Discovery at ancient site where Pendle Witches held their coven (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Discovery at ancient site where Pendle Witches held their coven
9:52am Thursday 8th December 2011 in Looking Back
A CHANCE discovery may have unearthed the ancient site where the Pendle Witches held their infamous coven.
Just ahead of the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch trials, archaeologists believe the find could be Lancashire’s equivalent of the unearthing of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Engineers undertaking maintenance work on Lower Black Moss reservoir, near Barley, on behalf of United Utilities, came across a mysterious mound and began to probe further.
Underneath the earthworks were the remains of a 17th-century cottage, which could be Malkin Tower, the dwelling where Elizabeth Device held a witches’ gathering on Good Friday in 1612.
And hidden within the walls, possibly to ward off evil spirits, were the remains of mummified cat.
Heritage expert Simon Entwistle, who conducts tours of Pendle Hill and the surrounding area, is convinced the find is linked to the witch trials.
He said: “It is one of those places which historians can’t quite agree upon.
“But it is certainly within the right area.
“This is a place which wanted to be discovered I feel, especially with the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch Trials.
“This is the epicentre of the story, and if it is is not Malkin Tower, then there is a strong possibility it is linked to one of those involved.”
Archaeologists have confirmed that the property dates back to the 1600s.
And discussions are set to take place over how the site may be preserved.
Carl Sanders, a United Utilities project manager, said: “It’s not often you come across a fairytale cottage complete with witch’s cat.
“The building is in remarkable condition.
“You can walk through it and get a real sense that you’re peering into the past.”
Mr Entwistle said: “In terms of significance, it’s like discovering Tutankhamun’s tomb.”
Frank Giecco, from Cumbria-based NP Archaeology, led excavations on site at the cottage.
He said: “It’s like discovering your own little Pompei. We rarely get the opportunity to work with something that is so well preserved.
As soon as we started digging, we found the tops of doors, and knew we were onto something special.
“The building is a microcosm for the rise and fall of this area, from the time of the Pendle witches to the industrial age.”
The dig also unearthed a 19th century kitchen range, Victorian crockery, a tin bath and a bedstead.
Comments(21)
Keep Darwen Green
says...
10:22am Thu 8 Dec 11
happycyclist
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10:29am Thu 8 Dec 11
Keep Darwen Green wrote:That's a Witchfinder General's uniform.
Why the undertakers uniform? He's bound to say its satans lair himself if it means keeping him in work.
A Darener
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10:36am Thu 8 Dec 11
GadgetGirl_2410
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10:40am Thu 8 Dec 11
Norm de Plume
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10:49am Thu 8 Dec 11
Malking Tower is more likely to have been nearer to the church in Newchurch for various reasons.
ladysal
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10:49am Thu 8 Dec 11
happycyclist wrote:Hear, hear. Please lets us know what the plan is for this site: I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling its going to disappear.
Stick with the story, LT, and keep us informed. This is real Lancashire history!
Fantastic timing too.
Apparently, burying a cat in a building was supposed to ward off evil spirits: I think this was a later addition: maybe later inhabitants thought it was Malkin Tower as well and wanted to keep the memory of the witches at bay. Discuss.....
Now all we need is Lancaster castle to open up the witches tower seeing as the prison has moved out and we can start shouting about a welll known piece of our own history.
Centaur
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10:55am Thu 8 Dec 11
What a load ofsensationalist seeking headlines.
The reporter doesn't even know if the so-called witches lived there!
Reporting! tripe more likely.
Jerzei Balowski
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11:43am Thu 8 Dec 11
I've told you a hundred trillion times, don't exaggerate.
Dan Codd
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2:45pm Thu 8 Dec 11
bikerjohn_uk
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3:43pm Thu 8 Dec 11
Dave139
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6:17pm Thu 8 Dec 11
This is a great story keep us up to date with any other findings on this site.
Graham Hartley
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8:10pm Thu 8 Dec 11
Dave139 wrote:Latest report is of a cauldron found in the kitchen; a rusted but trusted artifact.
Real Lancashire History.
This is a great story keep us up to date with any other findings on this site.
Frank Watson 46
says...
12:41am Fri 9 Dec 11
It is doubtfull that those poor beggars would live in such a substantial building.
The cat ruputedly dates from 1800, so was probably left there to ward off evil spirits. See my website for more details:- http://ahauntingexpe
rience.co.uk/2011/di
scovery-of-malkin-to
wer/
ossybsting
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5:23pm Fri 9 Dec 11
chocky
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6:46pm Fri 9 Dec 11
karolgadge
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7:06pm Fri 9 Dec 11
The truth behind the events of 1612 is less well-known and much more prosaic (but no less tragic).
Anyone who has studied the witches trial in Lancaster will know that the only contemporary account by the clerk of the court, Thomas Potts, was a work intended to further the careers of himself and the assize judges.
If King James VI had been less superstitious and not published his own book ('Daemonologie') on the existence of witches, perhaps Potts and co would have been less strenuous in their attempts to root out witchcraft in Lancashire.
Eee-Bygum
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1:22pm Sat 10 Dec 11
There is enough bad luck about without putting a Hex on the place.
Should have been left well alone "Don't Go On The Moors"
Eee-Bygum
says...
1:23pm Sat 10 Dec 11
There is enough bad luck about without putting a Hex on the place.
Should have been left well alone "Don't Go On The Moors"
Lifeinthemix
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9:15pm Sun 11 Dec 11
pendle getting desperate digging up a clear cae of witch hunts and landownership....
Jennie Lee Cobban
says...
11:03pm Sun 18 Dec 11
happycyclist says...
10:13am Thu 8 Dec 11