A seemingly-innocent village and fishing port in England has been branded the UK’s ‘equivalent to Salem’ due to its connection to Joan Wytte, who was executed on suspicion of being a witch
It’s time to pack your cauldron and hop on your broomstick to one of the UK’s most magical hotspots.
Millions of visitors flock to Salem, Massachusetts, every year to learn about the infamous 1962 witch trials which saw 19 people executed on suspicion they possessed sorcerous abilities. The US destination has become particularly popular over Halloween as the city’s dark past turns into a fancy-dress party filled with amusement rides and food vendors. If you want to learn more about witchcraft and wizardry without flying across the pond, there’s a humble village and fishing port in England that has an under-appreciated witchy history.
Travel addict Tania Valentina is touring the globe in a hunt for the best bucket list destinations and recently stumbled across Boscastle, which she branded as ‘England’s equivalent of Salem’. Located in Cornwall in the civil parish of Forrabury and Minster.”It’s home to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic’ which houses the world’s largest collection of witchcraft artefacts,” Tania said in a recent TikTok video. “It’s also known for its history with Joan Wytte, a Cornish healer who was eventually persecuted in the 1800s as a witch.”
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Known as the Fighting Fairy Woman of Bodmin, the woman’s skeleton was shamelessly hung in the museum until new owners decided to give her a proper burial in the woods back in 1999. Her headstone, which is often frequented by visitors and decorated with charms and potions, now poignantly reads ‘No longer abused’.
Tickets for the museum are priced at £7 for adults and £5 for children. It is open seven days a week including bank holidays until October 31, with the last entry at 4.30 pm. The nearest parking is at the Cobwed Carparck operated by Cornwall Council. Hundreds of viewers took to the comments section to hail Boscastle, with many suggesting that Pendle Hill is ‘more significant’ for witchcraft following the 1612 witch trial that preceded Salem. In Lancashire, twelve residents near Pendl Hill were accused of the murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft. One was tried at York and another died in prison. Of the 11 that went to trial, ten were found guilty and executed by hanging while one was found not guilty. You can learn more about the mysterious Pendlee Witches at the Pendel Heritage Museum.
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