but an integral part of the wider Selwood Forest witchcraft story.
  • ISBN13 9781443851886
  • Publish Date 27 February 2017
  • Publish Status Active
  • Publish Country GB
  • Imprint Cambridge Scholars Publishing
  • Edition Unabridged edition
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 310
  • Language English