Before We Had Answers: When Witches Met At This Ancient Grave

Send us Fan Mail 💬 At this ancient monolithic burial chamber, witches were said to convene with the devil to conduct The Black Mass. This imposing Dolmen came up time and time again in the brutal witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. ⚡ This was a time when witchcraft was truely a force to be feared. But why did we believe so strongly that our neighbours were placing curses on us? And why were people burned for a crime that didn’t exist? In this episode we visit Le Trépied in Guernsey at the dead of night, to walk in the footsteps of the witches that were said to meet there. Citing the work of Marie de Garis, Sir Edgar MacCulloch and John Linwood Pitts, we discuss the witch hysteria that once plagued this island’s shores. Thanks to Freelance artist Etienne Marquis, for letting us use a video of his painting, depicting the devil atop Le Trépied. It’s on display at Candie Museums in Guernsey. See his work here: https://www.etiennemarquis.com/ Visit Candie Museum: https://museums.gov.gg/gmag  Don't miss an episode - subscribe now: https://podfollow.com/what-we-did-before About the podcast: What We Did Before is a podcast exploring the history of everyday life, from how we kept food fresh before fridges, to how we survived without shoes and what came before AI. About your host: Ollie Guillou is an award-winning podcast producer and broadcaster. He's co-founder of OG Podcasts, working with the likes of New Scientist, Dr Karan and Lessons From Our Mothers. Connect with Ollie: Website: www.ogpodcasts.co.uk  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollie-guillou  Email: [email protected] Support the show