LEARNING
Explore the beliefs, laws, and social pressures that shaped the witch trials across England, the wider stories and background and learn how ordinary communities became caught up in accusation and fear.
The Learning pages brings together articles that explore how the trials worked, what people believed about witchcraft, and how communities became drawn into cycles of accusation. These pieces are designed to support learning and reflection, offering accessible explanations grounded in historical research while acknowledging the gaps and silences within the surviving records.
You will find articles on themes such as religion and superstition, the legal process, gender and power, community tensions, and the role of fear during times of instability. Some articles focus on Suffolk specifically, while others place local events within a broader national picture.
This learning content is intended for a wide audience — including local residents, visitors, students, teachers, and anyone seeking to better understand this period of history. As research continues, this section will grow, forming an expanding, freely accessible resource that supports education, discussion, and deeper engagement with Suffolk’s past.
Society
‘True bill’ meaning
A true bill is an old legal term for a formal indictment. In early modern England, criminal cases were first considered by a grand jury. They reviewed the accusations and evidence and then decided whether there was enough to put the accused on trial. If they agreed...
Political and Societal Influences
Between 1500 and 1700, England underwent enormous social and religious changes. These transformations affected every part of life, from crime and justice to how people saw the world around them. As society shifted, so did the nature of crime. There was an increase in...
History of Witchcraft
Earlier Suffolk Trials
Eye 1441 One of the earliest tales is of Margery Jourdemaine, The Witch of Eye, who was tried in 1441 with Thomas Southwell and Roger Bolingbroke, accused of using sorcery to know the date of the death of Henry VI. (He was just 20 at the time and lived for another 30...