Pendle Forest - Witches Walk

Today, we had a great day walking around Roughlee, Barley and Newchurch with our friends from the Upper Wharfedale Field Society.  Pam organized the walk, setting the Pendle witches story in the context of the sixteenth and seventeenth century development of this part of the forest.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_witch_trials We were blessed with a breezy and generally sunny day in which good conversation blended history and archeology with last nights superb Olympic opening ceremony!

We began at Roughlee Old Hall.  This is connected with Alice Nutter, one of those executed for witchcraft. She was unusual, among those accused, in being comparatively wealthy, the widow of a tenant yeoman farmer. She made no statement either before or during her trial, except to enter her plea of not guilty. Despite its sad and gruesome associations, it is nevertheless a lovely late C16 house http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/67348

As we climbed over the hill from Barley car park to the village of Newchurch, we had great views of Pendle Hill and the forest landscape where the C13 Barley and Wheatley vaccaries could easily be picked out.  The vaccaries were cow farms producing draught animals, first for the De lacy overlords and then the King.  Those caught up in the witches trials were the descendants of the old vaccary keepers.

Another highlight was St. Mary's Church, Newchurch with its famous 'Eye of God' located in the late medieval tower.  The rest of the church is classical and surprisingly urbane for such a rural location.  Well worth a visit. There is even a C17 Nutter gravestone in the pretty churchyard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary's_Church,_Newchurch_in_Pendle

Lunch was at Faugh's quarry.  It is here that the witch Demdike claimed to have met the Devil in the shape of a ‘boy wearing a coat half black, half brown who said his name was Tibb’. Demdike sold her soul to Tibb in return for anything she desired. We settled for sandwiches and a drink!

Throughout the walk we could see the development of the local vernacular through the rich heritage of C17 and C18 houses and weavers cottages.  We finished with a short drive to the Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford which is set in the ancient house, Park Hill.  It has exhibitions on both the witches and the traditional houses of the locality... and a pretty good cafe too! http://www.htnw.co.uk/phc.html

Photos by Alex.