The Thing About Witch Hunts

We travel to Colchester, England, the first Roman capital of Britain, to get a taste of the history of Colchester Castle, including its role in the Seven County Witch Trials led by “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins from 1645 to 1647. Ben Paites, senior curator of Colchester Museums, tells us how the museums confront the witch trials and other history of the long-inhabited castle with artifacts, community collaboration, and interpretation. We discuss the importance of highlighting the humanity of those who really suffered due to witchcraft accusations. Ben guides us through the museum, telling us about objects like witch bottles and a ducking stool. He also traces Colchester’s deep past from the Bronze Age to Roman industry, highlights local witch trial cases and victims such as Elizabeth Clarke, Anne and Rebecca West, and Ursula Kemp, and previews upcoming jail-cell redevelopment. 00:00 Welcome to Colchester 01:12 Meet Curator Ben 03:00 Colchester Through Ages 07:24 Inside Castle Museums 09:19 Artifacts Tell Stories 11:37 Wicked Spirits Exhibit 15:24 Witch Bottles and Tests 19:55 Matthew Hopkins Arrives 23:28 Touring Cells and Vaults 26:53 Local Accused and Victims 36:24 Pamphlets and Familiars 41:30 Visit and Future Plans 43:43 Where to Follow Ben 45:27 Closing Thoughts Links: Colchester Museums: https://colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/ Ben Paites: https://www.benpaites.uk/ Witchland by Marion Gibson: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781668206539 Salem Witch-Hunt Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/salemwitchhunt Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com Salem Witch Trials Daily: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/ The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com High Quality Scans of Salem Witch Trials Records (Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection): https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619

The Real Witch Trial History in the Film "The Witch" The Witch (2015) and Real New England Witch Trial Records Robert Eggers’ 2015 horror film “The Witch: A New England Folktale” draws directly from historic witchcraft beliefs, journals, diaries, and witch trial court records. We compare the scenes in the movie to their real-life counterparts. Based on our experience interviewing experts in witch trials and witchcraft belief, we analyze the movie’s ominous forest, the vanished infant, the blighted crops, the blood in the goat’s milk, the devil’s book, familiars, and afflictions to documented accusations from Salem and beyond. In the film, the devil promises Thomas fine things, butter, and living deliciously. We present what people really said in court about the devil’s promises. In our discussion, we cover key scenes involving Thomasin, Caleb, Mercy and Jonas, the rabbit, and Black Philip, while noting the film’s major departure from history. In the film, the witch is a monster who lives in the woods. In real trials, accusations were leveled at neighbors and even kin. We invite listeners to continue the discussion on our Salem Witch Hunt Facebook page at facebook.com/salemwitchhunt. Chapters: 00:00 Halloween Setup 00:27 Film Premise 01:12 History Sources 02:36 Ominous Forest 05:42 Baby Vanishes 06:55 Witch Beliefs 09:43 Woodpile Symbolism 11:53 Devils Book Play 14:15 Missing Children 17:24 Black Philip Songs 20:04 Caleb And Rabbit 22:01 No Cat Choice 23:13 Devil Revealed 24:53 Witch Looks Explained 26:25 Devil Promises In Trials 28:32 Black Philip Undercover 29:22 Caleb Seduced And Drained 30:19 Afflictions From Records 32:34 Folklore Versus History 35:30 Protective Magic Missing 37:05 Illusions And Familiars 38:54 Puritan Doubt And Prayer 42:26 Could Story Work Without Witch 45:28 Thomasin Joins Sabbat 47:10 Favorites And Final Thoughts Links: Salem Witch-Hunt Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/salemwitchhunt Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com Salem Witch Trials Daily: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/ The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com The Witch | A 24 Films: https://a24films.com/films/witch

Beverly, Bridget Bishop, John Hale, and Dorcas Hoar with Descendant Guide Roger Herson We walk the landscapes of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials from the Beverly side of the bridge with longtime North Shore tour guide and 12th-generation local Roger Herson, a descendant of Bridget Bishop’s second husband, Thomas Oliver, as well as other accused families. Our conversation challenges popular witch hunt folklore—especially misconceptions about Bridget Bishop—and traces overlooked Beverly connections, from John Hale writing his reflective A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft to William Griggs living in Beverly and the case of cunning folk Dorcas Hoar. Roger shares what it means to guide visitors where his ancestors lived, how folklore can still reveal partial truths, and why Beverly’s history helps restore the accused as real neighbors rather than legends. We also spotlight Historic Beverly’s October “Project 1692” walking tours, museum access, and resources for deeper research. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:43 Roger Finds His Roots 05:50 Bridget Bishop Misconceptions 09:43 Beverly’s Hidden Role 12:37 Guiding Tours as Descendant 14:54 Inside John Hale’s World 18:52 Hale’s Modest Enquiry 22:33 Folklore Versus Records 24:53 Dorcas Hoar Real Deal 25:43 Aftermath in Rehoboth 26:09 Why Beverly in October 28:31 Project 1692 Tour Concept 29:27 Correcting Trial Myths 30:03 Tour Style and Small Groups 30:56 Tickets Donations and Perks 32:11 Relating to 1692 People 33:41 Family Ties to the Trials 35:14 Witch Hunts Then and Now 43:10 Beyond Salem North Shore Travel 44:34 Memorials at Hale Farm 45:19 Where to Learn More 46:05 Final Thanks and Sign Off Historic Beverly: https://historicbeverly.net Ancestry Tour Agents: https:// ancestrytouragents.com Salem Witch-Hunt Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/salemwitchhunt Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com Salem Witch Trials Daily: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/ The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com

Monstrous Bitch: 4,000 Years of Demonizing Women, From Lamashtu to Modern Horror Medievalist and Columbia professor Dr. Eleanor Johnson joins us to trace the 4,000-year lineage behind her new book, Monstrous Bitch, connecting ancient Mesopotamian demon Lamashtu to Greek and Roman lamiae, medieval and early modern witch persecutions, and modern horror cinema. We follow how patriarchal cultures repeatedly weaponized a recurring “triptych” of accusations—women’s voices, sexuality or predation, and reproductive autonomy—turning mythic monstrosity into the idea that any woman could be a witch, and later reshaping the figure into the vampire. We also confront the terror of heritable witchcraft accusations, including Salem’s Sarah Good and Dorothy Good, and discuss the devil-contract conspiracy framework in Christian witch ideology, alongside historical opponents who challenged it. Johnson highlights recent films that reinterpret the “monstrous bitch” as feminist resistance, and shares release details for Monstrous Bitch (Oct. 6) and her Eleanor’s Horrors Substack. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:27 Dr Johnson Background 02:53 Why Monstrous Bitch 03:59 Lamashtu Origins 08:56 From Lamia to Witches 12:54 Witch Hunts Fallout 14:40 Vampiress Turn 16:22 Feminist Horror Reclaim 20:44 Devil Pact Conspiracy 27:10 Pushback and Salem Link 30:40 Salem Cases Setup 32:00 Daughters Forced to Disavow 33:10 Hereditary Horror on Film 35:23 Witchcraft Accusations Today 36:58 Exonerating Ancestors in Connecticut 38:42 Honor, Memory, and History 41:13 Pop Culture Witch Lineages 42:52 The Past Never Ends 46:51 Fear of Women Gathering 51:05 Study History Without Fear 54:19 Book Release and Farewell Links Eleanor’s Horrors: https://eleanorshorrors.substack.com Buy Monstrous Bitch: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780691291666 Salem Witch Trials History YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com Salem Witch Trials Daily: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/ Connecticut Witch Trial History Trail: https://connecticutwitchtrials.org/trail/ Massachusetts Witch Trial History: https://massachusettswitchtrials.org End Witch Hunts nonprofit: https://endwitchhunts.org

The Craft at 30: Witchcraft, Teen Horror, and the Satanic Panic with Abby Brenker (Lunatics Project) We welcome Abby Brenker of The Lunatics Project to dig into The Craft on its 30th anniversary, tracing why this 1996 teen witchcraft horror classic became a sleepover staple despite mixed reviews and an R rating. We explore how the film centers female friendship, anger, and power outside of romance, while portraying boys as secondary villainous caricatures, and we unpack gendered conflicts around beauty, identity, mentorship, and isolation—especially for Bonnie, Sarah, Nancy, and Rochelle. We connect the movie’s rituals, Wiccan and occult-inspired magic system, and iconic lines (“We’re the weirdos, mister”) to broader 1990s witch media, from Sabrina to Buffy, and to real-world fears: self-harm, rape, bullying, and primal horror imagery like mirrors, snakes, and spiders. We also touch on The Believers, Blair Witch, and the Satanic Panic, and Abby shares where to find Lunatics Radio Hour and her feature film Voices Carry on Tubi. Chapters 00:00 Meet The Guest 00:28 Lunatics Project Origins 03:02 Why The Craft Matters 03:58 Film Setup And Legacy 07:49 Women Center Stage 11:18 Boys And Beauty Standards 15:21 Rituals And Power 18:02 Fear And Dark Themes 23:32 Iconic Lines And Scenes 25:36 Witch Shop Mentor 27:45 Rochelle Lacks Support 29:14 Racism Then and Now 30:40 Hair as Social Power 35:05 Nineties Witch Boom 40:02 Satanic Panic Memories 43:38 Ritual Games and Mirrors 45:45 Iconic Final Confrontation 48:26 Violence and R Rating 51:08 Blair Witch and Viral Hype 53:58 Closing and Projects Links The Lunatics Project Lunatics Radio Hour Voices Carry on Tubi Salem Witch Trials History YouTube channel The Thing About Witch Hunts The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials Salem Witch Trials Daily Connecticut Witch Trial History Trail Massachusetts Witch Trial History End Witch Hunts nonprofit